The Stage Door Cafe

You're stumbling through Temple Bar at the crack of dawn, and while the rest of the quarter is nursing its hangover, this little spot is already buzzing with the smell of proper coffee and sizzling rashers. Tucked away in an apartment building on Essex Street East, it's the kind of place that feeds the early shift workers before the tourists even think about rolling out of bed. The 6am opening time isn't for show – they mean business here, serving up decent breakfast rolls and strong coffee to anyone brave enough to face Temple Bar in the morning light. Come Saturday evening though, they stretch their hours until 8pm, making it one of the few spots in the area where you can grab a proper cup of coffee before heading out for the night. It's unpretentious, does what it says on the tin, and frankly, Temple Bar needs more spots like this.