It may be small but The Clare Island Oven packs quite a punch. Started in 2021 by a young couple, Alice Capponi and Niall McCabe (a native islander and musician), this rescued and re-purposed shipping container has become the first port of call on the island for those in the know - and it's a great find for first time visitors.
Alice (who is French) did a 'small' apprenticeship' with Olivier Queva at Max’s in Kinsale, but they are both mainly self-taught which makes their achievements even more impressive, as everything is made from scratch.
Baking, including sourdough bread and pizza bases, is their main strength and (like all the best bakers) nothing but the best will do when it comes to ingredients. While getting supplies delivered to the island can sometimne be challenging, quanity is non-negoatiable. Eggs and meats are all from Co Mayo (Claremorris free range eggs and Kelly’s of Newport respectively), flour (their most important product) is from the Mosse family's 7th-generation renowned Kells mill in Co Kilkenny. and coffee is supplied by the small Co Dublin roastery Java the Hut in Balbriggan (see entry) who, says Alice, focus 'on quality instead of quantity'.
Many would travel here for the cinnamon buns alone - nicely glazed with caramel, they can sometimes be sold out before they even leave the oven...But there's much more to The Clare Island Oven than thier gorgeous cinnamon buns and the menu - which is surprisingly wide-ranging given the circumstances - is cleverly orgainised to include rotations (of different type of scones for example). Special diets and preferences are catered for too, with Veggie Rolls delicious (Hazelnut/Butternut Squash,Ricotta/Spinach) as well as Sausage Rolls, and both gluten-free and vegan brownies on offer as well as the regular version.
Pulled pork burgers with cheddar are always a hit and the Focaccias (bacon/scrambled eggs/ pickled red onions, ham/cheddar, coleslaw/cheddar, pesto/sundried tomatoes/roasted butternut squash, etc...) are especially popular with the islanders.
And then there are the made from scratch pizzas, which include many of the usual favourites (Marguerita, pepperoni, chorizo etc), some less usual (black pudding with roasted potatoes) and veggie and vegan options too, depending on the vegetables available.
Groups and tours can also be catered for - just call or email ahead to make arrangements.
