OKAY, being the only "official" vegan friendly restaurant in the city centre, Scrumpy Willow also…read moreprizes itself of being the one with the worst service. Honestly? They have ONE person working the cash register and the tables upstairs and downstairs. That person is never hospitable or nice, but hey, I would be crabby and rude too, if i had to serve the whole cafe myself. They really should stop being cheap and hire a second person, or at least hire staff that can actually hack it. In general, I find vegans and vegan establishments really nice, down-to-earth, and always good to their patrons. Probably because us vegans/ vegetarians are a rare breed and we feel the need to look after one another. Scrumpy feels differently though, to be fair, they're not entirely vegan, but from what I have been told, they are the "vegan" place to eat in town. I would never come back here again. They give vegans/ vegetarians a bad name. Also, my hard earned cash should not be spent on establishments that don't appreciate my business and are super rude to me. I also know of other places in town that serves vegan friendly dishes, albeit they're not officially vegan.

This is a lovely cafe to go to when the weather is cold and miserable, it's got a very cosy homey…read morefeel to it. The staff were friendly and very chilled and we all really enjoyed our food: my omlette was so tasty and filling, and my sister's hummus and fallafal plate went down a storm! I really liked this place as a whole but the reason I docked two stars was because of the really really bad quality of their drinks; I had the house wine which was nothing short of vinegar-esque, my sister had the "smoothie" which was nothing more than a half-filled glass of watery fruit juice with a thick layer of foam at the top, and our friend went for the milkshake which literally looked like a glass of milk that had been jiggled around for a bit (no trace of any ice cream in the mix) My advice with this place is go here when in search of good value, filling food, but don't waste your money on the beverages!..

A lovely contemporary cafe in a central location. My regular order is a vanilla latte and a slice…read moreof their famous and exquisite Victoria sponge which is without doubt the best on offer in Newcastle! The cakes and pastries on display are all very appealing and don't disappoint. The main menu however does tend to lack in variety and can be quite pricey. I've had the steak recently which was cooked perfectly to my request so no complaints there but it was rather dry and lacking in the complimentary sauce. You do have to order and pay at the counter so be aware if you are dining alone you will need to put an item of clothing on your seat as otherwise someone may well be sitting there on your return! The staff are very friendly and accommodating where able but it does get busy as it is a popular venue so there can be a wait for your order. There is outdoor seating available if the weather permits which is great for people watching and soaking in the city centre atmosphere. A definite must for coffee and cake!

Simple and stylish little cafe in the shopping district of Newcastle. I did enjoy it and wish I…read morecould bestow a slightly more favorable 3.5. However, my chicken sandwich was bland and hardly 'grilled' as was advertised. It'd be fine if they had not put 'grilled' as the major adjective, but they did so that's kind of what I was expecting. The fries accompanying it were actually thin and delicious but not enough to make up for the sandwich I eagerly awaited as it took some time for the food to come out, despite it not being super busy. The fish cakes were reported to be good but lacking some kind of kick or perhaps some citrus to cut through the creamy bed on which it floats. The prices are a bit high and the menu isn't very creative though it is well-thought out with lots of variety and several Asian-inspired dishes. Points for seasonal ingredients meaning that the menu changes often. (Which is handy as I had a glance at it right now and it looks better than last month). I wouldn't be opposed to giving it a second visit. Perhaps next time with my parents as it gives you that clean-cut 'bring your parents here' feel. If I come again I will give the scrumptious looking pastries a go!

We couldn't help but smile upon entering Settle Down. This is the place you want to have lunch, it…read morereally is. It's strikingly cosy, the food looked delicious and fresh, and the staff were bright and cheery. Not to mention, the swinging jazz music which welcomed us, which was a quirky addition. We knew we were on to something good when we entered to the most pleasant of aromas. 'What is that smell?!' - We just had to ask. It could have been a mixture of numerous delicious tasty concoctions but the overwhelming warm scent of 'the tangy Thai soup' oozing from the kitchen teased our hungry lunchtime bellies. With quite the selection of herbal tea, including some interesting loose leaf options, it's the perfect spot for tea in the toon. There's also fresh milkshakes too! I opted for a pot of apple and mint tea based on the waitress's recommendation and I wasn't disappointed. Mmm! We took a seat and awaited lunch whilst admiring the homely and bright interior. It wasn't long till I was in Thai soup heaven with a delicious bowl of thick, creamy, just-the-right-amount-of-spice tasty tang! Accompanied by a delicious tuna, cheese, olives and caramelised onion sandwich, it made for a fine lunch. Seriously yummy stuff and a mega bargain at just £4.50! This was a definite highlight of our time in Newcastle, for sure. And if Newcastle is on the cards again, I've no doubt that it'll be Settle Down that calls me back for lunch. Settle down and enjoy!

