There is no better café to highlight for the International Day of Forests, on the 21st of March, than The Woodstack Café in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare.
This year’s theme of the International Day of Forests is forests and economies which aims to celebrate the essential roles of forests in driving economic prosperity. At The Woodstack Café, this connection is clear – the café thrives because of the surrounding Moore Abbey Woods, attracting visitors, supporting local community, and promoting sustainable products like Rainforest Alliance coffee (see below).
The Forest
The Moore Abbey Woods is managed by Coillte (the Irish state forestry company) and is part of a network of forests across Ireland that are used for recreation, biodiversity and nature conservation.
The forest is a beautiful mixed woodland where broadleaf trees like beech, ash and oak grow alongside planted conifers such as Norway spruce and Douglas fir. Holly and other naturally regenerating trees add to the forest’s diversity, while the forest floor bursts with bluebells in spring and supports a wide range of wildlife1.
The café is situated at the entrance to the Moore Abbey Woods.
Earlier this month, I visited the wood-built café as part of the Oak & Oolite Walking Club’s monthly walk. It was the perfect base for our woodland stroll, offering a warm welcome, great coffee, and a chance to connect with fellow walkers amid the trees. And after two months of rain, the sun finally decided to come out and join us!
I arrived before the other walkers and had a chance to chat to the friendly owners, Dee and Dave, about their family-run café.
They serve barista coffee, tea and hot chocolate, along with freshly hand‑baked cakes, pastries and light bites. They cater for breakfast, lunch and brunch. They also run family‑friendly activities from time to time such as their Free Family Cinema afternoons. Live music at their Sunday Buskers events2 are hosted in a glasshouse or outdoor area, adding to the community atmosphere.
They were delighted to share that The Woodstack Café was recently recognised at the Irish Restaurant Awards, winning Best Sustainable Practices – Kildare County. So, a mighty congratulations to them! 💚
The Coffee
Dee and Dave told me that they sought out the most sustainable coffee beans they could find, Woodland Coffee. With every purchase of Woodland Coffee beans, trees are planted and this year they are aiming to plant and care for 27,000 trees on their own land in Limerick. The coffee is grown sustainably, supporting farmers and protecting rainforests.
If you’re looking for good coffee while enjoying the outdoors, there’s no better place than The Woodstack Café, sipping a cuppa surrounded by the trees!
Oak & Oolite is now on Instagram, helping you explore County Kildare through coffee, flavour, and place. Come join the journey: @coffeeinkildare
- Find more information on Discover Ireland ↩︎
- You can find all their events posted on The Woodstack Café Facebook page ↩︎
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