The Old Theatre Deli in Newark and Sherwood

Nice setting but very overpriced. We both had 2 poached eggs on toast, only one piece of toast, really!!!!!

I visit with friends every Saturday morning and it is a lovely place and very good food choices, but am always disappointed with the inefficient service. The staff are young and friendly but so disorganised. The order is always wrong or slow to arrive, the tables are not cleaned regularly. New staff today kept asking if they could take our plates away while we were still eating! All would be fine if the staff were trained properly and monitored and supported.

Situated in the centre of Southwell, not far from the Minster, this former theatre is a pleasant place to relax over a cup of coffee. In addition, there are plenty of choices of cakes and pastries to accompany your hot drink. Plenty of seating is available outside and a good number inside. On saying that this is a very popular place so best to arrive early. In fact, it appears to be a place where people go to be seen. If you want to avoid this, then it's best not to go at the weekend. Prices are ok, but I've had just as good a coffee at lower prices at other locations in Southwell.

Oh my goodness, our first visit here and it was incredible! The salads and sharing board were beautiful and the team were so friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to return!

Had a lovely lunch here today with the wife. Great place very busy. Food was fantastic Good coffee Definitely be back next time we are in Southwell.

Varied menu, service good. Bit cramped indoors but outside seating delightful with good view of “Life in Southwell going on..” Bit pricey but ok for a pit stop & treat while spending time in Southwell.

Coffee for four was served promptly. Later we shopped at The Deli unit-excellent range of goodies as Christmas gifts. This was our third visit- now an integral part of a visit to Southwell.

Good visit spent a few bob on the stalls Held in the atmospheric monster and Bishop's Palace. First since the covid pandemic started on 2020.

Just needed a quick bite to eat after visit to the Workhouse and a stroll round Southwell, so called in here a pleasant cheerful lady took our takeaway order, and within minutes our lunch appeared and they were GOOD! Mine was halloumi rocket and pesto, lots of it stuffed into some very tasty sourdough, and Mrs C went for vegan "cheese", tomato and salad, again lots of it packed into sourdough, Mrs C reckoned one of the nicest "cheeses" she has had.

Ordered two ‘Superfood Salads’. Half the ingredients listed on the menu were missing. The result was bland, verging on tasteless. Asked for some vinaigrette to add some flavour and was told it wasn’t possible. Any place that can’t (or won’t) knock up something so simple, isn’t worth frequenting. Finally, to cap it all, as we were driving away, we realised that we had been overcharged. £34 for what was basically a bag of salad leaves and some cold boiled vegetables.

The CAFE offers an excellent range of delicious snacks and main courses as well as a wide range of wines and beers. The coffee is excellent. Great for a visit any time of the day. The staff were all very friendly and efficient. Good value.

Not been to Southwell for many a year so we decided to give this place a try before visiting Mr & Mrs Wine. On a glorious summers day adly we had to eat inside. No seats left. Anyhow on to breakfast I had the Victory Breakfast and TOH had the Victory stack. You get a choice of how you like your eggs and we both choose the poached egg. As with the bread we both had the soughdough bread toasted. For drinks we had a proper tea followed by a glass of processco. Really nice food and very efficient service. Good choice to start the day. Well done to all.

Called in for a coffee & bite to eat, both were really good. A nice ambiance with lovely attentive staff. Hope to call in again soon.

Thankfully it was a warm day as the outside space is much greater than inside! The deli is extremely popular for sit down meals and takeaways. I was there for lunch and there was a constant stream of people ordering coffees and other drinks and sampling the ready made sandwiches and salads which looked not only extremely tasty but very imaginative in style. At table, the menu is creative and mouth-watering. the flow of plates and platters floating past to those there before me looked delicious. And when the plates came, not only was the food truly tasty it was beautifully presented. The helpings are fulsome without being over the top. And the coffee was prepared perfectly, full of taste and not diluted with cls of hot water. I noticed others had ordered wine and beer. alas I was driving but hey what a marvellous place with great staff and clearly excellent people in the kitchen.

Smart premises and excellent food. The poached eggs were perfect, the coffee and orange juice were just right. Service was friendly and professional. Only shame is that we were passing through and it can't become part of our Saturday morning rpoutine.

