Speciality coffee under the shadow of Slievenaman
Serving up 3fe coffee and with zesty anaerobic washed beans on their guest rotation, it is no surprise that queues stretch out the door of Clonmel’s No Filter Speciality Coffee Shop.
Clonmel is a funny sort of town, nestled between green hills and frequented by stormy skies. It is a web of medieval features and chippers. Old walls and town gates that lead to a slew of pubs and asian take-ways. It is perhaps not a town where one would expect to stumble upon a speciality coffee shop. Yet find yourself on Parnell Street in the early morning or at midday and you will notice an ever growing queue of people lined up to enter a narrow white building, the words No Filter emblazoned in black upon its front.
Established in December 2019 by Graham and Susan, the duo have gone from strength to strength with their speciality coffee shop, voted best coffee in Tipperary by TippFM in 2022. It was by happy chance that I stopped by while working in Clonmel for two weeks. Having been disappointed by other cafes in the area and feeling a little lacklustre in the early morning, it was with some hesitancy that I called in to order a flat white. Entering into the small space there was a friendly bustle and a warm atmosphere as locals greet each other and staff sling out orders from memory. Tall shelves lined the walls before me, filled with colourful bags of beans, coffee gadgets and branded travel mugs.
Coffee Jargon
No Filter sources its beans from 3fe, a popular Dublin Roaster. Espresso drinks are made using their seasonal Momentum Blend which has a mixture of Columbian and Brazilian beans. A guest roast is also on rotation, featuring a Thailand origin anaerobic washed bean at the time of my visit. On my first morning I opted for the recommended momentum blend and sat at one of the few seats placed by a window countertop. My coffee was impressively quick to be called out and I gave it a long pull. Nutty and chocolaty, smooth and well rounded, it was a near perfect cup of coffee. My faith in coffee, and Clonmel, had been duly restored. Later in the week I tried the Thailand bean, which proved much more zesty and lively, and while enjoyable, may be more suited to black coffee beverages.
On each visit, no matter the time of morning, a queue extended out the door, which serves as a testament to the coffee in this Clonmel cafe. My only complaint would be that to-go cups are the only option, but this could have been self-remedied if I’d thought to bring my own keep-cup. If it is going to ruin your morning, grab one from the well stocked shelves of coffee equipment inside the shop and sip happy for the rest of the day. With locally made cakes, carefully crafted coffees and enthusiastic staff, make sure to stop by No Filter if ever you should happen across Clonmel.
