A Visit to Meet and Treat Cafe

March 13, 2017 by Rachel Kershaw in Eating Out 7

I recently discovered a hidden gem of a cafe in Newcastle and I simply had to share it with you; Meet and Treat is located on Bath Lane, close to the Tyne Theatre and Opera House. I found it by taking the short walk from Gallowgate along Stowell Street which is so pretty at night as it’s decorated all the way long with colourful Chinese lanterns.

Meet and Treat looked so inviting from the outside and as soon I stepped through the door I knew I had stumbled upon somewhere special. The decor was colourful and cosy, the atmosphere was relaxed and informal and the aromas coming from the kitchen immediately made my tummy rumble!

The quirky little corners of Meet and Treat provide lots of opportunities for Instagram pics and I particularly loved the wall mural of these two smiley little kids…

I got the impression that children are very welcome at Meet and Treat, there was even a stack of board games and coloured pencils to keep them entertained the good old fashioned way!

When it came to the food I was surprised to find such a vast and varied menu, Meet and Treat immediately gives a good impression as the perfect place for coffee and cake but there’s a lot more than that to tantalise your tastebuds!

The selection of ‘small bites’ was tantalising and right up mine and James’ street. Options included Deep Fried Won Tons, Pan Fried Lemongrass Pork and Jelly Fish with Chicken & Spicy Sauce (cold). There was also an array of Soup Noodle dishes, Gua Boa (similar to steamed buns), rice dishes, wraps and salads, plus a selection of breakfast dishes available all day… fancy Eggs Benedict at 4pm? You got it!

The dining style at Meet and Treat is very informal, dishes are all freshly cooked and served up as soon as they’re ready which might not necessarily be in the order you requested them but I’m a fan of that, it works particularly well with large groups who are all happy to share.

James was intrigued by the cold Jelly Fish dish from the small bites menu and I couldn’t resist trying a Teriyaki Chicken Bao. We were both delighted to try something a bit different and pleasantly surprised at the generous portion sizes. We ordered them thinking they would make nice starters but they were actually large enough to make a perfect lunch! Most dishes are available to take away so I will definitely be popping in to grab one of those soft and squishy chicken baos on my lunch break!

The huge dishes you can see me pictured with above are from the Soup Noodles menu, James went for Malaysian Style King Prawn Noodles and I had Chicken Katsu Noodles. The food was delicious and there was certainly plenty of it!

The chicken in my dish was very succulent and and James’ prawns were fat and juicy too, although a little overcooked for his liking, making the shells a bit of a pain to remove. There was a spicy kick to the prawn dish which James loved and despite there being so much food it didn’t leave us feeling bloated, in fact I even managed to find room for dessert!

There was a mouthwatering array of sweets to choose from, there was even a chilled cake counter at the coffee bar but I couldn’t resist the temptation of a Banana and Salted Caramel Waffle. Much to James’ delight it was big enough to share as he hadn’t ordered a dessert of his own. I can honestly say it was one of the most delicious desserts I’d had in a long time!

You may notice that there was no alcohol to accompany our meal at Meet and Treat, no we’re not on the wagon, Meet and Treat is not licensed but you are welcome to BYOB. Although to be honest, we really didn’t miss a wine or beer as there were so many interesting beverages to choose from; a wide range of coffees, smoothies, shakes, loose teas and iced teas plus refreshing Belvoir soft drinks, we were spoilt for choice!

All of these things combined make Meet and Treat one of the most unique and welcoming places to eat and drink in Newcastle City Centre and I will definitely be back in the near future!

Have you discovered any hidden gems in Newcastle? I’d love to hear about them!

Our meal was complimentary but our review is as honest as ever.