There were a few puzzled looks as I stood outside, waiting in the cold. “Excuse me, are you queuing for that cafe?”
“You mean for Bewley’s? Of course!” Thirty minutes to be exact, we waited on Grafton St, for a seat in Bewley’s. From an outsider’s perspective, perhaps it didn’t make sense, especially for a €4.50 mocha and €3.50 americano.
But this is Bewley’s, so we waited. From the queue, it felt as though I was peering into a scene from Downton Abbey. Staff flew about in uniforms that bear a striking resemblance to what Daisy and Mrs Patmore wore in the kitchen. Elements of the layout, like the counter and seating area out front, remain unchanged, but for the most part, the cafe is drastically different. The ceiling is now twice the height and painted white, the floor is tiled and a counter stretches along the left side of the ground floor almost to the rear.
Arguably the distinctive character of Bewley’s has been partly lost in this new layout. It is likely that practical demands necessitated this trade-off. An aspect that has not been comprised though are the Harry Clarke stain glass windows, which can now be appreciated in all their glory and which truly give the cafe a unique look. Aside from this, I feel as though I am in the lobby of a busy hotel. The plush red booths, polished dark, wooden staircase and vast variety of art dotted around the place combine in a way that I am not convinced entirely flows.
The coffee is nice, though expensive, and the bakery menu is tantalising, with the Mary Cake particularly tempting. The sandwich menu reads equally well, with a choice of six sandwiches and prices starting at €7. The staff are friendly and attentive, and seem genuinely upbeat, despite the mayhem. From the balcony, one has a birds-eye view of the craziness below and an opportunity to properly appreciate the new space. However, the best part of Bewley’s makeover lies in the basement below.
Glass windows open up the bakery to patrons on their way to the bathroom, and I felt like a child in Disneyland, nose pressed against the glass, ogling the bakers as they go about their work. The artefacts and photographs hanging on the walls remind me of this cafe’s fascinating history, making me more forgiving in my critique and reminding me that it’s only the second day of business in three years.
Like walking through the Front Arch for the first time, everything is new and will take time to get used to, but I have no doubt that the new Bewley’s will grow to be loved again.
