If you haven't tried Minchellas icecream then you haven't lived! They are a family-run independent…read moreicecream chain and they have various little cafes and kiosks around the North East area. They have been around as far back as I can remember (20+ years). Their cafe is cosy and has recently been refurbished with an outside seating area being added for the summer months. Their own icecream is absolutely delicious, as is their raspberry sauce. I believe you can also buy tubs of their icecream to take home with you, and it is cheaper than the leading brands so well worth it. They also sell branded items like ice lollies, and also tea coffee and other snacks. The assistants are usually very young school-leavers, though they have always been friendly enough to me.

this is a family run business and is without doubt the best ice cream available in south shields…read more The choice of ice creams available is nope than enough to keep the most demanding kids happy including the older kids like myself. The range of coffees and toasties as well as cakes and snacks are good and are all freshly made and great tasting. A trip to shields xhuh or without the family has to include a trip to minchella's to make the day feel authentic.

A very long list of desserts can be found here - sundaes, milkshakes, hot cookie dough, (dessert)…read morewaffles, (dessert) crepes, various coffees and teas, gelato, cakes, cheese cakes, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some... it took me about 10 minutes to decide what to eat. I opted for the strawberry N butterscotch waffle, upgraded to an M&M waffle. Served with either whipped cream or vanilla soft serve - I chose the ice cream. The waffle is a good size waffle with M&Ms throughout, then topped with a healthy portion of chopped strawberries and drizzled with butterscotch syrup and white chocolate flakes. The vanilla soft serve is what you can expect from being vanilla soft serve. The hot cookie dough was awesome too! Served with vanilla soft serve as well (most desserts come with the option), we chose the cookie dough with smarties but there's about 5-6 choices. Hot and delicious! Needless to say... super full after splitting the cookie dough and having 1 whole waffle. My friend got the brownie waffle and devoured hers as well. Cookie dough was around 5.50 pounds & waffle was about 6.50 plus the 1 pound up charge for m&m based waffle. I would recommend if you have a sweet tooth!

Being the type of girl who would deliberately miss out on a starter to make sure I have room for…read moredessert...when I heard that Kaspa's was a dessert only diner I felt it was a necessity to give it a go! Firstly it does have an American diner feel to it with the high back booths and pink and black colour scheme but they don't offer table service like you might expect. You get taken to your seats and provided with menu's but then place your order at the till when ready. The menu is quite simply divine!! Waffles,crepes,ice cream sundaes and cheesecakes galore make it a difficult decision but eventually I set my mind to a 'strawberry and waffle cheesecake'. It appeared the staff were unaware of this option on the menu as I was asked both at the till and at my seat to clarify my order. My friend's ice cream sundae was brought to the table very quickly but I was left waiting and our drinks were nowhere to be seen. Then they brought me a plain strawberry cheesecake....needless to say I sent it back only to be told they didn't have the one I ordered and I had to change my order to a waffle. My friend had by this point demolished her ice cream. So overall the service was fairly poor however it is early days and teething issues are bound to crop up! The waffle I eventually got with Nutella and coconut flakes was gorgeous-huge portion and I felt satisfied but not overly stuffed after it! Definitely recommend it and I only hope the customer service improves!!

Special ice cream available here. Makes me want one even in the rain!read more

Will from Isle Of Man will@blackfords.net :-)read more

The Marcantonio family opened their first ice-cream parlour in Newcastle in 1902, and they still…read moremake pretty much the best ice-cream in town. I have to say, I have some hazy halcyon childhood memories of ice-cream sundaes or coke-floats in this place, so that may perhaps colour my perceptions of it somewhat. But I've taken children recently, and their faces light up in the same way I'm sure mind did. They have 4 cafes around the town centre, but this is the one I am constantly drawn back to. Set on the edge of town proper, opposite the Haymarket bus-station and near the University (with St. James not to far either!) it just feels a little more laid-back than the town-centre branches. As soon as you go in there's a more old-school feel than your modern coffee bars, accentuated by the photos of the store through the ages and the ice-cream carts which line the walls. The clientelle tends more towards locals and shoppers, with the students seemingly not noticing this is under their noses, so there is little modern cool (affected or otherwise) here, just a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. They have a good range of sanwiches, also generally available as baguettes, panini, or wraps, and a choice of hot-food including a classic all-day breakfast. There's a great selection of cakes, and the coffee is good if not the best in town. But really, its the ice-cream that draws people back here. As soon as you sit down your eye is draw to the colourful photos on the comprehensive sundae menu. Its hard to concentrate on the main course as your mind turns over the question of the inevitable desert. The choice is dizzying and inventive, with themes by flavour, or colour, or liquer. As soon as you've made your choice the inevitable question is Which will I have the next time?, as you know there'll be a next time as soon as you start eating your current choice. Like many of the best things the secret seems to be quite simple: just make great tasting ice cream. Like the classic gelati, this just tastes of what it should - freshly and vibrantly. The concept of Hey, I know what we should put in this strawberry ice cream: strawberries. Not those chemicals someone has decided make us think we're eating strawberries. As I say, simple, but all to often goes wrong, in this country at least. But not at Mark Toneys! Cones are available, for when you can't manage a whole sundae, and take-away is available on most items too. They've just opened a Subway next to this branch, and I'm hoping that doesn't draw too much food business away. But these guys have been doing this for over 100 years now - I'm sure they've seen off plenty of other pretenders in that time!

