Quadrata Cafe, Central Square, Forth Street

This one has been in my sights since I was shown it when on a heritage walk last year.  The knowledgeable guide marched us into this office block, regaled us with details of the architecture (sadly now lost in the mists of my memory) and then marched us out again.  But a seed was sown, as they say.

You'll recognise the place, it's behind Central Station and has a tower of shopping trolleys outside (modern art, not vandals).  Walk boldly in past the reception, the cafe is at the back but not advertised.  They serve Costa, so you know the standard.

I ordered a latte and danish and took stock of my surroundings.  I was sitting in a large and, honesty compels me to say, not entirely comfortable armchair.  It looked like it was angry that it was not a sofa and so was determined to swallow me up anyway.  I could have sat on a proper chair at a side table but I'd chosen the centre.  Other customers seemed to have come from the offices and were holding business meetings.  On one side was the internal spiral staircase rising like a cathedral column.  On the other side, beyond the large water feature and the living trees (amazing those trees, I think the roots were planted in soil below the foundations), was a glass wall looking out onto a modern sculpture of a hand reaching skyward.  There was no background music, and  conversations were held in muted tones.  In fact, the place felt quite sacred.

I drank in the silence with my latte.  Got one or two things straight in my head and then went for a walk.  I headed along the remains of the city wall towards the quayside and then turned and followed a path along the top of the bank towards the High Level bridge.  There were little peeps and vertiginous staircases leading down to the quayside, and along the top were seats to enjoy the view (though I must say I wouldn't recommend anyone else to go there alone), the bivouacs of homeless people could be seen in the undergrowth, and there were little secret cobbled ways back to the Castle Keep and surrounds.  It was a timely reminder that Newcastle has hidden delights still to explore, including the cafe on the quayside that I've earmarked for next week - watch this space!