A new dining experience has landed in Whitley Bay as fine dining, afternoon tea and all-day breakfasts come to the menu of an old local favourite that has undergone a huge transformation.
The news was announced in October that Cullercoats Coffee Co. had taken over the popular seafront venue Cafe 19, with the new owners undergoing a £225,000 refurbishment to give the venue a major makeover before the grand reopening in November. This is set to be followed by a second refurb early next year, which will see the cafe expanded to the second floor of the East Parade building to offer a private dining experience.
Cafe 19 is the fourth venue from the Cullercoats company, with others having popped up across the coast in Cullercoats, Tynemouth, and most recently in the form of a French-style bistro elsewhere in Whitley Bay which opened its doors in August. The new owners have decided to keep the original Cafe 19 name to honour the beloved venue’s standout reputation in the town, but the menu has been revamped to offer something completely new.
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The refurbished cafe includes a bakery section offering cakes and pastries - and coffee, of course - as well as soups, sandwiches and salads from lunchtime with freshly baked bread from Pure Knead Bakery. And the full food menu was launched just last month, offering all-day breakfasts from 8am as well as hot lunch dishes and children’s options.
One of the biggest differences that sets the new venue apart from its namesake is that the Cullercoats Coffee Co. take on Cafe 19 now offers an evening dining menu. A handful of customers became the first to try the dishes at the start of December in a special tasting event.
Priced at £35 for three courses including a glass of wine, the set menu included plenty of fish dishes inspired by the coastal location from crispy cod cheeks to North Sea hake, as well as other dishes such as ham hock, braised ox cheek, and confit pork belly. The dessert section featured the likes of lemon posset, chocolate mousse, and apple tarte tatin.
A “fine dining” experience is available to try at Cafe 19 on Friday evenings, rustled up by last year’s Masterchef: The Professionals contestant Eddie Saint, and customers will be able to try a new Sunday lunch offering in a set menu event this weekend too. Afternoon tea is also available throughout the week, with wine tasting and cocktail evenings in the pipeline for the venue’s future.
The grand plans for Cafe 19 form part of the vision that Paul Stonebanks, his wife Joanne, their 19-year-old son Cole and business partner Lauren Peters have had since taking over Cullercoats Coffee Co. in October last year - to have five venues under their belt within five miles along the North East coast, with each one offering something unique. The family team are currently eyeing up the final jewel in the Cullercoats Coffee crown at North Shields Fish Quay - so there’s likely much more to come from the Tyneside business next year.
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