Excellent menu. We always eat here when visiting Southwell. Love the fresh food, welcoming staff, clean and comfortable environment

A day trip to Southwell and after browsing around the town we decided to give the Deli a try. The weather was a little fresh so we inquired if they had a table inside. I was a bit apprehensive as we headed in not having...

We always eat here when we come to Southwell. It’s worth booking a table but this time we rocked up and were lucky enough to bag a table about an hour and a half before it was reserved for somebody else. The coffee is incredible...

Nice location, pleasant staff, good coffee and some excellent cakes. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

had the most delicious fresh organic locally sourced food here, the salods are really yummy and the triple dipped chips are a must, the best I've ever eaten. Service was great and space was really clean. We will definitely be returning for more amazing food....

Stopped off for a lovely lunch. Really nice setting indoors or out. Staff were super friendly; very accomodating of our sons allergy and made a fuss of him too. We had a delicious platter which had a great selection of goodies on it. The coffee...

Loved the menu and the locally sourced produce on offer. Picnic boxes look stunning and the coffee is great!

Stopped off here on the Tuesday after lock ended in April. Sat outside in the sun,short wait to get seated but well worth it. Very friendly staff, and a nice lunch menu..we had sea bass and a gnocchi which was to die for. Well worth...

Visited two days in a row with a friend from the area. The cakes are incredible and are different every day. Although a bit on the expensive side, you do get massive portions and they are definitely worth the money. We sat outside on the...

Great little food place. Lovely quiches with well presented salad. Nice choice of cakes and the tea is properly hot, being served in an excellent individual teapot. Highly recommended.

My wife and I called in for lunch today with a couple of friends. Everyone enjoyed their food except for me. I ordered the Chicken Burger and told the young waitress that I did not want cheese on it. It came with the cheese melted...

I used to visit here regularly several years ago but got fed up with the slow service. Visited again recently and was very pleasantly surprised. The food was always good here - I had the goats cheese quiche which was delicious - but the service...

I called in to buy some cakes to take home. The place was buzzing with people having afternoon tea. The staff were very well organised and friendly. Will definitely stop by again for coffee and cakes.

Popped in for afternoon coffee and cake. Nice atmosphere and very pleasant staff. Coffee and cake were very nice.

Southwell is great, there is absolutely no parking enforcement you can dump your car anywhere you like Outside this shop is a loading bay, dump it in there and just have your hair cut, go shopping, go to the cafe, have an afternoon in the...

Been coming for a few weeks now with friends / yummy healthy brekkie!! There’s so much choice, the coffee is great and I love that they will swop bread for mushrooms!!

We both tried the platters , meat and cheese for me and a seafood one for the pescatarian birthday girl , absolutely delicious! Girls serving where lovely nothing too much trouble !

Wide range of menu for a casual breakfast and casual lunch, well cooked with fresh ingredients, perfect spot in a good situation.

Met here for lunch with friends and I can honestly say it is by far the best place to eat in the area. The menu has something for everyone and I have never been disappointed. They always go above and beyond to make me my favourite thing off a previous menu from years ago and do a great speedy take away service. I will be back very soon

Very clean, welcoming service, was good to see shop busy but did not delay food order. Sandwiches were really nicely prepared & scrumptious. A little on the pricey side however you get what you pay for. Coffee was very nice. Probably would of sat further away from the road but did not bother us too much. I would definitely recommend & be returning on my next visit.

Superb venue for everyone to get together after a Celebration service at the Minster. Wonderful selection of finger food displayed very attractively and tasted delicious.

We dropped in to pick up some cakes to have for tea..... We chose coffee and Walnut, Cornflake Tart and a gluten free Millionaires shortbread.... All I can say is ummmm ..... The stand out piece, was the Cornflake Tart...... Excellent value too....

Lovely little town and a lovely deli. Salad for me, excellent and other half had a quiche, made on site. I took a cake home (millionaire shortcake) excellent. Outside seating available. Very good experience.

This deli never fails. We ate al fresco in the sunshine and enjoyed wine (very reasonably priced).

