When the sun shines, and I’m invoking the help of a certain nipper from Prague here, we all have the same idea. We head for the usual places – coast, parks and hills – and you spend hours sitting in traffic with an Audi Q7 a millimetre behind your bumper while your blood pressure soars.
Well, I've discovered the quieter and lesser known roads of west Wicklow, all lush green countryside with meadowsweet wafting in the air. I had never heard of Grangecon until an Irish Times reader, Susan Cullinane, suggested I check out her local cafe. So, the next time the sun peeped out, I headed off, and was so captivated by Grangecon Kitchen, her local cafe, that I've returned a few times since.
Laura McEvoy and Stephanie Myerscough opened Grangecon Kitchen in July 2019 in one of the pretty little cottages on the single main street in this charming village. Their dream was to serve food made from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, inspired by flavours from around the world. I'm sure this dream now has the addendum, be careful what you wish for.
Like everyone in the hospitality business, they adapted to the circumstances, rising early to make three different types of sourdough bread and selling takeaway food and coffee from a newly installed deli counter. A pizza oven followed, as did the development of their outside dining area in the garden to the side of the cafe.
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Picnic tables are on the lawn and under a large stretch tent, so while you may need a jacket, there is plenty of shelter if needed. The atmosphere is heartwarming. There’s a gentle sense of community as families arrive, young people meet up with friends, and dogs potter around at the feet of their owners.
While brunch, cakes and coffees are the main things they do here, on Friday and Saturday afternoons the pizza oven is fired up, with about seven pizzas on offer, ranging from €10 to €13. We order at the deli counter in the cafe, are given little tubs for ice-cream, included in the price, and are told that we can get them filled at the Mullin’s ice-cream stand, a repurposed horse trailer in the garden. We also order a doughnut, €2.50, because I’ve had them before and they’re amazing, and Stephanie Myerscough, who is serving us, tells us the staff’s new favourite hack is to fill the doughnut with the ice-cream.
If you want wine, you can pick from the bottles on the table beside the counter, each one with a description chalked on a small piece of blackboard. I spot Oludeo La Sonadora Monastrell, €23.50, made by Simon Tyrrell, and it is brought to our table outside with two squat Duralex glasses. No stems. It feels like being in a simple Italian trattoria.
Pizzas are brought to the table in boxes, steaming hot. The bianca, €12, has a rough-hewn crust, blistered from the oven and laden with a serious amount of cheese, which somehow hasn’t affected the cooking of the sourdough base. For me, this is all kinds of heaven as quatro formaggi is one of my favourite pizzas, and the more of this oozing savouriness, the better. Here, there are three cheeses, each bringing a distinct flavour – a creaminess from the fior di latte, Gorgonzola with its paunchy earthiness, and a faint whiff of farmyard from St Tola goats’ cheese. Beneath this are caramelised leeks, wild garlic, and a drizzle of chilli honey, the subtle touch of sweetness making it all ping.
The ’nduja and ricotta pizza, €12, has the familiar red of San Marzano tomatoes, and is dotted with fior di latte, nduja, ricotta, and chilli honey. I’d prefer to skip the honey on this one, but it still works wonderfully, with a good fiery kick from the spicy ’nduja.
A little scoop of ice-cream is just about all you’ll want after these pizzas. We opt for the chocolate chip and the rum and raisin, and, as suggested, I load my custard-filled doughnut with ice-cream, which is dutifully indulgent.
There is so much to like about Grangecon Kitchen, whether you go for brunch or pizza. It is casual, incredibly good value, and the fact that they offer anything on the adult’s menu in a child’s sized portion for €5 means that it will appeal to just about everyone. It is the perfect day out.
Pizza for two with a bottle of wine was €50
- Verdict Simple, delicious cooking in a charming setting
- Facilities Pared back and cottagey with eco-friendly products
- Music Chilled, Alice Phoebe Lou vibe
- Food provenance Castleruddery organic fruit and veg, Grace's organic eggs, Ballyhubbock ricotta
- Vegetarian options A few options, can adapt for vegans
- Wheelchair access Garden is accessible but no accessible toilet
