The first time I walked into Dublin Cookie, there was a young girl and her mother eating breakfast by the window. They were so happy. I was so tired. I barely noticed them while I was ordering my coffee (my beloved coffee) and trying to count out the coins to pay (why do they all look so similar?). I was yawning and waiting for my order when I heard the most joyful laugh and turned to see the little girl by the window blowing a small tube of bubbles. I smiled. I had felt so, so exhausted and so, so drained just seconds before but suddenly I was smiling and waving, just as happy as she was. She saw me and toddled over. She handed me the tube. “Now you!” The tiny Irish accent nearly broke my heart, so I blew a bubble (maybe two). She screamed one of those adorable toddler screams of joy and ran back to her mom for a hug. Today was going to be great, and I was definitely going to come back here tomorrow.
I went back to that coffee shop every morning they were open. Although I never saw that girl again, each time I went in I left endlessly happier than I arrived. The orange walls, the array of pastries and cookies, the cheerful barista that greeted every customer; everything about the small shop comforted me. The coffee was welcoming, the cookies were delicious, and I was so happy to be there. This is one of those rare places that makes mornings bearable for those who would rather sleep through the earlier hours of the day.=
Being located in a big city, it’s not necessarily a given that baristas would take time to get to know their regulars by more than just their order. Nearly every time I was there I watched the barista smile and greet the regulars and ask about their lives or how their families were. You might think that they’re just her friends visiting her at work (and they very well could be), but there were countless names and faces that the barista recognized and gave a personalized greeting to that I can’t help but wonder if they are friends at the coffee shop or friends because of the coffee shop. I like to think that they didn’t know each other before Dublin Cookie – that the colorful walls and warm aromas gave way to the beginning of countless friendships.
If that’s not enough to make someone want to visit, get this: they complete their menu with a list of various grilled cheese sandwiches to choose from (including vegan!). I can vouch for almost all of the options when I say that they’re all amazing. In all honesty, I never tried their vegan option, but I give them credit for putting it on the menu; it’s one thing to be vegetarian-friendly, but adding something vegan is going the extra step. It’s the small things like this that serve to demonstrate just how much the little company works to make sure that their shop is a friendly place for everyone.