Opening
6:30
The first batch of rolls and plaits is on the counter when we open.
21 Forge Lane, Kilkenny · Tuesday to Saturday
A bakery and patisserie with its own sourdough
We bake bread, rolls and pastries on site every day, and you can price a cake to order in the builder below.
Proving
24 h
How long our sourdough matures at 6 °C before it goes into the oven.
Display case
8 kinds
of pastries and slices, restocked in the display case every day from 9:00.
Cakes
from €42
Base price of an 18 cm cake for eight to ten portions.
Notice
3 days
The shortest lead time for a cake to order; decoration takes longer.
Range
Five product groups
Each group shows the lowest price and the time it's on the counter from. Click through to the full price list with weights and allergens.
Sourdough bread
Four kinds; the dough proves for 24 hours. On the counter from 8:00, day-old bread €2.20.
Everyday and savoury bakes
Rolls, plaits, croissants, savoury scones. First batch at 6:30, second at 10:00.
Pastries and slices
Eight kinds daily from 9:00. We'll put one aside if you call by 15:00 the day before.
Cakes to order
Five sizes from 8 to 36 portions. Shortest lead time three working days.
Seasonal baking
Easter, fruit season, nuts and Christmas. Each season has its own ordering deadline.
About the bakery
A small bakery where everything is baked on site
Crust is a bakery with a pastry kitchen in one room behind the shop. We have no central production unit and no deliveries of frozen part-baked goods — we knead the dough in the evening, load the bread into the oven before dawn and finish the pastries during the morning.
Our flour comes from a mill 40 kilometres away, we use 82% butter and eggs from a farm in the county. Bread gets flour, water, salt and sourdough. Nothing else belongs in it, so you won't find improvers or preservatives in the ingredients.
Anything left over is sold at half price in the last hour before closing. Day-old bread costs €2.20 in the morning, whatever the size of the loaf.
Who bakes
Two bakers on the early shift, a pastry chef for cakes and pastries, and a shop manager. Cakes are always decorated by the same person so they look the same.
Ingredients
Wheat and rye flour from a regional mill, 82% butter, chocolate with 55 and 70% cocoa, seasonal fruit from local growers.
Packaging
Paper bags are free. We're happy to fill your own container or bag. Cakes go in a sturdy cardboard box, included in the price.
Daily range
Bread and rolls
Prices apply in the shop. For larger quantities (over 20 rolls or 5 loaves), order the day before so we can bake extra.
Bread
On the counter from 8:00- Wheat and rye sourdough, 1 kgDarker crust, proved for 24 hours €4.60
- Wheat and rye sourdough, 0.5 kgA smaller loaf for one or two €2.60
- Wholemeal rye, 1 kgTuesday, Thursday and Saturday €5.20
- Potato bread, 0.8 kgFriday, soft crumb €4.90
- Day-old breadThursday to Saturday mornings €2.20
Everyday bakes
On the counter from 6:30- Butter roll, 60 gSecond batch at 10:00 €0.45
- Poppy seed plait, 90 g €0.90
- Butter croissantPastry laminated by hand €1.60
- Chocolate croissant €1.90
- Multigrain baguette, 250 g €1.80
- Curd cheese bunWednesday and Friday €1.40
Savoury
Baked until 15:00- Pork crackling scones, 100 g €1.50
- Seeded pretzel €1.20
- Savoury cheese strudel, 150 g €2.40
- Rosemary focaccia, 200 gSaturday €2.80
Ordered in advance
By 15:00 the day before- Bakes for an event, 20 or moreA mix of rolls, plaits and pretzels −10%
- Bread bowls for dips, 5 pcs €14.00
- Savoury platter, 40 piecesMini scones, pretzels, cheese straws €26.00
- Sweet platter, 40 piecesMini pastries, slices, meringue sandwiches €38.00
You'll find the allergens for every product in the allergen table. We're also happy to show you the ingredients in the shop.
Pastry display case
Pastries and slices
Eight kinds daily, from 9:00. We don't freeze our pastries, so once something sells out, it's back the next day. If you need a particular one for certain, reserve it by phone by 15:00 the day before.
Chocolate slice
Three layers of cocoa sponge, ganache made with 70% chocolate and a thin layer of sour cherry jelly.
Allergens: 1, 3, 7
Caramel choux bun
Choux pastry, vanilla custard made with real milk, caramel glaze. Baked every day.
Allergens: 1, 3, 7
Rum punch slice
A classic made from sponge trimmings, with rum flavouring and pink icing.
