Filmore & Union has expanded its offering in Newcastle this week beyond their small outlet within Central Station. Taking over the unit previously occupied by Adriano’s Deli and No. 32 on Acorn Road in Jesmond, this is Filmore & Union’s first north East restaurant. Not much about the interior has changed since its previous tenants departed, although the company’s branding now adorn the white washed walls of this neighbourhood eatery.
Filmore are clearly trying to tempt Jesmond’s students in by offering them a 20% discount. The menu features a selection of breakfast options as well as healthy brunches and juices. 
There’s clear labelling too, which makes it so much easier for a vegan like myself. There are also gluten-free options available. Manager Emma says, ” I was getting more conscious about my health and what I ate as I like to go to the gym a lot. Whether you’re gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or just like to eat natural food and try new things, you can enjoy a really wide variety of drinks, breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner dishes, and gorgeous cakes. There’s so much stuff on the menu that you can’t find elsewhere, you just can’t get bored of it! And because we don’t use any refined sugar and all natural ingredients, it doesn’t leave you with that ‘post meal slump’ so it’s guilt free indulgence!”
I’m not really a calorie counter, although in the New Year my plan is to move to incorporating more whole foods into my diet. But it’s still December, so I warmed up while reading the menu with an oat milk Hot Chocolate. My non-vegan son chose the Savoury Pancakes (£9), which he had topped with double bacon as he doesn’t eat the listed egg. I have decided not to include a photo as images of meat can sometimes offend some of my vegan readers.
I opted for the vegan version of The Bench Press (£12), which came with a sweetcorn and chickpea cake. I found this quinoa salad Buddha Bowl surprisingly filling. The non-vegan items were substituted for guacamole and avocado so I didn’t feel I was getting a lesser portion of food by choosing the animal product-free version. 
The restaurant was quite busy during lunch service even though this was only the second day of service. The Teen asked if we could take cake home rather than staying for longer as he’s been feeling under the weather of late. 
Filmore & Union offer a Chocolate & Orange Brownie which is delicious so I ordered one to takeaway, along with a standard Chocolate Brownie for the boy. For those who are watching their figures or calories there are also miniature cakes or Super Seed Bars available instead.
We enjoyed our lunch and we’ll definitely be returning, especially as Filmore & Union in Jesmond are participating in the second Vegan Restaurant Week next month (8th-14th Jan 2018). There’ll be more news on the event in the upcoming weeks from Canny Food!
Thanks for reading,
Pip x
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