Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro — Restaurant in The Municipal District of Kilkenny City

The perfect brunch spot, especially if you're coeliac!

From start to finish, Arán was exactly what we needed on a bank holiday morning. We walked in and got a table straight away (such a win on a busy weekend), and the interior was so thoughtfully designed, everything from the layout to the little details felt aligned with the food and vibe.

One thing I really appreciated was how dog-friendly it is, even though we didn’t have ours with us. There’s a dedicated dog area, such a lovely touch!

The brunch menu had a great selection, and I nervously asked about the Ube French Toast, knowing I’m coeliac. I’ve never had French toast at a café before because places either can’t or won’t make it gluten free… but the blonde server we had (I didn’t catch her name!) was so kind and understanding. We had a great chat about coeliac options as her sister is also gluten free, and she happily asked the chef for me. To my complete shock and delight, they made it gluten free with zero fuss.

And wow… it was unreal. Ube cream cheese, syrup, strawberry compote, pistachios, it was so good it felt emotional! I felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

My boyfriend Joe got the breakfast sambo (which looked amazing) and we both had coffees too, you could tell even the drinks were made with intention. Everything felt curated to set you up for a great day.

This was my first time in Arán but definitely not my last. Hands down the best brunch spot in Kilkenny. I don’t even need to check...

Located on Kilkennys Barracks Arán is a little off of the thoroughfare boasting it's own bakery across the road and a restaurant, Arán is one of Kilkennys most in demand spots. The venue itself is modern and airy, with a open service/ kitchen layout, with blankets and cushions on each seat as a cute extra; there are however an unholy amount of artificial plants and flowers which seem to contradict the modern vibe. I ordered the potato waffles with scrambled eggs which I wanted as just that, but the waitress didn't seem to hear that , so on the third time of asking I opted to add the parma ham for convenience. Unfortunately I was disappointed, the waffles tasted only of crunchy deep fryer, although I will give credit that they were perfectly crunchy that was about the highlight. The eggs were bland and as over done as eateries seem wont to do. My partner ordered the eggs benedict with asparagus, after being informed they had no fish. As far as poached eggs go it was both firm enough and runny enough, and the portions filling . Serving savoury poached eggs over a sweet brioche bread rather than a Hardy sourdough... which you can buy over the road in their bakery... seems like an interesting and not particularly favourable choice. The staff were very friendly, if not a little unversed in their own menu, the venue crisp and clean, the prices very reasonable. I'd come back once more on the hope this was just a bad day for...

I would give it 0 if I can , they served us Pork when we told we are vegetarians and proceeded to take the bill for other item. To begin with , my husband and I are vegetarians and it’s for cultural reasons , while ordering we told them the same , we ordered UBE French toast and Korean potato pancake which were told is vegetarian . UBE French toast although it looks pretty was very messy to eat as the rhubarb jam under it made the croissant extremely soggy . The problem was with Korean potato pancake which was served with Pork , which they didn’t check while serving and were only confirmed after we asked as it didn’t taste like tofu which they told us the vegetarian option . The lady said it’s human error as she forgot to save it as vegetarian ( I think that’s unacceptable as that’s the basic training one should have ) . If there’s someone allergic to something things like this can lead to fatal issue. A restaurant that claims to have gotten awards should make sure to double check the orders before they serve . I would definitely avoid this place as it’s...