Hive Coffee Company in South Tyneside

An aspirational menu that never really delivers. The food promises a lot but in reality we found it to be mean in their portions and use of ingredients. A couple of items were unavailable on the day of our visit too. And to add to the disappointment one of the plates was very old and the milk jug was chipped. Hardly a very inspiring start. In addition, the whole dining area was just a little grubby on the walls and windowsills. We were seated next to tall pot plant which keeled over every time we brushed past it! As we dined we observed a poor woman sit on a chair which broke! Finally, as a person with hearing loss the acoustics of the place is difficult, it is extremely echo-y and noisy, and not really a place where you can have a conversation. Coffee was great, food very mediocre and mean and the ambience was poor, so we won’t be back.

Great service, nice coffee and food! vegetarian and vegan options.

Lovely little spot, fab coffee and a great looking food menu. Apple and cinnamon scone was very nice.

Great staff who managed to be friendly and attentive despite being very busy. The food was excellent, it was very hard to choose from the interesting and tempting menu. I dropped one star from review because the loud music felt unnecessary. We won't let that stop us coming back though!

**Autumn Market Event** Usually love Hive, but we visited the autumn market they hosted and it was disappointing, the problem being it was far too small for the amount of visitors they got… the vendors cramped into rooms, with not much selection of things to buy, then on top of that you’re squished into this room with a handful of other people & in our experience there was a dog the size of a Great Dane who was obviously too excited with all the people in the room and couldn’t then contain his excitement… it’s just not an environment for dogs. we ordered some food, which is always good but by the time it got to us it was lukewarm edging on cold. It’s a good idea to host this event, I think they just need to go back to the drawing board with this one, maybe have a marquee in the back with more vendors and if it is inside again, don’t allow dogs inside for that one night.

Food is delicious and service is quick. Friendly staff

The dishes we ordered were very tasty; however, we were quite shocked how small the portion sizes were. We ordered the pumpkin hummus, red pepper and corn sourdough. The bread was small and thin in size with a small amount of topping. Although delicious it was quite pitiful. I would rather have paid a bit more and got a bigger portion size. We also ordered the parsnip and carrot fritters with poached egg. Again the actual portion size was small when you looked past the decor on the plate. Another fritter and poached egg even would have made it better. As the salads sounded delicious we had ordered a small salad to share on the side of these two dishes, we’re glad we did as this made the dishes bigger. The salad was also very tasty. The drinks and English breakfast was nice and staff were friendly. We did feedback on the portion sizes and were told the feedback would be passed on. Nice setting for a dog friendly cafe with plenty of outdoor seating in nice grounds too. We thought it would be quiet visiting on a Friday lunch time but it seems very popular with nearby staff/volunteers so I’d recommend booking.

Food is always delicious and the staff are so lovely, always helpful and friendly.

Food was beautiful and the staff were lovely. Definitely a hidden gem in Jarrow and a must try.

Absolutely disgusted by the mouldy food this establishment served today. Ordered 2 bacon sandwiches in buns and two drinks . While eating my sandwich I noticed MOULD on the underneath of my bun. ! Upon leaving the price of the so called sandwich was removed from the bill but sadly my companion had ate her sandwich so goodness knows if it too had mould!! The guy on the counter gave me a reward card which he fully stamped that allows me a free drink on the next visit !!! This place must be off their trees if they think I would ever return here again. Sorry but if you serving mouldy bread what else is bad ? And you can guarantee I won’t have been the only person who ate mouldy bread there today !!! Keep away unless you want mouldy food

Great food Lovely staff Definitely worth a visit !

arrived late n only wanted coffee n a cake! we were in the gardens n it was lovely (picnic tables were mat painted n could not be cleaned as well as could be - bird poo - but outside - what else can you expect) loved it!!! really family oriented! no wonder it's so busy two thumbs up xxx

Cont….. I would just like to ask the question: Why do you use dairy milk as the default option when you have plant based milks on offer. Dairy milk affects people with allergies, intolerances and most importantly it is not cruelty free as there is a lot of suffering connected with it and as you have a variety of cruelty free delicious plant based milks on offer why have dairy milk as the default option unless otherwise stated. Plant based milks taste a lot better so there is absolutely no need to use dairy milk in most of your drinks I would say. Would you consider changing your menu to have plant based milk as the default option because that makes a lot more sense.

Everytime we eat here, I am impressed with the service. Slick operations and friendly service. The team work hard and this place is a hidden gem. We sat in the garden outside and enjoyed iced coffee - coconut mocha was delicious and tasty food. Kids menu is great. Good portion sizes and reasonable prices which is perfect for kids. Summer salads and cakes were scrumptious. I love this place. Thanks guys!

