The Nest at Magpies, Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot

Christmas is many things to many people.  It's many things to me, but family, friends and traditions are a large part of it.  So, after carols by candlelight yesterday, nothing was nicer than today to be shopping in the market for fresh fruit and veg, cream, scones, mincepies.  Then to bump into a friend you haven't seen for ages and chat in the rain.  Then to head for a pre-arranged meeting with my oldest friend (she'll kill me!) and for us to head to the Nest for coffee.  At one time we met every week there but now it's just when I'm visiting.  It's reassuringly the same.  Plenty of space, the same lovely ceramic Christmas trees on the tables, the outrageous parrot standard lamp in the corner.  The nice coffee.  Were the cheese scones slightly smaller?  Doesn't matter - The Nest is a tradition!

We sat for an hour as we used to do and chatted.  The world has changed in so many ways, we need the reassurance of familiar things.  Then we got up to go.  I would have put my coat on and been away, but my good friend headed for the counter - we hadn't paid!  That's want friends are for - keeping you right, not paying for everything, that is!

So, that's it, I'm happy - and a merry Christmas to one and all!

Northside Diner at Fenwicks, Newcastle upon Tyne

I spotted this one earlier in the year on my walk through Fenwicks but it took Christmas and two friends who like all things American and 1950s to make a visit happen.  Here's how it went.

After a little local difficulty with the lift (I was pressing the staff-only button) we finally made it to the 3rd floor and negotiated our way past racks of oh-so-cute children's wear to the Diner.  Ignoring the 'please wait to be seated' notice, my pals spotted a free booth and in no time we were sitting on red and white bench seats round a table.  The semi-circular seats opposite looked equally comfy (next time!).  One of the cheerful staff soon caught up with us and brought menus. 

The menu told of hot dogs, burgers, nachos as well as apple pie, waffles and milkshakes, chocolate and coffee, oh and tea as a sop to the Brits.  After much debate I chose apple pie and hot chocolate while my friends chose chocolate milkshakes and waffles.

The above were served quickly and efficiently by yet more cheerful staff - and so young! - and I have to report everything we ordered was good.  The hot choc came with whipped cream and marshmallows, the apple pie with cream and icecream.  I am reliably informed that the milkshakes were everything a good old fashioned milkshake should be and extremely chocolatey.  The waffles had to be shared out as the portion sizes were very generous.

Going back?  For the nachos, definitely, and I hope I don't have to wait until next Christmas!

Mac 'n' Alli's, Westoe Crown Village, South Shields

If you've ever wondered where all the yummy mummies in South Shields hang out, this is the place!  What could be better than a nice cafe close to the primary school and with free parking just outside?  I've had this one in my sights for a while and have hinted to a couple of friends that it would be good to try it, but no-one took the bait and so I had to go alone.  Here goes...

First impressions, perhaps a bit off the beaten track, but good parking and a good trade too by the looks of things.  When I arrived all the window tables and the sofas were taken and I had to sit at one of the tables near the counter.  Not that that was a bad thing as it gave me chance to examine the menu and the clientele without being too obvious.

Mac 'n' Alli's is part cafe, part gift shop, part community hub.  The menu is simple - they obviously concentrate on doing a few things well rather than lots of things indifferently.  I chose a cup of tea and a slice of Brooklyn black-out cake (no, I hadn't either) and enjoyed every last sugary bit of it at my colourful table, sipping tea from my vintage mis-matched china.  The gift shop bit does wellies, mugs with mottos, cards, fab patchwork upholstered armchairs and boasts its own knitted sign - really! - and vintage and upcycled bits and pieces adorn the walls (all for sale, I think).  Community hub?  Well the mummies use it as the village green, and there's a couple of shelves of paperback books labelled 'book swap' so the recycling idea  is carried on from the gift section.

Would I go back?  I would, and for the gifts as well as the coffee.  It's definitely one to bear in mind for a treat with a friend.  In fact while I was there in walked a friend of a friend and that same friend's cousin.  No excuses from now on!  If her cousin can go there, so can she!

Al Baraka artisan bakery and patissiere. Big Lamp

Technically I guess this is on Elswick Road (opposite the cemetery), but it's on the cusp of the Summerhill area and the Big Lamp junction, on the cusp of being trendy and it deserves to do well.

I'd spotted Al Baraka some time ago but always bottled out of visiting.  Could a woman visit?  Was this a male dominated environment?  Today, however, I decided to throw caution to the wind and have the baklava moment I'd promised myself.  I parked opposite and strode purposefully into the shop.

It's very light and open inside (huge windows) and the paintwork is white with bright, fresh green touches.  The furniture, light pine tables mostly.  All notices are written in Turkish and there is a quotation from the Koran (I assume) over the counter.  I felt slightly embarrassed and unsure of myself but ordered coffee and cake.  One of the men sitting at a table was very helpful in explaining what was in each and also explained the savoury dishes.  He assured me that Turkish cuisine was infinitely superior to that of their near neighbours and I have to say the menu was interesting and intriguing.  I'd definitely go back for the filo pastries and the scone breads with feta and other fillings.  A local called in to buy some to take away - good idea!

I sat and watched the world go by in the rain as I enjoyed my mug of coffee (only £1) and ate my baklava - very sticky but knife and fork and napkin provided!

So, another little jewel in Newcastle's culinary crown shines brightly.  Worth seeking out.

Ciao Ciao, Milburngate, Durham

This one came highly recommended, not least for the sell-off bread, so during my Sunday afternoon mooch round Durham I thought I'd give it a try.

I'd passed Ciao Ciao before but assumed it was a bakery and takeaway, however on closer inspection there are tables with bar stool seating inside.  I have to report that the seat I sat on had a very ripped cushion and as I was wearing an unsuitable dress it wasn't easy to get on and off.  That said, you can people-watch to your heart's content through the big corner windows!

I ordered a coffee, which was a standard latte in a no-frills cardboard cup.  I bought cakes to take away and the macaroons (almond, pistachio) were wonderful.  There were baklava and other delights, but I have baklava plans for somewhere in Newcastle, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss the macaroons anyway.

I did buy some reduced price bread as this week's treat for home.  Foccacio.  Olives involved I think.  Very enjoyable toasted.

The staff member was a cheerful, efficient and friendly girl who,  in the few minutes I was there, dealt with customers from all over the world with unremitting interest and politeness.

