The winding coastal road West of Galway gives way to sweeping views of the Burren across the bay and brings you to the coastal town of Spiddal- only 20 minutes from Galway city. Here, in the heart of the Gaeltacht, you’ll find treasures and treats for the senses in the Ceardlann Craft Village and the award-winning Builín Blasta Café & Bakery. Located across from Spiddal beach, The Ceardlann Craft Village is home to a variety of traditional crafters including basket weaving, ceramics, glass craft, screen printing, traditional weaving and art. Each of the studios is artist owned and operated, giving you a chance to meet the maker and pick up that perfect gift for yourself or someone you love.
After you’ve met the artists and taken in the striking scenes of Galway Bay, you can rest your feet and treat yourself to the bounty of Builín Blasta Café & Bakery. This daytime café from Canadian born chef Heather Flaherty is well loved by locals and famous for its freshly baked breads, cinnamon rolls, cakes, & pastries- baked in house each day by dedicated pastry chef Helena Pavlickova. Keep your eye out for vegan, gluten-free and paleo options for the not-so-guilty pleasures as well as the guilty ones like salted caramel brownies, homemade jammy dodgers and sticky toffee pudd. Rumour has it there’s a new celebration cakes menu in the works so keep an eye out for news coming soon on where to get the best cakes West of Galway.
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Not only renowned for its baking, but Builín Blasta also offers an award-winning hearty and wholesome hot food menu served every day from 10am-5pm. Highlights include breakfast (their sausage rolls are a must try! ), smoked mackerel salad, vegan lentil Bolognese, monkfish goujons with chermoula and tzatziki and one of the best chowders you’ll have on Galway Bay. This is food at its finest- fresh, local, authentic and cooked with passion by head chef Jenya Hardziyuk.
Tasty food? Check. Tempting desserts? Check. What else makes the perfect café?? Great coffee of course. Hand roasted by Bean West roasters in Westport, the café has its own blend unique to Builín Blasta- if you’re in a hurry, you can take yours to go in one of their reusable mugs (the café is and always has been eco-conscious with compostable packaging and a waste reduction scheme ) or buy the beans to brew at home. The tea is Cambells loose-leaf (the kind your granny used to drink ) and they have a wide selection of Suki Tea from Belfast on offer too, not to mention local beers, wine and homemade lemonade.
Have we mentioned that Builín Blasta is an Irish Language café? The name means Tasty Loaf (trust us, it’s tasty! ) and the wait staff out front will be happy to serve you í mBéarla nó í Gaeilge and you can pick up a cúpla focal to practice at home.
It’s not by chance you’ve heard of Builín Blasta Café & Bakery- it’s because it’s the café anyone mentions when they hear you’re heading out to the Connemara Gaeltacht. If you haven’t been, make it your mission to visit this summer. If you have been- you already know it’s worth the drive.
Builín Blasta Café & Bakery
091 558 559
Instagram @cafeBuilín
