Alternative Bread Company Ltd

This place is great. On many Saturday mornings while passing through the English Market, I’ve ended up buying something or other here. The bread is always fresh and tasty. It is also the only place in Cork that I’ve found lovely Bavarian pretzels.

Fighting through the crowds after QE2’s visit; eventually I gave up and found myself in front of ABC. Good thing too, because this is definitely one of the jewels in the Market’s monarchy-​charming crown.
Their range of stock is nearly limitless, their prices are low and the taste is incredible. I’m just looking forward to getting more of their pretzels, but there’s a lot more on offer.

would be lost without these guys… from their hazelnut loaf… which is amazing to their irish soda bread. its some of the best available in cork… good value and tasty… enjoy!

The Alternative Bread Company is a bit of a Cork institution. In the days when all we knew was sliced white loaf and the soda bread that Mammy made for us, the ABC was a lone baking beacon, introducing the city to the delights of flavour. Times have moved on, and it’s now possible to get «fancy» bread in many more places but the ABC still holds a place in my heart.
The location in the English Market is perfect-​bustling and surrounded by other producers of fresh, wholesome food. There is an extensive range of breads and cakes with options for everyone-​gluten free, spelt, foccacias, tomato and herb, traditional sodas… One of the most popular must be their health loaf-​a dense, flavoursome, mealy brown loaf. Perfect with a steaming bowl of soup! Sweet treats are also on offer such as Danishes, muffins, banana and walnut bread. They fall down a little on their scones-​not the best. I occasionally dream about their chocolate orange madeira cake which my sister and I used fight over. Moist, tasty… utterly addictive.
The most popular breads sell out early so get in there in the morning to stock up on freshly baked produce. It’s always hard to tell where the actual queue is but staff are friendly and efficient.
Price-​wise not the cheapest, but good value for quality products. Apparently they also donate any leftovers to the Simon Community each day which I think is wonderful.
Need to stop writing now… thinking about that madeira!

THE ALTERNATIVE BREAD COMPANY 16.06.10
What a selection the Alternative Bread Company in the English Market have. I spotted a Country Baguette, no salt, no dairy. I ordered one (€ 2.50) and the helpful assistant suggested she’d cut it in two to make for easy carrying. Good idea. The two pieces fitted neatly into a bag and there was no danger of poking any of my fellow bus passengers in the eye.
THE ALTERNATIVE BREAD COMPANY
There is amazing choice on offer at the Alternative Bread Company counters in the English Market (Cork), baskets of fresh bread made and supplied by quite a few bakers, including regular products such as traditional sodas to gluten free, foccacias and sourdough and rye bread.
I picked up a rye loaf there today, intending to compare it with the one I bought at a reduced price at the Coal Quay market stall of Tom’s Bakery of Kinsale last Saturday.
When I bought my load this morning, I didn’t know at the time that the supplier of rye to the ABC is German baker Thomas Heuneburg of Kinsale.
The cost today was € 3.00 as against € 1.90 on Saturday. The difference? Today’s was fresher, no doubt about that.
+353 (0) 21 4 251 347
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Easily the best breads in Cork. You can buy these breads in a supermarket now, but this is the original stall where it all started. Lovely sourdoughs, and batons — basically everything interesting and tasty beyond the average sliced pan. Excellent quality and very delicious.