A new coffee shop in Gort is bringing a taste of Mexico to Galway – in a building that has been at the heart of trade in the town for almost 200 years.

Tal Vez Coffee opened its doors three weeks ago in what was M Barry Flour, Meal and Provision Store from 1831 up to around 30 years ago – and while the sign over the door has been lovingly restored by the new occupants, and the character of the old building maintained, there is a coffee revolution happening inside.

Its new owner is Annie De la Riva who, together with her husband Jim Ricks, bought the building two years ago with a vision of opening a new kind of coffee shop in the town.

Annie is from Mexico City where she did her training in some of the in top coffee shops the city had to offer.

It was there she gained her passion for good coffee and learned the science that goes into creating the perfect cup.

“I used to work in Mexico City as a barista and that’s where I learned a lot about coffee – how you need to take care how you grind the beans, where you source them. It’s like a science,” says Annie.

“Annie has a scientific approach to how she brings out the flavours,” adds Jim.

Tal Vez is a ‘third wave’ coffee shop, meaning it’s part of a movement focused on the quality of the products it uses. “It’s a really precise way of serving coffee,” he adds.

Caption: Annie De La Riva of Tal Vez Coffee in Gort. Photo: David Ruffles

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