Allergens: 1, 3, 7
Honey cake
Six thin honey layers and caramel cream, matured for two days before it goes on sale.
Allergens: 1, 3, 7
Curd cheese tart with fruit
Shortcrust base, a thick layer of curd cheese and seasonal fruit. With pear from September, apricots in summer.
Allergens: 1, 3, 7
Gluten-free almond slice
Almond flour and chocolate cream, no added wheat flour. We bake it in a separate tin, but the kitchen isn't gluten-free.
Allergens: 3, 7, 8
Also in the case
Depending on the day- Meringue sandwichMeringue layers with buttercream, Tuesday and Friday €1.70
- Poppy seed roll, 100 gCut to order, as much as you need €1.90
- Jam turnoverPlum or apricot, Wednesday and Saturday €1.30
- Mini pastriesFrom 20 pieces, order two days aheadto order €0.95
Reserving a pastry
We'll put a particular pastry aside if you call by 15:00 the day before. We hold at most six pieces per customer.
How to store them
Pastries belong in the fridge at 4 to 6 °C; eat them within two days. Anything with custard or cream is best eaten the same day.
Coffee counter
With your pastry we serve espresso for €1.60 and cappuccino for €2.20. There's a standing counter by the window and two tables for four. Coffee is served Tuesday to Friday until 16:30 and on Saturday until 12:00.
To order
Cakes and sizes
The price shown is the base for the sponge, filling and a simple buttercream finish. Flavours and decoration cost extra — the builder below works out the exact amount. A sturdy cardboard box and candles are included.
- Portions8 – 10
- Height10 cm, three layers
- Lead time3 working days
€42
- Portions12 – 16
- Height10 cm, three layers
- Lead time3 working days
€58
- Portions18 – 24
- Height11 cm, four layers
- Lead time4 working days
€76
- Portions30 – 36
- Height18 cm, two tiers
- Lead time6 working days
€138
What's in the base price
- Sponge of your choice, three to four layers
- One filling and a simple buttercream finish
- A sturdy cardboard box and a cool pack
- Candles and a disposable cake knife
What costs extra
- Walnut, carrot or gluten-free sponge
- Ganache, caramel with nuts, curd cheese filling with raspberries
- Marzipan covering or a hand-painted finish
- A message on the cake and delivery in town (€5, free over €100)
Interactive calculator
Build your cake
Choose the size, sponge, filling and finish. The price and the earliest possible collection date update instantly. Then transfer your cake to the order form with one click.
Through the year
Seasonal baking
Part of our range changes with the fruit and the holidays. Orders for seasonal bakes close earlier, because we bake them in limited quantities.
March – April
Easter
- Easter sweet bread with raisins, 500 g — €5.90
- Easter lamb cake — €8.50
- Smoked cheese plait — €3.20
Orders close on the Wednesday before Good Friday.
May – August
Fruit season
- Strawberry cake Ø 22 cm — €67
- Apricot traybake, 100 g — €1.60
- Raspberry slice — €2.70
The strawberry cake is the €58 base plus €9 for fresh fruit on top. We buy fruit from local growers, and the range changes every week.
September – November
Nuts and pumpkin
- Walnut roll, 100 g — €2.10
- Poppy seed roll, 100 g — €1.90
- Pumpkin cake with cinnamon — €2.40
We bake the rolls whole and cut them to the weight you want.
December
Christmas baking
- Iced gingerbread — €34 per kg
- Vanilla crescents — €29 per kg
- Christmas plait, 600 g — €7.40
Orders for Christmas baking close on 10 December.
Ingredients
Allergens in our products
The numbers follow the list of 14 allergens set by food law. Choose what you want to avoid and the table will show only suitable products.
- 1 – cereals containing gluten
- 3 – eggs
- 6 – soya
- 7 – milk
- 8 – nuts
- 12 – sulphur dioxide
| Product | Allergens | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat and rye sourdough | 1 | Flour, water, salt, sourdough |
| Wholemeal rye bread | 1 | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday |
| Butter roll | 1, 7 | 82% butter |
| Butter croissant | 1, 3, 7 | Egg wash |
| Seeded pretzel | 1, 7 | Sesame, linseed, sunflower |
| Pork crackling scones | 1, 3, 7 | Pork crackling |
| Caramel choux bun | 1, 3, 7 | Vanilla custard made with milk |
| Rum punch slice | 1, 3, 7, 12 | Contains rum flavouring |
| Honey cake | 1, 3, 7 | Honey, caramel cream |
| Chocolate slice | 1, 3, 6, 7 | 70% chocolate contains soya lecithin |
| Gluten-free almond slice | 3, 7, 8 | No wheat flour; the kitchen isn't gluten-free |
| Walnut roll | 1, 3, 7, 8 | Walnuts |
| Meringue sandwich | 3, 7 | Meringue layers, no flour |
| Rosemary focaccia | 1, 7 | Olive oil, sea salt |
Showing all 14 products.
