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21st January 2025
04:29pm GMT
A staple of Irish tables for centuries, bread in Dublin now comes in more varieties and styles than ever. It has been remarkable to witness the rise of independent bakeries across the country over the last few years. These days our fair city caters to even the most discerning tastes.
Traditional bakeries remain a cornerstone of daily life, with fresh loaves still a must-have for those serving up everything from a simple slice with butter to a full fry-up. But as new techniques, ingredients, and consumer demands have shaped the city’s food landscape, Dublin has seen a wave of next-generation bakeries emerge.
Led by a new breed of bakers and pastry chefs, these spots push the boundaries of what’s possible with flour, water, and yeast. Join us as we stand before their beautifully stacked shelves, struggling to choose what to indulge in first.
From Italian technique to rich French indulgence and environmentally conscious bakeries, all using the best of Irish ingredients, these are the standout new-wave bakeries redefining Dublin’s pastry scene.
Old Delgany Inn, Delgany, Co. Wicklow, A63T285
So this is technically in Wicklow, but if you're on the N11, sure just follow it out to Delgany and you won't be led astray. The award-winning Firehouse Bakery has more than earned its reputation as one of Ireland’s standout artisan bakeries. The locals know this spot for its expertly baked sourdough and pastries, Firehouse Bakery pairs its offerings with freshly brewed coffee, all centred around its signature wood-fired oven—the beating heart of everything they make.
Go for? The sausage roll
Open from 8:30 till 4pm daily.
Ballymun Industrial Park, Ballymun, Dublin, D11 RPC9
Blossom Artisan Bakery in Ballymun, hidden inside Buddy’s Farmer’s Market, is the kind of place that makes you question why you ever settled for supermarket bread. Run by Xenia and Peter, everything here is made fresh in-house, and their French baguette might just be the best in Dublin. The sweet stuff? Equally dangerous. Their menu changes monthly, so keep an eye on their Instagram—but fair warning: they sell out fast. With their new, cruelly short opening hours, only the earliest (and luckiest) birds in Ballymun will get their hands on those unreal chocolate twists.
Go for? The chocolate Twists
Blossom Artisan Bakery opens Wednesday to Sunday from 8:30 - 2pm.
3 Main Street, Rush, Co. Dublin
Noisette Bakery in Rush is the brainchild of Vaarsha Baugreet (ex-Bread Naturally) and Jeremy Pastor (ex-Tartine). Together they gave Rush a long awaited proper spot for real bread and pastries. When they opened in 2023, their Rush strawberry danishes and lime meringue cruffins caused queues that could break a spirit. Things have calmed since—no need for a pre-dawn mission in 2025. Their strawberries & cream doughnut is a doughnut done right. The cinnamon roll has it's own fanbase among the icing-laden dreamers of the county. Coffee is from Imbibe and actually made well. This spot is an easy excuse for a day trip to Rush.
Go for? A very affordable Almond croissant and literally anything on their menu
Open fromThursday to Saturday from 8am till 2pm.
Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Newly opened up the top of Ranelagh, this high-end bakery is a great addition to Dublin’s blooming bakery scene. Una is the bakery baby of John & Sandy Wyer from Forest Avenue and Tom and Finn Gleeson from Bunsen, so you know the quality is guaranteed. This venture is perhaps an unsurprising one for the hospitality powerhouses, as New Yorker Sandy previously worked as a pastry chef before becoming front of house, in their spots Forest Avenue and Forest & Marcy
Operating on a refreshing level of production and efficiency, we have no doubt that it will set the tone and up the stakes for others. Get prepared to get there early cos they sell out lippy-split and be prepared to queue for whatever is left. this contemporary neighbourhood bakery is a drop-in drop-out spot, with standing room only. Serving up a great selection of pastries, cookies, focaccia and sourdough bread alongside Imbibe coffee and teas.
The pastries are displayed in a paired back glass case, potentially to prevent any mauling or dribbling from customers. Punters point to whichever pastry they want and it’s grabbed straight from the bakery in the back, where pretty late in the morning the team were working hard producing more pastries (undoubtedly to keep up with the demand). The pastry line-up is super interesting, while they cover their basis with the classic croissants there are some unusual entries, which you wouldn’t normally see in too many bakeries, including the yassifed Bakewell and the lesser-spotted kouign-amann.
Go for? A new weekend pilgrimage
Una opens Sunday-Thursday from 8.00-16.00 (but be warned they sell out quick!)
Russell Street, Dublin 1
Set where the elusive The Lady From Shanghai Bakery used to be, Russell Street opened last year. It's from by the same people behind Tartine Organic Bakery. Though they stock nearly every cafe and restaurant in the city with their incredible organic loaves, this is incredibly their first retail outlet.
The micro-bakery serves up all the hits, alongside some lesser-seen items like their take on a lemon curd, New York roll and Pan Swiss. As well as a gorgeous range of baked goods and organic artisan sourdough loaves, this new micro-bakery also crucially serves Imbibe coffee in-store.
Go for? A pre-Croke Park coffee and pastry
Russell Street Bakery opens Monday to Friday from 7.00 to 15.00, and from 7.30 on weekends.
Gallery Quay, Dublin 2
You might have seen the dramatic squidging and pulling of Il Valentino's filled pastries all over your For You feeds in the last while. Viral sensations aside, this sweet little Italian café / bakery is tucked in alongside the likes of Nutbutter, Caffe Nero, and Fresh as you approach the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, is a true neighbourhood spot in the Silicon docks.
They do everything from semifredo cakes, with the texture of frozen mousse, to more continental classics, to huge occasion sponge cakes when you need to feed a whole office of hungry people. If you are just crazy about croissants, which we think most of Dublin is by this point, Il Valentino makes theirs by hand every day from scratch, using 100% butter and French flour and expertise to achieve that flakey goodness we all love so much. The team also do seasonal-themed weekends for their baked goods depending on what fruit is in season at the time, meaning there is always something new and unctuous to try.
