Marble City Bar

The Grazer Abroad

Food

Service

Atmosphere

For the casual grazer abroad, hunger pangs on unfamiliar streets with unfamiliar eateries are generally followed by a giddy flush of anticipation.  Sometimes however, with the constant unfamiliar, the adventurous spirit is tame; chastened and abused by meals indigestible and indefensible.   The grazer is hungry, yet flushless.  In general the best cure for cautious hunger is to seek out old reliables.  Maccas, Subway and co are ubiquitous, but hardly the gastonaut’s first port of call.  Instead, in the search for a good food experience, set aside your old watch words of “looks nice”, “different and interesting” and go with “popular with locals”.  If you find yourself in such position wandering down High Street, Kilkenny a good option is Marble City Bar.  Always busy with natives and visitors alike the premises is divided into two entities on two levels.  A foodie bar is on the upper level, accessed from High Street, serving good contemporary Irish fare with name checked local produce.  Both layout and feel are cozy and informal.  For something light, there is a café downstairs, accessed via the bar above or its named entrance on St Kierans Street.   The café is a great place for breakfast or coffee and quality time with the paper.  In short Marble City Bar ticks most of the boxes for informal dining.  My advice for casual grazing abroad when cautious bells ring, swallow your pride, follow the heard, and eat like a local.