Cafe by Design in Northumberland

First time visit to this cafe. Lovely experience. Service was friendly Our drinks and food arrived very promptly. Loved the decor. We will definitely be back

I met with a friend this morning at this cafe. Our orders were a cheese scone and a pot of tea for my friend, and coffee and a croissant for myself. The food and beverages were perfectly fine. However my friend’s request for some extra hot water as her tea was being served to her, explaining that she drinks only very weak tea, was met with the astonishing response that extra hot water would have to be charged at the same rate as another pot of tea. Unsurprisingly she declined. While It’s not unreasonable to make a small charge for some extra hot water, it’s difficult to believe that the full £3 that was the cost of another small pot of tea was justifiable. Appreciation of the ‘design’ aspect of the cafe is a very subjective thing, and there are many positive comments in other reviews, but I can only say it didn’t appeal to me at all. I thought it very fussy and overdone, and in the case of the wide open weave place mats, not always practical. As for the friendly atmosphere in the cafe that’s mentioned in some other reviews, there was nothing that we could see this morning to indicate that, and certainly the response to our request did nothing to demonstrate customer friendliness. However, we will not need to return, as fortunately there are quite a number of other perfectly nice cafes in the area.

Poor service and frozen gluten free cake Went with my husband and two children. Ordered two hot drinks and four cakes one gluten free. I was excited that thr gluten free option was chocolate cake. Fifteen min wait for hot drinks. Then the three cakes arrived. Another fifteen mins later my Gf cake arrived. Still frozen in the middle but warmed on the outside. Sent it back and left. Absolutely dreadful.

Average at best and pricy for what we received. Young girl on till didn’t understand order, had to repeat several times. Service abysmal. Food average at best, cold drink can and glass plonked on table, no ice, none offered. Wouldn’t recommend.

Excellent little cafe, with very pleasant staff and a nice atmosphere. I can thoroughly recommend if you find yourself in Ponteland with 30 or so minutes to spare.

Customer service on arrival lacked any positive welcome and lacked interest , food a long time arriving, food only warm and part missing which later arrived and almost thrown on to the table with no apology, presentation of food poor, front of house staff and service at table appeared to be young and not properly trained, we have tried this place three times and all have given rise to concerns but as a local business we have tried to support , we will never visit again .

Met up with two friends visiting the area prior to them going to the airport. Great choice for a lunchtime sandwich and coffee. Good choice on the menu. Nice surroundings and good decoration. Good choice.

I was in Ponteland on business, and stopped in here for a quick refreshment. The hot chocolate was delicious, and I loved the design of the interior :)

Met friends here a few times. Great lunch menu, delicious food, friendly and efficient staff. Fab decor and lovely atmosphere. My only criticism is a struggle to finish the over generous portions of yummy cakes!

We came here for the first time today and we can't wait to come back. We had wonderful food, delicious desserts and tasty coffee. The staff were all lovely and attentive. The place is very wheelchair accessible too. We can't wait to come back in a couple of weeks. My husband loved the marzipans and chocolate pine cones so much he bought an extra one to have at home

A large latte! Wow I don’t think so. The £3.80 paid for a large latte & when I queried the 3/4 filled cup I was advised “yes that’s a large latte” Only I’m not convinced or impressed. There is plenty of alternative places in Ponteland. Id suggest you use them

This quirky cafe is in the old "lloyds bank" building. Spotlessly clean. The waitress took our order for drinks, and coffee and tea turned up quickly - the coffee was excellent. A good choice of light meals, I had a goats cheese ciabatta which was very tasty, with a nice side salad.

Two visits now and happy to say that both have been first class experiences. First visit was for coffee only, Latte was delicious and care had been taken when preparing and presenting. Staff were very welcoming and friendly. Second occasion we had food, which was delicious again and well presented. Veggie omelette with sourdough toast and dressing salad. Very busy and a great vibe about the place. Staff again were first class and the lady who I believe is the owner was so kind in her offer of free 'coffee or desert' after we were asked to change tables to accommodate a large party... customer service first class and thank you. Love the growing choice that we have in Ponteland to socialise and stay local. The decor inside is so vibrant and fresh. Great that it has a small carpark at rear for customers too. Looking forward to my next visit.

Cafe is comfortable temperature and nicely designed. Menu is varied and reasonably priced. Cakes look to die for and so we will be back to sample them for sure. Chose poached eggs on sour dough toast with smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce. Exceptional food quality and presentation. Nice coffee with milk alternatives available. Staff very attentive and friendly. Cafe busy but in a good way! We will be back