Great food and coffee. I had the vegan sausage roll and cherry Bakewell cookie which were lovely. The menu and cake counter is mainly vegan which is great, and they also offer a couple of non vegetarian options.

Lovely cafe, food is tasty and such amazing vegan options, loads of savoury food (vegan cheese scones!) and loads of cakes and cookies. Coffee is excellent. The kids menu is also super reasonably priced and plenty of vegan options. So nice to see choco oat milk and ice cream and lots of other treats as even places that cater for vegans frequently don’t really cater well for children.

I didn't eat here, however lovely coffee shop. Instead of waiting in the que, staff told us to get a seat and the would come and take order. We had a Tea & Oat milk latte. Both were well presented & arrive to the table hot. There is seating available inside and out. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend

Great service and delicious food! The location was also very beautiful and special.

Great coffee, food and service, hot chocolate lovely too! Played in Charlie's Park growing up in Jarrow in the fifties and sixties, we bring our grandchildren now, it's like coming home.

First time here was very nice and friendly staff were very good and very good service and food

Come here regularly with family & friends, food is always lovely however shocked & disappointed to be charged for boiling tap water for my babies bottle. I have never encountered this at any other establishment. Please keep this in mind if coming here with babies

Actually massively disappointed in this cafe. Two children sausage sandwiches were actually half sandwich with one sausage cut in half. My partners meal came out looking like someone had shaken it in the box….. and it took 45 mins to come out for takeaway. On top of that the staff on the till was rude. Would not return at all.

Visited here today for a quick catch up with family. The food was outstanding and service was great. Superb chocolate fudge cake!

This is located right next to a park in jarrow absolutely lovely place warm cafe and staff are very friendly

Lovely little cafe set in beautiful grounds. They have a substantial menu and cater for vegetarians, vegans and have dairy and gluten free options. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The cafe has Jarrow Hall on one side and there's a nice park on the other.

Hidden gem. Best coffee, food and service for miles. Warm and friendly atmosphere, nothing is too much trouble for the staff. Lovely, dog friendly cafe in a great setting.

Every visit here is great. Food is fantastic, staff are wonderful. It's dog friendly and they do doggy sausages .

The full English breakfast was lovely, although a little hard to enjoy from a takeout container with wooden cutlery, which we had to have because they had no tables inside. That being said, the service was top notch, they were all lovely and the lady serving me took her time and didn’t feel rushed despite being mega busy. I had the Cloud Catcher Iced Tea which was delish!

Slow and expensive but great quality food

Brilliant food and fabulous staff

Love this place! Delicious food, lovely staff, always a pleasure and look forward to going 😀

Just visited following a brief search on Google maps. What a great find! The staff were really friendly, the cake amazing..............although, there were far too many to make it an easy decision, great coffee and a great sarnie. High recommended and I would visit every weekend if I didn't live in Portsmouth 🙄

Had a light lunch with friends. 2 of us had a mocha with our meal. We both said it was the best mocha we had ever tasted. Sublime!

Arrived at 11:20am to see if I could get lunch for 2 hungry kids - when we arrived there was no queue and plenty of free tables so we sat down. After a few mins to get the kids sorted, I realised there were no menus so I politely asked a member of staff for one - she then asked me if I had 'checked in' at the desk on the way in, to which I said no and that I didn't realise I needed to, the sign that notifies this was obscured by a staff member when we'd come in. At this point she became very angry at me and demanded that we vacate the table we had sat down immediately because it was booked for someone else (even though the sign on the table said it was booked from 1pm, plenty of time). She then insisted that we go to the BACK of a long queue that had now formed at the entrance with both kids. She also suggested we might prefer to get food to takeaway instead! She then proceeded to follow me back to the table, closely watched me as I got both kids ready, to make sure we left immediately. I was shocked by this experience and would never come back again if this is how they treat customers.

Chai latte is banging but spoilt by overpriced breakfast not good value at all 1 bacon 1 sausage 1 egg 1 hash brown couple mushroom slices and a few beans

the food is tasty and very well priced and the staff are incredible! this place takes dog friendly to the next level! they were so welcoming of my puppy who doesn’t quite understand how to just chill in a cafe just yet, everyone was so lovely to her and she had the best time! they were also very kind to me when i was visibly anxious about the experience and really helped put us both at ease. i couldn’t have asked for a nicer experience and we will definitely be back!!

