Bewley's Café Bar Deli
Grafton Street

Following the revamp in 2005 of Bewley's in Grafton Street I thought I would be dropping in on a more regular basis. I was almost a permanent fixture there at times in the 1990s but the renovation a few years ago forced me to go elsewhere during the building work and when it re-opened it just didn't have that same atmosphere.
So when it closed at the end of 2004 it was portrayed in the media as the end of an era; in fact, the era had ended with the initial refurbishment.

The main restaurant now is known as Café Bar Deli, of which there is another branch in the old Bewley's premises on George's Street. I first visited the Grafton Street branch shortly after it opened, for breakfast, and on the menu was a Goat's cheese and Red Pepper bagel vegetarian offering, very nice indeed and very reasonably priced but much too heavy for breakfast. It was really the only vegetarian option (buns and danish pastries were available at the front of the premises, but aimed more at the take-away market) and for that reason I didn't return for breakfast (I dropped in occasionally for a quick coffee).

So when the famous Bewley's Breakfast was re-introduced during the late summer, due to customer demand, I decided to drop in. I finally did get in this morning and have mixed feelings on the experience.
In some of the reviews I've written I've commented on the staff and how important their attitude and enthusiasm is. So is their appearance and the very first impression, when I was met by one of the floor managers, was poor - he looked like he had just fallen out of bed very untidy in an open neck shirt and runners, shirt worn outside the trousers. Added to this was the dismissive attitude when I asked for a table: 'Take one down the back'. So I did, slightly surprised at the reception. The décor of the main restaurant has changed very little, perhaps more plants and a different colour scheme, but the tables and couches look the same. The two occasions I have visited I noticed a lack of atmosphere which is not something you could have said about the old Bewley's, and it is not a place to linger long.

The menu had indeed changed but any hopes of the Bewley's Breakfast I remembered were quickly dashed. 'Vegetarian breakfast' was the only option for me, no idea as to contents. It turned out to be, as you can see, two eggs (very watery and tasteless), two mushrooms, brown bread, potato farls and some tomatoes and relish and I had a nicely presented coffee with it. Despite some overly attentive staff (two waitresses offered me the bill - were they trying to get rid of me?!) the experience was reasonably pleasant.

As I paid the bill I enquired about the coffee they were using, which I had noticed as being particularly strong. I was introduced to the blender/roaster (they have coffee roasting at the front of the premises) who informed me that they were still using Bewley's Café Blend, the exact composition of which is secret but it is derived from three beans, mostly Central American but with a hint of African. After comments from customers about the coffee being weak they have increased the weight per pot from 75g to 90g and this is certainly noticeable. Now, where can I find out about which beans they're using...?