Abbey Wharf, Whitby

Abbey Wharf is a vast loft bar in what looks like a historic market building where access from the passing cobbled square is via a glass foyer and wide flight of stairs. A long white tiled bar runs across the front wall while facing a mix of high and low tables, barrels and benches. A long glass partition separates a row of tables with riverside views out of the rear windows from the bar area. This glass partition breaks up the interior a little, but it still feels like a barn, and there is even more seating on a mezzanine that stretches across the top of the bar area. On the right hand wall is a stage for live entertainment and an open kitchen is found to the left. Premium keg was available from the friendly staff and I counted seven hand pumps, four of which were in use drawing Titanic’s Plum Porter as well as Sharp’s Doom Bar, Atlantic and Solar Wave. There is also a row of self-service drink machines which are the devil. My visit was on a Monday evening so I didn’t get the atmosphere of this place when it’s heaving, which is just fine by me.

There's nothing much I can add to PSM's novella below. :-)) On a Tuesday lunchtime it was pretty quiet and we ended up sitting inside, but with a great view of the harbour. We didn't eat here, but Doom Bar was still available, but I chose a pint of Atlantic on cask which was in good nick. I suspect it's very different on a weekend, but we couldn't fault the service on our visit.

We paid a visit to this large and extremely popular bar and restaurant specifically for a meal, which was probably for the best, as the place didn’t really feel like somewhere you could settle down for a casual drink or two. Set inside the upper level of the covered market, in what was apparently once a Burberry factory, the bar has an impressive industrial interior and offers some great views out over the harbour. The single open plan room has the servery down one side and copious amounts of seating, almost all of which was set up for people to eat. The bar has a nice angular dark wood counter and runs in a bit of a zig-zag shape, backed by some less impressive basic shelving and a few TV screens explaining the process for ordering food. There is a high gabled ceiling, criss-crossed by a great many beams and the usual exposed utilities. To one side, the ceiling is made from tinted glass, which allows plenty of light in without creating greenhouse conditions for those say beneath. High tables and stools occupy the space immediately opposite the bar, giving way to some long back-to-back padded banquettes through the centre of the room, divided by an iron-framed glass screen. Standard tables and chairs run around the perimeter of the room and bagging one of these should pretty much guarantee you a decent harbour view. There’s also a decent sized balcony area with plenty more seats overlooking the water, should the weather permit. Stairs lead up to a mezzanine seating area, although staff shortages meant that this space was out of action on our visit. Décor is somewhat predictable and includes a load of lobster pots and other such fishing-themed items, as well a some of those irritating vapid slogan signs that still seem to be in vogue and a nice white tiled section of wall bearing the pub’s logo. An acoustic soundtrack played inconspicuously in the background and we were a little surprised to see such a food-led venue happy for people to bring their dogs in, resulting in a couple of raucous barking sessions as they occasionally crossed paths. The venue’s Covid policy at the time required everyone to go and order their food and drinks from the bar, and in keeping with the collective loss of bar skills that seems to have befallen the nation since the pandemic began, this resulted in a couple of huge queues snaking around the room rather than people just standing at the bar waiting their turn. By the time I finally reached a server, I’d had long enough to contemplate the choice of Sharps Doom Bar, Whitby Saltwick Nab, Titanic Plum Porter and a real cider, plumping for the Saltwick Nab, which was a little tired and uninspiring. This was a decent enough place to come for a meal and could be a pleasant spot for a drink too if only there were some part of the pub set aside for that purpose, rather than just the few high tables opposite the bar. The building is interesting, service was prompt (once you finally reached the bar) and the views are great, but they need to sort out a few basics for this to be an essential port of call.

Large place up some steps. The bar is to the right and had seven or eight hand pumps, the strongest ale being 4.9% ABV, other than Old Rosie, of course. Not a bad place and very busy.

Large upstairs pub with good views over the harbour. No less than 9 beers on when I visited including a couple of local ones. The service was friendly and the beer was fine. I'd be happy to call again.