Right in the heart of this thriving town of Nenagh, on a corner of a small but select shopping precinct, you’ll find an Illy coffee sign alerting you to the presence of The Pantry, long a favourite eating place for young and old, but now housed in bright and attractive new premises.
Somehow managing to combine selling home baked bread, quiches, cakes and gateaux alongside providing hot lunches, breakfasts, brunches and afternoon teas, The Pantry is a buzzing hive of activity at all times. In good weather you can sit outside beside a paved courtyard, away from the traffic, otherwise you find a table inside, which is bright and cheerful with a mural on one wall.
Aside from the hot specials of the day (typically roast beef, salmon in a white wine and chive sauce, roast chicken), you can choose from a range of warm salads (pear, goats’ cheese, pine nuts, beetroot and salad leaves, for example), or go for something quaintly called the ‘hot belly’ experience, where you choose a roll or a bagel and then wait for it to be filled to bursting with all kinds of goodies.
Vegetarians are always catered for – pasta with freshly made tomato and basil sauce liberally sprinkled with parmesan, perhaps – and those with a sweet tooth will be happy with the wide range of home made pavlovas, coffee cakes, tarts and crumbles.
Offering simple, quality food at modest prices, this a really enjoyable place to take a break.
Seats 70 (outdoors, 20); Open Mon-Wed, 8.30am-5.30pm; Thu & Sat, 8.30am-6pm; Fri, 8.30am-7pm. Children welcome (high chair, baby changing facilities); wheelchair accessible (public areas & toilets); air conditioning; free broadband wifi. No reservations. Closed Sun. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
