New Coffee Shop opens in Portlaoise

A new independent speciality coffee shop has opened on Railway Street, Portlaoise.

They are the latest addition to Portlaoise’s growing independent business community and are led by the experienced coffee professional Rich Lilley.

Rich spent several years teaching at the renowned Dublin Barista School, helping to train thousands of aspiring baristas around Ireland in the art of making exceptional coffee; now, after years of teaching others, Rich is bringing that expertise to his own cafe, where every coffee is prepared with precision, care and consistency. Rich said:

“Coffee has always been much more than just a job for me,” said Rich. “It’s something I’ve dedicated years to understanding from sourcing and roasting beans to perfecting espresso extraction and milk texturing. We wanted to create somewhere people can rely on, where every cup is made properly every single time. Whether it’s your first visit or your hundredth, the quality should always remain the same.”

Working alongside the owners of Ramsbottom and Sons in Portlaoise, Rich has helped shape every aspect of Side Street Coffee, from the choice of coffee supplier and the equipment to staff training and customer experience. Side Street Coffee serves specialty coffee roasted by award winning Irish coffee roasters Badger & Dodo; Rich said that this choice is in keeping with his philosophy of consistency in every cup of coffee.

“I’ve always believed great coffee shouldn’t be a lottery,” he said. “Every customer deserves the same fantastic cup every single time they visit. That’s exactly what we’re striving to deliver here at Side Street Coffee."

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