I had heard great things about this place, mostly about their croissants but to be honest their croissants are fairly poor. They are a bit oily and bready; nothing like what you would hope from a delicious flaky fluffy French croissant. That said, there are other great things about Panem. Their coffee is decent, their pastries are all right but their focaccia is amazing. They are cheap and filling and incredibly delicious. They make them fresh every day and have a wide range of flavours and toppings. Thanks to its location it is a great spot grab a snack and a coffee while you are passing through town.
Angela H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 West LA, CA
Ordered a Coconut macaroon and their famous biscuit for .90 euros each and OMG so good and melts in your mouth. I was actually craving a scone or biscuit for that denser buttery goodness and unfortunately this«biscuit» did not do that but it was DELICIOUS. The biscuit tasted like the perfect macaroon with a filling that tasted and had the same airy but not too transparent consistency as a marzipan(almond paste) cookie. Delicious and moist and not overwhelmingly sweet. So glad I stopped by after looking into their window!
Vikki C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Ridgecrest, CA
Like the reviewer in front of me, I also just happened across this little shop and was amazed by how delicious and wonderful the place was . I had the tomato spinach foccia, a dark hot chocolate, and an almond croissant and all of them were fantastic, especially the croissant and chocolate. Tiny but adorable, with friendly service, and ongoing baking happening right behind the counter!
Mark C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Just popped in here for a quick snack and it turned out to be a lot tastier than I ever could have expected. I ordered a cheese, tomato and spinach pastry, along with a latte. The food was fresh and tasty, while the coffee was yummy. The food is Italian, as are the staff. And they seem to take great pride in their work. I greatly recommend.
Natasha A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
This is a very unassuming little place. I’ve walked past it many times… but not on this particular day! The savoury pastries in the window called to me… However, once inside I decided on a chocolate brioche. It was a delight to bite into, and the Belgian chocolate inside was delicious. I know I could get addicted to these! I was also offered a date scone but decided to save that for my next visit. The decaf Americano was excellent. If the decaf tastes that good… you know that the coffee is the bomb! There are just a few stools to sit on and the traffic roars past outside but I didn’t give a damn; I was too busy savouring that brioche.
Nicola K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
I had the most fantastic food experience visiting Panem yesterday. I was delivering my first order of Niks Tea as Ann, the proprietor who’s decided to serve her customers the best loose leaf teas as well as the best coffee & freshly baked food. Anyway as I was leaving this friendly happy fabulous smelling food haven I was offered a fresh just out of the oven focaccia stuffed with goats cheese & peppers. When I say I’ve never tasted anything so good I mean it was unbelievably delicious I can’t describe it, you just have to try it. It’s located just over the Millennium Bridge, North side, small, buzzy so friendly and very Italian… You’l know what I mean as soon as you open the door. Their coffee is famous and I hope their regular customers over the last 17 years will like the new Niks Teas too. Can’t wait to go back again…
Roshan D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
One of the nicest cafés I’ve ever been, no doubt it was splendid. This is a great small spot if you are crazy about Italian savoury treats, sweets and pastries. The place is tiny, only a few people could sit and have food at the same time, but the food is awesome. The Italian guy behind the counter is quite friendly though he wouldn’t smile at you first, but when you talk to him you would know. Just pop in to this place and enjoy a different taste.
Aisling O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
By far the best place for coffee in Dublin. The coffee is second to none. The food is made with the freshest ingredients and the atmosphere is bustling and friendly at the same time. Once you start going here, you will be a loyal customer for years to come! I come here on average once a week for the last 12 years!
Emilie A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Aw… this place is so cute! And the staff is young and proud and happy to share what they’ve prepared. I love that. A bit of pride! Even if it’s not the best place on earth, it’s great to find enthusiasm hasn’t died everywhere. So they have nice coffee, interesting cookies and sweets, and mainly these great little stuffed focaccia breads. They are much better eaten warm on the spot, if you can find somewhere to sit that is!
Norman S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Bloomington, IN
This is a top notch café/bakery/restaurant. As the other reviewers have commented, the interior is tiny with bar style seating. However, the staff are very friendly. I noticed a lot of regulars stopping by. I’ve eaten their croissant and focaccia. Let me just say: they have mad bread baking skillz. The croissants are probably the best I’ve tried in Dublin: it was buttery and flaky. Perfect. The«focaccia of the day» was filled with sweet bell peppers, ham, and mozzarella. The focaccia bread was slightly crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. You can tell the ingredients are top notch(they do advertise the use of organic when possible). The coffee was also great. Bold and aromatic. The price here is on the high side for the quantity(the focaccia isn’t humungous) you get. You can get similarly-named baked goods at a much cheaper price in Dublin. But if you want to treat yourself and not gorge yourself silly, stop by this hidden jewel by the quays.
Alison M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Oakland, CA
Incredible, inspired, absolutely delicious food. Just walk by the door and take a sniff and you will know they use all the freshest ingredients. Merely look in the window and you can see the beautiful treats that await you. Try asking for the 70 cent cookies under the counter as a take away snack. The two cooking(the owners?) are incredibly friendly and bustling away making more and more goodies all day long. It’s fun to watch and listen to them chat about cooking. I would easily give Panem five very enthusiastic stars if only they didnt have such uncomfortable seating. I realize it’s small and maybe they dont want customers to lollygag but one should be able to eat without feeling uncomfortable and sliding out of the stool like a five year old. New chairs would make a world of difference!
Dave H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Cork, Republic of Ireland
You could easily walk past Panem a dozen times and fail to notice it was there. Although the image of «hidden treasure» suits this place down to the ground. I had a foccacia with mozzarella and spinach. and a splash of olive oil. A great advertisement for how to use simple, fresh ingredients well, Panem also make a really nice espresso!
Alexandra M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
It’s hard to say what exactly Panem is. Part café, bakery and deli, it’s located on Ormond Quay, wedged between a coffee shop and a music shop. You might not notice it when you walk past because it’s quite small and the shopfront is modest and plain. However, one whiff of the food and you’ll be making a beeline to get inside. Intoxicatingly good smells emanate from Panem! This business bakes puff pastries, pizza and Italian sweets like croissants and chocolate salami(which is a dessert of chocolate and crushed biscuits). There’s a small counter inside where you can sit(only three or four seats) and have lunch and a coffee. Prices are steep: for 9 Euros you can eat two puff pastries filled with grilled vegetables and Camembert cheese. These snacks were delicious but didn’t fill me up and I could have easily spend 20 Euro more gorging on everything in the shop.