One of the finest locations in Kilkenny for a spot of lunch or a killer breakfast.

The Coffee Club has been my preferred breakfast location in Kilkenny for the last year, almost every weekend in fact.

Many factors go into this - quality and choice of food, location in the city centre, ability to accommodate a large group, friendliness of everyone there - it all adds into a five star feeling. I’ve been prompted to review The Coffee Club as it closes its doors, at least in its present form, on Friday September 14th.

Every Sunday morning for the past year, coupled with sporadic Saturdays and midweek breakfast and lunches, The Coffee Club on Rose Inn Street has been the meeting home of The Devious Theatre Company. From our early core meetings of four of us for breakfast through to committee meetings, pre and post-show meetings (of 8-10 people), the Coffee Club has always been accommodating.The biggest pull for us, and for me personally, has been the breakfast and subsequent cost of the breakfast.

Serving from 9-12 (lunch menu kicks in at midday, still serving an all-day breakfast), you can have anything from scrambled eggs on toast, bacon and pancakes, small Irish, full Irish, the famous “hunger buster”, and everything inbetween. I don’t think there’s ever been an issue with having something random made up for breakfast (if its not on the menu, they’ll make it for you).

The breakfast menu is accommodating to us meat lovers, vegetarians and also comes with some coeliac friendly items.There aren’t many places either where you’re going to get free refills all day long on your tea and coffee. We’ve planned many a twist and turn on our theatrical path of late in the front and back of the Coffee Club (seating for about 20 odd in the front and a further 6 in the back) and our time there has produced many a friendly conversation with the staff - regulars to the point where you don’t need to order your food or request tea. Our home on the road so to speak!

Cost on breakfast ranges from about €4 - €8.95 (including tea), cheaper again if you’re not looking for hot food i.e. scones, breads plus whether you’re on your own, there as a pair or as a group, there’s likely to be a free refill going.

The lunch menu evolves into fresh sandwiches, soup, bagels, hot wraps and other hot dishes, with the chicken and garlic mayo bagel standing out as a favourite of mine (priced around €7 with chips, cheaper without or bump it up to get some fine baked wedges with your meal).

Specials and desserts are also served throughout the day. 

If you fancy lunch out, they’ll even make you a picnic pack to take to the nearby Castle Park or simply get any item from the menu to takeaway. That said, they also do a great takeaway service for coffee, minerals and snacks.

There are very, very few places in Kilkenny that would get a 5* rating from me but this is certainly one of them. Hopefully it won’t be the end of The Coffee Club (or the staff there), as Kilkenny will certainly be left lacking in the breakfast department - particularly at weekends - with its closure.

Rated 5/5 on Sep 11 2007 by Ken McGuire
Review Tags: coffee shop, food, kilkenny, restaurant
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