We were struggling to find a spot for lunch in the pouring rain, trying to avoid a pub lunch…read moreexperience but not in the mood for anything super fancy. We stumbled in to the Bookshelf as it looks like a little cafe, with lots of people popping in for coffee to go, but a few tables for diners. The line moved fast, and we ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, broccoli sweet potato soup, and a sausage roll. The service was fast and we received our food pretty quickly after sitting down. The cafe interior is pretty small and tight, and has one bathroom which opens out into the queue for the counter. It was really cold in there, not comfortable for a long lazy lunch - better for a quick bite-and-go. The food is good.

Delightful coffee house! Delicious flat white coffee and best avocado toast ever!! Very friendly…read moreservice.

This is truly the cozy Irish coffee shop of my dreams. I came here to write an essay while studying…read moreabroad and it's such a friendly, lively place without being overwhelming if you're trying to get work done. My hot chocolate was lovely. I can't speak for the coffee, but my boyfriend ordered an Americano and it passed his standards.

This is such a perfect spot for library-core, magical, coffee vibes. Their pastries were tasty, I…read moregot a sausage roll. They're coffee is also delicious. Very nice staff and overall a special place.

I got the smashed avocado with poached eggs & an Americano coffee. The food & the coffee tasted…read moreAMAZING, but very expensive for the portion of food that we got. The restaurant is very nice & spacious, I love the decor in VELO and just felt very relaxed here. The staff were very friendly, but we were waiting a long time to be served, about 15 to 20 minutes, the place was quiet and didn't have many customers while we were there, so I don't understand why we were waiting for so long for the staff to take our order. I'm giving 3 stars cause I enjoyed the food & coffee, but it is expensive and waiting ages for the staff the take our order

Café Vélo was such a treat. I went here for breakfast and was blown away by the ambiance, the great…read moreservice, and even better food. I got a Cappuccino (it was perfect!), fresh squeezed orange juice, and their smashed avocado toast. Everything was wonderful, would recommend!

Right across from the train station, we grabbed breakfast here before we left for Dublin. It was…read morebusy when we came in, but they managed to seat us within 5 minutes. The whole place was decked out in Halloween decorations, and the atmosphere was very lively. I ordered the lucha libre and an iced strawberry matcha, and I must say that this was one of my favorite meals in Cork. The lucha libre is an incredibly heavy meal, so I didn't finish it, but the potatoes were crispy, the chorizo was flavorful, and the sauce had a nice kick to it. I don't put too much weight on the matcha, but it was definitely more milk than matcha. But the strawberry flavor was nice.

Nice flaky pastries and good coffee/tea! So nice to have something to munch on during our train…read moreride. Great location!

Brilliant place for studying if you need to and staff are always friendly upon entering. Good…read morecoffee, food is good but a bit pricey. Free Wifi too. Would recommend to anyone that needs a good environment to work in.

Avoid at all costs:…read more The location is ideal but is always smothered with junkies and/ or annoying goths/ emos blocking the entrance blowing smoke in your face. Some dodgy characters inside too. Coffee is not great. It seems to be made half-arsedly and the work station is always filthy no matter how busy or quiet it is. I will say that some of their cakes etc. are nice and the menu design is pretty cool. As for pricing I can't say much, I think it's alright. Now the staff are what really turn me off about this place. They're all a bunch of a**holes. They're always so rude and gossip about customers, I've never been greeted with a smile or even a hello here, just a "what do you want?" I was also charged twice, even though the card machine clearly said 'accepted' the first time round. In conclusion, please avoid this place. Your money would be much better spent elsewhere.

What a great way to make use of small spaces. We were visiting the English Market and discovered…read morethis hidden gem. Got a great seat along the railings and got great service. The seafood chowder had huge chunks of fish and was perfect meal in a cold rainy day. If you love people watching, this is a great place.

Farmgate Cafe is a must stop in the English Market in Cork Ireland , which is a foodie city famous…read morefor local cuisine that is on the 2nd floor of the English Market. The market is a bustling bee hive of produce farmers, butchers, chocolatiers, of local and organic fresh food to include spices and an abundance of gastro delights from afar. The all wood construction and arched ceiling of this 18th century building make it visually appealing to add to the sensory adventure of fresh and cooking food. Farmgate is a bit small as most European cafes are but was rich in its menu offerings! I made reservations via Open Table for lunch for myself and was greeted at the stairs as seating goes all around an atrium open air looking down on the market below. My server carefully considered my food intolerance to gluten and dairy and made sure I was ok with butter, the service was top notch, not rushed and not invasive as I sat and slowly sipped in the scenery and scents. I ordered a chicken with lentils, parsnips, and carrots and the chicken was herbed nicely, moist and succulent served over tasty lentils that were not bitter but light and full of flavor, buttery parsnips and carrots not overcooked. I had some extra vegetables as a replacement for the mashed potatoes as they have cream in them and the veggies were crisp and fresh. The menu options are extensive for the size of the kitchen and obviously benefit from having fresh seafood, butchers and produce downstairs such that they had some of everything on the menu! You can tell the cook/chef takes pride in his preparation and the presentation was artistic as well. The thick wooden tables and height ceilings gave this place a feeling of long standing history and the staff appeared pleased to work there in this historic setting, making good fresh local food to share. I highly recommend this cafe as a must do for Cork! The prices were very reasonable, the service and food came without an arduous wait, a memorable experience in a town of high food standards!

The lady behind the counter was horrible. She threw the cake we asked for in the bag and it was…read moresmashed. It was literally the worst customer service we've had in Ireland.

Now THIS is a damn fine iced latte!…read more Could be the finest java I've sampled since tasting the nirvana from Fernandez & Wells over in London. Easily the best coffee in Ireland. Skip the chai though; too much milk and not enough chai.

I've gone to The Bookshelf Elysian a few times now. The staff have always been lovely and great to…read moredeal with. I love the food here, especially the coconut porridge. The cofffee is also pretty good. I usually get my coffee and/or food to-go, but I have eaten inside the restaurant once and the atmosphere was great. It was busy, people were talking to each other and seemed very relaxed. The menu is small, but I find that great as there are less things to choose from. I recommend going to the Bookshelf Elysian when in Cork City

Food and service exceptional. Let a group of 7 of us sit in the morning without reservation. Would…read moredefinitely come back

From the minute you stick your head in the door. The lads or 'fools' welcome you in with such an…read moreinformal banter that you instantly feel comfortable and want to stay and chat. Firstly, I wanted a full fry-up breakie. I'm afraid to say your won't get that here. What you'll get are, delicious rolls that I'm guessing walk out the door during lunch time rush hour! They kindly told us where to go. There suggestion was spot on. So, we had to come back for coffee. As a thank you. Once we came back, I had to try the black pudding and sausage rolls. Delishious. I've never since these sexy pasties before. Where have they been?? When I come back to cork. I'll be coming back here. (although, I'm here for another day. So, you lads will see me tomorrow!!) Tip to the lads -- open up in Dublin. Asap. What a way to represent great service to your customers. I'm sure you will build a loyal base for years to come.

The "Destination" for speciality coffee lovers in Cork City. Quality coffee, expertly prepared…read more Their signature V60 "The Original Fool" is a delectable blend. These guys are the Original Gangsters of coffee :) Savory / sweet food is delicious and the lads are extremely welcoming. Good wifi another bonus for students looking to get some work done.

Cute cafe with lots of tasty breakfast bites and sandwiches. The healthy juices are delicious too.read more