Caffe 500 in Carlow

11/10/2026: There's a reason people queue to get something from here! The food is delicious and the staff so friendly. It's worth the wait!

06/10/2026: Every time I visit Carlow, I need to grab a good coffee first! There are three specialty coffee shops in Carlow, but on Sundays, Waterlilies is the one to go to. And judging by how busy it gets, I’m definitely not the only one who thinks so. 😄 It can actually be quite challenging to find a free seat here on a Sunday — the place is extremely popular, especially around lunchtime. They serve excellent specialty coffee, using beans roasted by FarmHand, a small Dublin-based roastery. I’m not sure which beans they use for the daily espresso, but you can also buy bags of freshly roasted beans, including some excellent coffees from Ethiopia and Brazil. Waterlilies is also, as far as I know, the only proper sourdough bakery in Carlow. They have freshly baked sourdough bread available daily, as well as pastries and other treats. And then there’s the cheesecake. 😍 I’m not sure if it’s available every day, but if you spot it on the counter, definitely give it a try. Finding genuinely good cheesecake in Ireland can be surprisingly challenging, but they absolutely nailed it here, creamy, rich and perfectly balanced. A great little spot for specialty coffee, proper sourdough and, if you’re lucky, an excellent slice of cheesecake. Definitely worth a stop when you’re in Carlow.