If you are going to write a blog post about a food establishment it is, I think, a tad unfair to rock up to check it out just as it opens. But that’s exactly what I did this week when, having spotted on Twitter some details of a new food venture in County Wicklow, I visited ‘The Delgany’ for breakfast in its first week of trading. Twice!
‘The Delgany’ is in Delgany, a small but perfectly formed and charming heritage village that’s about a forty minute drive from the centre of Dublin. Total kudos to the visionary who decided to transform an old and closed-for-a-while pub, in the heart of the village, into a cool foodie destination. And kudos also for bringing together a number of separate but interrelated businesses because they are a combustible combination that spark a synergy that makes ‘The Delgany’ a want-to-return-to spot.
I was never in the building that houses ‘The Delgany’ during its previous incarnation as a pub but it has obviously had a no expense spared makeover. The tasteful transformations majors on natural wood and a very cool collection of eclectic lights. And there is an ocean of comfortable seating and thankfully given the unseasonable chill in the air a few cheering wood-burning stoves dotted about to warm up in front of.
Romany Stone
The four businesses that make up the ‘The Delgany’ are: Romany Stone, a restaurant on the top floor open for breakfast and lunch (dinner opening coming soon); The Firehouse Bakery, a bakery and coffee shop on the ground floor; The Delgany Grocer, an excellent food hall; and The Bungalow a florist cum gift shop.
The Firehouse Bakery
On my first visit, which was also opening day, I had breakfast in the Romany Stone to wit some coffee and a stack of rather nice buttermilk pancakes topped with bacon and accompanied by a jug of maple syrup. And when I returned a few days later I tried the Firehouse Bakery café where I had coffee with a divinely buttery baked-on-the-premises almond croissant. I enjoyed my breakfasts and the service was good and genuinely friendly. One teeny tiny thing – I wasn’t sure that the coffee-making has yet reached tip-top form, but it’s very early days.
The Delgany Grocer
I was glad I got the chance to chat to the very busy Jackie Spillane who runs The Delgany Grocer because she is so extraordinary passionate about food. She was previously the market manager for Marlay Park markets. She knows her stock so well and much of what she sells comes from local or local-ish (Wexford) suppliers. And she can give chapter and verse on the origin of all The Delgany Grocer’s fruit and vegetables most of which comes from growers who farm in a sustainable way. She was adamant that she is not an overpriced posh food hall and that what she stocks is sold at comparable prices to supermarkets. Sadly my images don’t do justice to her shop or show the breadth of items that it’s possible to buy there.
The Bungalow
The last business that makes up ‘The Delgany’ is the florist/gift shop in a separate building just outside the main complex as you head to the car park.
I can’t help thinking how lucky the denizens of Delgany are to have all this on their doorsteps but I suspect that many will travel to ‘The Delgany’ from further afield. It’s definitely worth the trip.
PS: See also this more recent post about a bread making class at the Firehouse Bakery.
Beautiful, Ireland is one country I have always wanted to visit and I hope to soon, I so enjoy your beautiful blog, The Delgany sounds wonderful, your description of everything makes me feel like I am there with you. Just lovely!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. And I so hope that you get to visit Ireland one day.
It sounds like The Delgany has everything going for it.
It has indeed, I suspect it will be busy. 😉
This place sounds and looks awesome. In other words, totally my kind of place! 😉
And mine too Francesca. I love the idea of the bread and croissants being baked on the premises. The bakery already has a great reputation as they have another place on Heir Island off the coast of Ireland where they also run courses on bread making. 😉
This looks great! Isn’t it exciting when something new and very well done turns up?
It is indeed. And it is good to know, especially in these rocky economic times, that The Delgany has created new jobs. I think it will succeed, it’s well done and prices are reasonable.
Thanks for the great post, B!
Not only do I think that they nailed the concept of a multi-purpose destination, but I totally love what their interior designer did! It looks like a wonderful, warm, welcoming place! Great job!
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Stefano,
The interior works and warm and welcoming is a good way of describing it. I didn’t see any wine for take away sale but I would be surprised if some wasn’t added in the future. Even if only a small selection.
Best Wishes B 😉
Sounds and looks incredible. No wonder you went twice.
It’s now three times!
The firehouse bakery is enough for me to visit!!
Yes I agree – fresh bread and fresh croissant baked on the premises are a big draw.
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Hi B what a great article on the Delgany.. Can’t wait to visit it very shortly.
Hi H,
I hope you enjoy it when you get there, thanks as always for your comment. Bx
I tried the Wicklow Brie among other cheeses. So good!!!
That’s good to hear, Irish cheese has improved so much in the past three decades.
Sounds like another winning setting for spending a day browsing and eating!
It’s a good spot and there are all sorts of food options. It must be lovely for the locals to have fresh bread and croissants available to take out every day.
lovely post!
and those creamy white roses at the end……*sighs*
just the kind of place we’d love to sip a coffee in and read a 1920s novel.
Thank you so much Team Gloria. You are kind.
The creamy white roses are very you.
Not quite LA but a good place indeed for coffee/tea sipping and novel reading.
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