Well it looked nice ,we choose a table out side as weather was good the table hadn't been cleared but thought someone would be along soon to clear it,staff walking passed our table for 15mins at least not clearing the dirty pots away even thought returning into the cafe with empty trays after giving customers their order, our lunch order arrived and the waitress was going to place our lunch onto a dirty table with dirty pots still on it ,when I Asked her to wipe the table it was done but I think wouldn't have done this without a prompt from me ,will not be going again 5 stars mean morning without hygene.

Truly wonderful food which has been consistently excellent for many years. I attended an event at the deli recently and the buffet was superb. Couldn’t recommend highly enough.

Ordered the ploughman’s sandwich and was shocked by the size of the portion - the sandwiches were tiny and was over compensated for a load of salad, not worth the money spent. Unfortunately the customer service was poor also - a shame as had heard great things about this place

A pleasant friendly cafe with good outdoor seating and great loos! Try the salad platters. There is a small deli next door as part of the cafe.

Love sitting outside having coffee or a nice breakfast, lunch.

Great location in the beautiful Nottinghamshire/Newark town. Well constructed up-market menu. Lovely proper coffee. Very pleasant, efficient staff. A really lovely outdoor seating area too for enjoying the good weather that we were fortunate enough to experience during our visit.

Visited here for a quick coffee whilst on a visit to the minster.

Ordered eggs florentine, the Hollandaise sauce was amazing and eggs perfectly cooked, not sure why the garnish was so big but it made it look very appetising so not really and issue. Latte was very nice nothing to rave about but certainly very good average for a small town cafe, service was very good. All in all would recommend for a nice breakfast.

Just popped in for cake and a coffee. They were that nice I had two. The salted caramel tart is fantastic.

Nice place to visit and the food is very fresh and great quality. I would say that the prices are a little steep for what you get but it’s tolerable if you only frequent there occasionally. I visit about once a month and enjoy it every time. The staff are extremely good and the staff always seem very happy to help and have a very cheerful attitude.

Great for a meal, or just a snack. Upper end snacks, with well prepared and inventive produce. Breakfast and lunch are a treat with regular variation of specials. My favourite is the mackerel, poached egg breakfast, a real treat.

We called in here for a late afternoon meal before we went to an evening wedding reception. Great serve, superb food selection and although alittle cramped if busy, it certainly is worth a visit. Seating outside also

Went there with a friend to get some lunch, he had the lamb burger, and I had fish cakes. I’m not sure what I expected but it was different than what I was served. The food was 100 times better we imagined, honestly we were blown away by the quality and presentation of it. After our food we had some cake, not too sure what cake I ordered but I can tell you it was amazing. The only downside to this place is the seating, the seats and tables are so close to one another, it can be annoying to get into your seat or out of it past people. Apart from that it is honestly an amazing place. If your in Southwell and want a good lunch, you most definitely have to check this place out.

Lovely coffee and lunch was enjoyable but thought portion could of been bigger. The cakes and breads looked fantastic too. Agree with previous comments that it’s very cramped, too many tables so wasn’t very private for a chat

There is seating outside but given it was a cold day we sat inside but tables are very close together and a real squeeze to get and out of your seat. However food was very good, soup, bread and scones were excellent. Was reasonably priced and staff very pleasant.

The food was good but the table (I had booked as I know it gets busy) was so close to the two either side that every time anyone wanted to get in or out of their table we had to move ours which I found pretty unacceptable. The person who brought out our drinks managed to overturn a glass of wine splashing a little on my legs and the rest on the floor and then didn't replace the wine with a new glass just topped up the one she's spilled which was wet! All in all not the best experience for a quite pricey lunch.

We visited for lunch and later in the afternoon for tea, when visiting Southwell yesterday. My daughter chose the warm chicken salad and I had the mixed salad with felafel. We shared a cheesecake and a pot of loose leaf tea. Later on we returned for more tea and cakes. I had cheese scone which was excellent. My daughter had a chocolate tiffin, which lacked flavour. Overall, this is a great place to have lunch or a snack.

Too tiny, however food was lovely and tasty. Having said this, the Deli needs to use upstairs as it used to or find larger premises.... tables too close together, noisy because of small space, drinks are average.

We purposefully visted to have a good breakfast on the way to a day in Nottingham

Found ourselves in Southwell at lunchtime so The Old Theatre Deli was perfect for a sandwich and coffee. Freshly prepared on delicious bread and great coffee. Smily, welcoming staff.