Go for the cake, go for the bread, but if you're planning on eating in - wear jeans. 

Chill Out Cafe, Starbeck Road

I've long known that Sandyford is home to several cafes that I've not yet visited. So, when a partner in crime suggested we meet for coffee I thought we could begin to put that right.  We had a plan, I'd even texted her details, but I hadn't banked on the Monday Effect.  Monday Effect?  It seems that all the Italian cafes in the world (well, Sandyford) are closed on a Monday.  Bah! What to do?  Simples! (as I would say if I was a meerkat) we found an Indian instead.

The Chill Out Cafe (www.thechilloutcafe.com) offers authentic Gujarati cuisine but we settled for hot chocolates and settled down to enjoy our surroundings.  The first thing that struck me was how light it was inside.  Two of the walls are virtually all plate glass, giving the cafe a lovely airy feel.  As to decor, there was wooden flooring, beautiful bold wallpaper on the back wall, quietly comfortable chairs and tables, a rather nice sofa with an ornate coffee table - all generously spaced so you don't feel you're on top of each other.  As we chatted at a table, someone was reading the paper sitting on the sofa, and two lads were using laptops at the other side of the room. 

It felt, well, I think bohemian is the word.  There was a good feel to the place, the hot chocolates were great, and you know what I'd go back any day of the week

Vinci's opposite Newcastle Anglican cathedral

I actually did this one on Monday, when it was raining but Newburn had not yet been swept away, nor all transport links out of the north east severed by the storms.  I'd spotted it when driving through the city and made a mental note to visit. 

Vinci's is compact, very much geared to the lunchtime trade and with a bias to savoury rather than sweet.  Nonetheless, I enjoyed drinking my tea (proper cup and teapot!) and munching my kitkat  sitting at the window watching as Newcastle squelched its soggy way past me.  Daytime TV in the cafe was something I hadn't come across before and as a non-TV person I could have done without it, but it wasn't intrusive.

One to visit again?  It's central, it's eat-in, it's reasonably priced...what the heck - add it to the list!

The cafe, Newcastle Central Library

You may think I have been slacking in the cafe crawl as I haven't published anything new for a few days.  I say no!  I have been revisiting and have posted comments on the original entries, and I am planning and scheming to visit new places soon.  It seems there truly is no end to the cafes in Newcastle.

Today, for example, found me in the Central Library with several possible choices for revisits or new places all within a short distance.  What to do?  I decided to stay put and visit the library cafe which though I have walked past many times I have never visited (see what I mean about no end of cafes?)

At lunchtime the place was pleasantly full.  The ambience is clean, uncluttered, businesslike, and it is light and airy.  I ordered tea and cake, and the staff were quick to point out the special offer which would save me a few pence.  Cake and tea were up to standard I'm pleased to report, and  I sat and munched looking out on Princess Square.  Princess Square:  how could we brighten it up?  Guerilla knitting, maybe?  The ramps up to Bewick Court have a distinctly unfinished look to them, as if the bare concrete should be covered over by colourful mosaics or other artwork but the money ran out, or the council didn't get re-elected - oh I don't know! 

Now I must confess why I was looking out instead of people watching down the cafe.  I was in a corner, dear reader, sneakily chomping my own lunch of crackers and cheese.  There, I've said it.  I only managed one cracker before I was overcome by guilt - but at least my library books aren't late.

Cafe 9 Altars, Durham

It was a pleasure to be in Durham on one of my rare Saturdays off.  After participating in a dance celebration of the life of St Cuthbert at the cathedral (that's another story, and possibly another blog!), I made my way down Sadler Street and Silver Street to the little cut that leads to a favourite haunt - Cafe 9 Altars. I haven't visited it for ages and it was pleasing to sit again in the decked area outside and watch the trees and the river while sipping my tea and munching my big ginger biscuit (£1.95 the lot).  Couples sat and talked, people wandered down from the cathedral and along the riverside, even new students were arriving I think.  Durham was bathed in golden sunshine as the season turned to autumn.

There are some things money can't buy, the atmosphere of Durham is one of them.  But if you want an inexpensive way to sit and savour it, Cafe 9 Altars is the way to go for my money.

Newcastle Mela 2012

A great occasion as always! The highlight for me this year was Kashmiri tea!  It was advertised as pink tea and it is bright pink and very sweet - like hot milkshake.  I am hooked!  Fortunately there are numerous recipes online.

The Green Room, The Customs House, South Shields

Lest you think that my diet is composed solely of sausage sandwiches and cake, I can assure you that my culinary horizons stretch to Sunday lunch as well, and this Sunday a friend and I ate at the Green Room.  It's a place I'd had in mind for coffee for ages but lunch it was to be.

There are two sitting and we'd booked on the later, and though we were early we were shown to our table straight away.  The decor is calm and neutral, the furnishings quietly comfortable.  It was classy but not so much as to make a humble sausage sandwich eater like me feel uncomfortable.  Indeed I felt very comfortable.  The tables aren't on top of each other so you don't feel like you're eavesdropping on conversations, and the views across the river were great.  I know canned music is not to everyone's taste, but the 'swing' that was playing was actually quite relaxing, someone even sang along for a while.

I ordered lamb, my friend the nut roast, and the meals were served quickly and with a wide variety of well cooked veg.  I'm pleased to report that the dessert menu was excellent and that the raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding lived up to expectations!   It was all beautifully presented.   The staff were friendly and efficient.  It was a lovely relaxing meal.  No queueing at the carvery, everything brought to you.  I wonder if they do sausage sandwiches during the week...

M&S Kitchen, Northumberland Street

It's always a pleasure to meet friends after work, and do you know that the only cafe venue we could find open was M&S Kitchen (there was S**r*ucks but that doesn't count)!  Seems you can be in town after 5 but not if you want a cup of tea.  The Kitchen setting is nice, well spaced tables and chairs, light and bright decor, and it goes without saying that the selection of cakes is second to none.

We blithely ignored the 'wait here to be seated' notice and installed ourselves at a table near the counter.  It seemed natural to go to the counter to choose and order, but we were told it was table service and so sat back and waited.  It was a slightly long wait, in fact the whole thing was a bit clunky, involving the poor waitress going back and forward several times to take each order individually, take payment, bring the food.  Surely the place doesn't operate like this at busy times?

