An Edible Voyage

March 2021 There are 100s, possibly 1000s, of places to buy a coffee in Newcastle, but how to find the great amongst the good? Let me point you in the direction of   Pink Lane Coffee.   With a café that oozes cool on, you guessed it, Pink Lane, this speciality coffee roasters is dedicated to sourcing and roasting the best single origin and responsibly sourced beans from growers around the world. With their rotating filter coffees, as well as all the espresso-based classics, there’s something for every mood.   And with their white, milk and dark hot chocolate options, even non-coffee drinkers could be persuaded to venture in. Find Pink Lane Coffee on Pink Lane, almost opposite the central station.

November 2020 It seems that creativity with vegetarian and vegan foods these days is exploding and some of the most exciting flavour combinations I've come across recently are in these cuisines.  So when researching food stops for my weekend in Newcastle, Little Green Social was high on my list.  On a lovely, leafy Sandyford street close to Heaton Park, the family-run Little Green Social serves up all things vegan - think pizzas, doughnuts, Sunday roasts, and burgers made with the chef's homemade tempeh.   The Celeriac Reuben caught my eye and oh boy was it good - probably winning the coveted title of the most delicious sandwich I've ever eaten! Creamy salt baked celeriac, punchy sauerkraut, oozy cheese, and the tastiest poppy seed rye.  I left Newcastle wishing I lived close to this place so I could have it on an at least weekly basis! Find the Little Green Social on Goldspink Lane in Sandyford.

November 2020 My first visit to Newcastle upon Tyne meant the excitement of researching the bakery, coffee and general food scene.  Small batch microbakeries with exceptional hand crafted baked goods are the places of my dreams, so Northern Rye was top of my list, and I planned my journey to arrive in Newcastle at dawn on a Saturday so I could be first in line! I underestimated the popularity of this place though - it seems since opening on the river bank in Byker in June 2020, Northern Rye has gained a dedicated fan base.  Following the Ouseburn through Newcastle's creative quarter with its old warehouses sympathetically refurbished in to contemporary housing and office space, I could see the queue long before I could see Northern Rye!  The riverside spot made for a scenic location for some weekend people watching and the wait was more than worth it.  I was greeted with a handsome display of coconut and blackcurrant croissants, ginger and fennel buns, deliciously me...