Marmadukes Cafe Deli: Review

Marmadukes Cafe Deli is somewhat of a hidden gem - a delightful little cafe, nestled just a stones throw away from the hustle and bustle of Fargate. At first glance, Marmadukes appears deceivingly small but there are several windy little corridors that lead you off into small, tucked away rooms housing plenty of seating. On first entering Marmadukes, I was initially drawn to the deli counter that greets you as you step inside. Laden with cakes, sandwiches and the brightest, most colourful salads, it's enough to have anyone salivating as they wait for a table to become free. 

One of my favourite things about Marmadukes is the decor. It has both cosy, warm-feeling spaces that bring a great sense of homeliness, as well as light, airy dining areas. The cafe is beautifully decorated and effortlessly stylish throughout with white walls and stripped back wooden seats adorned with cushions. It's an Instagrammer's dream and visitors to Marmadukes really don't hold back - a quick look on Instagram under the location tag of Marmadukes is enough to make anyone want to visit. I'm also a particularly big fan of the hand-drawn bears that feature throughout.

Marmadukes cites itself as being passionate about delicious food and coffee and this is clear from the vast array of lovingly-made food on offer, and the staff's barista expertise and keen knowledge of different coffee brewing methods. For someone like myself who doesn't know a great deal about coffee, words such as 'aeropress' and 'kalita wave' can appear a bit daunting, but if you have a chat with the staff, they seem happy to share some of their coffee knowledge with you - it turns out kalita wave is a type of pour over coffee and is actually quite delicious. Pour over coffee is drunk black, without milk, and produces a much lighter cup of coffee where the individual flavour notes are far more apparent without the bitterness. My drink was bold in flavour and had notes of cherry and spices, although I did find it a touch too strong - I would maybe ask for mine a little bit more diluted next time.

(He assures me he enjoyed his food a lot more than this picture suggests!)

The food menu has a lot to offer from cooked breakfasts and brunch classics like eggs benedict, to lunch-time treats such as quiches and pies, as well as homemade cakes that are perfect for accompanying an afternoon cuppa. They even have a couple of tempting burgers too so there's definitely something for everyone. I ordered the Derbyshire Homity Pie (chunky potato, cheese and sage) which came with a choice of one of the deli salads (£7). The salads all looked absolutely delicious, it was such a hard choice deciding but in the end I went for the couscous option (heritage carrots, baharat spiced couscous, almond and crispy shallots). This proved to be a good choice because both the salad and the pie were absolutely divine. As somebody who would never normally order a salad (let alone get excited by one), I was pleasantly surprised by how much flavour it had and how well the combination of different tastes and textures worked together. I'm also now very keen to try the other two deli salads Marmadukes have on offer as they also sounded and looked absolutely delicious.

I've visited Marmadukes two times now and I've been thoroughly impressed on both visits. All of the food I've tried has been delightful and full of flavour, and the service has been fantastic and friendly without being overbearing. In my opinion, Marmadukes is the perfect little lunch spot with its exciting and equally delicious menu and I can't recommend it enough. Thank you Marmadukes, keep doing what you're doing!

Marmadukes Cafe Deli

22 Norfolk Row

Sheffield

S1 2PA

website: http://www.marmadukescafedeli.co.uk/