Blake’s

One member of staff was extremely cold and hostile, no welcome, no eye contact, no please or thank you when exchanging money. I had the cheese, tomato and red onion toastie, distinctly average.

Whilst working from the Newcastle office one Friday me and my colleague decided to go out for lunch given we don’t see each other to often! We work on Collingwood Street so this place was just far enough away for us to get some fresh air. I’ve seen it so many times but never actually been in!
We arrived pretty early so we managed to get a cosy booth in the corner to people watch from! We spent a while at the counter deciding what to have (theres no real menu here — but I get the feeling you could order anything and the staff would make it up for you!). The breakfast menu looked good from your full english to eggs Benedict and the other usual sandwich suspects.
I opted for a jacket potato with prawns and dill which sounded good — it was slightly more expensive than the standard jacket options but I wanted something I wouldn’t have made myself! I must say I was torn between some of the amazing looking sandwiches on offer — the chicken Caesar looked particularly good and so did some of the pork filled melts!
After ordering we took our obligatory wooden spoon and it was around 5 – 10 minute wait before our food arrived. The prawns came in a marie rose sauce and mixed with the dill and seasoning the sauce was great. The jacket itself was warm but not piping which I was a bit disappointed about — having said that thought the prawns being cold may have cooled it down somewhat anyway.
Blakes is a good place to nip in for a working lunch which was perfect for our needs! Decent grub and far better than packing into your nearest Starbucks or costa! I’ll be back again no doubt!

I’ve walked past this coffee shop several times whilst pretending to be posh walking down the fancy part of Newcastle but only went in after meeting our lovely Unilocal ambassador (check her out!)
Blake’s is located a short walk from the big Grey’s momument and situated opposite the theatre so it’s easy to find. It’s actually smaller and much more relaxed than I had originally thought.
Inside, the décor is very mixed: rustic wooden tables and chairs of various shapes and sizes, wooden beams, well-​worn wooden floors, low ceiling, raised platforms, big Moroccan-​style lamps, Victorian-​like frames, modern counters and a 60’s jazz statue! I’m not sure what to make of the mish-​mash taste but it does definitely make this coffe shop stand out from the others filled with young friendly staff and your local caffeine addicts.
I had a cheeky hot chocolate-​on the menu it was described lushly but I can’t say that I haven’t had better. It was made very quickly and lacked the hot from the name. The price is pretty average and having had a look at the menu, I would say there’s a good selection of food for a light lunch or hearty breakfast with a decent vegetarian choice range. The atmosphere was pleasing and not so loud that we couldn’t hold a conversation. It wasn’t too crowded either.
Beware! The table legs are a little awkward and the tables are a little wonky… I managed to lose half of my drink before I sat down (luckily, there was lots of tissues I could help myself to)! This may not be the best place for clumsy people like me… but I’d say that I would come again to try the food (I’ve heard that the pancakes are pretty good) but I may skip the beverages.

Blake’s is one of my regular hotspots in the city centre. Situated amidst the plethora of modern bars lining one of Newcastle’s most prestigious streets is this quirky traditional coffee house offering fantastic home cooked food and of course… caffeine!
Quirky décor with a mish mash of wooden tables and chairs with some on slightly elevated positions near the window where you can soak in the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The food is fabulous! I often take advantage of the breakfast menu which is served until 2pm… the pancakes with bacon and maple syrup are highly recommended. They also offer a range of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and cakes.
No WiFi frustratingly so I do have to move on if I am intending to do work for any length of time. The staff are very friendly however and I have been here so many times recently I am only one coffee away from my free drink using my stampcard!
Finally don’t miss out on Blake’s monthly comedy night after hours and each Friday they showcase live music so don’t be fooled into thinking Blake’s is just a coffee house open in traditional hours!

Wonderful building and great staff!
Had a great lunch here with a group of friends and basked in the sunlight outside. The staff were so courteous and told us about the various places in Newcastle to visit.
I had the smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and it was delicious! Great place to visit and have a chat with the staff!

Traditional coffee shop. Selling awesome coffee, and food including: soup, sandwiches and paninis. Really nice ‘mismatched’ atmosphere.

A bit of an odd, offbeat, quirky place with a Victorian feel. This place gets absolutely packed out at busy periods and so it can be difficult to get a seat. It is right in the middle of the main area of town so it gets a lot of the passing trade as well as people popping in before the theatre as it is opposite the theatre Royal. Their prices are definitely at the higher end considering this is a café as opposed to a restaurant. But they do serve nice sandwiches and cakes as well as very good coffee. It is pleasant to sit inside in the interestingly decorated environment — it does have a Dickensian feel to it, with books featuring prominently in the décor. It is very clean and the staff are polite and friendly.

Thank you smoking ban. Local restaurant/​coffee house that is always packed. Shuts in evening but looks like it would be a great private hire plac if they did offer it!
Just a little further down Grey street than Starbucks on the way to the Quayside. Much beter afetr no smoking ban came into place. Veggie sausage+salsa sarnie tops. Do nice cake selection if you are not full

Blake’s is a little bit out of the way if your main shops are based on Northumberland Street or Eldon Square. It is well worth a wander down Grey Street and as you will see, it’s practically opposite the Theatre Royal. This coffee house has been open for years and some people have said that it has recently gone down hill. I on the other hand, have only been here once so I wouldn’t know. When I stopped by here for lunch I was amazed to find so many tasty vegetarian options to choose from. I’m talking, different salads, sandwiches on gorgeous bread, pies, quiche and spicy bean burgers. My cappucino was nice enough, not particularly special. However, the spicy bean burger could have been eaten again and I’ll probably get the same next time. The slice of apple pie was perfect too. Other desserts included caramel squares, puddings and biscuits. And there is also a breakfast menu which includes salmon and scrambled egg on toast. Good fair prices.

Blake’s has a very traditional feel to it. There is a sign outside saying when it was established and it truly feels like the place has been going for centuries. The inside is quite simple with a few mismatching tables and lots of chunky wooden beams. There are all sorts of sandwiches displayed behind the counter or you can ask for your own combination. This is a traditional sandwich place so if you go to Blake’s you have to tuck into a sarnie (I’m not even sure they serve any other kind of food.). It’s ideal for a quick lunch if you are shopping in town or even just a coffee if you aren’t feeling peckish. The prices aren’t too bad although I think the quality of the food is slightly overrated.