My Little Flower, Galway city

This Oughterard-based independent coffee-shop opened their first Galway city-centre location on 11 June 2026.  

It is located in Lombard Street (called Market Street by some), in the shop that was previously Des Kavanagh Electrical, which has been fully refitted for food service, with some clever use of space around the walls to provide seating and low tables.   The shopfront has also been transformed from the previoius screaming fire-engine red to a far more classy cream + pastels look

The is immediately opposite the Galway Market site, and having a cafe right there will be welcomed by may of the traders on cold days, and the seats outside St Nicholas' church will provide outdoor coffee space for some.

This is very much a specialist cafe, with lovely professionally brewed and served coffee, and even a hot chocolate menu!

Opening days/hours

To be advised: on the first day, they opened at 10am

Socials and contact details

Insta  |  Web

Mid June:  Can I keep a secret?   Yes, yes I will for sure ...

But here's a peek anyways .... 😉 

Ambitiously announcing the soft opening 

Sports Direct and Brand Max

Sports Direct Brand Max opened in the Corrib Shopping Centre, at the top of Eyre Street, in early June 2021.

This major English retail chain have taken over the entire shop which used to be Debenham's Galway store. The Sports area of the store (the bottom two floors) offers a wide range of football boots, running shoes, football kits and fitness clothing, while Brand Max on the top story offer discounted designer homewear and clothing for women, men and children.

The overall shop configuration is still much the same as before - the former Debenhams' tea-rooms is not open again, but is still set up as a cafe, so there may be someone else moving in here, too, once Covid-19 restrictions to allow indoor dining again.

February 2022 - entrance to the Corrib Shopping Centre

Candyland

This locally-owned sweet-shop was opened in May 2011 by the Shaughnessy family.  The first shop was in Upper Abbeygate Street, roughly opposite Galway landmark, Sally Longs.

The store quickly grew to have an impressive range of heritage confectionary and related grocery products, from American, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, and became a destination experience for local and visiting sweet-lovers.  They also have great gifts.

In 2020, when the Covid-19 public health emergency closed all non-essential shops, they rapidly switched to working on-line, and provided touches of sweetness by post and for collection when allowed. 

In mid 2021, when many other business were thinking about downsizing, they took the bold move to Irwin Court, just off Eyre Street into the shop previously occupied by Paco Fashions.   As in-person shopping has opened up again, they have been able to increase their product range, and there is now plenty of outdoor space for managing the fast-moving queues of confectionary enthusiasts.

Facebook |  Web |  Insta   |   Phone:  091 536 000

The new store in Bóthar Irwin

The original Candyland store in Upper Abbeygate Street

Mobile Street

Opened in early April 2021, Mobile Street is a new multi-brand mobile phone sales and repair shop in Galway city-centre.

They're in the Merchant's Gate building on the corner of Merchant's Road and Lower Abbeygate Street - where Allman Reynolds real-estate agency used to be located. This makes them the closest phone shop to Galway's business district.

Services include buying, selling and repairing phones, laptops and iPods.

December 2023

Opening month

Facebook | Phone 0857450000

Dough Bros

Following the 2020 Covid closedown, Dough Bros Pizza restaurant re-opened for takeaway pre-order and collection only (no walkup orders), from Friday 15 May.  Their at-hone options were incredibly popular, with booking a time slot being done while  phone lines open from 1-8pm Wednesday and Thursday.

Facebook |  Web

Dough Bros in New Year, 2023

Galway Locksmith and Shoe Repairs

Galway Locksmith and Shoe Repairs is in the Galway Shopping Centre on the Headford Rd - beside the front entrance. Services include key-cutting

They are open Mon- Sat from 10am - 4pm and Sunday 11am-4pm.

Or contact them on 091 531 008 or 0877213939.

Terryland Fruit & Veg Market

Terryland Fruit & Veg Market are in the Terryland Retail Park on the Headford Rd.  They have stayed open throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and are open Monday through Sunday.

They offer a call-and-collect service for everyone, and free-delivery for elderly / vulnerable people - see their Facebook page for details.

Esquires Eyre Square

The first branch of the Esquires chain in Galway opened in mid 2015 in Eyre Square, in a premises that holds a record for the amount of time it spent being fitted out (literally years went by with nothing happening).

It's a franchise with franchise prices for sure.   But the owners are honest, genuine people who really do care about their business and customer service, who previously ran another business in the area.    There are plenty of plugs for laptops and reasonable wi-fi too.

The coffee is lovely - but be warned that large should really be called ginormous!    Medium is well enough for most.

The food is good, with some healthy / superfood options these days:  when they first opened the portion sizes could be described as bijoux, but they've improved since.

Location is fantastic if you're travelling via Ceannt Railway Station and want somewhere to sit with coffee that's close without the hassle of train-station crowds or the feel of Starbucks.    Open 7 days - and right through 'til 6pm on weekdays.

Address: 11 Eyre Square, City Centre
Phone: 091 567746

Full Duck, Renmore

Opened in late 2015 in Renmore, just down the road from the entrance to the Bon Secours hospital, the Full Duck is a very handy addition to Renmore's retail options.

The seating areas isn't huge, even with the building having a rear extension to house the kitchen, but on a fine day there's outdoor seating - and local parks not too many minutes walk away either.

