You won't find a friendlier or more welcoming bunch of people than Patrick McEneaney and the team at this delightful family-run coffee shop and pizzeria in the centre of Crossmaglen - a super spot that you will be glad to find when travelling through the area, or if you're planning to enjoy a visit to the nearby Ring of Gullion (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that is well worth exploring).
Although only recently open in this location, KIS ('Keep It Simple') is the coming together of two earlier businesses, 'Egg' coffee shop and 'Nanny Hughes's Pizzeria’, which was named after Patrick's granny.
The groundwork that Patrick and the team have put into researching the best businesses of this type, in Ireland and beyond, is very evident from the minute you walk through the door - to be met by the welcome sight of a gleaming La Marzocco coffee machine and warmly enthusiastic young staff, who are clearly proud of what they do with such charm and efficiency. Since the original coffee shop opened in 2017, their excellent coffee (a blend of four different beans) has been supplied by Ristretto Coffee Roasters of Banbridge, in County Down, and they now also offer a changing guest coffee sourced from the world's best roasters, starting with the famed Nomad Roastery in Barcelona.
And to go with that coffee, a selection of freshly made homebakes is laid out temptingly alongside the coffee machine - doughnuts galore, caramel squares, brownies, cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones, croissants, protein balls and more, many of the bakes that Northern Ireland is so famous for are here, plus a good few from elsewhere...
Then, for the main event, a handsome wood-fired pizza oven takes pride of place across the room, and once again, you can taste the TLC that goes into producing their light, crisp bases (superfine Italian flour, hand-tossed dough) with a combination of Italian and locally produced toppings - all more-ishly flavoursome.
KIS is well-named and their focused simplicity pays off in every delicious mouthful - and the enjoyment of being in this relaxed place, where all are made welcome and looked after with genuine warmth.
