This place proves you may have money but it don't buy class. It stays two stars but I did consider…read more1 star. For many years we've ordered our Christmas desserts - the pavlova is quite good, the sponge cake is excellent and the lemon meringue pie is truly awful rubbish apart from the meringue topping. All the dessert, cake and pastry prices really are top dollar for what is largely industrially processed, cheap fat and sugar - no butter in sight in most pastries. Their butter shortbread at £4 has butter but M&S is far better quality, less ingredients and far cheaper - a local bakery should be able to beat M&S on prices. We had stopped buying their flaky mince pies a few years ago as they are margarine based cheap fat with an unpleasant aftertaste while again M&S offer much more tasty butter flaky pastry at half the price. We also stopped buying the lemon meringue crap. And for my observation about class well it's this: Like many others we collect our goods on Christmas Eve and with Wu flu the queue outside on a bitterly cold winter morning, with a sharp wind, was very long indeed. We were in the queue about 40 minutes and noted others queuing comment on why the management weren't offering those queuing and freezing complimentary tea and coffee to warm them up. Goodwill is missing here. Once inside the social distancing evaporated so we froze for nothing which is falling. Fact is tea/coffee is a nominal cost and on a bitter winter day it's the human thing to do. As I said ya might have brass but it don't buy ya class.

Food is amazing. Cutlery and dishes have always been clean. Food isn't greasy or oily and the chips…read moreare perfect. 10/10 would recommend

homely wee food place quintessential hole-in-wall…read morehappy chicken pie Quiet. Comfortable. Super Cheap. Sweet little lady serving us. Just take a look at what you want, and get it. I got the chicken pie, salad, and tea. Generous portions, and the best looking salad I've seen in Ireland. You're plate will be filled, and your tummy full, for less than a fiver.

My favourite Cafe in Ireland! Homely atmosphere, lovely lady, quirky cafe! Food is homemade and…read moregreat prices! You get exactly what you want! Definitely recommended! Lovely hot chocolate and food is delicious! 5*

Newcastle is a gorgeous little seaside town that attracts a lot of traffic when the weather's good…read more I was there for the first time since I was a kid a few weeks ago, and while I was there, I called into Maud's for a cheeky little serving of Pooh Bear ice cream. The cafe is huge. There's loads of seating indoors and then also some outdoor, overlooking the water (which is lovely if you're lucky enough to get a good day!) They also do sandwiches and hot food, so it's usually packed to the rafters with residents and tourists alike getting fed, or cooling down with the best ice cream Northern Ireland has to offer.

I know what you are thinking, and yes I have reviewed Mauds Ice Cream parlours before, but this…read moretime it is a little different. Let me set the scene. After a impromptu camping trip to the Mourne mountains that included 9 lads, copious amounts of alcohol and 7 sleeping bags we needed some serious refuelling. Wondering into Newcastle town centre looking particularly bedraggled we were mountain men on a mission. The mission was to find somewhere to eat and the more greasy the food the better. But we also wanted somewhere we knew and that we could trust to deliver quality. Because a rogue meal could tip us over the edge. Swaying through the town centre suggestions were being thrown around willy nilly, "Subway?" "No, too Healthy!" What about KFC?" "Not open!" "What about Mauds?" "Do they do food or just ice cream?" "They do a greasy fry and a cup of tea for £4.75!" "Right that's sold it!" So we headed for Mauds café, it was a sunny day and the place was jam packed full of breakfast diners, we thought we would struggle for a spot but were directed to the outdoor decking. This was exactly what we needed to freshen us up, sea breeze, greasy sausages, bacon and enough fried bread to soak up the alcohol still sloshing around in our bellies. At £4.75 this was an absolute bargain, I would have paid that alone for the view from the outdoor decking. Mountains to your right and the Irish Sea to your left with Newcastle town centre in the middle. The hangover soon cleared up and we were back on our way. The staff were kind and comforting taking into account our state, there were even rumours Maud herself was working!

