The appetite team loves a trip to Corbridge, just a short drive from the office and full of all things foodie
When it comes to a serious lunch meeting (which generally means talking about food, shoes, and the best bits of last night’s telly) we like the restaurant, wine bar and deli Il Piccolo on St Helens Street. Il Piccolo has been in the Tyne Valley for 21 years and chef Emanuele Orto uses only the best seasonal produce. His new party menu (£25pp) features venison sausage with a chestnut and red wine sauce to start and pork medallions with lemon, sage, butter and white wine. Buon appetito!
Il Piccolo, St. Helens Street www.ilpiccolo.co.uk
When we’re cooking at home and need some advice on the best cut of meat, we visit to Jim Higginson at J.D. Hall Butchers on Hill Street. Jim has been in the business for more than 20 years and is always happy to share his knowledge. We also recommend that you pick up a steak and carrot pasty while you’re in there; it’s the perfect lunchtime treat.
J.D. Hall Butchers, Hill Street
If we’ve tired ourselves out with too much browsing and wandering, we’ll pop into Watling Coffee House on Watling Street for a coffee, a fab scone and a chat. It’s been here for more than 30 years, and is packed with homemade goodies. The lunchtime specials are a particular favourite of ours, and there are themed nights coming up in the new year, too…watch this space.
Watling Coffee House, Watling Street
Café No.6 is also a favourite for a quick pit stop. The homemade cakes and biscuits are a fab little treat and the homely décor makes it the perfect place to get away from the office for a little bit. There are sandwiches and paninis on the menu too, if you’re feeling a little more peckish.
Café No. 6, Market Place
The highlight of any trip to Massey’s is standing in front of the homemade cakes, every one of them delicious (yes, we’ve tried them all) and deciding which one we’ll have. This routine normally ends in three pieces being ordered with extra forks and sharing. The lunch menu is extensive, the homemade soups are a highlight and the corned beef pie is highly recommended.
Massey’s Tea Room, Middle Street
Tea and Tipple is a bit of an all rounder for team appetite. We’ll pop in to grab a really quick coffee and talk work, or spend hours in there drinking endless cups of tea, eating biscuits and flicking through everything from the morning’s paper to a dog-eared book (although that’s normally reserved for a Saturday afternoon visit!).
Tea & Tipple, Market Place, teaandtipple.blogspot.co.uk
As the appetite team is heading back along the A69 to the office following a trip to Corbridge, we’re often tempted to pop into Brocksbushes Farm Shop. It’s packed with fresh produce from the farm, as well as homemade goodies and gifts. The tea room is a great place to grab a coffee or lunch and watch the world go by.
Brocksbushes Farm, www.brocksbushes.co.uk
A favourite with cooks who visit from far and wide, this is surely one of the best-loved cook shops in the region. Home to a range of quality goods for home cooking, baking and cake decorating, storage, gadgets, giftware, homeware, and hardware, it’s a legend in its own lunchtime, and deservedly so.
Corbridge Cookshop, www.corbridgecookshop.co.uk