But such niggles are banished by good company and huge slices of Victoria Sandwich.  Hurrah for both and hurrah for M&S!

Interval Cafe at the Gala Theatre, Durham; and Vennells

It's been a Durham day today, I do love that place, and not having visited for so long makes a visit all the more special.  My friend and I have a routine of meeting at Interval and then attacking the town centre.  Today we enjoyed cheese scones and a nice latte (me) and a tea (friend).  I asked for the teabag to be left to one side as I know she is a weak tea person but the guy serving forgot to do that.  When he realised his mistake he did her a fresh pot, really kind I thought.

After browsing the shops we slid up the alleyway to Vennells.  You always know you will get good service and good food at Vennells and that there will always be a queue and a scramble for tables.  All worth it, of course.  Somehow Vennells is Durham, isn't it?

The cafe @ the library, Huntingdon

I stopped off at Huntingdon on my way home.  Found the Cromwell Museum with no problem and had a look round.  There was a choice of cafes too.  However, the tourist office and the public toilets remained elusive.

Step forward Huntingdon library!  Well signed from the outside and inside excellent signage to clean toilets and a nice clean cafe area in what I took to be a fairly new building.  AND a library assistant who was able to direct me to supermarket petrol!  Everything I needed under one roof!  Lose these libraries and we lose more than the books!

Beaches Cafe, seafront, Clacton-on-sea

Although Clacton was a last minute choice of destination, once I arrived I have to say I was impressed by the place.  It is the traditional bucket and spade holiday, no pretensions, and seemingly enjoyed by all.  On a morning stroll up the prom, I came across the Beaches cafe down by the shore next to the beach huts.  The weather being uncertain, the tables, chairs and sunshades were still inside the place and not a soul was stirring except for the occasional dog walker.

After a false start, I decided I would go in and sat drinking my tea and eating my cookie amidst the parphernalia of a seaside shop - inflatable sharks, buckets, spades, cheap trinkets and postcards.  I had the place to myself as I gazed over the grey sea.  There was a gentle and poetic melancholy about the place and you just knew that when the sun came out, so would the tables and the holidaymakers and the whole scene would be one of bliss.  This is what seaside cafes are all about.

Maybe I am invisible, or maybe people just don't see me, whatever the case once again I was privileged to hear the proprietor and another man discussing the state of the cafe trade in Clacton.  They were gloomy.  Are cafe owners like farmers I mused, never happy but you never see a poor one?  But what stuck in my mind was the chance remark that there were about 290 eating places in Clacton.  Wow!  That's nearly a year's worth!  I was only there for a day and a bit, but this was my tally:  Georgina's Cafe for fish and chips; and the cafe at the end of the pier for icecream and tea.

Street Level, Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds

The A15 eventually deposited me at Bury St Edmunds.  Well worth a visit.  I decided on an all day breakfast and the first place that I came upon was Street Level, which offered the works for £3.95.  I got in early and had the place to myself - later I noticed it was full and had tables and an icecream stall outside.  It was prettily decorated with hanging baskets outside and inside was clean and cosy. Staff friendly too, but I hope that would go without saying in what is obviously  tourist area.  One question:  can you iron toast?  Mine was very straight and very flat but nonetheless tasty.

Later in the day I visited the North End Cafe for a milkshake (a throwback to York) and was impressed by the value for money and the layout of the cafe.  They have a huge aisle down the middle, ideal for buggies, wheelchairs etc etc and have obviously sacrificed table space to do this.  It made for a peaceful atmosphere where you might have least expected it.

To sum up.  You will never starve in Bury St Edmunds while our economic system holds up.  There are cafes everywhere!

Mochachinos, Kings Lynn

Yes, Grace is on tour again!  It's a road trip to Essex via Kings Lynn! And so it was that I found myself in Kings Lynn bus station looking for a cup of tea.  A word of warning:  Kings Lynn closes at 4pm, most cafes I tried were about to close up but Mochachinos was resolute in opening well after the rest of the town had been abandoned.

The first hurdle, of course, is do you order at the counter or sit and wait to be served.  No helpful notices either.  I accosted a waitress and then sat down, later she came and took my order.  Even later another group came in and ordered directly at the counter - aaarrrggghh!!

That said, M's is all that a bus station cafe should be.  A glorious mix of quite contemporary furnishings, cheap food and a mixed clientele.  I felt quite nostalgic.  The tea and cinnamon bun were tasty and welcome and I went on my way rejoicing.

The rest of my journey led me down the A15 and I feel a whole mini series about truck stops along the A roads of East Anglia coming on!

The Wentworth Cafe, Hexham

This is an interesting one indeed!  Situated in a portakabin alongside the main car park in Hexham, by rights it should be a 'greasy spoon', but actually (I reflected on my last visit) it's exactly the kind of place my mother would have loved.  It's clean, reasonably priced, comfortable tables and chairs, and they bring the food to the table!  Nothing like a bit of old fashioned service in my mother's book.  Sadly, the newspapers available weren't up to date the day I visited, but that's just being picky - the cheese scone and the tea were fine.

I was there at a quiet time, no other customers and no intrusive music.  Now I have found over the course of my life that if you sit quietly and unobtrusively, people forget you are there and you get to hear some remarkable conversations and it was true of this visit.  The boys from the cafe and a friend sat in a corner and gossiped (so glad men gossip too) about the eating establishments of Hexham.  It was better than the soaps!  Will so and so ever get another job having walked out of two?  Will his old boss have him back?  Is that really all he was being paid?  And on and on, who said what, who owns what, and some heartfelt but very unPC remarks about Olympic football at Newcastle.  I said cheerio as I left and they sheepishly acknowledge that they had been talking as if no one had been there - what the heck? we all do it.  I dread to think what some of the punters where I work have heard over the years.

So it's another one I can recommend, and it can surely only be a matter of time before it has its own series.

Minchellas, the seafront, South Shields

It's been a lovely South Shields day today.  Sun, music in the park, washing drying on the line, and a sudden longing for a cafe bellisimo at Minchellas.  I haven't had one of those for ages, and the time was when Wombat and I used to drink them regularly...

To my shame, I haven't checked out the new, expanded Minchellas either.  It's now got toilets, far more inside seating (though today most people were outside on the patio area).  The entrance has moved from the side to the back as well.

