Dublin’s fine food store continues to develop with same focus on quality Irish ingredients

The Butler’s Pantry, Dublin’s fine food store and catering service, continued to develop over the past 12 months, opening its newest store on Harcourt Street at the end of last year.

The business was started in 1987 with the same focus on quality Irish ingredients that keeps it thriving today.

“We make all our food by hand and from scratch in our own kitchen. We rely on the finest ingredients and we don’t use additives and preservatives,” explains Ciara Hamilton, its sales and marketing executive.

The first The Butler’s Pantry opened on Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, with fresh bread and cakes baked every day while dishes were being cooked on stoves and packed and sold to the customers from the pot.

“It was not unusual for customers to wait while mashed potato was piped on top of the shepherd’s pie or while a roulade was rolled and they would go home happy in the knowledge that the food had just come out of the oven,” says Hamilton.

A little second hand red Peugeot van delivered the food daily from Blackrock. Catering was provided for big and busy companies, dinner parties, christenings, birthdays, anniversaries and more, all serviced from the little kitchen at the back of a shop," she explains.

As more and more shops opened, there was a need for more workspace, so a state of the art kitchen facility was opened in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Today it has 10 stores located throughout Dublin, in Blackrock, Castleknock, Clontarf, Donnybrook, Harcourt Street, Monkstown, Raheny, Rathgar, Sandycove and Sandymount.

'Buying local and seasonal fruit and vegetables when in abundance allows us to make our own authentic dishes'

“All our food is traceable back to the farm. We source our fruit and vegetables as locally as possible in order to retain the food’s maximum nutritional impact and to reduce our carbon footprint.”

She attributes part of its success to the fact that its chefs make their own version of everything served, according to the time of year and the best ingredients available.

“Menus are short and change with the seasons. Buying local and seasonal fruit and vegetables when in abundance allows us to make our own authentic dishes, condiments and desserts where you can really taste the freshness,” she explains.

The pandemic saw it develop online orders. As a result, customers can now choose from a selection of fresh food hampers for delivery via courier anywhere in Ireland.

“Customers can stock up on our wholesome, handmade meals or perhaps send a gift that’s guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face,” she says.