Dreams of sipping a coffee in the home of W.B. Yeats or Lady Gregory? Or how about enjoying a delicious sandwich in the hallowed halls graced by some of Ireland’s leading playwrights and actors? Well, wait no longer – the Abbey Theatre have recently opened their new café Pegeen’s, located in the heart of Dublin city.
Created as a space to dream and while away the time, when you step into Pegeen’s you’ll find yourself surrounded by little pieces of the sets from previous Abbey shows. From Sive to The Bog of Cats, Jimmy’s Hall to The Plough and the Stars, the furniture found in Pegeen’s has been hand selected by the theatre’s prop master Eimer Murphy from their vast treasure trove. Each chair and each table has a fascinating backstory that can be discovered during your coffee or lunch break.
Pegeen’s is a true labour of love from the Irish theatre community – in collaboration with Eimer, the café was designed by acclaimed theatre designer Katie Davenport. Katie has worked with a host of theatre companies including The Gate Theatre, Irish National Opera, Landmark, Theatre Lovett, thisispopbaby and Rough Magic. She has also been design associate on work at the Barbican in London and St Ann’s Warehouse in New York.
Then, there’s the menu. The eclectic culinary offering has been curated by chefs at Dublin 1 stalwart and neighbour Tang. Offering two sumptuous sandwich options and a daily soup, the menus are creative and ever changing. The specialty coffee is provided by Irish producers Bell Lane.
Pegeen’s aims to be a space for locals, a space for artists, a space for anyone who is looking for a coffee or a bite to eat in in the foyer of Ireland’s national theatre.
The café offers a relaxed atmosphere topped off with sustainable food and recycled seating – and you might just see some of the cast on a break from rehearsals sitting across from you.
Pegeen’s is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm. For more info, visit abbeytheatre.ie
For sustainably minded visitors, Pegeen’s offers discounts including coffees for €2 and teas for €1.50 if you bring your KeepCup with you.
Photo Credits: Ros Kavanagh
