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3FE - Dublin

I first discovered 3FE while doing some research on coffee in Dublin. I came across an interesting article on another coffee blog, about an investment banker turned award winning barista, and his coffee shop Third Floor Espresso.
After chatting to my local friends, I soon realised that this guy had already made an impact on the coffee scene, and everyone had heard of him, duh! I’m from out of town, how was I to know? Anyway, I decided I had to check it out.

3FE moved out of it’s old home at the Twisted Pepper, making room for Vice Coffee Inc.  and into its new location in the Docklands of Dublin. The cafe is very modern, and alternative. Most of the furniture is made from metal piping and slabs of exposed wood. The cafe itself is completely white with red power cables running across the ceiling, occasionally hanging down with lampshades for lighting. Each of the tables had a small jar of jam, for those ordering breakfast, which I thought was a nice touch.

They also have a coffee menu, that offers a range of coffee’s in different price brackets. Each of these coffee’s starts at a premium price of €3. I’m used to paying a higher price for my coffee, as with things like this you usually get what you pay for (this isn’t a fast food chain cafe blog), but I did find it odd that an Americano was the same price as a Flat White. It would seem here you pay per shot, regardless of what you order. The coffee was well presented, although, the milk was a little bubbly and a touch too cold for my liking.

Pros
The story of how 3FE came about is an interesting, and heart warming one. It’s nice to hear stories of people finding their feet, with a little support given from those who can offer it. You can hear about the full story here.
The staff are really friendly and are happy to offer service to your table. It isn’t the kind of place that expects you to just come and go. They want to make you feel welcome.
Cons
Unfortunately I wasn’t 100% satisfied with my coffee. It was still great coffee, but I do feel that when charging a premium price, it should come with a premium level of service. I wasn’t happy receiving a cooler (but by no means cold) cup of coffee. I probably should have spoken up at the time. I also thought it was odd that they charge the same price for an Americano as a Flat White.
Having said that, I still enjoyed my time at 3FE, and would visit again if I happened to be passing through.
Location: 32-34 Grand Canal Street Lower, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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