They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and that would certainly be the case with The Farmhouse Café on the Long Mile Road in Dublin 12. Next to an Aldi store and surrounded by the likes of car dealerships, carpet showrooms and bathroom outlets, its location is hardly salubrious, with an exterior that some might consider a tad industrial.
But don’t let that deter you from stepping inside to try exceptionally good food. Everything is cooked from scratch and with a recently expanded space, a bakery has been added and a new larger kitchen area too.
Susan, the owner (above right), started the café several years ago in part of her husband’s shop O’Sullivan Safety. It opens Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 3.30pm for breakfast, lunch and anything in between.
GG and I dropped in (a slight detour on our way to Kildare Village) for a late brekkie or brunch and it was busy enough considering it was 11.30 and long past the breakfast rush. Several customers were having a brunch like us and others indulged in coffee and home-made scones or brownies. All breads and sweet goodies are freshly made each morning and to judge by the depleted supplies on our way out, are absolutely delicious.
Graham indulged in the full farmhouse which included very tasty sausages made from their own Gloucester Old Spot pigs and I enjoyed Avocado Toast, an unusual but delicious combination of cashew butter on Sourdough toast with avocado, lime and seeds (below).
Excellent Ariosa coffee accompanied mine, while Graham had a pot of tea served in mismatching china.
And that is part of the charm of the café. The style is a mishmosh of farmhouse scullery, kitchen and parlour furniture, picked up in salvage yards, second-hand shops and in some cases gifted by customers.
Susan explained how some regulars were delighted to find a home for unwanted old tables and one lady donated a china cabinet, even picking the corner in the café for its home herself.
An AGA cooker dominates one wall, where free range chickens, hams and Dexter and Highland beef are cooked daily, but the piece de resistance has to be the large wooden counter separating the kitchen area which came from the former Clery’s Department Store.
From Farm to Table is their mantra and whatever is not bred or grown on their farm in Enfield is sourced locally.
We spent a very leisurely hour and a half over our food and as we were leaving before one o’clock, there were very few empty tables and also a queue of regulars collecting their pre-ordered take-aways. You can find them on FB here https://www.facebook.com/TheFarmhouseCafeLongmileRoad/ or on Instagram where they post enticing pics of the food and cute photos of the farm animals.
This is our third visit and on each occasion, we have left anticipating our return. The sandwiches emerging from the kitchen were like no others I have ever seen and the superfood salad looked like it had the power to send you into orbit. Another visit from the northside is imminent; next time it will be lunch at The Farmhouse Cafe!
Hi Hilda, do you know if they have gulten free options?
Yes Anne they do and cakes too!!
Looks fantastic Hilda, exactly the sort of place I would seek out. And greatly admiring your skirt and metallic boots!
It is so lovely to find places like this Gail.