I sat in the 'new bit' inside to enjoy my bellisimo.  I waited patiently for the icecream to melt into the coffee and carefully spooned the squirty cream off the top before slurping the rest through the straw provided.  It really doesn't get better than this.  Bellisimo all round, really.

Alas! Macaris! Allez Eastcliff!

I'm just here musing on a week's holiday in the West Country, cafes I have known and loved, and the price of a cheese toastie.  How things change.  Just as the 1950s themed icecream parlour takes off in all parts of the country, Macaris on Torquay seafront which was the archetypal 1950s themed etc etc has reinvented itself as a pizzeria cafe bar!  That covers all bases, except of course for people like me who want an evening stroll by the seafront rounded off with a lovely coffee maybe with cake but definitely not with pizza.  Though I have to admit that if Macaris was relying on my custom they would have been out of business years ago.  Wouldn't it be ironic if someone opened up an old-style Macaris right next door?

But out with the old, in with the new!  We have discovered a delightful seaside cafe at Teignmouth!  The Eastcliff cafe has a sheltered spot right near the lido where you can enjoy sea views and sea air and a cheese toastie that is half the price of some other establishments in the town.  The more expensive varieties seem to be distinguished only by a salad garnish but that is based on rumour not research - good reason to go back!  The Eastcliff's mugs are worth a look too  and I for one will keep calm and keep on coming back.

Fuchsia Restaurant, on the balcony, Market Square, Newton Abbot

I remember the Fuchsia Restaurant when it was at the indoor bowling centre and served a mean ham, egg and chips!  Free parking and you could watch the gee gees go by on race days.  For some years now, they've nestled above the market and I read in the MDA recently that a serving soldier requested a batch of their scones be sent to him in Afghanistan.  Scones that inspire such loyalty in our troops need investigating, and today a friend and I climbed the stairs from the market square to do just that!

Walking in, the Fuchsia struck me as clean, quiet and orderly.  All the tables were neatly laid with burgundy-coloured cloths and some were obviously set for lunch.  It was a little disconcerting to see that most of the tables were reserved, but the staff were very friendly and did point out where we could sit.  They also pointed out the special deals available and so it was that we settled down to enjoy a cheese scone and coffee for £1.95.  Can't go wrong.  Even lattes were only £1.65 which is as reasonably priced as I've seen anywhere.

The scones were very tasty - cheese and black pepper - served with two pats of butter.  I can see why they would be a tonic for the troops.  Could they bring about world peace, I wonder, if we were to offer them to our enemies? 

We sat long over the scones and coffee, putting our individual worlds to rights.  Just before 12, the cafe started to fill up.  We saw why all the tables were reserved.  Fuchsia obviously has a fan club who come every Wednesday (maybe every day!) for lunch.  And that to me is the best recommendation of all, regular customers who come back and back.  The Christmas Menu was on display (yes, really) and I would advise you to book now - I have a feeling that the Fuchsia will be busy.

Cafe Bar One, Harton, South Shields

While one part of my brain was well aware that Cafe Bar One was in Harton and was related to the lovely Cafe Bar One in Jesmond,  this information only clicked with the other part of my brain as I was slogging up Sunderland Road overdressed for the sunshine (for once!).  I called in.  There were tables outside but only the very hardy or ardent smokers will really want to sit at a road junction I guess.  Inside all is light and spacious with wooden floors, a couple of sofas in the window, modern dark wood tables and chairs elsewhere.  Yes,  they do have the same gorgeous chocolate cake that made my trip to CBO in Jesmond so memorable, but today I settled for a scone and tea.

Service was cheerful and prompt, some my-era music played in the background, there were a few people in mid morning, mid week.  An inspirational slogan on the wall advised me that retirement is only great big coffee break - can't wait!

I browsed the menu and there is certainly plenty of choice as well as special offers available.  And it's close to home!  Definitely be back!

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Parties

Now that the country has returned to work and Jubilee fever has subsided, it's time to reflect on the small part I played in helping the north east to celebrate, and on the place of the tea urn in my subconscious.  Here goes.

The first event was as Jubilee tea in the local library, free for all (in most senses).  I was here not to sample a service but to help provide it - Grace on the other side of the counter as it were.  We spent a happy morning arranging tables and other furniture, folding napkins, buying cake (my favourite), worrying whether or not we had enough cake, decorating, filling the tea urn. 

Ah, that was the moment!  Suddenly I was back at the chapel teas of my youth.  The religious services were simple and without ritual but the preparation and use of the tea urn was governed by complex rules and hierarchy that only the women of the tribe were initiated into.  The Baptist Women's League china was kept in a locked cupboard and only revealed on certain days to certain people.  Tea towels were treated with sanctity that other denominations reserve for altar cloths.  But they were happy times in general.  Food had a calming influence, no one argued at the tea table, perhaps our church meetings should have been conducted there.

So when the good folk of the district descended for tea later on, it felt quite natural to be out there passing plates around, offering tea or coffee (coffee was heresy at the chapel btw).  And the atmosphere was great.  When do we sit and eat together anymore, especially since the chapels are mostly gone now?

The second event was billed as a garden party, so naturally it rained incessantly and we had to put up the gazebo indoors and pretend.  No tea urn here but plenty of cakes to be passed round.  Her Majesty would have been proud of us.  Let's not wait another sixty years to have this much fun again.

Fourboyz, York

Now me, I'm a cup of tea person as you know.  So when I visited York with friends recently and someone suggested a milkshake it felt like something daringly innovative.  We didn't know anywhere to go for this, so we just picked more or less the first place we came across (definitely friends after my own heart, these.  No discussion about going somewhere corporate that we'd all heard of!). 

Well, we made a good choice in Fourboyz.  The staff were mighty friendly and outgoing.  The cafe was clean and well presented (the steep stairs might pose a problem to some though) and we were early enough to have it all to ourselves (probably just as well, as our girlish laughter had already provoked some hard stares from fellow rail travellers).

The choice of milkshakes included chai.  The waitress advised the sweet-toothed one of the party that she wouldn't like it.  So my natural perversity kicked in and I ordered it.  Maybe it's a new addition to the menu, maybe they've had complaints, maybe Fourboyz don't have full confidence in the mixture - whatever the reason, a tiny cupful of chai mixture was brought for me to try before I committed myself.  As an occasional chai drinker, I am happy to confirm that it tasted wonderful and spicy and that it was probably the best milkshake I've ever tasted (though the last one may have been a strawberry one when I was about 6).

