The Coffee Cottage, Chillingham Road

Time for another excursion to the east side of town!  The Coffee Cottage has been on the hit list since the beginning so I don't know why it's taken me so long to get there.  I was spurred on by the fact that I've seen it advertised in the Journal businesses for sale section, and indeed there is a for sale sign over it this very day.  So, if you were thinking of buying what would you be getting?  Firstly, an exterior that could do with repairs and paint.  The front door could be a house front door, reclaimed and put in place as a temporary measure so time ago.  Inside, well the grey carpet tiles might have to go along with the faux half-timbered panelling...but wait!  there's more to it.  Sit down in the Coffee Cottage for a while and you'll see what I mean.

So, in I went.  The tables were covered in red gingham tablecloths and glass tops!  It's a compact space and the furniture is mainly dark wood.  The wall are decorated with plates and (now) with Christmas ornaments.  At the counter are homemade quiche and chocolate fudge cake (oooh go on then!).  There is an extensive menu of snacks and meals and a specials board.  I order cream with the cake and a pot of tea.  It arrives at the table in delightfully mismatched china and the cake is swimming in cream.  I summon untapped reserves of self-control to avoid licking the plate.

And the best thing?  This is not just a cafe, it's a community.  I was treated in a friendly way, and all the other customers were obviously regulars and the staff genuinely seemed to know and care about them and have their interests at heart.  It's great to have that kind of atmosphere, you can't buy or manufacture it.  Let's hope that whoever the new owners of the Coffee Cottage turn out to be, they can change what needs to be change and keep what needs to be kept.

Coffeeholic, Chillingham Road, Heaton

Well, here we are in October, warmer than the Med, and me without a cafe to go to!  This is the closest I've come to missing a week (can't count Morrisons because I have been there before only without a tablecloth).  I tried one of my hitlist at lunchtime only to find they don't do Saturdays and so by the afternoon I was a bit stuck for ideas.  Enter another friend with a bright idea!  In true journalistic fashion I never name my sources, so let's just call her 'Rebecca', and she it was who told me that Coffeeholic is open late every day and as I happened to be over that way in any case...pure serendipity!

I was able to park easily and freely outside, which was a bonus, and once inside Coffeeholic has a warm and friendly atmosphere.  You know how old fashioned I am in the matter of seating, so the sofas and bucket chairs didn't suit me particularly although there were also dining chairs that were comfortable and bar stools in the window.  Wooden floors seem to be the industry standard at the moment and the walls were brightened with lots of pictures in small and unusual frames.  Another nice jokey touch was the wall of clocks showing Heaton time, Toon time,  Jesmond time, Wallsend time etc.  Newspapers and board games were available too.

I ordered a cupcake and latte which were brought to my table and were both a generous size. So I sat and enjoyed and browsed the menu and soaked what felt like a very continental atmosphere - warmth, relaxing music, a couple chatting in German, plenty of people out strolling.  Yep, it was another good one - thank you 'Rebecca' and may the force be with you!

Jack Sprats, Chillingham Road

This place has a nice community feel to it - advertising activities over Easter etc etc.  It's quietly tucked away but even on a Monday there were several people in.

Ordering proved a little difficult.  Tea?  Which tea?  Milk?  Which milk?  Cake?  Gluten free?  Suitable for vegetarians?  Suitable for vegans?  Oh, blow it, let's just have a cup of Tetleys and a caramel slice!  I can thoroughly recommned the caramel slice.  There were tiny Easter cup cakes on sale for 50p as well, but I restrained myself.

The furnishing and decor is as I have come to expect from this type of cafe.  Wooden floors, old dining room tables and chairs, old three piece suites with throws.  Art work on the walls (here it was for sale).  I checked out the magazine selection and found it limited to some elderly editions of The Crack together with veggie/healthy lifestyle mags of various ages.  The music was different though.  Someone's iPod selection perhaps?  In half an hour we had The Beatles, latin, classical and more pop.  As someone at another table said, it was worth coming to see what was played next.

So would I come again?  If I lived nearby, definitely, as it has a good local feel and the staff are very friendly and nice.  Would I go out of my way?  Probably not wise - someone as indecisive as me could still be deciding on milk at closing time.