Sherlocks Coffee Shop — Restaurant in England

“The Case of the Breadless Broth”

By Dr. J. Watson

It was a rather fine August afternoon when Holmes and I, in need of refreshment and observation, took refuge in a modest café near the harbour — an establishment by the name of Sherlocks.

“Affectation,” Holmes noted, eyeing the pluralised sign. “Let us hope the service is more precise than the punctuation.”

Upon entry, it became evident that the café had recently emerged from the chaos of a busy lunchtime. Many tables were unoccupied, yet bore the residue of earlier patrons — abandoned cups, scattered plates, the detritus of appetite. Holmes called it “the culinary aftermath of a minor skirmish.”

Our attention, however, was quickly drawn to a couple seated just across from us — a gentleman and his partner, joined by a small and polite canine.

Holmes’s eye twitched in curiosity. “I believe, Watson,” he said, “we are not the mystery today — we are the audience.”

The gentleman approached the counter and inquired after the soup of the day. The staff member, though friendly in tone, admitted ignorance and promised to find out. Alas, she disappeared behind a curtain and, like so many well-meaning intentions, was never seen again.

Returning to their table, the couple sat patiently. Meanwhile, two other employees conversed a short distance away, seemingly indifferent to the uncleared dishes before the couple or the silent question of the missing soup.

Holmes leaned closer. “The modern method, Watson: hope the customer forgets they had a need in the first place.”

After a time, the pair decided to proceed regardless. The gentleman shifted the used plates aside himself, which — curiously — spurred the staff into action. Whether it was this gesture or a quiet word from his partner at the counter, the table was finally cleared, and the soup’s identity — tomato — at last confirmed.

A pleasant interlude then occurred: a member of staff, noting the presence of the dog, stopped by and engaged warmly with the couple, mentioning her own fondness for dogs and the café’s welcoming policy. Holmes softened slightly.

“Good manners,” he said, “always shine brighter when they appear unscripted.”

Orders were placed: tomato soup, a coffee, and a cherry scone. But when the scone arrived, it was fruit — not cherry — and had to be sent back. The soup followed soon after: a generous bowl, steaming, but accompanied by a solitary, whisper-thin slice of sourdough — so insubstantial it could have doubled as a coaster.

Holmes examined it from afar. “Would you call that a slice, Watson, or a suggestion?”

The gentleman made do, but the bread was insufficient, the soup too hot — the result of careless microwave heating rather than proper kitchen stirring — and no further staff checked in afterward. The soup, once a highlight of the establishment, was now stripped of its former presentation: no hunk of bread, no swirl of cream, no garnish.

Holmes sat back, steepling his fingers. “Cost-cutting, of course. But there is a line, Watson, between economy and insult. A man may tolerate a missing cherry, but bread this thin should not be served with pride — and soup this hot should never scald the tongue.”

As the couple departed, gracious despite all, Holmes turned to me and said quietly:

“They’ll likely return. The atmosphere is inviting. The dog policy commendable. But if the bread remains as thin as the service, their patience — like that sourdough — may soon wear through.” Editor’s Note (A Message for the Café)

As Holmes might say: “It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data.”

So let this review serve as friendly data:

The soup was once excellent, and could be again — but not without a generous piece of bread and perhaps a dash of cream for finish.

Staff attentiveness needs gentle tightening: we were forgotten mid-order, and plates lingered far too long.

But the atmosphere is lovely, and the staff member who engaged with our dog was a highlight.

This place can be excellent. But the small details matter. Holmes...

Never been here before. I'm a bit limited with food choices at the moment and we had a dog with us. It was our wedding anniversary and I love to sit in a cafe, trying to find something that I could eat and we could take a dog in had proved hard. We saw this cafe and thought it was right down our street. My husband went and ordered our food, I had picked the only thing I could eat on the menu. My husband sat down and we had got settled, then I had one of the staff tell me I didn't have the filling for my jacket, as I mentioned I didn't really have an option so just said I'd have a plain jacket. It was frustrating but not the end of the world. My husbands order came and it wasn't what he had actually asked for. I had given him my crisps and coleslaw from my plate as I couldn't eat either of those but he had to sit and wait for his food and watch me eat. I know that this isn't the kind of this that would probably happen, it just happened to be when it was our anniversary and had kind of ruined the day. Other wise the staff were nice and the food that we had was lovely and the atmosphere was really cosy. Just an honest review of the time we were there for. We will be back and hopefully a better...

This place is so very atmospheric and warm; it really paints the picture of a bygone era. The food and drinks are fairly priced and delicious, plus the menu accommodates for children as well as breakfast. It’s main selling point is it’s afternoon tea style but they also do milkshakes, sandwiches, scones, crisps, cakes and many other dinner items as well. They also have upstairs seating which allows for more space and a cheeky view of the adjacent road if you choose. Many cafes endow a style of comfort but this one has such an atmosphere that you will not want to leave. My partner and I along with my brother stayed here well over an hour as the place was just so nice and the staff amazingly attentive. I highly recommend this place to anyone who visits Whitby as the decorum and furniture is very clean and is just the right amount to keep you interested without it being ‘too much’. Will be returning many times whenever I vacation in Whitby. Don’t miss out on this superb...