So, let's give three diamond jubilee cheers for friends who take you on adventures, the wonderfulness of York, sunshine, and Fourboyz and their chai milkshakes!

Lemon Jelli, Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot

We've been watching as the old Courtenay Arms has gradually morphed into Lemon Jelli, and at last it is open for business, and as I had some time to kill too good an opportunity to waste!

In I went, and I have to say the layout is very similar to the old Courtenay where many a mis-spent youth was had.  The atmosphere is quite different however.  There is a French vibe going on, with posters, plaques etc around the walls.  There is wooden flooring and the tables aren't crowding in on each other, making it a good place to meet and chat.  Even a sofa-phobe like me would be tempted by the gorgeously upholstered example in the window, and the bench that I sat on was upholstered in a lovely striped fabric.

I ordered tea and a cookie (£1.80, just enough to pay) and felt quite at home.  There's a menu of snacks displayed in an avante garde manilla folder with treasury tag, and an evening menu is promised.

The place in the Market Hall remains open apparently, this town should be big enough for both the Lemon Jellis

The Stand Comedy Club, High Bridge

Cutting through here I spotted that The Stand was advertising teas, courtesy of the tea shed.  Have they done this for long?  Not judging by the interior where the leaflets on display were all current and in perfect order.  The whole decor looked new as well.  I loved the lime green upholstered benches, the light wood flooring, the plain wood tables. There are window seats in the lovely green. There's art work on display and for sale too.  The tea came in a china pot with cup and saucer and sugar bowl.  All very civilised and in such a lovely little niche too.  There are art galleries nearby, and some fab vintage shops and more little cuts through to the Old George and round about.  Best of all is the outdoor terrace.  It's surrounded by buildings, so will be quite sheltered and it has a secret, quiet feel to it.  Not a place for cake, but the menu looked unusual and interesting.

The Late Shows 2012: Lady Koo and the Kooky Kitchen

I love the Late Shows, we should have them more often.  When you get to my age one late night over a weekend is quite enough thank you, so I only had time for Moorbank, Morden Tower, Blackfriars and no plans for tea anywhere!  I wandered down Ouseburn wondered where to stop and found myself drifting towards the sparkly new Toffee Factory.  It's huge, they must have made a lot of toffee in this town at one time.  Several other people were heading that way, including some young men dressed for the 1920s (oooh! they were the Kooky Kitchen!!).  Someone spoke into an intercom, a door opened anonymously, and we strode guiltily into the TF.  It all felt so naughty!  I decided against the tour of the building (sorry building) and headed down to the ground floor, 1920s boys and all.  And then I found it, my spiritual tea drinking home for the Late Shows.

A perfectly ordinary meeting room had been transformed into a cross between a speakeasy, Betty's tearooms and the Mad Hatter's tea party.  Did I really see a young gentleman drinking from the spout of the teapot?  Utilitarian business furniture and vintage mismatched china (cake stands too!) rubbed shoulders.  There was bunting, and on stage Lady Koo et al demonstrated in song that the nutritional value of spinach was recognised in the flapper age, along with the comic potential of double entendre.

The cake and the tea were fab and free and the atmosphere was priceless.  Where are they playing next?

Cafe Eat, Grainger market

They're coming along a bit like buses, these cafes, and I spotted another one on Pink Lane as well!  Hey ho, next week maybe!  But to business!  Cafe Eat, eat in or takeaway, actually eat in is a bit of a misnomer, as you are eating out in the middle of the Grainger market and I half expected comments from passers by and people holding up small children saying 'Look!  That one's eating!  Look!'

However, Grainger market is always nice to visit and there are cafes galore.  Could this be Newcastle's cafe hub?  Ordering arrangements weren't too clear - should I order at the counter, wait to be seated, wait to be served, carry my tea back myself?  Life can be too darn complicated if you try to get it all right, so I ordered at the counter, other people were waited on.  I waited for my tea, and pie and peas to be brought to me while others carried their own tea back and waited for their food.

The pot of tea was lovely.  The pie and peas were just right.  The price was great value and they do deals on scones/cake and tea in the afternoons.  Long may it continue!

Baltic cafe (ground floor)

A friend and I dipped our toes into this one on Sunday, having frozen our way through the Quayside market and the Gong festival.  Not surprisingly on a cold day in May, it was busy and I was reduced to plonking myself on the only free seat at a table and shaming the other occupants into drinking up and leaving.

So, the table to ourselves (we were at the end of the afternoon tea rush), we sat down and enjoyed a pot of tea - three cups each - from a proper teapot and toffee cake and white chocolate and cranberry branky.  Branky?  That's what it said, but a quick google search reveals only details of a region of the Czech Republic or somewhere and sternly changes any request for a recipe into brandy cake.  I am at a loss, and it was so tasty!  Second visit, with notebook and inquisitor's hat on it called for!

Oh, and we did do the culture later on, and the cafe on the 6th floor is open for coffees etc only during the day.  Would my vertigo stand it?

Minchellas, King Street, South Shields

I'm surprised I've never written about this one before.  It's a traditional haunt, you have to love the benches, the pictures, the whole atmosphere.  I especially liked being able to enjoy a bakewell tart and a very nice, milky, small cup of coffee for £1.85.  They even brought it to my table.  Please don't ever modernise it.

The One Cafe, Grainger Street

Another day working in the city centre, so naturally another cafe to visit, but which one?  I had in mind Kaffeccinos as it was a regular haunt but I couldn't use it last year as it wasn't new territory.  Imagine my horror when I found it closed and repossession notices slapped all over it!  How can this be?  It seemed so go-ahead and always so busy.  Doubtless the cafe trade is suffering along with the rest of us - I've taken to glancing at the businesses for sale in the Journal and have spotted several eateries that I recognise on the market - and perhaps one of the first things to be cut out is eating out.  To the owners and former staff, I wish you good luck and good fortune.