Visited for brunch on a Saturday , as usual it was packed but good timing ensured a table for two opposite the counter. So much delicious food on the breakfast menu it was hard to chose but my wife and I both went for the mackerel with two poached eggs and sourdough, a generous hot portion arrived and it was totally delicious well worth the £8.95. The coffee was excellent as was the service. A brilliant experience and can't wait to visit again

My wife and I went here for brunch and had what was one of the best english breakfast dishes that I can remember having. Each ingredient was high quality; vine tomatoes, flavoursome meat and absolutely delicious home made baked beans, all soaked up with fresh soft white bread.

Excellent quality food and efficient. Only problem is that as there are limited availability on seating tables get booked for certain times so when you go in you are disappointed to find although some tables are empty but are kept clear because of bookings. I've seen many a customer turn away and think this stops people going back. 1st come 1st serve would get more clients.

We were out early visiting a new commercial property that a friend had secured. We met as a group to have a working breakfast and I really liked the Old Theatre. Quirky place with excellent attention to detail. I went for doorstep sandwich of local bacon and it lived up to its name. The others had eggs and porridge and all portions sizes were hefty!

Not the cheapest but very good nice atmosphere for a cafe as it's a deli as well,good choice on show. Can get very busy as it's a popular cycling stop. Right in the heart of Southwell town . So you can watch the world go by. Recommended for a breakfast or lunch. Not had a meal in the evening.

Old Theatre Deli is a focal point in the centre of Southwell during the day offering a great and varied menu. My visit was for a friend's birthday and the Old Theatre proved to be an ideal venue for the celebration. Staff were great and very helpful; the food was lovrly

Heard good reviews about this place so decided to try. I had the homemade quiche and salad...well a few leaves and cucumber! No dressing or coleslaw for the grand rip off price of almost £9! Definitely not with the money.

How on earth does this cafe owner sleep at night ?

Whilst I would agree with all the positive comments about the food, the fly in the ointment about this place is lack of space. If you opt for the tables adjacent to the window you may find that you need to get up and move when some at a corner table needs to get in and out. Hence we moved through 3 tables prior to settling peacefully. The other irritation is the amount of people leaving the door to outside open, so customers have to get up to shut it. The menu is fine, but different sections of it are written on three different boards on three different walls, besides a different main menu on the tables, another inconvenience to get your head around. I’d personally now avoid this place if it looked busy.

Visited here for lunch whilst exploring the Minster and the town.

Pop in regularly for coffee but food is always good. Not the cheapest though always good value, served by pleasant polite staff. Cakes to die for

If you want to sit indoors = be sure to book as it gets very busy and is very popular. There are some tables outside too

The food is alright. It’s far too expensive. It’s a relaxing environment. And, because of the excellent endeavours of the staff who checked and double checked ingredients, no one was poisoned.

Close to The Minster in the centre of the town. We managed to get a table outside, great as it was a sunny afternoon. The tea was billed as "proper tea", no sign of a teabag, and it was served in fine china cups. The sandwiches were prepared in thick crusty bread accompanied by well dressed salad. The crab sandwich was particularly good - and generous. Not cheap, but you wouldn't expect it to be.

So I’ve left a review for this place before, a few years back, but thought I would give the deli a chance and returned this week. Regretted it from the moment I walked in when I was ‘greeted’ by a woman who looked at me as though I had walked in and disturbed something? Anyway, I ordered a hot choc and a cappuccino which came up to £5 something. I was told the waitress would bring it to us, outside. When the drinks were delivered they both looked the same .. which seemed unusual. For the price I thought the hot choc may come with cream or something nice and fancy? I wasn’t offered any of this when I ordered it, and felt very rushed at time of order. It was 4:30pm and we were being made to feel very uncomfortable by the staff clearing away tables and even clearing the sugar, condiments and flowers off of the table we were sat at? I asked what time they closed and they replied 5pm. Seems strange that they would clear customers tables half an hour before closing? We were really made to feel like we had done something wrong by turning up at this time and felt very uncomfortable. The staff need some serious customer service training.. it seems to be a running theme throughout the negative reviews on here, and they’re all right - the staff here are miserable! Unless you’re a local then they will stand and have a chinwag with you! Won’t ever return again now; stick with the nice cafe down the high street that have staff who smile at you when you walk in, talk to you nicely and offer cream on your hot chocolate - for half the price of the deli!!!

