Carolanne Rushe - Cool, creative and carbon friendly
Sadly Sweet Beat did not open in Strandhill.
At the end of October 2022 Sweet Beat Cafe in Bridgestreet Sligo closed for good. “After an incredible 8 years on our beautiful sunny corner of Bridge Street in Sligo town, we have made the decision not to renew our lease and we will therefore be closing our doors at Bridge Street for the last time on October 31st.” The plan was to open in Strandhill in February 2023. Unfortunately this did not happen: “Unfortunately we came to the decision that Sweet Beat Cafe is now closed.
What was once a one woman show at the Strandhill People’s Market in 2014 that grew to a talented and very creative team of 16 on Bridge Street in 2022 has come to an end.
As a single parent running the business the future looked incredibly challenging on my own and as you all know we have faced our fair share of challenges down through the years.
It is with a heavy heart that I share this update with you today, and I’m so sorry it took me so long but it was hard to put into words that all of my hard work over the last 10 years is now over. I am very proud of what I created and will always be so grateful that I was given the oppprtunity to open Sweet Beat.
I want to thank each and every staff member that worked with us since 2015. We were incredibly lucky to have an amazing team each and every year.
I also want to thank our loyal customers, my amazing family and all of our suppliers and builders, painters, window cleaners, bin men, plumbers and electricians who were always at the end of the phone when I was in a panic!
Thank you for all the good time! Carolanne.
It is sad to see Sweet Beat closing as this plant based cafe was a trailblazer and not just important for sligo, but for the whole country. It was also an integral part of our Sligo Food Tour from the very beginning, showcasing vegetarian and vegan cuisine, raw and fermented foods. We wish Carolanne all the best for the future.
The Beginning
From the first day we met Carolanne we could sense the energy, the drive and the passion of the young chef. After spending six years living in far-flung places such as Italy, Qatar, Perth and South Africa she arrived on the Sligo food scene in 2014 with a bang and a name true to her nature: Green Warrior!
Bolstered by the prestigious Ballymaloe 12 Week Certificate course Carolanne’s food stall at Strandhill People's Market quickly became a discerning favourite not only for the locals famous for her super salads, fresh nut milks and raw treats, all plant based food products.
Since setting up Sweet Beat Cafe on Sligo's Bridge Street in April 2015, she quickly made a name for herself and her young and ambitious team, winning the “Best vegetarian restaurant” from the Irish Times December 2016, best “Free from” from the Irish Restaurants Association 2018 and again in 2022 and numerous other awards. Garnering rave reviews from customers we wrote at the time:
“One of those places we have been waiting for a long time with the food we love, a great sense for seasoning, daring to invent, making food "trends" normal, using local, fresh and organic ingredients, plus the best selection of papers and magazines, fab funky music and a great service!”
Sweet Beat’s food philosophy is straight forward: “We take great pride in our commitment to producing our award-winning plant-based menu; sourcing ingredients from and working with a network of organic farms, growers and producers across the Northwest of Ireland.”
Sweet Beat’s kitchen staff have also adopted a zero waste approach to food waste and use compostable packing from Down2Earth Materials in Cork.
On our Sligo Food Tours Sweet Beat Cafe was the place to highlight not only plant based foods but also taste fermented foods and drinks, all produced inhouse.
True to their spirit Carolanne and her team never closed fully during the covid pandemic, instead they rose to the occassion operating a take away service and quickly becoming involved with “Feed the Heroes” initiative, delivering wholesome food to frontline staff in the Sligo Hospital.
Ordering was available online through their shop page sweetbeat.ie and they also offeried a weekly Doorstep Delivery Service to Rosses Point (Wednesdays) and Strandhill (Thursdays).
Picking up where they left Sweet Beat was open seven days a week from early 2022 providing lunch, brunch, coffee and sweet treats.
Sweet Beat was Sligo’s first dedicated vegan café.
We wish Carolanne all the best for the next journey!
Here is Carolanne Rushe uncovered
What is your favourite food? Vegetables of course! Depending on the season, I love putting together a big bowl of salad. Spices also play a big part in my life having lived in the middle east for a few years too.
Finish the sentence: A chef is someone who can showcase local growers and suppliers.
The country you travel for food: Italy - pizza is my favourite kind of food!
Three things you always have in your larder/fridge? Miso, organic greens and raw chocolate treats.
What is your most used gadget? Mandoline and my new Japanese Oak knife
Do you read cookbooks and which one do you come back to? Yes! Anna Jones – A modern cook.
Who is your inspiration (not necessarily from the food world): Darina Allen whom I trained under in Ballymaloe Cookery School, Yotam Ottolenghi, my mum Hannah for sharing her traditional cooking skills and ideas, Anna Jones for her creativity.
What are you currently listening to? The Gloaming for some calm respite.
Something people don’t know about you? My cat is called Kimchi and my dog is called Pickle.
What will be hot in 2023? Sweet Beat in Strandhill!
