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Lunches to Love at the Heart of it All
A busy day sightseeing or embracing outdoor adventure calls for delicious, healthy lunches to keep you going. Fortunately, you’re in the heartland of café society at its best: Athlone is known for its eclectic collection of local cafes serving up deliciously flavourful, fresh and full-of-all-the-good-stuff lunches. And with the town’s love for friendly welcomes and best service, every café brings all the right vibes to add to your day. Here’s a menu of some of our favourite and best lunch cafes in Athlone…
Bastion Kitchen
If you’re looking for healthy, organic, Irish food options – head for Bastion Kitchen, a gem of a place! The drill here is all about good, wholesome, delicious food, prepared fresh without fuss, and with so many hearty, scrumptious options you’ll be stuck for choice.
This is pure food heaven for vegetarians and vegans and the menu is allergy friendly. The café serves a variety of kitchen hot dishes – think Organic Red Lentil Dahl, Moroccan Spiced Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine and Chickpea Coconut Curry. Amazing! There’s home-cooked, warming soups with spelt baps, tantalising wraps with falafel or pulled pork, organic salads and a spread of to-die-for desserts with a regular cake-of-the-day special. The café also has a shop so you can take home some Bastion goodness – from sourdough bread to kitchen hummus and everything from cake to candles.
Corner House Bistro
“The greatest place near Athlone Castle”, “a great choice if you’re in the mood for Irish cuisine”, “best lunchtime treat” and “a great choice with specials changing frequently” are a few of the comments left about this little treasure that scores 4.6 in the Google rating system.
From White Onion and Thyme soup with Homemade Bread to Steak Bap and Homemade Chunky Chips and flavourful Chicken Caesar Salad – there really is something for everyone here. Delicious scallops, local goat cheese salads and wicked chocolate brownies are just some of the stars of the varied menu, complemented by delicious house wine and a cosy atmosphere.
Loaves & Fishes
As the name suggests – there’s plenty to go around here! Loaves & Fishes combines excellent food with real value for money prices and generous helpings – a winning formula!
Some of the house favourites include a Brisket Burger, Philly Irish Steak Sandwich and Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich. On the lighter side, there’s an excellent selection of tasty soups.
You’ll find Loaves & Fishes conveniently positioned in the Left Bank Mall on Pearse Street, and with friendly and attentive staff it’s a hit all round.
Savoury Fare
This favourite spot has a 20-year heritage of serving breakfast, brunch and lunch to Athlone locals, visitors and tourists. It’s a recipe of great food, brilliant customer service and the beautiful surrounds of the Fernhill Garden Centre.
This modern delicatessen restaurant and food company is owned and run by chefs Des Hennelly and Rory Currid, both with over thirty years’ experience in chef and hotel management. There’s nothing you can teach them about the food business – and you’ll taste it in every meal you have with them. Homemade, high-quality and wholesome goodness inform every tempting dish on Savoury Fayre’s menu – from their famous Chowder and Club Sandwich to their much-loved Lasagne.
Supporting quality local farmers and producers sits at the heart of the deli’s ethos. Think Kelly’s Black Pudding Cake, Beer Battered Fish with Beef Dripping Chips and hearty Vegetable and Seafood Chowder. As chefs Des and Rory say – “All our food is 100% homemade, with quality our biggest priority. We take pride and care with all we do.”
Beans & Leaves
“Wow, incredible! Such an incredible experience! The staff were super friendly and helpful! So many veggie/ vegan options and plenty for our non-veggie people too! Beautiful decor and the food was honestly so elite!! Great value for money! Definitely worth a visit!” (TripAdvisor)
Situated in a cosy spot in Lloyds Lane, Beans & Leaves deli offers breakfast, lunch and all-day dining. Owned and run by Steven and Martina Linehan, this is a place that believes in ‘don’t mess with fantastic ingredients, keep it simple! Bring out the best in them and serve them in delicious sandwiches, salads, tasty hot meals and fabulous desserts – all freshly made on the premises.’ Prices are reasonable and there’s so much choice – from Crispy Corned Beef Hash Cakes to Spinach, Feta and Butternut Squash Tartlet, and there’s a delightful selection of pancakes, waffles, doughnuts and cheesecakes if you’re just after something sweet. Make sure you visit soon and tell them we sent you!
Gertie Brownes
For a good beer, welcoming service and an amazing choice of delicious fresh food just a stroll away from the Shannon River – make it Gertie Brownes.
This is a place full of history. The pub is over 1,000 years old and was a popular resting place for travellers. Today, it’s a cosy, comfortable local pub and restaurant loved by locals and visitors and offering old school pub grub classics – from Pan-Seared Fillet of Salmon to a succulent Hereford Steak Sandwich and Buttered Chicken Burger. It’s also commonly accepted that Gertie’s serves some of the best Guinness in Athlone. You’ll love the style of the place too: pitch pine counters and genuine salvaged memorabilia give this special emporium a cosy, comfortable and relaxed ambience. This is truly the real deal.
Harvest Homemade
Well-positioned in the centre of the town, Harvest Homemade believes that happiness is homemade and is ‘a celebration of harvest time when we enjoy the bounty we’ve reaped and gather in warm, cosy places to share delicious homemade fare and companionship with loved ones.’
A wholesome, tasty carvery, delicious soups, fresh gourmet sandwiches and the sweetest of home baked treats are all this café’s edible antidotes to fast food and processed snacks. All dishes make use of the finest local Irish ingredients and are based on family recipes passed down through the years and prepared with love and soul. From toasties to wraps, soups to salads – this is a place that’s all about REAL. The café is also rightfully proud of its recently renovated Coffee Dock offering fresh Barista coffee and a fabulous selection of bespoke treats.
Cafe U
On the town’s Dublin Road, Café U is a fabulous spot for lunch, but is equally loved for breakfast and brunch, thanks to its delicious and varied menu.
Whether you’re looking for a wholesome steak sandwich, a fresh and succulent salad with a zing or freshly cut sandwiches made with quality local ingredients, Café U will see you right. Excellent service and excellent Athlone-friendly staff means this spot needs to be on your list.
Coffee Haven
Nominated in the 2022 Irish Restaurant Awards for Best Casual Dining, Best Customer Service and Best Restaurant. Say no more!
Delicious food, a varied menu, friendly staff, and excellent value define Coffee Haven in the Golden Island Shopping Centre, Athlone. It may seem like a simple café – but open the door and step into something special. This allergen-friendly, vegan-friendly spot is known for fresh food prepared from local produce, a wonderful selection of homemade cakes and desserts, and sublime coffee. From fluffy omelettes to authentic pastas, from fresh Cod and chips to the lightest of pancakes, there are so many tempting options to choose from.
Dead Centre Brewing
Come for the tour of this impressive craft brewery – and stay for a delicious lunch in the pizza kitchen. Known for its use of authentic Italian ingredients – San Marzano Tomatoes, cubeti mozzarella and its own homemade dough which is prepared daily and proofed for 48 hours before being hand-stretched.
There’s a vast choice of high-quality Italian ingredients with which to top your pizza, as well as fantastic local produce including ham from Horan’s Pork Shop, smoked meats from Rogan’s Smokehouse and ‘Nduja sausage from Pigs on the Green. Some fabulous favourites include the Pizza of Champions made with black pudding, smoked bacon, rocket and mushrooms, and the ‘I can’t Pronounce It’ pizza which features ‘Nduja sausage and Napoli salmon together with pickled chillis, red onion and fresh basil. The kitchen also serves a selection of hot dogs, sandwiches, antipasti and salads, as well as a kids’ menu.