But life goes on and I headed past the bus stops to The One Cafe.  I'll confess that I'd looked at this previously and decided against as I thought it was just the two tables in the window by the deli counter.  Oh no, it's right at the back of the shop.  Bizarrely you walk in past the newspapers and groceries and order your food at what appears to be the off licence.  I breezed in like a hurricane (only an hour for lunch and plenty to do) so didn't see the menu, didn't read the signs about finding a table then ordering, in short - chaos!  The lad at the counter was unfazed and soon I was at a side table waiting for a cheese and ham toastie and a cup of tea.  I took stock of my surroundings.  There were small tables and chairs, neat and functional and a couple of sofas.  An ancient bicycle strung with fairy lights marked the entrance to the toilets and the walls were covered with the flags of all nations and posters/cardboard cutouts of stars from the world of entertainment. While I was waiting for my food, the waitress came round and lit tealights on each table. The floor was thin darkwood planks that somehow reminded me of the floor at Woolworths in my childhood.  Do they sprinkle it with silver sand in wet weather to prevent slipping, I wondered, just like Woolies used to?

My sandwich came promptly, white bread, coloured cheese, chunky ham; accompanied by even chunkier homemade coleslaw and some salad.  The tea was Ringtons.  I ate in the company of a table of young professionals and some older (yes even older than me) couples who might have been killing time while waiting for the bus.  Lordy, this is yet another cafe that I loved!  It might not be the Cafe Royal but it was interesting dammit, and at £2.79 at today's prices for the all day breakfast I fully intend to go again.

British Home Stores, Northumberland Street

A recently opened shop must mean a new cafe to try, and as I was in town with time to kill I headed up the escalators to the second floor.  I should say first of all, that the new shop looks good.  It seems smaller than the old store, but everything looks bright and attractive and some very mellow muzack playing.  I do worry a bit about all the references to the online store - hope this isn't going the way of Littlewoods.

Now to the cafe.  It couldn't be anything other than clean as it has only been open a few days.  It's open till 6.30pm for snacks and drinks, but during the day there are cooked breakfasts and lunches.  As it was after 5pm I opted for a blueberry muffin and a cup of tea and took it to one of the tables overlooking Northumberland Street.  Nosey Parker's paradise!  You can see all the comings and goings.  You can even see the graffiti on the top of the Marks and Spencers building opposite (who on earth??).

The decor and furnishings are simple and functional.  White plastic bucket chairs, small tables, grey tiled floor, canvasses on the walls showing pictures of the meals served.  Do you know what - I loved it!  It took me right back to my teenage years of tea drinking in Dingles.  There may be no frills, not even a sofa that I could see, but what you see is what you get, and what I saw was just the place to dive into and know that you'll get good basics.  Long may it continue

Trinity Cafe, Gosforth High Street

I found myself in gorgeous Gosforth at lunchtime, so felt it was time to head for Trinity cafe (there are still one or two others round about that I need to visit, but their time will come). 

So, Trinity, set back from the High Street and adjoining Holy Trinity church.  Its walls are mainly glass, so it's light and bright and you can watch the world go by.  The furnishings are light wood but is there a slight institutional air, or is it just that I know it is connected to an institutional building? At any rate the people of Gosforth young and old seem happy to use it and the food is good and competitively priced. 

I enjoyed a pot of tea (nearly three cups) and a really nice piece of caramel shortbread.  It seems to be very much a community venture as there are information leaflets on local events etc available and a 'Prayer Tree' (metal branches, stained glass leaves) in a corner where you can leave your prayer requests.

To sum up, this is a good one to head for if you're thinking globally and acting locally.

Jarrow Hall Cafe, Bede's World, Jarrow

I seem to be making a virtue of turning up at cafes just as they are about to close.  I arrived at Jarrow Hall with 20 minutes to spare.  Just time to order, pay for and eat a cheese scone and a cup of tea.  Very reasonably priced too I may say.  I sat looking over the park and the church, watching the rain fall.  It's a lovely place and I always wonder why I don't come here more often.  It ticks all the boxes.  Nice food - check; good price - check; pleasant surroundings - check; no sofas - check.  I could go on, but I should just decide to visit again.

Brunel Brunches, Lemon Jelli, The House of Marbles, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen

This is a bit of a retrospective of a few days in Devon last week.  I've passed the Brunel Brunches many times and often wondered what it was like.  It's near the railway station, as you might guess by its name, and also ideally situated for the industrial estates in Newton Abbot.  As it opens early and closes early, I decided to visit for breakfast following a short walk round the Town Quay.  It's a portakabin or two with another round the back for the smokers.  I ordered a sausage sandwich and tea and ate and enjoyed while reading the Western Morning News.  There's quite a menu and the cakes looked inviting but maybe a little later in the day.  A bit of banter between Mrs Brunel Diner and the regulars which was good to see.  I'd go again, but if you want the Ritz, go to the Ritz.

Lemon Jelli is in the market and again I've walked past it many times.  I ordered tea and toast on my visit and it was good to soak up the market day atmosphere and read the paper in the market hall.  LJ is soon to move into the old Courtenay Arms premises on Queen Street where we are promised longer opening hours and an extended menu.  I look forward to visiting them there.

The House of Marbles, well what can you say?  I remember when it was cheap and cheerful and mile long queues for the scones.  Now it's waitress service and wait to be seated.  The gorilla is still there though.  That being said, the soup my friend and I had was indeed a meal in itself as promised and the atmosphere in the cafe was good.  We were able to people watch to our hearts content and then take in the glass works, museum and shop.

Last up, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen.  Nice pot of tea, interesting selection of cakes and not overcrowded.  The perfect place for afternoon tea.

Westgate College Community Cafe, West Road

Is it a school canteen?  No! It's open to the public!  It's a large room with cafe-style tables and chairs.  You might have to wait for a seat as plenty of groups use the college and thus the cafe.  It's very reasonably priced and I for one couldn't fault the corned beef hash.  The quiche and salad is good too so I am told.  Service was friendly and helpful.

Bede's Bakehouse, Sunderland

It's not every day you have tea at a proposed world heritage site.  I'd arrived early and had to wait for St Peters church to open. That gave me time to read the display boards and trace the outline of the ancient buildings and see the stone laid by the Duke of Edinburgh.
Once inside, the small group of worshipper asked hopefully if I intended to join them.  I made straight for the cafe and ordered tea and a flapjack.  I enjoyed it sitting in the hexagonal, modern chapter house.  It was lovely and light and bright.  A nice mixture of small tables and long refectory-style ones, paintings and souvenirs on sale.  The whole menu sounded good, you can even go for afternoon tea.  Then I spotted the opening times!  Bedes Bakehouse does not open till 10.30am, yet I had wandered in at 10am and been served without so much as a murmur.  So, full marks for customer service, and for the tea.  I shall return during normal opening times!

