Poppies Country Cooking

Five stars on the food and environment, one star for management. We popped in for soup and a scone today and got increasingly antsy as we watched the manager prioritise even customers who arrived long after us. I could understand if it was a complicated order but it was soup for me, and a scone and coffee for my friend. The manager really could not have given less of a hoot and kept fobbing me off. I’m not entirely sure why, is it because we were not familiar faces? Another member of the waiting staff took pity on us and, when she saw us enquire about our order a second time, gave us super-​professional service. She is the only reason this isn’t a one star review. Management: unprofessional and kind of fake-​smiley, to customers at least. Service staff: awesome. Will not be back.

I really like this café. They do great sandwiches both hot and cold and have a good veggie selection which is great. But the real reason I come here is for the cakes, they are so good and have such a good selection. I love the carrot cake the most and the generous sized portions are a real bonus. The coffee is ok but they can’t get everything right. Great spot and well worth a visit. Staff are great and professional too.

Came here for a quick breakfast the other day. I ordered bacon and poached eggs. The waitress (must have been a new staff member) got my order wrong but I didn’t have the heart to tell her because in the time I had spent waiting for it to arrive she had messed up a couple of other orders and been berated by her manager in front of everyone.
It was incredibly unprofessional behaviour. I saw her manager grab a pen from her hand as she took down an order at the till and take over even though the customer was being very patient about it all.
So along came my bacon, sausage and poached eggs. I don’t care for sausages so just left it to one side and ate the one piece of very average bacon and the 2 poached eggs which were watery and rather unpleasant.
I got up to pay and found this cost € 7.50. I had only wanted bacon and poached eggs, this is rather on the pricey side for that in my opinion.
I’m not normally one to shy away from complaining but after seeing the treatment the very nice but clearly inexperienced waitress got from her manager I decided to instead, chalk it down to a bad experience and not return.

Very nice admosphere and cosy place. Food served us just incredible!

Stopped in to Poppies on Friday for a quick coffee with a friend. Great coffee and a range of tempting baked goods (resisted temptation though). Went for a bit of privacy at the tables at the back. But found it really hard to focus because of the slightly too loud radio coming through the speakers. I couldn’t escape thinking that the radio volume was set more for the entertainment of the staff and not so much for the enjoyment of customers. Minor annoyance though, and it won’t keep me away.

I expected great things from this place as Poppies has a bit of a reputation for great cooking — or at least it did. I recently visited here for the first time and was shocked. The staff (all two of them) looked like they weren’t even out of school and weren’t exactly smiley or helpful. My sister and I ordered a quiche, two americanos, a chocolate muffin and a glass of water. The chocolate muffin was late to arrive and the water never did. The quiche was rubbery and lukewarm, obviously it had just been heated up in the microwave. The staff were unwelcoming, unfriendly and flustered. I definitely wouldn’t come back here again.

I visited this place for the first time at the weekend. It was packed full of families, friends and tourists; we got a little table down the back. They have a gorgeous range of cakes/​quiches/​salads and after some tough decision making, we decided to share a slice of carrot cake, although slice is a bit of an understatement! The cake was delicious, moist and sweet. But even two of us couldn’t finish it. My coffee was so-​so.
I thought the atmosphere was relaxed and bustling. The service was good and the cake was great value. Will return for more cake.

Last Sunday morning I stumbled out of my hotel in Dun Laoghaire to get some breakfast. I went along Upper George Street. Under a leaden sky I passed the fast food joints and some place called Harry’s Café Bar. That place looked nice but it was still closed. Thanks for no breakfast, Harry!
Further up I found Poppies which was open and welcoming. I felt good in there with the smell of fresh coffee and all sorts warm food. A few guests were already sipping hot beverages. After a short look at the menu I knew what I wanted: Pancakes! I love a huge stack of thick pancakes with lots of syrup. I fell in love with them when I lived in the States. It’s the most comfortable food when it’s cold outside, when you are having breakfast alone and a long empty day ahead of you.
The waitress was friendly and the service very quick. But the disappointment was beyond measure. Instead of a huge stack of pancakes I was served a big empty plate with two lonely doughy triangles (for a price of a huge stack). Poking at them with my fork showed that they were already dry on the edges. I drowned them in the maple syrup and washed them down with some mediocre tea bag Sencha. My breakfast took less than 10 minutes. I pulled my hoody back over my head and went out hungry to face the day.
I guess I am as responsible for my disappointment as I am for my expectations. So I still give Poppies 3 stars for the warm atmosphere and the friendly staff. And for being open at all. The pancakes would deserve 1 star and the tea 2. Also makes 3.

Popped in here on Saturday afternoon after being tortured (sports massage-​ow!) nearby. I had a little bit of an absent moment staring at the display-​much deliciousness! There’s a great range of cakes/​scones etc as well as savoury options and Maud’s ice-​cream. There were cupcakes so obviously I had to try them. The choice was only between vanilla (with a flake) or raspberry flavour (I think it was technically raspberry & champagne). Took it with a coffee to the DART station. It made waiting in the drizzle almost a pleasure. Coffee was very good and the cupcake was more than acceptable. I prefer a more creamy frosting but the sponge was moist and there was a hint of raspberry flavour. Not a cupcake to take a train trip for, but I wouldn’t say no if offered one. Be careful of the pretty silver balls they decorate it with though-​they are rock hard. I feared for my teeth!
Next time I’d like to sit a while in the café. It was dull and drizzly outside but Poppies was warm, cozy and inviting. It reminded me of getting to go with my mum when she met friends for coffee dates years ago… a place to catch up and chat. Friendly staff and a selection of cakes that I have to try mean I’ll just have to go back. My friends in Dun Laoighre will be wondering why I’m in such a rush to meet up!

Trying to find an omelette for breakfast isn’t easy in Dun Laoghaire but Poppies will see you right.

I am gutted that I’m not the first to review this place — truthfully, I would have lied, I would have told you not to come, not to even think of buying the rice crispy chocolate squares or indeed the caramel slices but damn it all someone else has gone and blown the gaff so I’ll have to be honest…
Poppies is great, really, having posted the above pic of the dessert display I feel there is very little to say. They do a great selection of salads and other savoury stuff but seriously, man can live on caramel slices and tea alone, so why bother with bowls of green stuff?!

Poppies really do country cooking well, but it’s their desserts that take the biscuit (excuse the pun!). Tuck into their homemade crumbles (with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!) and let yourself go… they really are good! Located in the seaside town of Dun Laoghaire a mere 15 minutes from the city by DART, Poppies is a beacon of hope in a place that is sadly bereft of nice, community coffee shops. With dedicated customers and a homely atmosphere, it’s probably the best café in Dun Laoghaire, even if it is situated a wee bit outside the main hub. It is beside the lovely People’s Park though, so get take out and eat there if you like!
Their food is well known throughout south Dublin, and rightly so. Serving such old favourites as lasagne and shepard’s pie, as well as their own Poppies chicken and homity pie, they’re sure to fill you right up. Their salad selections are also up to scratch, and the dressing they put on them is the right side of oily. Watch out though… the food is generally reheated before serving, so beware of hot spots!
Definitely recommended if you’re in Dun Laoghaire for the day, but be sure to indulge yourself if you do end up here, it’s worth it!