Located just a stone’s throw away from O’Connell Street is Mind the Step Cafe and Dance Studio on Great Grand Street, Dublin 1. This cafe occupies the reinvented space of the old Foam Cafe. Housing both a coffee house and two dance studios, Mind the Step is quite a unique addition to the caffeinated scene of Dublin.
It was brought to life by Marta and Seán in 2018, who created a speak-easy spot for anyone to chill. Mind the Step is one of Dublin’s very few open late coffee stores, which serves coffee until 11 pm Mon-Sat, and until 9 pm on Sunday
First, coffee…
Mind the Space serves 3FE beans. During my visit there was a Momentum Blend on the espresso menu. The mix of El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua beans was the house roast full of chocolate and nutty notes. The V60 pourover options changed frequency, based on 3FE’s new arrivals. Alternatively, you could grab a decaf, available on the grinder.
This time, I was tried a blend of El Salvador beans, rich in hints of strawberry, pecan and toffee. To start, I went for a Momentum Blend flat white. I would describe it as a “polite” cup of java: smooth and lightly sweet. Not a standout, but still tasty enough to compliment your afternoon treat. My next choice was Alaska, the only natural El Salvador on the card. The filter coffee had a clean taste, lightly piquant due to its strawberry notes. It balanced out the sweetness of my coffee walnut bun by tuning down the intensity of sweet elements thanks to the coffee’s zestiness.
Food
The cafe offers a variety of bites to munch on, especially in the dessert department. From classic cookies to muffins and sweet buns, you can quickly satisfy your cravings. There are also some gluten-free options available for anyone who might need to skip out on wheat. On a savoury side, there are toasties: the classic Ham and Cheese, a veggie Margarita with the homemade Marinara sauce or the ever-present Avocado on Toast. Quick note: the latter turns out a bit tricky for me. The lemon juice was quite overpowering, dominating the whole dish. Random chilli flakes resurfaced here and there, but without any significant impact on the flavour. I had tried the meaty toastie a few weeks earlier. It was a simple lunch snack to keep you going until dinner time.
In the Cafe
Mind the Step transformed the original space from the kitsch-infused whimsicality to the understated functionality with nordic vibes. The large front window lets in natural light, making the cafe very airy and spacious. Apart from random licks of greenery, the decor is quite minimalist. Simple light wood table tops line up in two rows, with a large vintage dark wood communal table just placed by the barista station. Under the flight of stairs, which leads to one of the dance studios, there is a pocket of bookshelves and armchairs. It is a handy place to hide from prying eyes.
I really like swallows dotting the walls near the entrance. It is a lovely accent that goes well with the cafe’s ambience.
Quick notes
Mind the Step in Dublin 1 is a late open cafe, serving coffee, tea and food seven days a week. It houses the dance studios, with regular classes and movement-related activities such as pilates or yoga. They serve 3FE coffee, with a v60 pourover menu of single origins and the Momentum blend as their house blend. Gluten-free bakes available.