I visited here with my husband for the first time late yesterday afternoon.The staff were polite on entering and we were served start away. We only had cakes and hot drinks but they were all served up very quickly and on lovely old fashioned crockery.My husband is not necessarily one for cafes but loved the piece of flapjack and said he would go back again.The cafe and the toilets were spotlessly clean and had a nice atmosphere.Will be returning again very soon as our Daughter has just started at the local Uni so it will be an excuse to return. Will recommend !!

This is a nice little mid range priced cafe situated in the beautiful Minster grounds. The food is of a good quality although limited choices for vegan/vegetarian options hence the 4 stars and not 5. This cafe is always busy so service can sometimes be a little slow but I have never waited too long. Staff are very friendly and polite. It’s a nice place to visit and I would recommend.

The deli catered for a sit down wedding for 170 in tipis in the middle of a field in farmland with a preordered choice of two starters and three main courses. The food and sevice was excellent. Guests commented that the food was piping hot and they had eaten colder food in restaurants and the Brantley apple crumble sharing dessert was a great hit. Laura, Sarah and their staff all contributed to making my daughter and her husband’s wedding day perfect. Nothing was too much trouble we would recommend them. The coffee and food at the deli is great too.

We stopped in her for quick lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our soup and sandwiches. There is ample outside seating and the day was, fortunately, warm and sunny so the experience was made all the nicer. The Lattes we had with our meal were superb. Give the Deli a try when you're in Southwell.

We've passed it before, usually seeing it well attended, so checked menu and decided to give it a try. Great relaxed ambience; friendly and courteous young staff; excellent menu for veggies/vegans, with flexibility to cope with special requests. We had a very enjoyable lunch with a nice glass of wine and didn't break the bank!

So impressed that this cafe has managed to create such a little oasis on a busy junction. The lunch menu was varied and interesting; the service was friendly and attentive; the prices reasonable and the people-watching terrific!

We visited Southwell in the afternoon yesterday and called in here for a pot of tea and a coffee. Tea is served in a pot with a tea strainer and loose leaf tea. Very nice coffee too. The food looked good and we’ll come for lunch next time we’re in the area.

Called in at this Deli today and was so impressed with the service, food, atmosphere a very buzzing place to be. The food choice was excellent and very well presented very different to anywhere else. They made my daughter a ham sandwich with veggi sticks that wasn't on the menus. All bread is baked fresh every day and the cakes looked amazing although we didn't have one. Well done and we will deffinately be back, we don't have anything like this in Doncaster.

This is a great place for lunch, particularly if you like variety in food and drinks. Although you can get a basic sandwich, there is a lot more choice available. We tried a mixture of their varied salads which they put together according to choice. They have homemade soft drinks that are lovely.

Stopped for lunch on a bike ride on a beautiful sunny day. Able to sit outside shaded from the sun watching the world go by. Really good lunch menu. Opted for the Special - seafood chowder. Very reasonably priced and fantastic lunch for the price. Beautifully cooked salman with crispy skin and loads of muscles in perfectly creamy chowder. Was not expecting such a lovely meal for what I made. Iced coffee came with floating coffee beans. Nice touch and although a little wait for food, well worth the wait and waitress very attentive. Definitely going back.

Popped in for Sunday breakfast, but must state we've been many times before.

Gorgeous breakfast perfect place to stop on sunny morning. Staff friendly and had great gluten free options. Really good quality local produce. Bit pricey so not for everyday. Gets very busy so service can be slower.

Great Food, Great Cakes, Good Selection. Unfortunately the seating is cramped and pokey indoors, and outdoor seating relies too heavily on the weather! Otherwise Highly recommend

Visiting Soutwell again with work to the local university and had lunch in the heart of Southwell It seems to be top of recommendations whilst in the area and would agree.

