Nestled between Pearse Street and Westland Row, the Students’ Union Cafe offers a sigh of relief to students in search of a cheap and cheerful lunch. With the cost of living in Dublin increasing by the day, €3 for a latte and €1 for a tea feels like a steal. Its cheap prices, combined with its welcoming environment and friendly staff, make it the perfect place to cure your freshers’ week hangover.
When you walk through the doors of the cafe, (located inside Goldsmith Hall), the atmosphere is unlike any other that you would find in surrounding cafes around the city. Run by students, for students, the cafe has a laid back, informal setting. Two of the cafe’s staff members, Marcus Chen and Jonathan Wang, chatted to me about how they curate this welcoming space for students.
it’s ‘not a case of the cafe being better in general than other cafes’, but rather, students can ‘get a decent meal or coffee without having to break the bank’
What makes the Students’ Union cafe stand out in a city with a coffee shop on every corner? According to Wang, it’s “not a case of the cafe being better in general than other cafes”, but rather, students can “get a decent meal or coffee without having to break the bank”. The cafe is currently offering a meal deal of coffee, a toastie and crisps for €5.20. His co-worker Chen, however, believes that the “super hot people” that work in the cafe are responsible for its success.
It’s these “super hot people” that curate the vibe of the cafe. The music you find playing will depend on who is working that day. When Chen is working, you can hear anything from Jeff Buckley to Drake, and when Wang is working, the playlist reflects whatever he’s loving at the moment, so expect samba, trapwave and some R&B tunes to accompany your coffee. “Don’t expect to hear Espresso, you will only get to drink espresso,” Wang joked.
The relaxed atmosphere is certainly helped by the fact that students do not have to purchase food from the cafe in order to sit inside, removing the financial pressure placed on hanging out with friends between classes. Wang noted that “it’s tough for many students to afford fees as well as paying for everyday life”. He added that the cafe is important because “it’s multi-purpose. You can do work, socialise, or just get out of the rain and you won’t be looked down upon”.
Their simple menu options offer the perfect midday pick-me-up, hangover cure, or excuse to catch up with a friend, new or old
If you would like to purchase from the cafe however, the options are pretty great, especially at their low price point. Chen’s go-to order from the cafe is a “swiss cheese and ham toastie on white bread with pesto” paired with a latte, which will set you back just €5.70. Jonathan likes to get “brown bread toasted with chicken, pesto, mozzarella and red onion” paired with a double espresso, for €5.20. Their simple menu options offer the perfect midday pick-me-up, hangover cure, or excuse to catch up with a friend, new or old.
The Students’ Union Cafe is a rare find in a city such as Dublin. As one of the most expensive cities to live in in Europe, Dublin has lost many of its “third spaces” (places that are neither work or home, but something in between). The majority of places available for students to relax and catch up with friends require them to spend money, and the cost of attending these spaces has only increased in recent years. The price of a large americano in Costa has risen by 23% between 2020 and 2024, while a large cappuccino in Starbucks will set you back 16.5% more today than it would have in 2020.
When students can take up space in a room for a very low cost, (or without having to pay anything at all), they can alleviate feelings of loneliness, without the price tag that has been placed on this valuable social time by the Irish Government.
The Students’ Union’s cheap prices offer more than just coffee. A recent survey carried out by the European Union found that Ireland is one of the loneliest countries in the EU, and younger people have yet to bounce back from the pandemic’s impact on our loneliness levels. When students can take up space in a room for a very low cost, or without having to pay anything at all, they can alleviate feelings of loneliness without the price tag that has been placed on this valuable social time by the Irish Government. It’s these students that are the best part about working in the cafe, according to Chen. “My favourite part of working at the cafe is getting to see all the regulars everyday, in particular the group of mature biomed students.”
You can find Chen, Wang, and other lovely staff members serving up coffee, lunch and tunes from 9:30am to 4:30pm every Monday to Friday in Goldsmith Hall. Don’t forget to follow the cafe on Instagram, @trinitysucafe, to keep up with their deals and special offers.
