The Cake Cafe

You'll find this spot tucked away in the Daintree Building on Pleasants Place, and it's exactly the kind of place that makes you feel smug about living south of the river. The converted industrial space feels properly lived-in rather than Instagram-designed, with high ceilings and enough natural light to make your flat white look decent in photos. The coffee here is serious business – none of that burnt chain nonsense – and the cakes are genuinely gorgeous. Their brunch menu does all the classics without trying to reinvent the wheel, which is refreshing when half of Dublin seems obsessed with putting quinoa in everything. The staff actually seem happy to be there, and you can camp out with your laptop without getting dirty looks after an hour.