Although at first glance Dublin is not really noted for the diversity of its baked products, an immense number of creative concepts are currently scoring points in the Irish capital. With its small pastry shops, bakeries and cafés, Dublin is in no sense trailing behind the trendy metropolises. Perhaps that’s also just due to movers and shakers like the two sisters Regina and Yvonne Fallon from the “Queen of Tarts” pastry shop, who returned to Ireland after learning their craft in New York in the nineteen-nineties.

They have run the Queen of Tarts in Cows Lane, with a branch in Dame Street, Cork Hill, since 1998. Both shops are in the trendy Temple Bar neighborhood, in the immediate vicinity of Dublin Castle and Trinity College. Tourist come in and out just as often as the locals, who among other things enjoy their daily teatime here. The assortment on offer is correspondingly large, and is produced mainly in the open bakery area in front of the guests. In fact, the Queen of Tarts is especially outstanding due to its viewable bakery area in which the various gateaux, cupcakes and scones are baked in the oven, although we were not allowed any photography there (editor’s note). Everything on offer is baked on the premises, after which it is served fresh and warm by the service staff in the comfortable corner seating areas in the café or on the outside patio. Before that, there’s always a bottle of water on the house, and a lot to look at – whether it’s the sayings on the walls and counter, or the decorations in the café, or even the porcelain in a wide variety of colors.