The Planted Bean is an up-and-coming café and food business situated on Baggot Road in Dublin 7. It offers a wide range of both savoury and sweet plant-based food options, all of which are made without oil, refined sugars or processed ingredients. The promotion of excellent health is central to the business’ ethos – founder Kevin Odgers says he would never offer anything to a customer that he would not give to his own children. Read on to learn more!
Planting Seeds of Health
by Aisling Cronin
The Planted Bean is an up-and-coming café and food business situated on Baggot Road in Dublin 7. It offers a wide range of both savoury and sweet plant-based food options, all of which are made without oil, refined sugars or processed ingredients. Founder and head chef Kevin Odgers is passionate about the quality of his food. When I visited the Planted Bean recently, he said he would never offer anything to a customer that he wouldn’t give to his own children.
When asked what inspired him to set up the business, he replied with just one word. ‘Cancer.’ Prior to being diagnosed with skin cancer a few years ago, Kevin had spent 22 years as a chef. The diagnosis prompted him to evaluate how his food choices could assist his recovery. He is also passionate about advocating for animals through his work, by showing customers that plant-based foods can be extremely tasty and satisfying.
The café first opened its doors in December 2017, but it has already attracted a significant fanbase. When I was there, the space – small as it is – was constantly busy, with a steady stream of customers coming in and out to collect a quick snack or cup of coffee. I tried their Mexican Quinoa Burger, which was both incredibly indulgent and healthy: a rare feat! Other savoury options available on the day included vegan sushi, Grain Buddha Bowls (consisting of broccoli, kale, red quinoa, red cabbage, beetroot hummus, spicy chickpeas and cherry tomatoes) and a scrumptious-looking chickpea wrap.
I can highly recommend The Planted Bean’s desserts too. I took home their raw Snickers bar and their brownie – both of which were affordable and tasty. I was also highly impressed by the quality of their coffee. I took it with oat milk, which lent the coffee a delicious creamy flavour. The café also serves soya and almond milk.
The Planted Bean’s menu changes every week. Changes are announced on their Facebook page. It is open each Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., so make sure you check it out during one of these beautiful summer weekends.
