Baking sensation CakeFace hit the ground running when it opened in 2016 and - having burst onto the Kilkenny food scene with éclat - the couple behind the venture, Laura and Rory Gannon, have never looked back. Their little patisserie and café in Irishtown proved such a hit that they soon needed to expand and a production kitchen (viewable from the street) promptly followed - and then it wasn’t long before the original patisserie was joined by a roastery, smart modern cookery school and a second café - the brunch destination, Face2, in the city centre.
Like many of the most talented arrivals in the Irish food and hospitality arena in recent years, the dynamic duo have an interesting back story - having left their respective careers in property and chemical engineering to follow their passion within the food industry, they met at Ballymaloe Cookery School and from there travelled to France to fine tune their craft in Roger Vergé's legendary restaurant Moulin des Mougins in Cannes and then to London, where they worked in high-end pastry kitchens until eventually finding their way back home to Kilkenny.
Although it’s on a quiet street and a little out of the way, what a magnetic destination their patisserie and the delightful little café turned out to be. Definitely more River Café than corner café, word wasn’t long getting out about their wittily named cakes and pastries (aka “Quirky and Unusual Desserts”), which were simply stellar.
Inside the décor (like their striking branding) is minimalistic and modern, but it has a grounded comfortable feel, with beautiful freshly baked breads from the terrific Seagull Bakery in Co Waterford set up beside the food counter - the choice, as the locals say, “is mighty", and the breads are sold out in no time.
The counter display itself offers all sorts of alluring pastries made by Rory that morning, while desserts in the fridge unashamedly tempt all who enter. More like works of art than food, these are the jewels in the crown at CakeFace and, anything but classical, each has its own name and personality such as The Passionate Tart, The Zesty Nutcracker and FIGure it out.
There are some regular treats but each time you drop in for a visit you’re likely to find something new and exciting to tantalise your taste buds and, while simple, the savoury food - including deeply flavoured soups, and sandwiches made with gorgeous breads from carefully selected craft bakeries - is equally delicious.
Superb coffee too - the best in Kilkenny they claim, and they could be right. Small but mighty, Cakeface is a little treasure, and - despite the exceptional quality already available in the city - it wasn’t long before its its younger sister, Face2, became one of Kilkenny’s top brunch destinations. And you can be sure that there are plenty more exciting plans in the wings, waiting to be unveiled...