As for settling in for a quick coffee, you won't be disappointed by their punchy Arabica blend, which is a favourite in the north of Italy, and features in some of the most iconic temples of Italian coffee culture, such as Caffe' la Fenice Theatre, Venice, Caffe' Greco Rome and Galleria Uffizi Florence. Who needs the spenny trip to the boot-shaped country when it's sitting in the middle of Dublin?
Go for? Italian-style baking in Dublin
Il Valentino opens daily until 19.00, but don't expect them to be fully stocked on their baked goods by that late hour.
Rialto, Dublin 8
A Rialto institution for over five years, in that time The Bakery has embedded itself into the very fibre of the community. Taught to bake by his granny, Graham Herterich's menu has plenty of nostalgic nods to classic Irish bits, from barmbrack, cream buns to gigantic Kimberleys.
Aside from stocking some of the best Irish artisanal products around, the team have some incredible sourdough (which they genuinely cannot keep on the shelves), brown bread and a solid range of heritage loaves. There's a sense of fun and frivolity that comes from a trip to The Bakery, and you are simply honour bound to leave with some lil treat that will invariably reminds you of your childhood.
Go for? A gigantic Kimberley
The Bakery opens on South Circular Road Tuesday to Saturday between 8.30 and 16:30.
Smithfield, Dublin 7
The buttery love child of Smithfield café Proper Coffee calls itself No Messin' Bakery, which should be implication enough how seriously they take the art of baking. Like many of the bakeries on this list, No Messin will only deal with seasonal, fresh, and local ingredients when creating their pastries. Only opened in 2020, No Messin has settled in as one of Dublin's top places to enact the ancient ritual of coffee and a sweet treat, and you will only find this pastry gold within the walls of Proper Coffee Co. thei
Go for? Their famous Cardi Bs
The delicious treats from No Messin can only be found within Proper Coffee at Haymarket in Smithfield.
Multiple locations
From humble beginnings on Castle Street, they have gone from strength to strength and have expanded exponentially. As the name might suggest, the team do indeed make some distinct and colourful pastries, such as their rainbow croissant for Pride, or their Ferrero Rocher-filled croissant special, if you make it to Arty Baker early enough, you'll have quite the decision to make on what pastry (or pastries) you want. Getting up early really is imperative if you're making your way to any of their four locations (with a fifth seemingly on the way).
Go for? The chocolate almond croissant
Arty Baker has four south-side locations, all of which open Tuesday through to Sunday, albeit with different opening hours
Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
Oxmantown is known in Dublin as the home of toasted sandwiches. Still, they decided to expand their products in 2022 by opening Elliot's. Elliots is a micro-bakery that offers close-your-eyes-and-you-are-in-France baguettes, with the perfect ratio of crispy crust and soft melt-in-your-mouth bread. They also do twice-baked Basque cheesecake that will have you going back ad nauseam for just another bite. They're so successful that
While Elliot's official closing time is 15.00, they tend to sell out of their goodies long before then, so you will want to make like the early bird to get your pick of the goodies, without fear of items already selling out (because trust me, they will sell out). Not to mention if you're after some lunch, you can also get your hands on those famous Oxmantown toasties at Elliot's, again, only while stocks last.
Go for? The baguette
New Street, Skerries
Skerries proves once again that it has more than beautiful views in the form of Rock Bakery. Committed to seasonality, the team chalk up their new menu each month, including seasonally-driven goodies, alongside their usual suspects. Their seasonal menus have seen the likes of an orange and cinnamon roll as well as Bailey's coffee slice. They've even been known to do an upmarket jambon topped with caramelised honey ham, homemade mustard béchamel sauce, all wrapped in flakey croissant dough
This micro patisserie opens Wednesday to Sunday from 8.30 until 15.00, although given its immense popularity, Rock Bakery is likely to have sold out of pastries by then. Don't sleep on this one, setting five alarms five minutes apart is encouraged.
Go for? That all-too-wholesome seaside walk and pastry
The Rock Bakery opens Wednesday to Sunday until 15.00
Dawson Street, Dublin 2
Relatively new to the margarine block, but already winning over shoppers and office workers alike is Fable Bakery. Launched in front of Sprout in November 2022, Fable Bakery is run by friends Elyse and Kate. The duo served their time at the Ballymaloe Cookery School before moving on to Smithfield's No Messin' Bakery.
After a stint in Phibsborough, Fable is now a permanent resident on Dawson Street. While their baking is varied, the stand-out product has got to be the buns (hun). Lashings of love and care are put into this soft and swirly pastry, and the crevices of each fold hold the sweet flavour. Be that the powdered sugar, almonds, or whatever topping they are using that day. It's a tough ask to walk past this Dawson Street spot without being drawn in for a goo.
Go for? The almond bun
Fable Bakery operates out of Sprout on Dawson Street, baking Monday through to Saturday
Scéal are currently a bakery in Greystones - which is technically in Wicklow, but well worth hopping on the DART to.
We were blessed for a time with having Scéal Bakery operate out of the Fumbally on Thursdays. These days they're all set up and running out in Greystones. The distance from the city has done nothing to diminish their popularity. Their baked goods have still incite queues of up to 30 people at times. Their seasonal Danish pastries to tried and true almond croissants, to fat slabs of focaccia, are all game changers in their own right. But it's the kimchi bear claw that would make you leave your life behind and aprentice with them just to know how they do it.
Go for? The kimchi bear claw
Did we forget to include your favourite Dublin bakery? Don't gate-keep, let us know at hello@lovin.com
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