Limerick restaurateur Pat O’Sullivan – of the renowned Masterchefs Hospitality Group – has turned his attention to health-driven food with the launch of his newest enterprise, Copia Green.
Located on the Dublin Road, the former site of Café Noir has been transformed into a light, vibrant and attractive restaurant set across two floors.
Their stated mission is to bring ‘nourishing health food to the high street in a zero waste and sustainable environment’ and evidence of this is abundant: jars of fermented foods sit on shelves beside organic wine, the napkins are biodegradable and the menus are packed full of seasonal, locally-produced ingredients.
Extensive experience in raw and wholefoods has been put to good use, with an admirably innovative menu, managing to cater for carnivores and vegans and everybody in between - and an impressive kids’ menu offers a range of healthy-eating options including ‘bananas in pyjamas’ (bananas and nut butter on sourdough) and ‘golden yokes’ (organic poached eggs).
Many Irish comfort-food favourites remain - such as the breakfast fry and lunchtime burger - but they’ve been revamped into healthy, nourishing versions, with ample flavour. In order to make it onto the menu, each ingredient must be either Irish, organic, seasonal or sustainable. The team aim to use 75% organic and Irish produce, and some well-known producers are helping to achieve this goal, such as the Burren Smokehouse and Toons Bridge Dairy.
Open from 7.30am every day, and with ample parking, Copia Green is ideal for early morning meetings, perfectly positioned for the thriving economic hub of Castletroy. Initially they’re concentrating on the busy daytime trade, but plans for an evening menu are afoot.
A move towards healthy, seasonal, nourishing food is long overdue, and Copia Green are leading the way in Limerick. Not a place for a cheap bite, but a casual food destination with quality and engaged service to the fore.
