Poet's Corner - The Reading Cafe

What a lovely little cafe in Kinsale. I was wandering around town looking for a coffee place that would catch my eye. I wanted a coffee for takeaway and possibly a snack. Poet's Corner caught my eye. It looked so inviting with the cute tables, chairs and a wall of books!

For the traveling folk who like to read along the way, here is your book exchange cafe! I did bring a book with me on this trip but I was not ready to trade it in at the time but if I were, I could definitely do it here. There were many books ready for trading. Great for us readers and book nerds.

As for beverages and snacks, they have the usual coffee drinks that are on a typical café menu board. This time around I opted for a cappuccino and it was very beautiful. I felt terrible that I had to cover it with a takeaway lid! As for snacks, they have a wonderful selection of homebaked goods. I chose the Sponge Cake with jam that was covered in chocolate and coconut. I was very happy with both and it made for a delicious journey back on the bus to Cork.

Friendly baristas, cute café, great coffee, yummy desserts and plenty of books. Poet's Corner is a gem!

Chilly or damp from the brisk morning? Have a few minutes to spare? This is the place to do it.

A lovely, bright, inviting atmosphere where you can pop in for a quick cuppa or mug of hot chocolate (more on the hot chocolate in a minute) or just pile up and read for a while. This is truly a reader's dream place.

The fare is minimal but fresh and delicious from the bits we tried. This brings me to the hot chocolate. Hubby had the tall mug of steaming milk placed in front of him with an enormous block of chocolate on a stick - like a huge square lollipop. The idea was to stick it in the milk and stir until melted. There was a choice of white, milk or dark if I remember correctly (definitely more than just the white chocolate option). He absolutely LOVED it and declared it to be the best he had ever had - check out the photos.

The ONLY reason they didn't get a 5 star was due to the lack of seating. We had to wait a while to get a seat and I'm not sure what they could do about that, but if you only have a limited amount of time in Kinsale, you may just want to pop your head in first to see if there is anything available.

We popped in just as they were closing but the last was kind enough to show us some pastries she just put away for the day in the box. She was a bit in the curt side- but was kind in switching a few tarts to bars and made an espresso for my guy. Prices were a bit high, as to be expected in a town like this.

the next morning we woke to try our selections. My scone had raisins (I would have preferred cranberries) and was quite dry and bland, even for a "day old" bite. It tasted basically like flour and some raisins from time to time. Everyone else opted for the barista's favorite: some berry cobbler bar. The next morning, all their pastry bags were dripping with butter/oil. I don't think anyone had more than half their bar - everyone commented it was quite heavy and had wished they had went with another option.

All in all - it got the job done: we were fed and ready to hit the road for another day of exploring the countryside. But, next time we may opt for another place to pick up selections if we find ourselves in town again.

Cozy little cafe with a nice selection of sandwiches, toasties (grilled sandwiches), and pastries. The tomato and mozzarella toastie hit the spot! I'd recommend this place for lunch or just to hang out, sip a coffee/tea, and relax for a bit. CASH ONLY.

Came here after seeing reviews online and it did not disappoint! Ordered the chicken guacamole sandwich and I think it was the best food I have had in Ireland so far. The restaurant is cute and the staff was so nice. Highly recommend!

Great brunch or lunch spot. My husband and I had soup and sandwich with scones and tea. We loved all their decor.

This was a great stop in Kinsale! It was quiet and calm. Only paid about €20 for 2 people got a 1/2 sandwich and soup, their cheese was very good and their bread was very fresh as well. We almost went back for dinner! They had leek cheddar soup and a different variety of sandwiches to choose from. I wish the door would have been closed because there were many flies around but Ireland in the summer doesn't have AC so there had to be some way to get air in. They have some baked goods as well that are brought in fresh from a baker in the area. Definitely worth a visit, the staff was very nice and helpful and their regular hot chocolate was delightful. If I come back I would stop again.

I stumbled on to this gem of a cafe when I was walking in Kinsale. I had a half sandwich and soup for €7.50 (great value) . The soup was Green Thai Curry Vegetable. The flavor was spectacular. The fresh herbs exploded in my palette. The Sandwich was a croque with pear, ham, cream cheese and cheddar. The combination of flavor was spectacular. COFFEE was delicious. A blend of 60% Arabica / 40% Robusta. Lovely character and a gentle high.


I will come back every time I'm in Kinsale form now on. Absolute treasure of a cafe.

Delicious. We stopped for coffee but returned a few hours later for lunch after reading the menu. Sandwiches and soup were terrific. Freshly made. Desserts are worth the calories.

Great friendly service, lovely idea to have a book exchange or to have books for purchase for a small fee (3.90 unless otherwise specified). Wish I had a similar cafe close to home.