This place is open now about two weeks. For us it's very welcome. Up to now the choices here were…read moremostly junk food: KFC, Subway, Burger King who all sell completely rubbish coffee and industrially made over priced, processed junk food. There's pretty good coffee from Starbucks & Costa who each sell over-priced pre packed factory made food, but this new place provides freshly made good food in comfy surroundings and there's darn good Italian coffee too. The key idea here is to pick or build your own sandwich or salad from various breads, greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, rocket, then proteins which I recognise as chicken, pork, salmon; oddly there's cheeses like halloumi and feta listed on the menu under protein when these contain more fat than protein. Then dozens of choices of vegetables from avocado to olives, edamame to pineapple and a selection of fresh dressings. We had mushroom soup (€4) with crusty bread and butter added (95c) which was delicious and an artic wrap (like a soft tortilla) at €5.95 with roast chicken, lettuce, tomato and some Parmesan dressing. Again very tasty indeed. Then a cappuccino and a flat white (about €3 each). The coffees tasted great too. So all in all the bill for two was €16.65. The wifi didn't work and it seems this is a teething problem. The service was friendly too. There's an environmental aspect here as the serviettes are recycled, and soups are served in eco friendly cardboard bowl.

I whizzed by this fairly large coffee bar place at an unlawful speed a few weeks ago. I was…read moresurprised to see it there as it's well out of the town centre. It is however a five minute drive from the Crowne Plaza hotel and that is the connection that brought me to this coffee place. I think there's a Paypal business close by too. Anyway, I had to meet someone a second time and we had chosen the Crowne Plaza as a location on both occasions. But I had a problem returning here as the first time it was nigh on impossible to find a seat in the lobby, parking was difficult and worse still their coffee was pretty darn poor. I find it hard to tolerate lousy coffee when the price is set should £2. So when we met the second time there wasn't an available seat so I proposed we go to this Costa. We were there in under 10 minutes. Lots of easy parking too. It had a fair crowd inside. I was a bit surprised given its out of the way location. I'd imagine that very few would go there on foot. There's also a SuperValu supermarket in this place. We sat just inside the door with the heat of the sun through the huge front glass window giving me a false sense of springtime. I opted for a flat white which was a darn good portion and fairly tasty too. I did by pay so I don't know the cost. I didn't note any sign that they pay above minimum wage and I don't know anything about any employee benefits.

They have a really nice and huge selection. I go there at least once a week! They have super quick…read moreservice too! They have options for lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance and loads of other things like that. I would definitely recommend going there!

WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP! This place in actual fact deserves about 7 stars. It is FAB!!!! Okay, lets get…read moredown to brass tacks here, it is a bit off the beaten track, but you know me I will go to Hell in an hand basket for a good bun and or traybake (wasnt Helena Handbasket a 1970s drag queen??) its a short jaunt off the main road between Bessbrook and Mountnorris, look it up on Google maps or the AA road atlas or ask the sat nav woman to bring you to the door of Bide A While. You really will thank me, honestly this place will put most other eateries in the shade. Some lovely lady decided to build a large annex off the side of her house, now dont get me wrong this is no place for Anne Frank, its a large brightly lit airy conservatory type off shoot from the main house, lovely little tables and chairs not so crammed together that you feel you are almost having sex with the people sitting beside you like in some places I've been. Decor is bright and welcoming, tastefully furnished and with a distinctive homely feel without it being like sitting in your Grannys parlour. Now onto the menu. Tea, coffee and scones £1.50 ONE POUND FIFTY!!??? What, are we back in 1967? Too cheap! Slices of cake £2 and traybakes £1 I mean COME ON, this place is waaaaaay under priced for the absolute quality of stuff you are getting served up. We had soup and 2 THICK slices of the most delicious wheaten bread, a toasted sandwich and side salad, tea for 2, lemon cake and a humungous slice of apple tart, all for £12.80 I mean you just would not get it anywhere else. From what I remember the menu offered in the way of cakes (all I am interested in really) LEMON CAKE COFFEE CAKE LEMON MERENGUE RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE CHERRY BAKEWELL CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE APPLE AND STRAWBERRY TART APPLE TART RHUBARB TART SCONES MUFFINS Also on offer ASSORTED TRAYBAKES TOASTED SANDWICHES SOUP SALADS Tea, Coffee etc etc A really delightful menu, I cant say enough good things about this place, really it is an absolute treasure and if you dont try it then you are a fool, well worth the wee trip out into the countryside. She only opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday though. Best service and fayre by far anywhere about, cafes in Newry take note, THIS is how proper food should taste. Love it

