From the moment that Patrick McEneaney launched his first coffee shop in Crossmaglen, to when he opened his pizza shop, his ethos has been the same: ‘Keep It Simple’.
The local man (39) kept that slogan in mind when he launched KIS Pizza & Coffee Bar last year, amalgamating both of his successful businesses into a simple, one-stop shop for all things pizza, coffee and brunch.
With dozens of five-star reviews online, the sit-in and takeaway establishment has proven a hit with the locals of the small South Armagh community, but for Patrick, it’s been a long journey that’s taken him to the urban jungle of New York, the hills of Italy and back to Crossmaglen once again.
KIS has even been recognised by Georgina Campbell and Lucinda O’Sullivan, some of the top food critics in Ireland.
2017 marked the beginning of his coffee journey, with the opening of ‘Egg’. Patrick had no experience but he did his homework, visiting coffee shops the length and breadth of Ireland to see how it’s done.
Two years on, he established his very own wood-fired pizza place, called ‘Nanny Hughes’s Pizzeria’, inspired by his own nanny, a very accomplished baker.
Again, he visited some of the world’s most prestigious pizzerias on the hunt to find out how to make the best possible product he could.
Patrick admits that everyone thought he was “mad in the head”, but he persevered and managed to find success.
Both Egg and Nanny Hughes’s did a roaring trade, building up a solid support base of customers, however, in 2022, Patrick decided to bring the two together onto one premises in the heart of Crossmaglen, continuing on that ‘KIS’ philosophy that worked from the very start.
A local man at heart, his KIS premises also happens to be the site of a former bar where he took his last ever drink of alcohol. Patrick is keen to stress how he was able to build back and achieve in life following his alcohol addiction.
He also opened on November 17, his birthday, which he says was because if he didn’t open on his birthday he knew he would forget the date!
“It was totally new but it was the same ethos of keeping things simple,” Patrick said. “A simple menu done well is what we want to do. Consistent food, simple food but at a high standard. That’s what we’re doing and that’s the way we’re going to keep it.”
Alongside pizza and coffee, KIS also offers a unique brunch menu along with a newly acquired bar licence, meaning you can partake of a range of beers, wines and cocktails.
Patrick says that the money is secondary to him, as he just wants to provide the best possible service for customers.
He also admits he loves the “success” of producing a good product.
“I want the place to be successful. I want people to be in enjoying themselves and I want people to get what they pay for. If they come in and they want a pepperoni pizza, then it has to be a good one.
“Gone are the days of taking people for granted. I expect high standards and things have to be right. End of story.”
He added: “I don’t want people coming in here with their hard-earned money and getting a sub-standard product.
“The thing that drives me on is people leaving this place with a smile on their face and people coming back.”
He continued: “We have a fairly simple menu and we make everything that we can from scratch. There’s so much work we do in the background and I feel that’s important because they do that in the best places I go to around the world.
“I don’t want to cut corners and it’s very important for me that we do the soup and stuff like that all homemade.
“Everything is cooked here and cooked to order. None of our food is made in the microwave or anything like that. It’s not about things being easy it’s about things being right. It’s vitally important to me that everything’s cooked correctly.”
Patrick even uses a unique flour mix for his dough which, alongside fresh fruit and veg, helps to produce a top-quality pizza, with all ingredients coming from either Italy or local suppliers.
“Fresh yeast is harder to work with and source and it’s added management. But we’re willing to do that to create the better product instead of buying a packet of dry yeast that will sit on the shelf for four years.”
There are also big plans in the pipeline for KIS, as Patrick is proud to announce that he is setting up his very own coffee roastery. While he remains tight-lipped on any name or brand, he says hes excited to see the new brand supply not just KIS but also further afield.
“We were in Brazil for 11 days out visiting the farms,” he said. “We’ve done a lot of travelling and a lot of work is going on in the background. I think it’s going to be a pretty big deal so I’m excited about it.”
While he has put a huge amount of work in himself over the years, Patrick places all the emphasis on the over 20 staff he has working in KIS.
He said: “Nothing runs without them. I’ve had staff with me now for five or six years and we have a great group at the minute.
“I wouldn’t have been able to expand the way that I’ve expanded without them people. Working here would be impossible because nothing would exist without them.”
You can find out more information about KIS Pizza & Coffee Bar and view menus at their website here.
You can also visit their Instagram page to keep up to date with all that’s happening at KIS.
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