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!