Mini Crawl, Major Munchies: Eating Through Maynooth
Maynooth is a small town, but despite its size, it’s home of one of the oldest universities, a castle lost in time and, of course, several places to eat, have a drink or simply hang out with friends. The key to finding a good place to eat it’s to know what’s out there!
Here I’ll recommend 4 places for you to eat in Maynooth town.
Picture on the right: Full Irish Breakfast
A good place to have breakfast and lunch situated just beside the river that crosses Maynooth. It looks like a small café, but once you go in, the space opens up and it’s actually bigger than it looks from the outside… I enjoyed the busyness of the place mixed with a peaceful environment, where both students and locals stopped by to have lunch or a cuppa. I’ve tried their quiche Lorraine and their soup of the day with Guinness bread, both were great, and I recommend you trying them. The staff was very friendly – I still remember the cashier joking about the price just to see my reaction (he said it was €500!) but immediately then told me the actual price when he saw how shocked I was.
I went here with a couple friends after lectures to try their Bubble Tea! I loved it and was glad they offered a wide range of flavours to choose from and a good size for the Bubble Teas, and, of course, they had the original boba! We went during the winter and one of my friends ordered a hot Bubble Tea – I didn’t even know you could drink it hot. I highly recommend trying one – cold or hot. I have yet to try their food, especially they fried chicken but that’d be on a different occasion.
Loved this place! From the atmosphere to their desserts. As the name suggests, they are known for their sweet menu: they flavoured cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies and much more. They also offer food for lunch. I called in on a rainy day, perfect for a hot drink, and discovered they offered a student discount for their hot chocolates! Based on the price (less than €3) I was expecting a small cup, but it was a full medium size mug – It’s the perfect place to have a chat with friends after or before lectures if you get there before it’s full. I wished I had tried their cinnamon rolls, but they seemed to be very popular because they had sold out when we arrived. I also noticed people order full cakes from them! I tried one of their chocolate cupcakes once and loved it. Highly recommended.
This is a big café which is part of the Grenroyal Hotel in Maynooth. It’s a good place for breakfast, lunch and sweet treats with tea. I’ve been here both during Easter and during the Christmas season and I love how they decorate the place every time, and the fact that they have seasonal cakes! It’s popular among students as I often see the place filled with them. It’s the perfect place to have a cup of tea with your friends, with good prices, a variety of food and tea, and nice mugs with a design of the university printed on them! The atmosphere is always lovely, peaceful yet vibrant such as the town, and time passes so quickly when enjoying good company. I recommend it if you want to spend time with a group of friends since the place is big, and it’s the perfect escape for the cold during winter!
Picture on the right: Easter egg cheesecake
These are only a few of the places to eat in Maynooth town, however there are many more. Exploring the town you are studying in is always a good idea as you could find hidden gems. In my time in Maynooth, I’ve found many places offer student discounts – not to be surprised due to the large student population in it. So, remember to bring your student card with you and always ask!