Well I'd guess you could count the number of these soup, coffee and cake places around the country…read moreon one hand and likely have fingers left. When they say here that the food is home made its exactly that; this charming place is part of the home where the delightfully genteel couple who live here with Freddy. Freddy is a Doberman that one could, for now, hold in one arm and love. They had a dog called Charlie but alas it seems Charlie is no more and as anyone who owns pets knows the heartache at their loss we didn't enquire. We had our own Charlie on tow. Well more accurately on his lead. A rather demented and playful Bichon frieze - not ours but our son's. So another plus it's dog friendly even senseless, playful ones. So here we were. To use a Northern Ireland expression we were in the arse end of nowhere surrounded by fields in part of a house where soups, brown scones and cakes are made from scratch on the premises. I've photographed the menu. I had cauliflower & channa dal soup which came with two warm brown scones 'straight out of the oven' and served with a generous wedge of butter. Five star all the way, but if I were being very picky I'd have preferred the scones to have been baked a while longer and some more salt in the recipe, but that's personal taste. The soup was delicious, served hot and it was gently spiced. My wife opted for their vegetable soup again with two brown scones. There was a tomato & red pepper soup on offer too which was impressive given that the cook was operating in a space smaller than our bathroom at home. We were told that their lemon drizzle cake was ace so after the soups we had lemon drizzle and ginger cake. Again truly home made and darn good. Two other cake types were also available one chocolate brownie style and I don't remember the fourth. There isn't a coffee machine so no lattes frappos nor cappuccinos. I had French press (cafeteriere) coffee and my wife opted for hot chocolate. A selection of teas is also available. It's also a craft place with books, paintings, knitwear and similar for sale. As we enjoyed the food and the company I thought about James K a Yelp friend who writes wonderful reviews. He focuses on environmental considerations (green stars) and we should all remember there's no planet B, the earth is our only home. I guess like me he too would approve of the fact that there's no disposable plastic cups here, there's no coffee to go and there's an environmental sawdust eco toilet out back. I bet James that there's not many of these toilets in coffee bars in California and if that doesn't warrant 5 green stars for this place then I don't know what would.

Great spot this. I was new to the spa experience when I went here for the first time a couple of…read moreyears ago under duress. I was a convert pretty soon after getting to the place. Thanks to an overnight mid-week deal which they run throughout the year (check their website for it) we got a package, for a night, dinner and breakfast and unlimited use of the spa for the duration of the stay. My better half assured me I would like spas but I only went for the promise of a night in a nice hotel and being fed like a foie gras goose. Firstly the hotel surpassed my expectations, immaculately kept, luxurious furnishings and attentive, welcoming and friendly staff. Everything you'd hope to find if you were going to a hotel that you already expected to be a cut above the standard. The food was good too, to be completely honest although good, it was just a fraction below a standard that would be in keeping with the rest of the place. The breakfast was excellent so this just applies to the dinner. We were given a separate menu as part of the deal were there on so perhaps that is why, I've never eaten in the restaurant as a 'normal' diner, just when staying on the deal and eating off the deal menu. Finally the spa, it was amazing, a great pool with various massage features around it, 3 different types of sauna/steam room type things and, a fountain the dispenses ice shavings to close your pores after the hot treatments and two full body massage showers. There are too many other little touches and facilities that made the experience top class to go into here, so I'd urge you to try it for yourself as I've been quite a few times now and never yet been let down.