Nolans Supermarket

The only family supermarket left in Dublin!!! Well that I know of maybe there is another. I used to always shop in Superquinn and I really miss it. Nolans is always a pleasure to visit. Their fruit and veg section is proper old school. You can buy small amounts of produce in little paper bags. I hate when you go to the chain shops and you are forced to buy a gigantic head of broccoli wrapped in plastic (why there is a need to do this I will never know) that you know you are never going to eat… such a waste! They stock lots of Irish artisan produce as well which is good to see. Their meat is always top quality and really everything is so fresh. I will be back again and again! Oh and the staff are always lovely too.

We had a great time coming here for groceries when my fiancée and I traveled to Ireland. They have a great selection of food and alcohol and the people are very polite. This is a great grocery store for all your needs whether it’s baked goods, dessert, or anything else.

I was at Electric Picnic over the weekend and amazed by the variety of delicious, gourmet food on offer (as well as the lack of «big name brands») and feeling a little depressed to return to Tesco mundanity on Monday.
Now, when I’d moved to Dublin 3 back in June, I’d given a quick Unilocal skim to check what was in the area and spotted a few places to add to the ‘to go’ list. Fast forward to Monday and in my semi-​depressive state, I thought I’d try and brighten up the day by checking out Nolan’s. I didn’t really know what to expect, I just knew it was a supermarket with local flair. Little did I know I’d stumble across the loveliest little secret I’ve found in Dublin.
Everything in store food-​wise seems to be as local as possible and mostly very gourmet. The dairy, bakery, meat, fruit and veg produce were fresh and inexpensive and the range was much better than the chain supermarkets. After walking about like a kid in a sweet shop, I realised that the place had pretty much everything I needed to do my weekly shopping.
The prices were comparable or cheaper to when I go to Tesco, they stock artisan stuff you’d expect to find in specialist stores (dairy-​free goodies from Natasha’s Living Foods, Lucky Charms, Happy Pear, Prue and Simons and more) and their staff were friendly and very eager to assist (already responded to two product requests that I put in on Tuesday!). Above all of this, I think the best thing about it is feeling like I’m giving my money to a local business, which also stocks goods from other local businesses, and not to some faceless corporation.
The only downside (and the reason this is 4 stars and not 5) would be that their hours are tricky if you don’t live in the immediate vicinity, especially if, like me, you’re used to strolling around Tesco on a Sunday. That apart, I’d highly recommend checking it out if you like cooking good food at home and you enjoy places like Fallon & Byrne or Donnybrook Fair but are looking for a bigger range.

Nolans of Clontarf provided me with a fresh and friendly service, i needed some fine organic food to impress my other half and they had everything i needed — thanks Nolan’s keep up the good work !

Good price for quality food. Great to see a family run supermarket in still existing in the heart of Clontarf!

I think Jo has said everything on Nolans that I would like to express. She has hit the nail on the head with the amount of gourmet food. Its also the nearest shop to me so therefore its my local supermarket.
I would advise anybody who is out in Clontarf to check out Nolans and the Store Wars has certainly meant its great value when it would have had a reputation before as a pricey supermarket.
Highly recommended.

My mouse hovered between 4 and 5 for ages as I pondered and wished (again) for a half star option!
Unlike Jo, I wasn’t completely swept off my feet the minute I walked in. I’d heard so many people raving about the place that I was a little let down. The second time I had a slightly closer look and picked up some sliced turkey from the deli and a packaged cake which was on special. The turkey was gorgeous and it began to grow on me. Another visit and I was sold. I had a good look at the fridges and shelves and was really impressed by the contents. There was a huge selection of Irish and local produce-​things you’d expect to find at a farmer’s market. I found pestos made in Cork, Dublin and Galway, local cheeses and meats, Irish chocolates and fudges, bread from Soul Bakery, raw food from Natasha’s Living Food… It gave me a dose of the warm fuzzies to think that small businesses starting up were getting a chance to get their products on supermarket shelves.
The deli/​meat and bakery counters are spotless with friendly staff and an incredibly tempting array of meat, olives, breads etc. The grocery shelves are a mixture of regular everyday brands and ones you don’t usually see-don’t come across Whittard’s hot chocolate that often! The fruit and veg section is extensive with a wide array of fresh produce, including the more unusual items. It’s difficult not to want to buy everything.
Checkout is quick with small queues and friendly staff. There’s a real local feel to the place-​as if people have been shopping here all their lives.
Why did I pause before the 5 star rating? Well, it is more expensive than Dunnes, Tesco etc but I think that’s probably to be expected for a smaller family business really. They make an effort to have special offers too-​they have a green label promotion at the moment where those prices are reduced and they also have a stand of products where they’ve matched sterling prices.
The opening hours are nearly impossible to find without actually going there and aren’t fantastic-​late on Friday (and I think Thursday) until 9pm, other days 7pm… and closed on Sunday.
Having to hand your fruit and veg to someone to be weighed is irritating and put me off buying. They could reduce their overheads by dispensing with that bored staff member and investing in a scale with labels or scales at the checkout. Nobody with any sense would try to do their thieving in the fruit and veg section!
When it comes to my final rating, friendly service, deliciously fresh food, a sense of community and a commitment to promoting local and Irish produce gets my thumbs up. All 5 of them!

They say it’s the little things… and with me it certainly is! When I first discovered Nolan’s Family Supermarket in Clontarf I was swept off my feet. You can ask my friends — some of them were lucky enough to be dragged there to witness the greatness that is Nolan’s (and I’m not kidding).
For many months I stupidly did all my grocery shopping at Super Valu (an oxymoron if I ever heard one), but since chancing upon Nolan’s I haven’t looked back.
This is a family-​run supermarket in the posho area of Clontarf. There is one great thing about supermarket shopping in a posh neighbourhood — there is always a plentiful supply of gourmet food. Being quite the foodie myself, I have always been well impressed with Nolan’s variety.
Just a couple of examples for you… they sell lychee juice here! And mango and papaya and guava… lychee is hands-​down the best though…
Their cheese section is extensive and impressive, and not too dearly-​priced. They also serve a range of proscuitto, parma ham and salami, which makes Nolan’s an ideal stop-​off before a picnic on the Clontarf Promenade.
The off-​licence sells my absolute favourite new Zealand white — the Villa Maria — believe me, this is a lovely drop (as my grandfather would say). They often have this wine on special, and I saw it today for 11 euro (that is cheaper than it sells for in the Pacific, so that’s saying something…)
Nolan’s are currently engaged in ‘Store Wars’ — check out the pic — logo just like Star Wars (my little brother would be impressed!) Store Wars is Nolan’s promise that they will keep their prices equal to or lower than the likes of Tesco and Super Valu so people will patronise thier local independent family grocer over the mean and nasty chain superstores.
I have always enjoyed my Nolan’s shopping experience, and while the lighting and ambience aren’t the best (but hey, it’s a supermarket, not an art gallery), at the end of the day it feels good to be contributing (however minimally) to the decline of the Tesco giants.
And just a quick piece of advice — you have to get your fruit and veg weighed and priced in the fruit section. If you take it straight to the checkout the checkout chick will have to go off and do it for you (a mistake you won’t make twice!!)

Nolans of Clontarf is always buzzing. On the weekends there are often charity fund raisers taking part in store offering to pack bags in exchange for small donations. Nolans is not a cheap supermarket but is good for the essentials and would be a local supermarket for many living in the back of Clontarf.