My wife and I while on holiday in Nottinghamshire visited The Workhouse at Southwell after our trip round we thought we would go into the town of Southwell for a walk round and call in somewhere for a coffee. Upon walking round we spotted The Old Theater Bar and Deli. We had heard it served nice cakes and coffee, so we ordered our 2 lattes and 2 scones then went outside to table after being told they would bring it to us. There was about 3 or 4 vacant tables all of which were not clean or had empty cups and plates on. We chose one by the door when the waitress came past we asked if she could clean the table she came back wiped the table and said it was clean when they opened in the morning this was now 3pm. Our coffees arrived shortly after we started drinking and they were very good after about 10 to 15 minutes my wife went to enquirer about the scones as I had finished my coffee and she was keeping some of hers to drink with her scone. She asked if they could heat up the rest of her drink and they obliged. The scones then arrived and I said to the young waitress it would have been nice to have had them served at the same time as the coffees to which she replied yes it would have and walked off.

In Southwell to visit the Minster and Workhouse ,both outstanding! This small town has everything ,a picturesque setting and historic centre hosting a wide range of quality independent shops and eateries. If you are looking for a light lunch ,you have a good choice ,but this establishment will be hard to beat anywhere in the U.K.Comfortable indoor and outdoor seating ,excellent friendly service and outstanding food and coffee ,try the goats cheese and beetroot ciabata or for something even more indulgent the sausage and stilton sandwich!

Visited this place several times and have really felt welcomed every time. The deli also offers soya milk which was fantastic. Catering to different dietary requirements really pushes this place to another level, as I for one will be a repeat customer as I am able to enjoy a really nice, well made coffee here. My boyfriend bought an egg sandwich once, which was expensive but a large portion. I have also been eyeing up the salad type bar in the deli where the food looks delicious! Definitely a top spot in Southwell.

We stopped off at the Old Theatre Deli en route to a weekend away and had a delightful tea and cake pit stop. I loved that the tea pots came with cute embroidered caddies :-) My partner and I both had cake and they were very generous slices. I had the chocolate cake which was very nice (perhaps a touch dry - could have done with some cream!) and my partner had a white chocolate and berry cake (I think) which was delicious. We didn't have an other food but the menu looked really nice and I would definitely go again for lunch. Really pleased we popped in!

Called in on a hot sunny day after dropping our son off at Newark Station . All outside tables were full but we managed to get a table inside which wasn’t a problem - we both had coffees and mascarpone & raspberry cake which were delicious. Friendly staff and good quality of food

We visited Southwell Workhouse today and came into this cafe for a warm drink, which was lovely. The cakes looked amazing and the food menu was really good with healthy meals. The place was very busy and there was a good atmosphere, the seating was comfy and staff friendly. I marked it down on the cleanliness of the toilets, clearly no one had checked them all day and they were a real mess.

I've been here a couple of times for tea and cakes. I'm gluten free and sometimes these visits are tricky but NOT at the Old Theatre. The gluten free cakes are some of the best I've tasted and generous portions too. There's plenty of tea to wash it down with as well. The restaurant is quite small inside so sometimes you have to wait for a table. This isn't a problem on a fine day as there plenty of outside seating.

Met some friends for lunch who are more local to the area and suggested meeting at this Deli. It is very centrally located and very visible which is great for business.

We popped in for coffee to get out of the rain. The coffee was good and we were tempted by the dishes on display so stayed for lunch. I enjoyed the baked goat’s cheese salad with pecans while my friend loved her mushroom dish. We...

This is a regular haunt but our recent experience was disappointing. It was Sunday breakfast with the café 50% full. The server brought hot chocolate with marshmallows so seriously spilled into the saucers we had to ask for extra napkins. The butter portion with the toast was inadequate. The 2 eggs ordered shrunk to one when it was delivered. No butter with this toast. Coffee order forgotten. Too ragged it is usually much better.

The food is really excellent and, given the quality and the fact it’s all made to order, is remarkably good value. No dearer than one of the awful chains. Lovely location and very attentive staff. Great selection of cakes. Chips are the business! Could do with slightly more comfortable chairs, but plenty of cushions available.

Great busy cafe in the middle of southwell, the food here really is outstanding, pie of the day was chicken which looked amazing, the mackerel and quinoa salad was incredibly tasty and the warm squash and lentil salad that I had had so much flavour, you can struggle to get a table here and I can see why , a reservation at the weekend is a must