Breakfast at Greyjoys, Gosforth

Simon and I recently found ourselves frantically dashing about Gosforth on a very wet and miserable Saturday morning looking for somewhere to go for breakfast. We had stomped our way up most of the high street feeling very underwhelmed by all of the menus we read until I finally remembered somewhere that I've been past on the bus so many times yet never visited - Greyjoys!

I pass a lot of places when I'm on buses and often find myself daydreaming out of the window thinking about all the cute little cafes and coffee shops I must visit. Unfortunately it's not too often that I actually make it to any of them, a sign perhaps that I should be writing them down rather than relying on my awful memory. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been past Greyjoys and thought about how we should pop in some time.

Gazing at Greyjoys from the bus window I'd always imagined it would be pretty tiny inside so I was surprised when we pushed open the door to discover that the coffee shop goes much further back than I'd imagined and actually seats around 40 people for breakfast. That said, on first look I really thought we'd be turned away as it looked like every seat was taken. Luckily Greyjoys isn't the kind of place where people shrug their shoulders and chuck you back out into the rain and we were enthusiastically greeted at the door and, on discovering that we hadn't got a reservation, were told they would do their best to make room for us.

Initially we were going to be sharing a table, until a cosy looking table for two suddenly became available at the back of the room and we happily threw off our wet coats and settled ourselves down for a good look at the menu.

The first thing I noticed, and something that always makes my proud North Eastern heart sing, was that across the top of the menu was a lovely list of all the local suppliers Greyjoys use to create their dishes. With loads of my favourites making an appearance including Charlotte's Butchery and Pink Lane Coffee - I knew that we were in very safe hands - this place was going to make a pretty fine breakfast!

The most important part of ordering breakfast is, of course, ensuring that you have a coffee in your hand as all the best menu decisions are, in my opinion, fuelled by caffeine. Simon ordered a latte which was really good although we both agreed perhaps on the small side. I'm the kind of person that likes my morning coffee in a cup big enough to swim in and this one was, unfortunately, over in a couple of sips.

There's no breakfast menu for Greyjoys available online so I thought I'd best share a little insight at what you can expect if you're planning to visit. The menu is absolute heaven, so much so there were multiple dishes I wanted to order. Split into Woodland Hen Poached Eggs, Bowls and Topped Sourdough Toast, highlights include Avo Toast, Za'atar Eggs and House Granola.

Struggling to make a decision, I eventually opted for the The Breakfast Bowl (£7.50) - bacon and halloumi, woodland egg, avocado, fresh spinach, baked tomato and sourdough - the perfect dish for a cold and rainy morning.

When it appeared in front of me I was over the moon,  all those stunning colours - if breakfasts had beauty contests I'm pretty sure this dish would win all of the prizes - just look at it! This was one of the best breakfasts that I have ever had.

Simon went for a breakfast dish that I've been wanting to try for the longest time but never quite got round to - Huevos Rancheros (£9.50) - rich tomato sauce, smoked chilli, bacon and avocado on sourdough. It looked fantastic and he eagerly tucked in, me helping him out with a good forkful every now and again. Around three quarters of the way through the dish he had to admit defeat as it got a little too spicy for him (Simon and I are both spice wusses so don't have the greatest tolerance for heat).

We are so thankful that we've finally discovered Greyjoys and if you're yet to make it yourself and want a really fantastic breakfast with amazing warm and friendly service you must make a plan!

Find Greyjoys at:

75 High Street
Gosforth
NE 34AA

greyjoys.com/