Meal Ticket: Shells Café and Little Shop, Sligo

Jane and Myles Lamberth were looking for the good life and found it in Strandhill, Co Sligo. They opened their seaside café and bakery in 2006, thinking it might be a seasonal gig and that they could spend the rest of the year surfing. But then they got really busy. Turns out people travel for a great brunch.

This blue-hued café looks out onto the Sligo shore, and on a sunny day, you can sit outside on their benches and feel like you’re living Jane and Myles’ dream. Take a walk around the beach and come back ready for nourishment.

They have specials on every week. You might be lucky and catch their Buttermilk Pancakes with dry cured bacon (€6.95) or maybe their roast chicken, avocado, halloumi, cheese and spicy mayo toastie (€9.50 with a side salad and chips).

They love doing breakfast salads as well; when I was last in I had a pork belly salad which came with chunks black pudding and a perfectly poached egg. Woah, momma. They’re open from 9am-6pm Mon-Sunday, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s homemade cakes, Irish-roasted coffee and glasses of wine on offer, too.

They opened a shop next door selling some of their favourite things. There’s food produce, ceramics, fancy paper and other lovely things. Oh, and did I mention the couple have written two cookbooks? Turns out you can get a lot done when you’re living your dream