The Settle Down is a cafe which shares space with a great independent record shop (alt vinyl) and a…read morecutting edge contemporary gallery (satellite) in the centre of newcastle upon tyne. the cafe serves toasted ciabatta sandwiches, great salads, homemade cakes, hearty soups, simple breakfasts and great coffee and tea. eat in or take out- great service from friendly staff. this tiny place is a beautifully styled cafe- old school chairs, battered wooden floor, nice bits of original art on the walls, nick-nacks spread about the place, a toy kitchen for kids to play with, cool lighting, a couple of stylish old macs providing free internet access. also great (and usually pretty obscure) music provided by the record shop. the opening hours are 8am-7pm, so it's one of the few places in newcastle where you can actually get a decent coffee and a lovely bite after 5pm. breakfasts are simple and cheap. everything's pretty cheap, in fact. set on a pedestrianised square, it's just a couple of minutes from central station, so the whole city is within easy reach and transport links are excellent. also nearby: premier apartments hotel, dance city, carling academy / o2 academy, journal tyne theatre, the centre for life / the life centre, tilleys, the forth, newcastle arts centre, black swan yard, hair mechanics, discovery museum, the salsa club, china town / stowell street, the gate, blackfriars, newcastle arena, st james park, westgate road, fenham.

One of the cutest places you will ever eat. The staff could not have been more welcoming and…read moreaccommodating due to food allergies. The menu has a lot of options and the portions were great. When you order a side of bacon it comes in a bowl. The parties are worth a shot as well. The restaurant is like a house with more seats upstairs. It's very welcoming

This food was so good that it made me sad I don't have an Olive & Bean where I live (US). Attentive…read moreservice and a quaint, cute atmosphere.

For those who have read my previous review I have upped my rating to a fantastic four stars…read more.. I went in on a busy Monday lunch time to have around a 5 minute wait in a small que - this place is quaint inside so always seems packed but serve is quick. Last time I was here I opted for the panini but this time I gave one of their jacket potatoes a go. Deciding to go for a topping of tuna and cheese I was asked if I wanted the cheese on before or after (nice touch), if I wanted the side salad (lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers) and also the addition of a slaw when asked. Made with purple cabbage it was a tasty touch. Paying 3.80 it was a steal when I saw the sheer amount of food I got for my money! I didn't eat for the rest of the day! Why didn't I give it 5* - no option for baked beans?! Definitely a staple for any jacket potato....

A lovely friendly deli-style sandwich shop right opposite Florita's, not far from Central Station…read moreand the Bigg Market. There is always a good choice of fresh ingredients, and some interesting mixes of filling. My favourite is sweet chilli chicken with peanut butter :-) Yummmmm... They also do wraps, salad boxes and Ciabatta toasties (I had pastrami and swiss with jalapeno and sweet chilli dressing today, that'll keep the cold at bay! Woo! They do proper coffee and a reward card, and some nice cakes savouries like bhajis and cumberland sausage sandwich. I had soup and a bun a couple of weeks back, which was very warming. Today it was parsnip, carrot and apple I believe! Interesting! The place is rather "compact and bijou" though, but there is space in the window on the red and chrome stools to shelter from the rain. The decor is American/Italian diner in feel, with chalk boards, and there is often music playing. The team behind the counter are very smiley and friendly, and Duncan, Kevin and Sophie will quickly recognise you when you go back, and welcome you like old friends, unlike the miserable pond life at Subway! Apparently they do outside catering too, although I haven't seen what that consists of. The web site is http://www.thehippohouse.com

Good price for the incredibly large portions of food. Service was okay but generally a little dull…read more Very student oriented, some artsy drink presentations but they're more inconvenient rather than impressive.

