The Two Minute Review: Twist Bakery, Temple Bar

What do we need to know about Twist Bakery?

It's the new Temple Bar bakery where Coco Brew used to be, and it's very quietly VEGAN. Twist aren't shouting about it as they don't want to put the non-vegans off, but stepping into a café and bakery where every croissant, Danish and patisserie is dairy and egg free is a unique experience in Dublin.

One of the owners is dairy intolerant, while head pasty chef Marija Lacic is vegan (she ran vegan bakery Cake My Day), but another owner and their head baker eat all the foods. They felt there was a gap in the market for an inclusive bakery, making exciting pastries and cakes without traditional ingredients.

Is there seating?

Very little. You'll be lucky to get a perch, but if you don't you could take your goods and sit in Central Plaza, or head to Trinity for some green space.

What did you have?

We kind of lost the run of ourselves - it all looked too good. There were two pistachio pain au chocolats, and after much soul-searching we picked the 'double-baked' (€5.50). They use a butter substitute made from shea butter, coconut oil and vegetable oils, and while we've had better butter-based pastry, we've also had a lot worse - this is so impressive for vegan lamination, as is that pistachio filling.

A firm favourite was the coffee hazelnut Danish (€5.20), with a praline filling and coffee cream. Despite its richness we couldn't stop lifting it for one more nibble.

A sole savoury option of focaccia with vegan herb yoghurt, fennel, tomatoes and radicchio (€5.95), would make for the most gloriously summery lunch on the go, the crunchy, creamy toppings sinking into the chewy bread with each bite.

An almond croissant (€4.95) did have us pining for real butter, with a lack of pastry crispness, but there was no talking down that intense almond paste filling. Would we eat another? Definitely.

A polenta, almond, orange and cranberry cake (€5) was dense and syrupy, citrus bursts against a cloud-like vegan cream topping, while a 'Ferrero Roché' wouldn't have been out of place in a Parisian patisserie, with nothing giving away its vegan secret. Instead of eggs they've developed "egg alternatives" for each recipe, depending on the structure, texture and richness needed. Once again we were dazzled.

Presumably the drinks are vegan too?

Yep, with just oat and coconut as alt milks when we visited, built into the price.

They blend and roast the spices for their oat chai latté (€4.50) in house, and this one sets a bar for chai in Dublin. A house blend Americano (€3.60) was faultless too.

Why should we go?

They might not be shouting about it but the word on the vegan (and non vegan) street is out. Twist is just an excellent bakery, doing everything the hard way, and did we mention their 'sunshine in human form' staff, standing by to give the warmest of welcomes?

The fact that they're vegan doesn't even really come into it - goal achieved. This is the kind of place we can see other wannabe vegan bakeries across Europe coming over to study, and it's all ours.

Twist Bakery

5 Bedford Row, Dublin 2, D02E393

twistbakerydublin.com