A bit disappointing as I’d heard good reviews. I had the breakfast and I’d say almost everything apart from the toast and eggs were pre-prepared/reheated and the hash browns in particular were soggy. No one asked how the food was otherwise I’d have explained. Coffee was great Thanks for the reply I’ve edited my review pleased to hear the changes being made

After seeing the Instagram posts and previous reviews we were really excited to try this place out but we were left disappointed. The staff are lovely and friendly and we were greeted and shown to our seats and given a menu. The menu has some great looking items but I like to test a place on its basics so I went for a sausage sandwich with hash browns. The food came out quickly but when looking at the hash browns the exterior was soggy and wet and inside was dry. I don't know if these were microwaved or left to sit but they were not the freshly fried and crispy texture that I expect of a hash brown. The bun was dry so I added some ketchup and went to take my first bite to find the butter hidden under the sandwich which explains why it was dry however I had already added my ketchup at this point so putting it under the sandwich seems like a strange thing to do. For a drink I went with the bee pollen latte which was delicious and I have no complaints with at all. So over all, the staff are lovely, they do great coffee, but I won't be going back again as there are much better places for food.

Good to pop for a cuppa never had food there yet

Ordered cheese savoury baguette which I suspect came out of a freezer. The bread was raw in the middle and wet. The (very small amount of) filling was tasteless. So disappointing as previous two visits had been very good. A complete waste of money.

Lovely cafe , really canny staff . Cheese scones are lush

Good atmosphere, tasty food, nice service and friendly staff. 4 of us visited and all pleased with our sandwiches and salads. Delicious. Turmeric, coconut and pistachio cake was stunning. Chocolate cake very light but a bit over sweet for my fussy taste buds. Overall, totally recomend a visit. Genuine 5 stars.

Lovely Brunch in a nice setting

Delicious food, pleasant service. Recommend.

Fantastic little hidden gem. Very friendly staff and beautiful presentation of well thought out food. Excellent cup of coffee as well.

I'm a long-term fan of the Hive - the service, food, and drinks and always amazing. Excellent value compared to chain coffee shops and made with love and attention. Highly highly recommend a visit <3

Booked a table for 7. It was a lovely place. Food and service was first class

Excellent food we will be back !

Had a very tasty Halloween afternoon tea. Two babies and a dog all accommodated👍.

We are regulars and our last visit was 27/10/23. The food is great - we often have a bacon bap and on request , the bacon is perfectly cooked ( nice and crispy). The staff are polite and professional and wonderfully friendly. This is a gem of a place .

Lovely service and food was lovely

Lovely food and team that work here.. Please bring back your breakfast muffin.. ❤️

Waited over 30mins for sausage sandwich ,when it arrived cold

my daughter and I went for the first time this morning. It was busy and popular. The menu looked great so much choice. I ordered from the till and staff were very helpful and friendly. our order arrived quickly and was delicious and a feast for the eyes. Service, surroundings, parking and food were all great making a very pleasant experience. Mains are priced up to £12-£14. Quite typical these days . The medium salad i had was very tasty with greens, fruits, nuts seeds and choice of different humous types. very crisp and fresh tasting. The only downside is being diabetic i would have preferred an option of salad dressing without Maple Syrup perhaps with date paste or orange juice instead which is slightly more diabetic friendly. Booking is recommended. I would recommend a visit and see for yourself. A really good salad is hard to find .

Good coffee, interesting menu . . . Friendly service.

Nice location and decor, the food is presented well but very low quality and bland, very disappointing but you can relax in the outdoor area.

Lovely cafe with plenty of vegan treats

Really disappointing how Hive is now. I along with friends/ colleagues have visited since opening at least 3 times a month however it’s gradually changed and so we’ve visited 3 times this year in the hope it would have returned to the great, welcoming place it was. Unfortunately it hasn’t. Firstly I’ve never seen so many staff who appear very inefficient which makes for an uncomfortable setting whilst they talk over you deciding what is happening with orders etc. Secondly on 2 occasions recently after waiting an extended period of time to receive drinks and food orders we’ve then been informed they’d like the table back a short while later. This is both rude and unwelcoming in the direct manner. Thirdly as others have mentioned the prices are ridiculous, this is Jarrow not the centre of a city. The way in which it’s names on cups now is poor, then the constant shouting of names. Don’t go if you want a relaxing environment it’s certainly not that anymore. Sad. I always support independent businesses because they are unique, welcoming and hospitable not a conveyor belt.