I was very excited to go to a new brunch place, that had some items not seen on a normal menu…read more Breakfast can be so same-y, so immediate points for ambition and creativity. The place feels hip and buzzy, and was packed on a Saturday morning. You get your table first, and order at the counter, which I confess I like as it speeds the whole thing up and you aren't waiting about. High chairs available for little ones, and it's pleasantly noisy enough that if your kid moans a bit while they wait for food, it probably won't bother anyone. Another plus! I was so excited to order fried chicken and waffles, NOT a thing you can normally find in this corner of the world. And they were really close, but it pains me to admit the dish fell short of expectations. The chicken was fine - not too dry, good level of breading (Cornflakes do give it a good crunch!), but tragically underseasoned. I suppose the maple and honey hot sauce was meant to carry it through, and it did help, though I think it was a bit overpowering. The waffles were more soft than crisp, but nice and faintly sweet. The sweet/savoury combo worked well for me, and it satisfied a craving despite being a little underwhelming. The blueberry pancakes were okay. They were served with one of those novelty syringes full of maple syrup, but that's a bit silly and doesn't really work well in like, a functional way. The pancakes themselves were a bit style over substance. They didn't have the best flavour, nor were they as fluffy as you hope American pancakes to be. The compote tasted mainly of frozen blueberries, and the vanilla ice cream just sort of melted all over the whole thing and frankly could've been left out of it. This sounds very complainy, but honestly it was fine - it just looks like it will be SO GOOD and then it's just perfectly fine, and that discordance leads to disappointment. I wouldn't object to giving it another go as I really liked the atmosphere and I just appreciate having something a bit different for a change, but I do think the look of the food managed to eclipse the taste, which is a bit of a shame. We ordered a side of sausages, mainly for my husband and son's benefit, and my husband reported them to be pretty awful. He was really annoyed about that. I have to say though, prices of the dishes were £8.50 and £7.50 respectively, and that's a very good deal for a hip-looking place in the centre of town. Maybe they will continue to find their feet and I think it is worth another try - probably wouldn't order the sausages though.

This is a busy place especially at lunchtime and very popular for takeaway food as well as eating…read morein. They have some good deals, especially for breakfast and the staff are friendly. Nice soups and a good range of sandwiches etc. Coffee are also very nice! There is a rack on the wall with free postcards and they are great - lovely, quirky designs.

Stopping in Durham on our way home from Newcastle wasn't originally planned, but we're so glad we…read moredid. Not only is a it a beautiful and historic place to visit, but we had the good fortune to come upon Tealicious Tea Room, on Elvet Bridge. Already busy as we entered even though it was within the last hour of opening that day, we were lucky enough to find a table, so we sat down and had a read of the menu. The decor is simple and classic, the perfect understated tea room. We read the menu and a friendly smiling staff member came over to take our order. We chose to go for a high tea for two, but were told that as it was near the end of the day, all of the scones had sold out (I'm not surprised), but instead offered us a toasted teacake, which was just as good if you ask me. For our tea I chose vanilla Earl Grey, and my partner chose the house blend. The tea was brought first, and as expected, was of a superb quality, and very enjoyable indeed. Our high tea came not long after, and we were surprised, as we this high tea was presented on a traditional cake stand, more akin to a traditional Afternoon Tea. We most certainly did not complain! The bottom tier started us with our sandwich choices, we chose roast ham on brown, and regional cheese and chutney, also on brown. These came with side sauces of a very tasty mustard mayonnaise, and the chutney mentioned, as well as some crisps. The centre tier was taken up by two giant slabs of cake! Real big boy sizes! My partner chose a mixed berry cake, and although I was greatly tempted by a salted caramel cake, I opted for a lemon Victoria sponge. The sandwiches were very enjoyable, and the cakes were absolutely delicious! Wonderfully moist and flavourful, but never becoming sickly or too much. The top tier for now simply had jam and cream on it, as our friendly member of staff told us just to give her a nod when we were ready for our toasted teacake, so we could still have it warm. I didn't get a photo of it, but it was huge, and wonderfully light and tasty. We really enjoyed this impromptu little visit to Tealicious, and we appreciate that although they were busy and it was nearing closing, we never felt rushed or that we were a bother. The staff were friendly, polite, and helpful, and made us feel welcome. Whenever we next venture to Durham, we will definitely be returning to Tealicious!

As an American, we were searching for a place to have proper tea. This lovely tea shop did not…read moredisappoint. The tea was spectacular with several dozen to choose from. Delicious sandwiches, sausage rolls, sweet and savory scones and a variety of amazing sweets. Make a reservation and go, you won't be disappointed.