October Edit: Cozy Cafés, Coffee Shops & The Library Bar Returns
As October arrives, Dublin feels quieter and more golden. The air cools, the leaves turn, and the city leans into its cafés and coffee shops. Here are the places we love when the season changes and the days get shorter.
Cozy Café 1 — The Fumbally (Dublin 8)
The Fumbally is one of the most beloved cozy cafés in Dublin, especially when autumn arrives. Known for its warm, creative atmosphere and simple, high-quality food, it’s a favorite among locals looking for a relaxed morning coffee or a slow breakfast. With its mismatched vintage furniture, soft lighting, and fresh bread, The Fumbally feels like the kind of place you can spend hours in — the perfect Dublin café for a chilly October day.
Cozy Café 2 — Elliot’s Bakery (Smithfield, Dublin 7)
Elliot’s Bakery is a true local Dublin bakery with a loyal following. If you’re looking for warm pastries, fresh sourdough, or a quiet café where you can escape the weather, Elliot’s delivers. It’s small, atmospheric, and known for some of the best baked goods in the city — ideal for anyone wanting a neighborhood-style café experience while exploring Dublin in autumn.
Cozy Café 3 — Alma (Portobello)
Alma in Portobello is one of the most talked-about spots for brunch in Dublin, and its warm, comforting dishes pair perfectly with cooler October mornings. Locals love it for its South American influence, friendly service, and seasonal menu. Bright yet cozy, it’s the perfect place to settle in for a long breakfast or early lunch while exploring the Portobello area.
Coffee Pick — Kaph Coffee (Drury Street)
Kaph Coffee is a standout for anyone seeking the best coffee in Dublin city centre. Minimalist, modern, and known for its specialty brews, it’s a favorite among creatives and remote workers. With clean lines, great playlists, and consistently excellent coffee, Kaph is the ideal spot to warm up, recharge, or take a quiet moment in between autumn walks.
Address: 31 Drury St, Dublin 2
Pub Pick — The Library Bar Returns (Exchequer Street)
The Library Bar has long been one of Dublin’s most quietly iconic spaces — a place known for soft lighting, book-lined walls, deep armchairs, and the kind of calm you rarely find in the city centre. Now returning as part of The Hoxton’s opening on Exchequer Street, the revived Library Bar keeps the charm of the original while adding a refreshed, design-led feel.
The Library Bar has its roots in the old Central Hotel on Exchequer Street, a Victorian building opened in 1887 and later refurbished in the early 1990s, when the upstairs drawing rooms were transformed into a bar lined with bookshelves, timber panelling, fireplaces, and deep armchairs. It quickly became known as one of Dublin’s quietest, most atmospheric hideaways—a place for slow pints, discreet conversations, and a calm, almost old-world charm that contrasted with the city’s louder pub scene. After the Central Hotel closed for redevelopment, the bar disappeared for several years, but its loyal following never stopped talking about it. Now, with the opening of The Hoxton Dublin, the Library Bar has been restored and revived, keeping the warmth, character, and intimate feel that made it a local favourite while introducing a refreshed, design-led iteration of a classic Dublin space.
Address: 1-5 Exchequer St, Dublin, D02 E044
