My walk to work sometimes takes me down Clanbrassil St, and a couple of months ago I noticed a new cafe being set up in a huge empty building by the corner of Fumbally Lane. I admired the work they were doing as I passed by – the space looked really great – but found myself thinking that the location was a bit hopeless; isolated on a quiet corner on a quieter street. My pre-emptive sadness was completely pointless, however: the cafe that opened there just over a month ago has gathered a huge amount of buzz and is doing a roaring trade.
Fumbally Cafe is in the huge, high-ceilinged ground floor of a modern building and the owners have done a fantastic job with the interior. They’ve filled it with ramshackle and mis-matched tables, benches, couches and chairs, hung various rickety mirrors and other objects on the walls and achieved an overall effect something like your artistic great-aunt’s attic (in a good way). There are big tables and free wifi as well as cosy chairs so it has potential as somewhere to bring your laptop and get some work done.
The menu is also really well realised; most dishes are around a fiver and are both simple and properly done. I’ve been a few times now and the menu is slowly growing; you can currently get avocado with chilli on sourdough toast for €5, falafel for €5, a porchetta bun for about €6, a salad plate for €7.50, scrambled eggs with cheese and tomato on brioche for €5, soup for €4.50 and a few other choices.
I can give favourable reports on the eggs, avocado and falafel, all of which are excellent and made with lovely quality ingredients. A side salad for €2.50 was a huge portion and brought my avocado open sandwich from a light bite to a substantial meal. Coffee is excellent and there is usually a selection of sweet things.
The last time I was in, there was a large queue waiting to order at the cash register but I still got a seat (yay for huge seating area) and got served really quickly. I’m already hearing a minor backlash against the hipsters that are flocking there, but the space is so large, the food is so good and it’s so convenient to my office that I can deal with the hipsters, for now at least. Recommended.
The Fumbally Cafe is at the corner of Fumbally Lane and Clanbrassil St, and is open 8am – 5pm, Mon – Fri.
Has a hipster told you about the Fumbally Cafe yet? Have you tried it out?