Dairine Keogh – Clement & Pekoe

To celebrate our #DublinCoffee campaign, we popped into Clement & Pekoe to hear what Dairine Keogh’s perfect day in Dublin would be!

My Perfect day would start with a walk, I live beside the sea and never tire of the outlook. We are so lucky in Dublin to be surrounded by mountains, the sea and the River Liffey to enjoy.

Food definitely features as one of the main events in my Day, I pretty much work from one meal to the next. Simon is always joking about my meal planning for lunch whilst consuming my breakfast.

Food in this town is getting serious. We are spoilt with fantastic businesses springing up in this city, run by passionate owners. Clement & Pekoe are lucky to be working and supplying some of these establishments. While Food may be their forte, thankfully, they are giving due regard to the tea and coffee offering as part of the experience on offer.

I sat for brunch in Bibi’s on Saturday morning, mixing business with pleasure, making their weekly delivery and then sitting down to enjoy some delicious poached eggs. I have a few brunch places on the radar to hit, such as Whitefriar Street grill, Roasted Brown that I hear great things about.

When immerst in work, it’s hard to sit down for lunch and take time out. Despite my best efforts, it’s grab and go. I would frequent Honest to Goodness, Dubin City Food, Blazing Salads and guilty of succumbing to Grogan’s Toasted Special. For a sit down of brief reflection, Bear’s fantastic lunch offering (for Simon, it’s nearly daily) or Damson Diner’s slice of American diner glory. I brought my Aunt for her birthday to La Maison, which I love, it’s a slice of Paris plonked in the creative quarter of Dublin. Working in this neighbourhood has some great perks for this gluttonous consumer.

After work, for many at Clement & Pekoe, involves a trip toPeter’s Pub or across the road to Bagots Hutton, great wine, beer, chilled atmosphere initially but getting nicely filled as the evening progresses. They gained a special mention recently for one of Dublin’s best  pizzas. Without mentioning names, some of the Clement&Pekoe-ites like to hang there until close. To dispel the rumour that it’s every night on the town, when heading home for some home cooked dinner (probably planned out at 12!!), it’s probably accompanied by a bottle of wine from the Corkscrew on Chatham Street. The guys are so passionate and giving of their time.  Their recommendations have never disappointed.

For Retail therapy, independents such asCostume and  Bow are all in the neighbourhood. I’m looking forward to checking out the newly opened Scout run by Wendy Crawford on Essex St West. That area of Temple Bar encompassing:  Gutterbook shop, Indigo & Cloth, Project Theatre & Cleaver East, is really on the radar.

We are so happy to have found Clement & Pekoe’s home on South William Street. When we were looking for our location for a number of years, we really wanted somewhere that could be interesting and creative. Now dubbed the Creative Quarter, we have watched it grow to what it is now and feel so proud to have been part of its’ growth. Asides from our contribution to the area, writing this makes me realise how much we get back from this neighbourhood and the great, great people and businesses that reside there.

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