A Visit to The Stormy Teacup - Limerick, Ireland

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll probably have realised that I was back in Ireland for a whistle stop tour. In 7 days we managed to catch up with my family and friends, attend a fantastic wedding, travel to Limerick, meet up with previous work colleagues and go to two BBQs. It was jam packed, but I loved it. 

Top of my list of things to do when we reached Limerick was to visit the newly opened 'The Stormy Teacup'. Opened by my college friend Ruth Crean, I had been following their progress on Twitter and Facebook and was delighted to see so many reviews raving the interiors, the great loose leaf teas and the even more delicious cakes! On Tuesday, we walked into the city in the stuffy heat (Ireland recently had a mini heat wave) and made our way to Foxes bow.

Foxes bow is a small street in Limerick which for years had the potential to be something more. Something more quirky, something that would stand out to tourists and attract another type of customer. This little side street oozes character and The Stormy Teacup is perfectly placed there. I can't tell you how excited I was to finally visit the fruits of Ruth's hard work. Walking up to the main entrance, I noticed people relaxing outside, enjoying conversation next to tables made from crates. From the outset, The Stormy teacup has a home-made, rustic feel to it. It is welcoming, like a big friendly hug.

As you enter, the craft shop section of the cafe is located on the ground floor. Everything stocked in the craft shop is made by local artists and the shop is manned by the artists themselves who volunteer to run the shop. Having been involved with pop up craft shops with Ruth in the past, I immediately wanted to be part of it all. Despite loving my new life in Manchester, I longed to be part of the craft shop once more, it was a little family and I was missing it lots.

The boy and I made our way upstairs towards the cafe and felt like we were entering our granny's sitting room. Quaint with lots of carefully choosen mixed matched furniture, the cafe feels comforting. A place to relax, unwind and just be. After hugs and a catch up with Ruth, I ordered a mocha and the boy a white hot chocolate and a muffin. Watching Ruth make our order she was like a pro behind the counter. Chatting to customers, multitasking and whipping up our order, her years of working with a variety of customers both in markets and in restaurants and bars standing to her.

We took our seats near a cute small window, tastefully decorated with a vintage typewriter, flowers and some of Ruth's artwork. It provided a nice view to the world outside. The sofas were super comfy and I remarked that I wanted to stay for the day. Ruth brought over our order and my mocha looked and smelled divine. On the side, Ruth had popped a mini biscuit and it brought a smile to my face. Little extras go a long way in my book. Ruth explained to me that my mocha had been made with real chocolate pieces and when I ordered it, she asked if I wanted white, dark or regular chocolate? Who knew I could have chocolate options? 

Having selected regular chocolate I got stuck into my coffee and it was lush. Having had a mocha in the Brown Thomas cafe the day before, my Stormy Teacup option tasted better. The quality of the chocolate and coffee was supremely better. I tried the boys white hot chocolate and it tasted sweet but really, really good. Having not been a fan of white hot chocolate in the past, I think Ruth may have converted me.

We continued to chat, Ruth telling me all about her exciting plans for The Stormy Teacup and how great it was to see lots of new businesses opening up in Limerick. The city has turned a corner and as someone who lived there for 13 years, it pleased me to see such a drastic change in 9 months. There are new cafes, restaurants, fab indoor markets and even a new gelato place on William Street. (We tried it...twice....amazing!). 

My next visit to Limerick will most likely be at Christmas. It feels like an age away. I'm missing my lovely mocha already! If you're lucky enough to squeeze in more visits than me, have a mocha for me, chill out, read a book and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere The Stormy Teacup has to offer.