The Cathedral refectory, Durham and then al fresco!

I had a little day out today as I wasn't working.  It turned out to be as warm as a summer day, blue sky, sunshine, fab weather for Durham.  I'd been on quite a long walk (for an old person) so the tea and Victoria Sandwich in the refectory was very welcome.  Still reviving pilgrims 1000 years on - beat that any fast food chain!  It's so cosy in there, and proper tables and chairs for all I'm pleased to report.  Thus restored, I went to Cuthbert's shrine and then into the market place which was basking lazily in the sun.  It was so lovely I bought a takeaway tea and cake and just sat and enjoyed it soaking up vitamin D and listening to a busker in 70s mode playing the soundtrack to my teenage years.  Magic!

Sainsburys Superstore, Coach Lane

This was a new venue suggested by a friend for meeting up.  Great!  Ample parking in the car park, a huge and fairly new Sainsburys with a great range of clothes (I'd forgotten they did clothes) and then upstairs to the cafe.  It's spacious, clean and basic i.e. tables and chairs, no sofas, no carpets and you don't feel crowded.  The ideal place to sit and talk and you could people watch over the store too.  We spent well over an hour. 
As to food, I was well pleased with my tea and half price fairtrade chocolate cake offer, and the rest of the cakes and drinks looked good too.  You could save about 60p by having a scone here. 
I'm going back for the Victoria Sandwich and a pair of trousers.

Cafe at Debenhams, Eldon Square shopping centre

I've always liked Debenhams and always associate their cafes with nice views - probably none better than from the old Exeter shop.  I wonder how John Lewis will place their cafe when they open?
The Newcastle branch has a third floor cafe where you have nice rooftop views and it's all very pleasant.  On the ground floor is the cafe at Debenhams.  It's just inside the door opposite The Gate and seems to be squatting in a corner of Menswear.  It's ideally placed if you are just dashing in and out of town as I was, and just the spot for a bit of people watching.
There are sofas, comfy chairs and proper tables and chairs for the enlightened, tiled floor, unusual canvasses of local landmarks on the walls, friendly staff.   I may be getting picky in my old age, but the cakes did seems a teeny tiny bit pricey, I will go compare and report my findings.
And there's the music.  In confined spaces music can be intrusive, but in a larger area, like the ground floor of Debs it actually seemed OK, like a sound wall that blocked out Menswear and let you focus on the cafe.

Cafe Yum Yum, Blackhall Colliery

Surprises are always nice, and on this day (roses, chocs etc being off the agenda) a new cafe to visit was great!  I'd done the Hospice charity shop in Blackhall - always worth a visit - and was going to buy a sandwich and cake and drive down to the rocks to eat them when I noticed Cafe Yum Yum to one side of the Hardwick Hotel.  I don't go to Blackhall often, but I couldn't recall seeing it before and so in I went.

And what did I find but a small, newly redecorated space (neutral colours), a couple of round dining tables with tablecloths!, a large pine table and some diner-style seating.  There was a sofa tucked away I suspect for the benefit of those waiting for takeaway orders.  A notice exhorted us to keep calm and eat cake.  That said I ordered a cheese savoury sandwich with salad and a cup of tea.

The teapot gave two good cups of tea and I was offered a top up if I wanted it (that's a first).  And the sandwich - well to my relief a torpedo turned out to be a soft bread roll and it came with oodles of cheese savoury and oodles of salad and tortilla chips.  Did I enjoy?  Yes.  Was I stuffed?  Yes!

Overall impression?  Nicely decorated, friendly staff, good food reasonably priced, a nice little find on the Durham coast I'd say.

Greggs' Blueberry Burst doughnuts

Have you tasted one?  Where did you get hold of it?  Every Greggs I try has sold out!  They look sooo gorgeous and my disappointment at being told they contain raspberry not blueberry jam as only momentary.  I want to try one - the hunt will continue!

Cafe no 95, Gosforth High Street

A bit like buses, cafes are coming along in twos and threes at the moment.  Cafe no 95 was one that I didn't quite make it to last year, so when the opportunity arose I took it.  I had a feeling that Gosforth was under-represented anway, and lo and behold there is another cafe I wasn't even aware of right opposite no 95 - the list goes on!
Anyway, to business.  No 95 struck me as functional and businesslike.  Plain, clean decor, proper chairs (but I bet they had sofas lurking somewhere) and high chairs in evidence, so this is obviously somewhere the young parents of Gosforth hang out. 
I ordered tea and a caramel slice and was served cheerfully and efficiently.  I have to say that the caramel slice was very nice, almost a minty taste, don't know what they put in it - mint?  From the corner table I had a good view of the street and all the comings and goings, that's how I saw the cafe opposite. 
Plus points to no 95 for staff greeting regulars, and I might have to go back and check that caramel slice again...

Poppyknots, West Denton shopping centre

This venue couldn't be included last year as I've been a frequent visitor even in the days before it moved to its current location.  The decor is contemporary and unfussy - white walls, black tiles floor and dark tables and chairs - but it's light and bright due to the glass front.  It's also holding its own against a nearby Greggs and Morrisons, independents can still flourish!
Expect a good takeaway sandwich or potato with a wide range of salad and fillings.  I sat in and had the daily special - lasagne with chips and garlic bread - and very tasty it was too.  Price very reasonable. Newspapers available.
Lots of locals in, which is always the sign of a good place, and I noticed the staff meeting and greeting their regulars and giving that bit extra in the way of community support.

