A. Caviston, seafood café, deli and fish shop, Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Review

A. Caviston is a family run fish shop, deli, café and cheese mongers in the heart of Greystones. The business obviously has some illustrious connections with the seafood business, and is run by Amy Caviston, of the famous Caviston’s fish mongers in Glasthule and her husband Shane Willis.

Situated in a renovated and extended premises on the main street there is a very fine deli to the front with the fish counter to the rear, They also have a temperature controlled cheese room with a very comprehensive selection of artisan produced cheeses. Off to the right is a casual and effortlessly charming daytime café, with seating options inside, in the rear courtyard or on a nice day to the pavement area in the front.

The fish counter sells all types of fish, bought fresh from the market each day at the crack of dawn, and it is this daily ‘catch’ that informs the daily blackboard specials, so depending on what is best that day, there may be red gurnard kebabs, half lobster with garlic butter, sautéed Dublin Bay prawns of grilled place with lemon juice.

There is also a staple menu, and always on offer is seafood chowder, creamy and full of big chunks of fish, Annamagassan crab dressed with mayonnaise, fish sauce and lemon juice served with home-made brown bread. You will also find a fish pie, seafood tian or smoked haddock and leek quiche.

Leave some room for the desserts, they are all homemade and there are favourites like chocolate brownie, sticky toffee or bread and butter puddings. The coffees are very good and will cap a lunch or quick bite perfectly.

A. Cavistons is one of the new breed of ‘local’ shops that have opened, usually very successfully over the last few years. It is great to see people follow their passion and put personality, care and friendliness back into the shopping experience that had become so impersonal in the big supermarkets, and their lunch is not to be sneezed at either.