Eat Me Cafe - The Place to Be
27/01/2014
Eat Me Café has become the place to be in Scarborough. Evening settings are booked up to two months in advance, and those who do not make it early enough for a lunchtime seat are prepared to queue until a table comes free.
In the past few years since opening, Eat Me Café has been voted one of Northern Rail’s Hidden Gems, Morrison’s Best Café, won a Yorkshire Life award and is the only Scarborough Café in The Good Food Guide.
This is testament to the food – first class and big portions – and the atmosphere. As its co-owner Martyn Hyde said “We are a café, not a fine dining establishment. We invite people to come here, chill and relax.” Soft Lighting, the hiss of the coffee machine and easy listening music is the perfect accompaniment to the wooden furniture and soft furnishings. “We have been shocked at our success. We didn’t open to win awards, we do this for our customers, with-out whom we are nothing” said Martyn, who owns and runs Eat Me Café with his partner Stephen Dinardo.
Eat Me Café has had to double it’s space – it moved from one end of Hanover Road to the other early last year. There was never any question though that the couple would leave the street. They deliberately chose the location because it is not on the tourist track, and it is opposite the stage door of their beloved Stephen Joseph Theatre. Eat Me Café does not have a liquor licence and customers are invited to take their own wine and beer. Corkage fees go to the theatre.
“The Stephen Joseph Theatre is on our door step. We support it because we are terrified of losing it,” said Martyn, who with Stephen attends most opening nights and other functions at the venue. It is due to the pairs commitment and enthusiasm that this road has been transformed into a ‘quality street’. Eat Me Café opened its doors within weeks of Scarborough designer Andrea Willis opening her bespoke Craft and Card shop.
Sheffield born Martyn is talkative, flamboyant, well-travelled and enjoys good food and good company, and is the cook of the outfit. Stephen is from Scotland and his dour Scotsman veneer cracks quickly into a softly spoken, easy going manner.
The menu comes from Martyn’s love of food from different places. There is also a Shetland influence to reflect where Stephen is from. The evening menu includes spicy pumpkin, black pudding, mozzarella fritters, and smoked haddock and crab fishcakes – and that’s just for starters.
Main courses range from Malaysian Massamam Curry and Chilli Jam Coconut Chicken to Pig and Tarragon Pie and Seamer Fayre Sausage. Not forgetting what has become the legendary Eat Me Café burger, served in toasted bloomer bread with hand-made chips and home-made coleslaw.
All ingredients are locally sourced as far as possible, and Eat Me has a Deli where the first café was. The ethos for both is not to compete with anyone else, but to compliment what is being done elsewhere.
Contact Details
1 Hanover Rd, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 1LS
01723 373256 www.eatmecafe.com
Story courtesy of The Scarborough News.