The Park Cafe, Queen Street, Newton Abbot

I was off to Plymouth for the day today with my oldest and best friend.  (She'll hate the oldest bit!).  And I thought it would be nice to have tea and cake on the train, but would there be a buffet car?  The solution was to visit The Park Cafe for two takeaway teas and a pack of two rock buns.
The Park Cafe has been a fixture in Newton for as long as I can remember. I walked past it when I was a child, I went in as a young adult brandishing zillions of Readers Union luncheon vouchers and getting in the cigarette orders for my colleagues.  Now the counter has all but gone and the interior is given over to a chairs and tables.  Where were they before?  Must have been out at the back.
We entered at the same time as a 'regular' who my friend had met before around the town.  Generously he allowed us to be served first.  I must confess I found him difficult, but the staff treated him with care and understanding and courtesy - signs in my book of an establishment that is fulfilling a valuable social as well as an economic role.  Hurrah for the Park Cafe!
The journey to Plymouth was made all the more fun by attempting to open polystrene cups in a crowded carriage and spreading crumbs far and wide (my mouth does occasionally miss a few).  And I had better record our other food sins of the day at the Strand Tearooms on the Barbican and in the coffee lounge of BHS.  I myself rounded off the day with chips from Jacksons.  Happy?  I certainly was.

Coffee Republic, Lovegate House,

Today is market day!  So after doing the market we went again to Coffee Republic for scrummy cakes and comforting lattes.  It's such a wonderful setting - and yes, I do know about the huge ASDA store right behind it.  But that lovely old house and the even older cobbled pavement in front, all hidden for years in a builders yard and behind the houses on Highweek Street!  I remember my father showing it to me when it was surrounded by building materials and I was still captivated.
So, cakes and coffee good, staff friendly, having to carry trays upstairs to the seating is a downside but while I still can I happily will.

The Country Table, Bank Street, Newton Abbot

And while I'm at it, this is another one that feels comfy!  It's had a bit of a facelift in recent years and no longer feels quite so hardcore wholemeal - though it does indeed cater for vegan and gluten free needs.  It's obviously still the place of choice for large numbers of Newtonians. The front seating is round nice tables with nice patterned cloths with nice displays of old china, tastefully lit.  There is more seating through the back, but I confess I have never yet ventured there.  Cakes, coffee, staff all nice.

The Boston Tea Party, Queen Street, Exeter

This is an old favourite!  Usually I'd be sitting in the large upstairs room on an old Sunday School-type chair while others wallowed on old sofas.  But this day I sat downstairs on the bar stools in the window and watched Exeter go by on a rainy lunchtime.  Let others trek up the stairs with their trays and their shopping.
The coffee was good, ditto the coffee and walnut cake.  Going back to the Boston Tea Party feels comfortable, and yet also allows an old person to feel ever so slightly boho, it felt good.

The Pizza Cafe, Queen Street, Newton Abbot

Seeing as I have practically lived in this place over the weekend, I thought I'd better write about it!  It's the natural place (for me) to meet in Newton.  As soon as the question arises it's 'well, let's go to the Pizza Cafe' it seems that everyone else does too.  It's light and bright and friendly and has obviously built up and kept a good reputation over the years.
Friday I went for pizza with a friend (American Graffiti, since you ask) followed by 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' which involved loads of icecream, cinder toffee, maple syrup and mini jelly babies.  The place was pleasantly full of birthday parties and people popping in for takeaway.  The waitresses are young (even younger than policemen I think) but all seemed to know their job and did it well - friendly, customer focussed, efficient.
This evening I popped in for a coffee with a friend and we were made just as welcome.  Actually, the coffee turned into Hot Chocolate on the Rocks which involves icecream, whipped cream, chocolate flakes and mini marshmallows.  It has to be a big cup to allow room for the hot chocolate.  We were in early, but even on a wet Sunday, people were coming in.
Here's hoping 2012 is a good year for the Pizza Cafe!

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Newburn Industrial Estate

I've never seen the film, but I have passed the sign for BaT many times, and so decided to tootle down there recently to see what it was all about.  It's about a small brick built unit that seems to do mainly fry-ups and is obviously very popular with the locals.  I sat with a friend and nursed a cup of tea and a Kitkat and watched while several regulars came in - all greeted in a friendly and cheerful way.  And the chips were real potatoes!  Tiffany was peeling them there right in front of our eyes.  Haway!  It'll have to be a burger next time...

Indoor Craft Fair

Today I was at the Indoor Craft Fair at the Elgin Centre in Gateshead.  Lots of goodies on offer cupcakes, scones, Turkish bakes, cookies.  And a less edible but equally delectable selection of jewellery, beauty products and vintage items, hand woven items and trashion (new expression to me).
So, it was a cup of tea from the centre's tea bar, but who got our custom when it came to the cakes?  It was The Poor Girl's Kitchen - largely thanks to the cheeky banter of the chappie in charge.  The cookies were marvellous - and I think that should earn me a free coconut macaroon next time we meet (assuming they read this, of course!)

The Settle Down cafe, off Westgate Road

This evening I paid a welcome return visit to the Settle Down (first visited with Wombat and Hamster way back last year).  Today I was meeting friends from 2B magazine, and hadn't they chosen their meeting place well!  Although it was after 5pm when I arrived there were still plenty of people in, chat, music (of the nicest kind), relaxed atmosphere and the wonderful aroma of coffee and carrot cake.  I didn't partake myself, but I was assured that the carrot cake was indeed every bit as good as it smelled.
It comfirmed my opinion of the Settle Down as a warm, relaxed community cafe.  In fact I may have to go there to chill out after work more often.

Debenhams coffee shop, Princesshay, Exeter

Pardon me, but is this the most spectacular cafe view in England?  The majestic cathedral in the foreground and the Devon hills behind.  The scones weren't bad either.  The big question is what will John Lewis make of the old Debenhams building?  Will there soon be another cafe on the sixth floor with panoramic views?

The Coffee House, St Marychurch precinct, Torquay

OK, I know I don't have to do this any more, but it's still a need, and this one was great.
After a walk (see a walk a week) brother and I decided on a cup of tea.  You are quite spoilt for choice in the Babbacombe/St Marychurch area for tea shops, even on a bank holiday (could be another year's worth, I reckon).  The Coffee House took our fancy and we made a good choice.
Inside it was light and bright, wood flooring, small tables and upholstered chairs.  The walls were zingy green and warm orange.  There was even a labyrinth painted on one, which only sent them up in my estimation.  There was three kind of zones, if you like - takeaway icecream, coffee shop, restaurant.  You ordered at the counter (signs making this clear) and then the food was brought to the table.  We had very nice cake - pear, almond and chocolate tart, and chocolate refridgerator cake - and a pot of tea each - enough for three good cups each - all served on matching white china.

So, good price, cheerful and unusual decor, a great setting, and good service.  We were glad we came!