Brothers Hans and Stefan Matthia run this smashing little contemporary café in Cashel, and it is the perfect complement to the parent establishment, Chez Hans, next door. A neat renovation job has been accomplished with clean-lined style, creating a bright and airy space out of very little – and, with cheerful plants out front in summer, the exterior looks delightful, too.
Bare-topped tables are laid café-style and a canny little menu offers just the kind of food that’s needed during the day: colourful, sassy dishes including lots of salads - several versions of Caesar salad include a vegetarian one, and there’s an irresistible house salad with pear Cashel Blue cheese (what else?) and Parma ham; open sandwiches come with home-made French fries and there are half a dozen hot dishes - grilled lamb cutlets with mushroom sauce, perhaps, or poached salmon with new potatoes, green beans and salsa verde.
Good desserts and afternoon tea (2-5.30), lovely coffee; wine list. Well worth planning a journey around a break here - everyone travelling the Dublin-Cork route should make a note of this place and its hours.
But get there early or be prepared to wait, as the secret about Café Hans is well and truly out. There is some menu overlap with Chez Hans, where, together with Jason Matthia, Stefan is also responsible for the early dinner.