Everything is baked in one kitchen, where we work with flour and nuts. With a severe allergy we can't rule out traces.
Ordering step by step
How it works
There are four steps from sending your message to collection. We confirm the date within 24 hours, and the deposit is due within two days of confirmation.
-
1
Your cake and date
Choose the size and flavours in the builder, or describe them to us in your own words. We confirm the date within 24 hours.
-
2
30% deposit
Once we've confirmed, we send you the deposit amount. Pay it by bank transfer or in the shop, and your date is booked.
-
3
We bake
We bake the sponge the day before collection, then fill and decorate it on the morning of collection so the cake is fresh.
-
4
Collection
Collect your cake in the shop at the agreed time. Pay the balance on collection, in cash or by card.
Opening hours
Opening hours
- MondayClosed
- Tuesday6:30 – 17:30
- Wednesday6:30 – 17:30
- Thursday6:30 – 17:30
- Friday6:30 – 17:30
- Saturday6:30 – 12:30
- SundayClosed
On bank holidays we bake a reduced range; we put the hours on the door a week in advance. Pastries usually sell out about an hour before closing.
Collection after closing
If our opening hours don't suit you, we can arrange collection of an ordered cake Tuesday to Friday between 17:30 and 18:30. Just put it in the note on your order.
Evening sale
In the last hour before closing we sell leftover bread and rolls at half price. Pastries aren't in the sale — we keep them chilled until the next day. Day-old bread costs €2.20 in the morning.
Holidays
Once a year we close for two weeks; we announce the dates on the shop door a month in advance. We don't take orders for that period.
Daily schedule
What's on the counter when
- Rolls, plaits, croissants First batch at opening, second at 10:00 6:30
- Sourdough bread Cooled, sliced on request 8:00
- Pastries and slices Eight kinds, restocked as they sell 9:00
- Savoury bakes and scones Baked throughout the day until 15:00 11:00
We hand out ordered cakes and larger orders any time during opening hours — just come to the counter and give your name.
Getting here
Getting here
We're on the corner of Forge Lane and Market Street, set back in a courtyard with the entrance straight off the footpath. The threshold is flush, so you can come in with a buggy.
- Address21 Forge Lane, Kilkenny
- By carEight parking spaces right outside the shop, first hour free. More spaces on Market Street, 3 minutes' walk.
- By busThe stop is 120 metres south; buses to the city centre stop every 10 minutes.
- By bikeA covered rack for four bikes by the entrance.
- AccessibilityFlush threshold, 100 cm doorway, room to turn a wheelchair inside.
- DeliveriesThe yard is on the Market Street side; please keep the way through clear until 9:00.
Ordering rules
Payment, deposits and cancellations
How you can pay
- Cash
- Card from €1, no fee
- Cash, or contactless by phone or watch
- Bank transfer for orders over €100
Deposit
For cakes and orders over €60 we ask for a 30% deposit, due within two days of confirmation. Without a deposit we don't hold the date, because we only take a limited number of cakes per day.
Cancellations
- More than 72 hours before the date: the deposit is refunded in full
- 48 to 72 hours: we refund half the deposit
- Less than 48 hours: the deposit is kept, as the ingredients are already bought
- You can change the date once for free if you let us know at least 72 hours ahead
Collection and transport
We keep your cake chilled until closing time on the agreed day. In the car, put it on a flat surface, not on a seat. We're not responsible for damage after collection.
Complaints
If something's not right, let us know on the day of collection. We'll replace a faulty product or refund your money. We deal with complaints within 30 days at the latest.
For cafés and businesses
Wholesale and catering
Two options for larger orders: a regular daily supply on a fixed schedule, and one-off catering for an event. We can bake an extra 200 rolls a day, so we take at most five regular customers.
- Minimum order30 rolls or 10 loaves of bread a day
- Price20% below shop prices, 25% below for more than 60 pieces a day
- DeliveryAround Kilkenny, Tuesday to Saturday, by 8:00. Free for more than 40 pieces a day, otherwise €5 per run.