I only had a snack meal here and a cup of coffee but service was prompt, food was perfectly OK and…read morethe price was reasonable. The restaurant sells a wide variety of modest-cost dishes so this is a suitable place to eat if you simply need feeding in pleasant surroundings but it is not intended as a night out venue.

A proper old fashioned beach cafe and ice cream parlour!! Proper sundaes, along with hot chocolate…read morein the winter and all the snacks and bucket and spades you need for a proper day at this gorgeous beach.

On par with The ice cream in Seaton Delaval (see my other review) but for different reasons, this…read moreplace does the most magnificent ices. I'll point out that the Seaton Delaval ice cream place is known as Wriggis and has been run for generations by the same Italian family. Risis Ices is celebrating the company's 110th anniversary this year (2008) and it has been there since before the Tyne bridge was built. An Italian family started the business and still keep it running today. The ice cream on offer is all homemade and there are too many different flavours to choose from. There are traditional Italian ones like zuppa inglese to seasonal flavours such as Christmas pudding. Hot and cold drinks can be bought and there are plenty of cones and wafers. I usually go mad and get a glass filled colourful combo with the craziest colours and flavours topped with sprinklys and sauce. Don't even think about ordering vanilla because that would just make you look boring and dull. On a nice day you can take out and stroll along the picturesque quayside, or just sit on the window stools and chill. Simply the best ice cream ever!

Looks nothing special from the outside, the place is pretty much as it was in the 70's…read more Aesthetically nothing fantastic....however, go inside and ask one of the long- serving, friendly ladies for a tub of their regular freshly prepared ice cream. The ice cream speaks for itself...quite possibly the best I have tasted, just so smooth and creamy...great treat on the way down to the coast for a drive!!

Show your appreciation for probably the best ice cream in the world! Only sold at Crescent Cafe in…read moreSeaton Delaval. It was opened in 1925 with just the one original flavour. They may be adding to vanilla soon.

I know it's table service with stunning sea views and it was cosy but would I return - most…read morecertainly not. It was busy and noisy when we arrived but that tapered off. We each ordered two 2 courses (starter/main and main/dessert) so we could share a starter and a dessert. What was the worst of it? Well two main annoyances - plates were not hot not even close. Second the service took for ever especially waiting for our main course. I should add that the flat white coffee was poor enough too. The Fritto Misto starter was a mean portion of lukewarm, cheap fish like calamari and mussels and skinny slices of limp cold vegetables like red pepper - really unappealing. The main of cod and chips was just alright - the cod was neither thick nor generous, but it was fresh and the batter pleasant - and no discernible grease. With all the hype I'd heard of this place it was really disappointing. The portion of chips was mean and as the plates were lukewarm the food didn't stay hot long either. Plates for fish & chips need to be really very hot and there's no excuse for them not to be. The crumble dessert was ok. Not bad but not delicious. The crumble topping and ice cream were darn good. The mushy peas were darn good and the scraps (fried bits of batter) were exquisite - fried unhealthy and almost the best part of an otherwise truly forgettable meal. The staff were friendly and inefficient maybe because of the kitchen but I found no evidence of the great reputation I'd heard about the place. Would I go back - it's two star for the price paid, poor coffee, mean portions, cool plates and slow service - certainly not but it has aspects of good 3 star, just not enough.

This place is fantastic, lovely place right on the beach front. There is a lovely atmosphere, staff…read moreare friendly and attentive and helpful and we were warmly welcomed and food was delicious, especially the grilled haddock, with mushy peas and chunky chips. The sticky toffee pudding was a bit sickly though but loved this place and highly reccomend.