Lovely cafe in old jarrow hall building. Great tasting food, cooked fresh! Nice selection of homemade cakes available and great coffee too. Definitely worth a visit 😊👍🏻

This cafe with its inside seating and outside benches offers a lovely environment for a relaxing time with food and drink. We had snacks for lunch along with coffee and there was various choices, both sweet and savoury. We had a sausage roll and a piece of cake and waited outside for the order to be prepared. Didn't take too long and we had the company of a very cute cat while we were eating. A little on the expensive side but a nice place to go.

Lovely great place also next to Jarrow Hall and the Park.Homemade scones are lush as are the cakes. Highly recommend this place a hidden gem Ps can be very busy but well worth the wait.

We were travelling back home to Scotland and needed a break - searched Google for a safe cafe that could cope with coeliacs. Hive popped up and was an easy drive off our route home. Lovely location, surrounded by greenery. Thoroughly enjoyed my gluten free cooked breakfast and good coffee. Very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Thankyou Hive for a positive experience.

Was so looking forward to visiting The Hive for breakfast we booked early on a Sunday morning and when we arrived there was only two other people in the cafe.However after being seated at our table we waited ages for someone to come and take our order, again we waited so long for our drinks to arrive so we actually had to order more drinks as we had all finished them before our breakfast arrived again waited ages for. 2 of our party got the fresh fruit and French toast disappointed as it was all redcurrants and just 2 cherries no blueberries strawberries raspberries all which are in season.The other 2 of our party ordered full English one vegan agin disappointing portion not great for the price. We actually paid a WHOPPING £60 for 4 people for what was a very basic breakfast and disappointing French toast at that price we definitely won’t be returning

First time visiting here, and very pleasantly surprised, a nice setting and gives a remoteness feeling, even though close to Shields and the Tyne Tunnel. Sat outside which was great for our big family, and allowed the older two to play in the park. Maybe the outdoor grassy area needs a bit of attention. The food was really nice and we met some lovely people who are regular visitors. Our neighbours visit 2 or 3 times a week and we can see why. Will certainly return soon.

I am obsessed with this little place. It's a wonderful place with gorgeous food, some really lovely drinks and great vibes.

Dog friendly with lots of vegan options. Lovely garden.

Hi After reading your good reviews we decided to call for brunch. On arriving we felt uncomfortable no welcome at all there was four of us we were offered a long wooden bench to sit on, one lady is disabled we explained this, the gentleman behind the counter was simply not interested we looked into the room to find empty tables. We asked to be seated in there... he made some excuse, eventually we persuaded him to allow us to move a chair to one table to accommodate four of us. We sat... a pleasant young lady came and cleaned our table. After 5 minutes and feeling extremely uncomfortable. On leaving, the lady behind the counter made a sarcastic comment. How upsetting. We won't return

Beautiful food in a beautiful setting. Loads of vegan options too!

Nice place, fresh food, a little bit pricier, and friendly staff, however, can get very busy, and there's not many tables indoors, so it's best to reserve in advance. There are tables outside but just your usual wooden tables and its not table service like it is indoors.

Coffee was ok. Food was mediocre. The sweet potato hash was under cooked. I’d also advice the owners to put up some soft furnishings as the whole place is super echoey and loud.

Held our daughter's birthday party here and staff were absolutely fantastic throughout from planning to holding the party itself. Would 100% recommend the Hive Cafe for hosting an event.

Attended today for the funeral of my dear friend Christine. The food was outstanding and service excellent.

Attended today for the Wake following the funeral of my dear friend Christine. The food was outstanding and service excellent

This is a fab cafe with wonderful cheese scones and easy parking over the road. Not at all well sign-posted though, so take note that it is in the large house-like building with the green door, next door to Jarrow Hall. Definitely worth finding, and clearly lots of people already know about it as it was quite busy even at 10am on a weekday morning.

We waited almost an hour for one toasty and two tasteless bowls of soup. This was after I tried to order a salad and the person making the salads shouted (from the opposite end of the kitchen) to the server, not to put through any more salads because she didn’t know if there was enough left. This was at 12.55pm! Staff appeared utterly clueless all round. I don’t know how there can be so many members of staff and it be so desperately disorganised. All in all a disaster. And to add insult to injury my iced matcha was lumpy. We won’t be back.

Extremely polite & friendly staff and lovely food & coffee It was our first visit but we will definitely be going back x

Originally from Hebburn but now living abroad, The Hive is always on our list when visiting home. It’s a lovely place with gorgeous food and the best flat white around. My kids love the lunch boxes which are great value for money and healthy too. The cakes and bakes are all homemade and there’s plenty to choose from. There’s lots of vegan and vegetarian options too. There‘s a lovely play park right next door and Jarrow Hall is always worth a visit. The staff have always been lovely with us. I wish I didn’t live so far away, I’d definitely be a regular! Already looking forward to our next visit.