- ScheduleWe confirm the next week's order by Thursday 12:00
- InvoicingMonthly, payable within 14 days
- Changes and cancellingWe change or cancel the schedule with 14 days' notice, no fee
Catering for an event
Three working days in advance- Savoury platter, 40 piecesMini scones, pretzels, cheese straws €26.00
- Sweet platter, 40 piecesMini pastries, slices, meringue sandwiches €38.00
- Mini pastries, from 20 piecesPrice per piece, choice by agreement €0.95
- Bread bowls for dips, 5 pcs €14.00
- Cake for over 30 portionsTwo tiers, 22 + 16 cm, six working days from €138
What applies to catering
- You confirm the final number of pieces no later than 48 hours before the event
- Delivery in Kilkenny €5, free for orders over €100
- The platters are returnable within three days of the event
- You get a printed allergen list for every item
- 30% deposit for orders over €60, cancellation under the same rules as for cakes
Arrange a supply
your number here
Gifts
Gift vouchers
A paper voucher in an envelope, issued on the spot during opening hours. Valid for 12 months from the date of issue on everything we sell, including cakes to order.
€20For pastries and bread
€30For a smaller cake
€50For a decorated cake
How to use it
Hand over the voucher when you pay. If your order costs more, pay the difference. If it costs less, the balance stays on the voucher for next time.
What it doesn't cover
Vouchers can't be exchanged for cash and don't apply to the evening sale. Once they've expired, we can't accept them.
FAQ
What people ask most often
How far ahead should I order a cake?
A simple cake up to 22 cm needs three working days. Larger sizes need four, a two-tier cake six. A marzipan covering adds a day, a hand-painted finish two days. The builder shows the exact earliest date.
Do you make gluten-free or lactose-free products?
Yes — we have a gluten-free almond slice every day, and a gluten-free cake sponge for an extra €12. We can make a lactose-free cake with plant-based cream by arrangement. The kitchen isn't separate, though, so with coeliac disease we can't rule out traces of gluten.
Can you make a cake from my own design?
Send us a picture or a description. We'll adapt the colour and theme, but we don't promise to copy someone else's work in every detail. We price more complex decoration individually, always in advance and with your agreement.
How long does sourdough bread keep?
Three to four days. Store it cut side down in a cloth bag or a bread bin, not in plastic. Don't put it in the fridge — that's where it goes stale fastest.
How long does a finished cake keep?
Two days in the fridge at 4 to 6 °C. We recommend eating cakes with fresh fruit and cream on the day of collection. Leave the cake at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving — it tastes much better.
Do you deliver?
We deliver in town Tuesday to Friday between 9:00 and 11:00 for €5. Delivery is free for orders over €100. We don't deliver outside town — cakes don't travel well.
Can I sit down and have a coffee?
We have two tables for four and a standing counter by the window. Espresso is €1.60 and cappuccino €2.20. Coffee is served Tuesday to Friday until 16:30 and on Saturday until 12:00. We don't take table reservations.
Do you also supply cafés wholesale?
Yes — for at least 30 rolls a day on a fixed schedule, prices are 20% below shop prices. You'll find the full terms, including capacity, in the Wholesale and catering section.
Work with us
Who we're looking for
Two vacancies on the day shift. Sundays and Mondays are off for the whole team, and on bank holidays we bake a reduced range.
Pastry chef
Working on pastries and cakes, decorating on your own, shift starts at 5:00.
- At least two years' experience in pastry production
- Confident with creams, ganache and marzipan work
- Food safety training (HACCP)
Shop assistant
Serving at the counter, taking orders, restocking and closing up in the evening.
- Working with a till and cash
- Early shift starts at 6:00
- Food safety training (HACCP)
Get in touch through the form or give us a call, or bring your CV into the shop. We reply within a week and invite you for an interview in the morning, when you can see the kitchen in full swing.
Contact
Phone, address and large orders
- ShopCrust Bakery
21 Forge Lane, Kilkenny - Phoneyour number here
- OrdersBy phone or through the form, reply within 24 hours
- OpenTuesday – Friday 6:30 – 17:30, Saturday 6:30 – 12:30
- ClosedSunday and Monday
- ParkingEight spaces in front of the shop, first hour free
Write through the form
your number here
Large orders
We sort out weddings, company events and catering in person. Come into the shop to talk it through on a Tuesday to Thursday afternoon, when the kitchen is quietest.
Tasting before you order
For cakes over €100 we prepare a tasting of three fillings. Book it at least a week ahead; it costs €8, and we take that amount off the cake when you order.
How we agree it
Use the form to tell us the date, the number of portions and the flavours you have in mind. We'll call you, fine-tune the details and send the deposit amount. We hold the date once it's paid.