Shauna Kelly was born into the world of good food.  Her father Sean is the renowned butcher of Newport, Co.Mayo – long established Good Food Ireland Provider and driving force behind the food scene in this beautiful region.  Kelly’s Butchers sells only carefully sourced local meat, processed at the family’s own small abattoir behind the shop,  which just coincidentally, happens to be right next door to Shauna’s own little café – Kelly’s Kitchen.  How handy is that for getting the best meat onto her menu.  That’s exactly what happens here.  All the tasty home made sausages, rashers, Kelly’s White Pudding and  Sean’s famous award winning Putog – a traditional Irish black pudding – along with Mayo reared beef  and lamb,  come from her Daddy’s shop.  His Mayo reared beef and lamb from local farms are top quality meats of which he is rightly proud. His customers have been buying them for decades – and now they provide a total farm to fork experience at Kelly’s Kitchen.
This pretty day time café has a prime spot on the main street of Newport.  Outside, a café table and chairs enables outdoor eating at lunch, morning coffee and afternoon tea, when the weather is good.  Inside, the country style feel is warm and welcoming.  Shauna heads up the team of staff front of house.  Her mum is often to be found in the kitchen knocking up the breakfasts.  And what breakfasts they are! Expect a fine plateful of Sean’s home cured bacon and homemade puddings and sausages, grilled to perfection in the kitchen here.  No frying involved!  Try the Full Irish or the Mini Irish – either one will set you up for the day.  If you’re in the mood for something lighter – we insist you try the homemade Granola, or a hearty bowl of Oatmeal Porridge with home made Seasonal fruit compote.
At lunch, there is a Specials board from noon – this is determined by whatever the cook decides to do on the day.  The table menu includes a choice of soups, several main courses, and the House Speciality Kelly’s Mixed Gourmet Sausage Plate served with homemade brown bread, tomato relish and a side salad, or the Award Winning Black and White Pudding Plate served in the same manner.  These are iconic creations from an iconic Irish butcher, not to be missed in our view!  Fish lovers will enjoy the Open Sandwich of Achill Island Smoked Salmon.  All these dishes are firm favourites, which remain on the menu at all times and provide a true taste of the area you are visiting. A selection of light bites like sandwiches, salads and the quiche of the day are also available all day.  Another bonus here is that because the meat comes from just next door, the menu is fairly flexible.  So if there is something you really fancy, just ask Shauna and she’s happy to try to accommodate.  Dietary requirements are also taken into account – again all you have to do is ask.  The open counter at the rear of the café is laden with home baked goodies – scones and bread and nice things for dessert!  A specialist pastry chef here knows the business of pleasing the sweet toothed among us.  To go with all the lovely food, you can enjoy a fine cup of fresh coffee from the coffee list, Irish tea and speciality teas, or choose from the range of soft drinks.
Shauna has huge plans for her own little place – including a bigger selection of homemade relishes and chutneys and a food to go range in the future.  We can see it going from strength to strength, with Shauna’s enthusiasm and energy backed up with a wealth of family experience and assistance.  She has already established a small canapés menu to serve the outdoor catering market.  This was launched at the town’s first ever Grace Kelly Film Festival in 2012 and is set to become an annual event in the early autumn.  This festival celebrates the life and work of a beautiful star of the silver screen, who married a Prince, and had connections with the Newport area.  Work the next festival into your holiday calendar for September if you are planning to visit the area.  Take in the movies on show in the town, plus the great food at Kelly’s Kitchen and a stroll around Kelly’s of Newport, a butcher’s shop which has so much more than meat on offer.  We can’t think of a better way to spend a few days!