Set your story in a café, garden, or restaurant.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 24, 2025

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✍️ 72 stories

“Nostalgia Cafe” by Nick DeLarso

Submitted to Contest #287

“Welcome to Nostalgia Cafe!” a gentle voice proclaimed as the front door had come to a close. The inside was immensely dystopian, though Steven shrugged aside the eerie forewarning. He approached the counter apprehensively, craning his neck in every-which direction. “I’m Steven Ross, with Blueprint Media. I’m here for the investigative piece regarding the spike in nostalgia intake.” Steven pressed his tote bag close to his waist, reaching inattentively with an attempt at removing a piece of identification from the front pocket. "I must'...

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“The Incident Around Ballet and Bouquets” by Kalisha James

Submitted to Contest #287

On the couple's day, a couple decides to celebrate their love for each other in a famous restaurant. It just received a good, no, fantastic review from an equally famous review writer. There was really no reason that they shouldn't find themselves here after five lovely years with each other. Matilda and Jerimiah have been together before that too but that's not the details we should be worrying about. They just arrive in front of this famous restaurant, and they excitedly walk to the entrance. Jeremiah holds the door against his lean build ...

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“Eating Good, Reviewing Better” by Mono Liso

Submitted to Contest #287

In an era where everyone is truly a critic, thanks to the likes of applications such as Yelp trying to replace the need for positions like mine, it is more critical than ever that reputable voices such as my own not only remain recognized for holding particularly esteemed and indisputable observations, but also continue to consistently end up on the right side of an opinion every time. That is why every review that I write becomes even more significant and provides an even greater test and confirmation of my abilities than the last. Th...

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“Faery Resort” by Dawn Locklear

Submitted to Contest #287

“The rosemary represents the mystical and magical!” Red points at the delicate purple blossoms on the bushes surrounding the huge, mossy stone wall before her. It appears to go in all directions and is flanked with a variety of other bushes and colorful flowers. At the center is a fantastic, monster of a door. A round-top with intricately, carved words at the arch, proclaiming: “Faery Resort”. “Oh, I don’t know how I knew that.” She rubs her head, trying to remember. Then shakes it off due to an overwhelmin...

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“Andante con Moto” by Linda Triegel

Submitted to Contest #287

Andante con Moto The young lady seated three tables away was very pretty, with a delicate foreign fairness that precisely suited the sunny spring morning. In the heat of summer, the air of Barcelona frequently takes on the consistency of the café con leche the waiter had tried to tempt me with before I—much to his barely concealed disdain—ordered a pot of tea. Today, the Barcelona air more nearly resembled the bubbly glass of Perrier water from which the young lady took an occ...

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“A Lifetime in a Bag” by Gwen Hinkle

Submitted to Contest #287

Every morning, a gray-haired man enters my small café that’s nestled amongst the tall buildings in the business district of Portland, Oregon. There’s nothing real special about this gentleman except that he is never without his brown leather bag.He is always well-kept wearing a brown suit and a bow tie. Today he had on a black trench coat and sported a black felt hat with a narrow brim that upturned in the back, for the weather was exceptionally cold today.Hearing the bell over the door jingle, I looked up and watched my favorite p...

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“Not Quite Home” by Gregory Wright

Submitted to Contest #287

“So, we are meeting another one?” Steve said. He waved down the waiter working over by the bar with a quick hand after securing a table at the café’s outdoor patio. While he pulled the chair away from the table for his wife to sit down, he continued. “What it this Amelia, number three this year?” She settled in the chair nicely, overturning the set coffee cup on the table, and pulling the napkin away to settle it on her lap. She was in her late fifties dr...

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“Odds and Evens” by Aly Figurehead

Submitted to Contest #287

On the way to the bank, the sweet musk of coffee lured me toward the cafe next door as it usually did. As always, the big bold letters above the door said ‘coffee’ in an eggshell white and all caps. When I’m out like this, I like to play a little game called Odds and Evens to spice my life up. If someone asks me a question, I casually check my wristwatch. If the last digit is even, I tell the truth.A little white lie didn’t strain anyone, but grandma hated this game. She always groaned when I’d check my wristwatch. Only a few people knew my ...

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“The Failed Thief ” by Lex Nava

Submitted to Contest #287

I jerked the palm of my hand against my chin hoping to crack my neck, but instead of feeling the tension release, I was rewarded by the sound of a gun cocking behind my head. “Hands up. Turn around, slowly,” a woman’s voice behind me said. “Don’t try anything or else it’s over for you.” Shit. I followed her instructions to be eye-to-eye with the barrel of a shotgun, hoisted by an older woman whose features I couldn’t distinguish much of in the dark. When the headlights of a passing car flashed through the windows, I only caught a...

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“Three Teas” by Desiree Aquino

Submitted to Contest #287

I was embarrassed by the silence. It was so quiet in this tearoom, sipping and blowing the hot water in my cup sounded thunderous. “Don’t worry about it,” assured Pam, my friend of 20-plus years. “Nobody cares.” I giggled, mildly distressed. We’d been to this place before, an unassuming low-slung brick building on the corner of a slow industrial street. About a year ago. We were searching for a place to host a middle-aged women’s group, hoping to be a source of refuge, some solitude and simultaneously, some communit...

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“The Soul Broker” by Andrew Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #287

“The Soul Broker”By Andrew Steven Rodriguez Adrian spots a coffee shop off the Avenue. It is an old shop with a sign sponsored by Coca-Cola and that plainly reads: “Luncheonette.” Adrian never ducks off the Avenue but today, sideways snow forces him to do so. He had been only a block from his train station. Inside, he sits at a counter and is greeted gruffly by a skinny man wearing a paper straight-sided hat with aged signs of grease. Adrian studies the man before engaging him. He imagines that the man might have worn...

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“To Good Things” by Jae Po

Submitted to Contest #287

Michael pulls out a chair for Cynthia and then joins her at the table. “Can I get either of you something to drink besides water?” The waiter asks. Michael looks to Cynthia. “A glass of whatever merlot you have is fine,” she answers. “Make it the best, John,” Michael jumps in. “Whatever you have that’s the most expensive.” Cynthia smiles, knowing not to object, as he’ll only insist. “Thank you, Michael.” “Of course. You know you’ll always only have the best when I’m around.” He turns back to the waiter. “And your best single malt scotch, nea...

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Set your story in a café, garden, or restaurant.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 72 stories

“Nostalgia Cafe” by Nick DeLarso

“The Incident Around Ballet and Bouquets” by Kalisha James

“Eating Good, Reviewing Better” by Mono Liso

“Faery Resort” by Dawn Locklear

“Andante con Moto” by Linda Triegel

“A Lifetime in a Bag” by Gwen Hinkle

“Not Quite Home” by Gregory Wright

“Odds and Evens” by Aly Figurehead

“The Failed Thief ” by Lex Nava

“Three Teas” by Desiree Aquino

“The Soul Broker” by Andrew Rodriguez

“To Good Things” by Jae Po

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with a character making a cup of tea for themself or someone else.

Center your story around someone who’s boiling over with anger, frustration, or jealousy.

Write a story with a character pouring out their emotions.

Start or end your story with someone being soothed by a hug or words of comfort.

Contest #287

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

408

Contest entries

173

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: