If you’re a “foodie” or a “hot-drinker” (of which I am neither!), good food and hot drinks can genuinely enhance your trip. With restaurants currently closed (under Irish government guidelines), you can feel assured of having options available should you fancy.
This is our ‘Treats Edit’ — your guide to finding the coolest spot to grab a beverage or sweet treat on your trips around the area. We’ve been on the hunt for something unique, a never before tasted barista masterpiece.
We already knew how lucky we were to have some of these ‘pop-ups’ in the close locality. Still, we were blown away by the variety they have to offer with a choice of refined hot drinks, refreshing cool drinks, and delicious treats to tempt your taste pallet (including some gluten-free and vegan diets).
A spiced winter tea, hot chocolate with Irish cream, or a caramel slice? Yum!
We’ll start with what is probably the original pop-up in the area: The Pod has generated a worthy stir in the Insta and online world since being established in 2016 at Largy Viewpoint (between Kilcar and Killybegs).
We strongly recommend you stop off at Brew In Thru for your visit to Slieve League. Julie and Kenneth have a vintage 1968 Citroen van, painted in green which you are unlikely to miss, it truly is the cutest! You are sure of a hearty greeting, dainty home-baked treats by Helena and artisan coffees and tea. Tip: if the sun’s shining (at all), order the vanilla iced latte. Yummy!
If you’re in Killybegs for a day, we especially love and miss Mrs B’s Coffee House for all-day breakfasts and indulgent hot drinks. An Capall Mara is located opposite the seafront in Killybegs. There’s a nice variety of treats on offer while you stroll around the town or continue your journey.
An exciting addition to Killybegs is the much-adored Sweet News Ice-Cream Boutique. The Sweet News sweet shop has been around for a long time, and everyone in the area probably has childhood memories from it. I used to go in every Monday evening after swimming lessons and then be disappointed because things don’t taste the same after swimming! I soon learned to wait a few hours before delving into my treats. The shop itself has beautiful gifts too. The ice-cream cones have always been the creamiest around, but the Ice-Cream Boutique inside the store has many more delicious options.
We’re also waiting in anticipation for our sit-in favourite to reopen on The Muckross Head Peninsula. Memory Lane Teahouse offers hot drinks, cold drinks, treats, and ice-cream, loved by all ages and is something that all the family can enjoy while going back in time in a modern setting.
It’s with thanks to these warm and coffee-loving people that the South-West Donegal area has artisan beverage options on offer at a time when the world just stopped.
If you’re on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to follow these guys in the lead-up to your stay so you can have a few things in mind of what you might like to order!