Open 7:30 - 6 every day.

Interesting menus - the day I visited, the veggie option was a grilled aubergine bagel, which was very tasty indeed.    The cake selection included a lime crumble, which had a bit of a coco-nutty flavour going (not my favourite flavour / texture, but not bad either.

And on a return visit in 2023, grilled turkey sandwich with apricot salsa on towsted rye:

Addres: 19 Renmore Rd
Phone:   091-762-080
Web:     http://www.fullduck.ie/

And they do the Facebook thing, and share pics of the menu / specials.

Corner Cafe

Update:  Corner Cafe closed in mid/late 2019

Corner Cafe opened in mid 2016, in the premises (yes, on the corner!) which Java John renovated into a cafe.    They did some work to make the kitchen more useable, re-arranged the interior to fit a few more tables, and reviewed the entire menu.

The result is a great cafe, run by genuine people who are happy to serve everyone in the neighbourhood - from Mass-goesr to legal-eagles from the courthouse, and everyone in between.

Ham bap with chips and salad

The new menu includes the All Day Breakfast - even people who'd never dream of eating one seem, to be reassured to see it on the menu.   And it comes in jumbo, regular and small sizes.

 

A lovely summer touch in the interior decorating.

Yummy cake counter ... say no more!

Coffee, with style.

Smoked salmon roll - just right.

Address:     Corner of St Francis St and St Anthony's Place
Phone:        091 565-822
Web:          https://www.facebook.com/Corner-Cafe-1405061919809479/

Coffeewerk + Press

This very clever cafe is actually a design store which just happens to server fantastic coffee as a "sideline" - or at least that's what local planning officials think!

The library

Shhhh ... don't tell them otherwise.   The coffee is mighty.

What we're really here for - unfortunate it has to be served in cardboard.

Address:   4 Quay St
Web:         www.coffeewerkandpress.com
Phone:     091 448 667

Café Zealous

Update July 2016:  Café Zealous is closed, opening again under new management "soon".

Tucked into a side-street, just along from Irwin's Funeral Home, across from the Corrib Court Shopping Centre, and around the corner from TK Maxx, Cafe Zealous really comes into its own as a lunch-spot for local office and shop workers.

The decor isn't anything to write home about (although they have nice sparkly lights at Christmas), and the menu is classic Irish small-town lunch-bar.   But the food is fresh, and served quickly, and the tea / coffee is grand.

Phone:  091 511 000

Open:   Mon - Sat, 9am to 5:30pm.



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Golden Cafe

Update:  Golden Café closed again sometime before Christmas 2015.


This cafe opened in summer 2015 in a very accessible premises at the top of Middle Street, which used to be a charity shop - just across the road from the former Pro-Cathedral building.

It's not a large shop, but certainly makes good use of the space.   And the bench outside is a good spot for enjoying your coffee on a sunny day.

Not just cakes and coffee, there's also a made-to-order sandwich bar, and the usual scones, croissants, breakfasts etc.

They tried opening on Sunday initially, but now it's six days a week.

The owners are artistic as well as hard working and it's worth a visit just to look at the wall-size mural of the Long Walk and the mouth of the Corrib, complete with golden swans.

The promise on opening day was that this is the only café in Galway offering "the only coffee in Galway sprinkled with real 24 carat gold" - as an Americano drinker, I'm not sure whether that particular concept was popular, but I can say that my unsprinkled black coffee was very good, and accompanied by a very welcome sweet-treat.

Website:       none so far

Telephone:  TBA

Marco's Cafe

The Italian-themed Marco's Cafe was one of a long list of café's that have operated in this premises in Lower Newcastle, just opposite University Hospital and beside the ubiquitous Super Macs in the shopping string which almost no-one calls "Scholar's Walk".

No idea when it opened, or when it closed again - but the last time I went past there was another name on the door.

It's a nice building - with some interesting interior-design touches, although the outdoor seating fronts onto a busy road for both traffic and pedestrians so isn't the most relaxing.

The heavy-weight banana-porridge muffin was the perfect pick-me-up after a trying session across the road - it was so good that I forgot to take a photograph until I was half-way through.

Dela

Dela opened in Dominick Street in 2014.   In the evenings, it's very much a restaurant. But for weekend brunch (from 12), the cafe-feel is to the fore.

Dela by night- August 2021

They're in a building that was the first home of Cava, which after a very public fight with the landlord about the rent, moved to the other side of the river and around a few corners to re-emerge as Cava Bodega.

Very much a place for foodies, where "baby spinach" means an artful salad, and the humble fry starts with spicy Italian sausages. Not sure that I'd be brave enough to pop in for just a simple coffee.

Phone number:    091 449252
Website:  http://dela.ie/

The Urban Grind

Opened in 2014, the Urban Grind took an empty shop just off Dominic St and transformed it to a deli/cafe which wouldn't look out of place in Shopp St - but still with the West's quirks and laid back atmosphere, and a modern sense of light and space, and a fascinating back garden.

Unsurprisingly, coffee is the passion here.   Freshly roasted, handcrafted. Good stuff - and lovely food to go with it too.   Strictly a day-time venue.

Web: http://www.urbangrind.eu/
Address:  8 William St West, The West, Galway