Since moving to Belfast, I’ve been trying to make more out of being so central and trying to visit more of the surrounding areas that I would never have thought of checking out while living at home.
The wider Newtownabbey area has been somewhere I’ve found myself visiting more frequently and after seeing The Cheeky Cherub on TikTok, I knew I’d have to stop in on my travels.
Located in Glengormley, the cake house immediately stands out for its beautiful aesthetics and atmosphere - the floral features and bunting details are very ‘Instagramable’.
Although still a bit too cold to sit on the outdoor picnic tables, I have no doubt this would be a brilliant spot in the summer to sit with a coffee and people-watch until you’re heart is content.
The menu is what you would expect from a classic lunchtime spot with a range of toasties, paninis, breakfast specials and salads and in my opinion, sometimes it’s hard to beat the classics.
We ordered a baked potato with tuna and mayo which came with coleslaw, some side salad and cheese, the firecracker panini with chicken, chipotle mayo, cheese and jalapeños and two coffees.
My panini was just the perfect size for a quick lunchtime feed - nice amount of sauce and spice and the creamy coleslaw on the side was a major bonus which I enjoyed every bite of.
I ordered a caramel iced latte because, despite the winds that would cut you outside, it’s never too cold for an iced latte. As far as iced coffees go it was spot on, presented very nicely in a mason jar and wasn’t too sweet which is always the fear when I order a syrup in my coffee.
Despite not being my cup of tea, my friend enjoyed his tuna baked potato which again was just the right amount of food on the plate for a quick lunch when you are out and about or passing through the area.
The real star of the show, probably given away by the name, was the slice of cake that we got to try (which I ended up eating all of.)
We got a slice of the chocolate orange cake with a dollop of fresh cream on the side and I will probably never not crave this for the rest of my days.
The cake itself was the perfect texture and wasn’t too heavy for a chocolate cake which I find can either make or break it when you order a dessert out - the buttercream was the best part and it had that really nice Terry’s Chocolate Orange flavour without it being overpowering.
I’d definitely make the drive to Glengormley just to try out all their other cakes on sale. Their range of tray bakes also seemed like they’d be a perfect sugar fix so I can see myself heading back in the near future.
The staff were all incredibly friendly too and our food came within no time of ordering which is always a plus when on a tight weekday schedule.
Our order came to just over £20 and for drinks, mains and a dessert to share, I think that is pretty reasonable compared to some of the lunches I have purchased in the city centre.
If you are looking for a good, honest, hearty lunch that won’t break the bank or a pretty spot for a cake and a tea, The Cheeky Cherub in my opinion is worth the trip to Newtownabbey (please grab me another slice of that cake if you do decide to visit!)
