Fly By Café, known for out-of-this-world soups and sandwiches, closes in Exeter

Aqeel Hisham, Portsmouth Herald
·2 min read

EXETER — Fly By Café & Takeaway, offering out-of-this-world grab-and-go lunches and dinners, has closed its doors after 2½ years.

The eatery at 161 Water Street was owned by Matthew and Karen Sharlot of Amesbury, Massachusetts.

“Fly By Café has been a labor of love for us and we appreciate all of you for being a part of our fun and tasty adventure!” wrote the Sharlots on a notice posted on the café’s door.

The Sharlots declined to comment on the closure but on Facebook stated, "it's been really hard, between COVID and the lack of staff."

Fly By Café & Takeaway at 161 Water Street in Exeter has closed its doors after 2 ½ years.
Fly By Café & Takeaway at 161 Water Street in Exeter has closed its doors after 2 ½ years.

Opened in May 2021, Fly By Café & Takeaway paid homage to the town’s “Incident at Exeter” UFO sighting in 1965, which is celebrated in town at the UFO Festival each year.

The menu offered a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches, as well as southwestern-style breakfast burritos available all day. One of the signature sandwiches was the “Muffuletta” or the “Dr. John,” named after the famous New Orleans jazz musician. It was similar to an Italian sub, but with an olive mix added. They were also known for their grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of tomato basil soup combo called A Cloudy Afternoon On Mars.

This past summer, 97.5 WOKQ-FM radio named Fly By Café as having one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in New Hampshire.

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The Sharlots previously owned the Wellington Room in Portsmouth, which the couple sold in 2016.

Matthew Sharlot told Seacoastonline in 2021 that the UFO theme fit with their grab-and-go concept.

“We wanted a concept for something that’s fun for the tasty meals we’re making," he said, at the time. “With the history of extraterrestrial visitation here, we thought it was a nice tie-in with the zip-in, zip-out concept.”

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Fly By Café customers react to closure

The café’s closure came as a surprise to many on social media.

Mary Tegel broke the news on the Facebook group “Exeter, NH Community Forum, saying that her “favorite lunch spot in Exeter has closed.”

“Fly By Cafe has had such good food and such good people,” commented Tegel.

The post garnered over 130 likes and 50 comments in two days. One wrote that it was “the saddest thing ever,” while another added they had “great soups and salads.”

Jen Wheeler, president of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, said she was “saddened” by the news of the café’s closure.

“Their presence in the community and consistent focus on connecting with their customers will be missed,” she said.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Fly By Cafe, UFO-themed eatery in Exeter, NH, closes after 2½ years