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Metro Cafe
★ 4.0(1 review)Café
bustlingunpretentiouscozy
About the Vibe
A Dublin institution since 1996, Metro Cafe occupies a mid-18th century coach building on South William Street, blending the buzz of a Dublin pub with bistro-style ease. It's the kind of place you stumble into for a coffee and end up staying for brunch, lunch, or dinner — the all-day menu means you never have to time your visit. Locals love it for its unpretentious atmosphere and the small outdoor tables that are perfect for people-watching on a rare sunny day.
Why it's worth it
All-day brunch in a former 18th-century coach house where the Mighty Metro breakfast and buttermilk pancakes keep locals coming back for nearly 30 years.
Highlights
all-day brunchbuttermilk pancakespeople-watching terracebistro wine
Before you go
Go before 10am on weekends to skip the brunch rush — the small terrace tables fill up fast on sunny days.
Known For
- •all-day brunch
- •Mighty Metro breakfast
- •buttermilk pancakes
- •people-watching terrace tables
Best For
brunchcasual lunchesrelaxed dinners
1 review
City InsidersEditorialJuly 6, 2026
A Dublin corner that's been doing it right since 1996
Metro Cafe has been holding down the corner of South William Street since 1996, and it's the sort of place that feels woven into the fabric of Dublin. The idea was to create a café with the atmosphere of a Dublin pub in a bistro setting, and they've nailed it — there's a hum to the room that's hard to manufacture, especially on weekends when every seat is taken. The all-day brunch is the main draw: the Mighty Metro breakfast is the thing to order if you're hungry, and the buttermilk pancakes get name-checked again and again by regulars. The menu is broad enough that you can come for a quick coffee and granola or settle in for a proper dinner with wine.
What makes Metro work is that it doesn't try too hard. The building — a former coach house from the mid-18th century — has character without being precious about it. You sit at small tables, look out the window at South William Street's fine architecture and passing crowds, and it just feels like Dublin. On a sunny day, grab one of the outdoor tables in the shade; they're tiny and there are only a couple, but that's part of the charm. With nearly 1,800 Google reviews at 4.3 stars, this isn't a secret — expect a wait at peak times, especially weekend brunch. Go early or go late, but go.
Lire en français
Metro Cafe occupe le coin de South William Street depuis 1996, et c'est le genre d'endroit qui fait partie intégrante du tissu dublinois. Le concept : un café avec l'atmosphère d'un pub dublinois dans un cadre bistro. Le résultat est convaincant — il y a un bourdonnement dans la salle qu'on ne peut pas fabriquer, surtout le week-end quand toutes les places sont prises. Le brunch toute la journée est la grande attraction : le Mighty Metro est l'assiette à commander si vous avez faim, et les pancakes au babeurre reviennent sans cesse dans les recommandations des habitués. La carte est assez variée pour qu'on puisse venir pour un café rapide et un granola ou s'installer pour un vrai dîner avec un verre de vin.
Ce qui fait le charme de Metro, c'est que ça ne se prend pas trop au sérieux. Le bâtiment — une ancienne remise de cochers du XVIIIe siècle — a du caractère sans en faire trop. On s'installe à de petites tables, on regarde par la fenêtre l'architecture de South William Street et le passage des gens, et ça sent Dublin. Par temps ensoleillé, attrapez une des petites tables extérieures à l'ombre ; elles sont minuscules et il n'y en a que deux, mais c'est ça aussi le charme. Avec près de 1 800 avis Google et une note de 4,3, ce n'est pas un secret — attendez-vous à faire la queue aux heures de pointe, surtout le week-end au brunch. Allez tôt ou allez tard, mais allez-y.