Sweet Beat

Carolanne Rushe's pleasantly located plant-based café is a great place to get your healthy food fix.

In a pleasant end of block location - next to the legendary Fureys pub, and with a few almost-riverside pavement tables around the corner on the quieter Kempten Promenade side - Carolanne Rushe's plant-based café is a great place to get your healthy food fix.

It opened in 2015 and was an instant hit, thanks to the following that Carolanne had built up at her Green Warrior market stall at Strandhill People’s Market, where her vegan salads and other raw foods and juices went down a treat.

Although compact, the café makes good use of space with simple, chunky furniture and wall units, while windows on two sides make it feel bright and deceptively spacious. There's a relaxed youthful vibe and it's a popular meeting place, with regulars constantly calling in.

The day begins with all day breakfast, designated 'Earlies' - Nut Butter Toast, for example, or Sweet Beat Beans (a healthy version of traditional baked beans, with avocado offered as an extra) along with nutrition packed smoothies, shooters and juices to kick start your day.

From 12.30 onwards there's a lunch and afternoon menu, 'Laters', offering regulars like a wholesome soup of the day (served with Housemade Turmeric Butter on Bakeshop Healthy 5-Grain toast), or the popular 'Sweet Beat 3 in 1' (avocado toast, a cup of soup and the daily Super Salad),which is great value at just €10.95.

'Dailies', all around €8-€9, include a couple of hot specials - a Summer Risotto, perhaps, and Roast Veg Lasagna - as well as terrific salads, served with Sweet Beat Spicy Hummus, House Fermented Pickle and Toasted Seeds.

For between times, you can just pop in for a treat - Raspberry Chia Jaw Bar, for example, or a Raw Cacao 'Biscuit' Cake - with fresh juices, Kombucha, 3FE coffee, and Wall & Keogh organic teas to accompany.

So, you don't need to be vegan, or even vegetarian, to enjoy a visit here - just a little hungry.