New to Newcastle’s cafe scene, I stumbled across The Garage when heading through the Shieldfield area. Located within an old garage – hence the name – this quirky cafe opened towards the end of 2017. Serving breakfasts and lunches, I popped in with a friend and Dinky to see what was available, especially for those with dietary requirements such as my own.
The reminders of its previous life are there still, with MOT signs and knick knacks from the garage dotted around. 
Featuring a select menu and a range of cakes, The Garage has a sign referencing allergies when you walk in. Rather than guessing what I could eat I asked what was vegan-friendly. None of the cakes were SFV, although there were gluten-free options available, which was a disappointment for me. 
With a choice of Bangers & Mash for meat eaters and Mushrooms on Toast, the dishes are home-cooked classics. I was pleased that dairy-free spread was available, as well as plant milk. The Garage are promoting seasonal produce and using Hexhamshire Organics veg boxes as the basis for many of their meals.
Dinky was given a little box of books and crayons to entertain her while we enjoyed our teas and had a natter. Coffee comes from Pilgrims, which is roasted on Holy Island, so there’s again a commitment to using local producers to source ingredients here. 
My friend ordered a Coronation Chicken sandwich, which was served on a warm baguette with crisps on the side. Apparently it was one of the best sandwiches she’d had in a while, which is high praise from someone who dines out more than I do!
My Cauliflower and Coconut Soup was just the ticket on a dreary day, especially with the generous wodge of fresh bread for dunking.
Lunch came in at a respectable £12 something, including our drinks, which we felt was reasonable enough. The menus change on a weekly basis and I hope in the future to see a couple of vegan cake options put into circulation. We tried 2 places in the vicinity for dessert afterwards and there was none to be had. Definitely a market for The Garage to exploit. As they are child-friendly and accessible – there’s parking outside – The Garage could have become the perfect tea and cake spot for me.
Thanks for reading,
Pip x
What a great find – the soup looks yummy!