Magpie Café facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Magpie Café |
|
---|---|
![]() |
|
Restaurant information | |
Established | 1937 |
Food type | Seafood (fish and chips) |
Street address | 14 Pier Road |
City | Whitby |
County | North Yorkshire |
Postal/ZIP code | YO21 3PU |
Country | England |
Coordinates | 54°29′21″N 0°36′54″W / 54.489199°N 0.614917°W |
Website | http://www.magpiecafe.co.uk |
The Magpie Café is a very famous seafood restaurant located in Whitby, a lovely town in North Yorkshire, England. It first opened its doors in 1937. However, the building itself is much older, dating all the way back to the 1700s. It used to be a merchant's house, which means it was once a home for someone who bought and sold goods.
About the Magpie Café
The Magpie Café started its journey in 1937. It has been serving delicious food for a very long time! Ian Robson, who owns the restaurant today, actually began working there in 1979. He started as a fish fryer, cooking the tasty fish that the café is so well known for.
Why the Magpie Café is Famous
The Magpie Café is especially famous for its amazing fish and chips. Many people say it's one of the best places to get this classic British meal. The restaurant even won a special award in 2007, called a Coast Award, for being the best fish and chip shop. Because it's so popular, you might sometimes see long lines of people waiting outside to get in! The café gets its fresh fish from a local supplier called Fishery Lockers Fish. This helps make sure the food is always fresh and delicious. In 2023, a popular British YouTuber named Danny Malin, who hosts "Rate My Takeaway," gave the Magpie a perfect score of 10 out of 10!
Fires at the Café
In May 2017, the Magpie Café had to close for a while because of two fires that happened very close together. The first fire started late at night on April 30, 2017. Seven fire engines came to help put it out. This fire probably started because of grease that had built up in an electrical vent on the roof. It damaged the customer toilets on the top floor.
The second fire happened the very next day, in the afternoon. This fire was much bigger and badly damaged the restaurant's roof and lower floors. Luckily, the kitchen and the takeaway shop were mostly safe. Experts believed the second fire might have been caused by small burning pieces from the first fire that weren't completely put out. After these fires, a big repair project began in July 2017 to rebuild the restaurant. The Magpie Café was able to reopen its doors to customers in December of that same year.