Most expensive coffee in Dublin?!?
Daragh | July 11, 2006Walking up Grafton St today, I was looking up when I noticed this….
What’s that?! That is a new Starbucks being fitted out in the trendy and expensive BT2′s on Grafton Street. What’s so special about this I hear you say! Well, nothing much, it’s another extension to the disappointing Starbucks Ireland franchise (I say disappointing as the stores here are not a patch on many of their US stores). What is special about it though, is the fact that I reckon this will quickly become the most expensive coffee shop in Dublin, what with its prime views over Grafton St, and being part of BT2′s, it won’t be long till you’re in there paying EUR 8 for your venti cauppicino, never mind the EUR 12 for the super duper mocha latta frappa double chociccino!! 
Does that mean Nude has left?
A Nude Starbucks? That would be an experience
I think Starbucks have standardised pricing across all their stores in a country, at least that was one of the arguments against Starbucks when they first arrived in Ireland. They would drive the price of coffee up across the country because all their stores would be charging the same price and all the competitors would match the Starbucks pricing.
But you are right, the Starbucks experience is sorely lacking in Dublin. Small pokey shops, packed, with queues out the door, and no chance of getting a seat. I go to Coffee Society for a nice cup of coffee, a table with a comfortable seat and the chance to read a free paper or write a blog entry without someone standing over me asking if I’m finished with the seat and table yet (i.e. what the Starbucks experience is supposed to be).
I had a horrible coffee experience in Starbucks on Dame St a few months back which has put me off. I much prefer Coffee Society too or La Corte in the Epicurean food hall which in my opinion serves the finest coffee north of the Liffey
OOh, must check out La Corte then – getting fed up with Insomnia + they recently put their prices up.
hurrah for coffee-related postings. now if someone would just mention the best place to buy a good burr grinder…
never mind the ‘atmosphere’ of the Dame St. Starbucks, the *coffee* isn’t as good as it is in Starbucks in America. I haven’t sampled it in other countries, but I figured the promise of Starbucks was consistantly good espresso & cappucino. Not so on Dame St. I’ll add my vote for Coffee Society on Liffey St. (I’ve tried La Corte too & still would stick with C.S., as long as they get rid of that new afternoon barista who keeps scalding the milk & getting the foam wrong.)
in toronto a few years ago we were urged by locals NOT to patronize starbucks, which was flooding the city with coffee shops and driving out “the second cup,” their local chain.
at one intersection, we saw four coffee shops–one on each corner. two were starbucks.
i mean to add: stick with beweleys. it’s home-grown.
I remember that from when I was in Toronto. There were Starbucks everywhere but they encouraged people to use the local chain.
By the way here is another reason to go to Bewleys on Grafton Street instead of Starbucks. Bewleys coffee (in the Grafton Street shop) is supposed to be entirely Fair Trade. Starbucks only do two fair trade coffees, Cafe Estima and Timor Lorosae, both of which they only ever have on brew and not in the espresso machine. The rest of their coffee is “ethically traded”, which is good, but fair trade is better, a larger share of the money goes to the coffee growers instead of to middle men.
Since I don’t drink coffee, I don’t know how Starbucks coffee compares in other places to Ireland. However, the Dame Street shop has nice seats compared to many in the Chicago area. At least the Starbucks in Dublin aren’t drive through, yet. The hot chocolate is really tasty, though. I go there when I miss home and get a skinny hot chocolate and skinny blue berry muffin. The hot chocolate in Dublin is usually quite sweet and theirs has a little bite to it.
Good a read some coffee thoughts.
You might already know this serious coffee blog:
“http://www.smellingthecoffee.com/”
It’s US based but good for deep coffee thinkers.
hey, good to hear ppl like coffee society. I work there! the liffey street one and only on sundays. Apparently we have been keeping the price of coffee same for years!
Well, Starbucks it´s all over the world. Everybody already knows it.I prefer cosy places, personal ones. When i lived in Dublin i used to go to Coffee Society in Ranelagh road and also to the other one in Candem. I think they have a really good coffee and a very kind staff. And, if you think about it…coffee keeps you awake, does it really worth 8 euro?Try the Chai Latte in CS, NO CAFFEINE, BUT SWEET.I miss it…
anyone who hasnt had a bad experience in starbucks is lying when they say “they hate starbucks coffee” baecause they probably havent tried it. It’s typical of the uneducated anti bush/blair brigade to complain about starbucks’ prices and their selection, just for the sake of being different. Frappuchinos are the best – nothing in bewleys or dare I mention it… Barneys even come close. so keep your converse on and find something else to complain about, hands off starbucks!
all starbucks prices are the same btw.
accept starbucks.
their here to stay.
for the good of us all
Ah…. does James work for Starbucks by any chance and was he perhaps having a bad day. The anti-bush/blair brigade??? Anyway people who don’t like starbucks have a genuine point. I don’t HATE starbucks but one thing I that disappoints me is their pastries are NOTABLY staler and blander tasting than the starbucks in the uk. I think they must be shipped from there or something and suffer in the process of waiting an extra day or so to get to our mouths. Also, I’ve had many many delicious Soy Lattes and Mochas in many cafes (seven wonders on the quays do fantastic ones, have to go for soy cos milk gives me loads of spots, annoying) and I have to say I’ve given Starbucks loads of chances but anytime I’ve had anything with Soy there it’s completely devoid of enjoyment and like a penance to drink. They use some special Starbucks soy milk and it is like old feet. Also the people talking about the fact that Starbucks almost never use their fair trade coffee in the grinder make a fair point. I’d rather have an more independent ‘fair trade’ label than just take Starbucks word for it that it’s ‘ethically sourced’. Sounds very ambiguous. That could mean that no animals were hurt in the making of their home video of their flight over to actually find the coffee farm!!!! He He. Doesn’t necessarily mean they paid a fair price. But even fair trade itself needs to be monitered. And some people don’t like it when they’re favourite cafe is replaced by starbucks cos they could pay a higher rent for the site. That’s understandable James and I think very few people would PRETEND to dislike the coffee itself. Many people just don’t like the way they do business. that’s fair enough, or am i just crazy??????? If you really really like their coffee, that’s fair enough too.
Hmm I see you people tell stories about best coffees in Dublin, so let me say a word: Seven Wonders on the quays do The Very Best Coffees Ever!! Especially wheh Billy does it himself;)) All The Best Seven Wonders!! If you don’t know this place you have to go & check!!!:)))
Coffee Society is way better than Starbucks in my book. Loved the coffee so much, I ended working there when I was still living in Dublin. Worked at Ranelagh, then Camden (which was just down the road from my college). I missed it so much now that I’m back home in Brunei, but at least I get to taste it once a year when I’m back in Dublin.
On the bright side, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Brunei lets me make my own coffee whenever I’m down there…
my mom has a coffe franchise near seattle and she earns a lot from it.,`
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