Scarborough is hardly short of cafes, but there is a reason why queues are a fixture outside this one. Eat Me Cafe is a cool, funky space which refuses to be confined to any sort of box and is that rare sort of restaurant that can be described as truly unique (for better or worse). Firstly, the dark and moody dining room is done out with lashings of kitsch – Tretchikoff prints on the walls, episodes of Round the Horne piped through the loos and Lyle’s Golden Syrup tins containing cutlery on the slightly scruffy, communal tables.
Once you have got over that sensory overload, you are greeted with a menu that represents a whistle-stop tour of the globe, featuring classic dishes from Blighty alongside staples of Japanese cuisine, with a few other nations thrown in for good measure too. Cynical diners might find the use of hashtags on the menu and the divvying up of dishes into cheekily titled categories such as ‘#Love our balls’ to be grating, but there is no denying that Eat Me offers serious diversity.
Eat Me first opens its doors for brunch, when you can tuck into the typical likes of a bulky breakfast burrito, smashed avocado on toast topped with eggs or a croque monsieur. There are a few less familiar options too, such as the Eat Me creamed mushrooms, which are ‘laid to rest on thick sliced toast’ (the restaurant’s words, not ours).
Later in the day, you can opt for a selection of small plates including chicken satay skewers, Japanese gyoza dumplings or twice fried and seasoned chips. If you’re hungry though, instead travel the indulgent route with stacked burgers, meatballs or baked mac ‘n’ cheese.
Fancy your dinner with a side of culture? Eat Me is situated within the Stephen Joseph Theatre, making it perfect for a pre-theatre meal.