Local deli and pub has a little something for everyone

Seneca Journal | November 14, 2023

SENECA — Whether it’s a lunchtime deli pick-me-up or an after-work brew and burger, Blue Marble Deli and Pub Blue have you covered. 

Located at 286 Market Street in Seneca, Blue Marble offers a vast array of sandwiches, salads and soups and other deli-style lunch items. 

And that vast array of choices is always made at its highest quality, said owner Mark Winters, who has operated the restaurant since it opened in 2017. 

“We bake all of our bread in house, we roast and cure a lot of our own meats,” he said. “We try to do as much as possible from scratch.

“We work with a lot of local farms to try and put out the best possible product we can — day in and day out,” Winters added. “We’ve won deli of the year since we opened with The Journal, so we’re super proud. We’re also very humble. We love what we do.” 

While the menu offers many different options, Winters says a few have stuck out as favorites for his customers. The “Pauly P,” which is blackened chicken, caramelized onions, sliced jalapeno and sharp American cheese on a sub roll — a chicken cheesesteak of sorts — has been a hit. Another favorite is “The Southern Belle,” which is fried chicken with house-made pimento cheese, bacon, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato on a bun. 

And for those hoping to grab a burger for lunch, a new menu addition is in the works. “Who’s your Patty?” is a patty melt featuring caramelized onions, thousand island dressing and Swiss American cheese on fresh-baked rye bread. It will hit the restaurant’s menu around the beginning of December. 

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, but don’t let the packed deli spot dissuade you from stopping in, Winters said. 

“Just because we do have a line out the door … we can usually flip that in about five minutes, so you don’t have to wait a tremendous amount of time,” he said. “So it is a very fast lunch service.” 

Just a year later and right next door, Pub Blue was opened in 2018. Originally an event center, Winters and his team had a different idea — a gastropub-style spot. 

Winters describes Pub Blue as a place where you can have a craft beer, play some pool or darts, and of course, get a good bite to eat. Those good bites come in the form of fish and chips, artisan burger plates or even a blackened chicken alfredo. 

And while the former event center is defunct, that doesn’t mean you’ll leave Pub Blue unentertained. Many events are held on weeknights and throughout the weekend. For example, Tuesdays are Taco Tuesdays, Wednesdays are for trivia and Thursdays offer free pool. Into the weekend, Pub Blue has live music on Fridays and Saturdays, utilizing a brand-new stage that was installed in January. Local artists in the area perform a variety of cover and original songs in their set lists. 

And with five TVs — and more to come — Winters hopes Pub Blue can also become a game day destination for those who love to watch Clemson football and those who hope to avoid the traffic backups that frequently grace Saturdays in the area. 

“We are open on Fridays and Saturdays when downtown Clemson might be kind of busy with the games. Come out and see us, and we can probably get you in with little to no wait,” said Winters.