Great little place, didn't have a booking, they got us in within 5/10 minutes, we had a lovely walk around outside and in the park. Food was beautiful, hot chocolate was amazing. Kids meals fab. Great service.

Great food and drink in beautiful surroundings.

Beautiful home made food in beautiful surroundings! The salads are particularly delicious, especially the chickpea 😋❤🍃

Ordered two toasties and one small breakfast, very disappointed, breakfast was inedible ! The server asked how it was I told him not good, he said he would sort it! Nothing got sorted, cost over £26 for appalling food. Will not be returning

One of our absolute favourite places for food and coffee. The menu is fantastic and I love how it changes season to season. The food is always delicious, the staff are always lovely and so helpful and it's a lovely, clean cafe looking out onto the beautiful park. 10/10

I only found this lovely cafe when I went to visit Bede's World, which was closed, so I can't comment on it. Hives has an excellent menu, the food, coffee and scones are great. The setting is lovely also, you can access a river walk through the park and there was dozens of swans, ducks and different species of gulls. The staff are really nice, very friendly and helpful; I've recommended Hives to my friends.

Didn’t enjoy the experience at all overwhelming smell of hot dirty frying oil in the place itself and gardens I had the smell in my hair for the rest of the day and I ate in the garden but was classed as takeout

Had a lovely breakfast here with a friend, service was friendly, it was busy, great options for vegan/veggie/ gluten free dietary requirements. Would return and recommend!

Great range of drinks and food is quality.

Totally a hidden gem, turned up without a booking and the staff were happy to get us seated. Although they did have to fit us in between other bookings so we couldn't sit for ages. This however is probably a testament to the quality of the food and service as it seems to always be full. Pre book by calling them so your not disappointed

Lovely soup for lunch. Really friendly staff too.

Very good Service great, food excellent, well worth a visit

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Enjoyed the coffee and fruit scone. The chai latte is one to try

Nice setting to have a coffee in Jarrow, but coffee has changed since last time and I find it too strong and harsh. Food looks nice and staff are friendly.

What a delightful and charming cafe: proper coffee, strong enough - not a milky con like you get in most cafes, delicious plump scones - unusual varieties and not made yesterday. The soup was thoroughly hot and warm and nourishing and thick. And my partner's turkey sarnie was, he said, delicious. I left the lovely space with the pretty autumnal view looking out onto trees and the churchyard of St Paul's Monastery and church wondering why other cafes can't do the same. This cafe made me think just how it would be if other cafes were like it.

Small breakfast ordered. A good size but bacon and fried eggs overcooked and hard but generally enjoyed it. Better cafes about at this price so probably won’t return Car parking on site but lucky to get parked. Signage not very well posted and they need a handle for the cafe access Scones (take away) delicious

Impeccable! So many options for vegans and vegetarians. The mince cake pancakes were the best pancakes ever, and vegan! Wonderful and friendly staff too.

Having read several poor reviews I was very apprehensive about eating here. I had seen myself the long queues during the summer and therefore had never eaten here. Today Bedes World was closed (its on the site of this museum) and we had booked a table in advance. Wow! The servers were polite and attentive, not much of a wait for the orders to be taken and served and the food was delicious and large portions even though advertised as small. The cauliflower soup was superb, lightly spiced with no hint of cauliflower lingering and a large bowl full. The autumn salad was gorgeous, spiced chick peas, kale, rocket and a tahini and lemon dressing - too much for me to eat so they provided a takeaway box. Will go back again!

Great spot for a drink or lunch, booking required during busy periods. Adjacent to Bede's world, local walks and a play park. Seasonal menu and wide variety. Caters for vegetarian/vegan diets, allergies in discussion with the kitchen team.

Service was poor in my opinion, very slow and rather rude with it. Won't be hurrying back

Incredibly poor management and service which is a shame because I really used to rate it here. I won't be coming back again as you treat customers who have been coming a very long time in an incredibly poor and demeaning way.

Lovely little gem of a cafe, very accommodating and fab food and drinks, bonfire hot chocolate was delicious.

Whilst visiting family, we ate at The Hive for Sunday brunch. We had a reserved table, service was great and the food was amazing. I had the small breakfast which was delicious, especially the sausages. My latte was gorgeous but my sister tried the purple taro (and lavender I think) coffee. Such a pretty colour. We didn't have space to sample the cakes but they all looked very tempting. Set in a beautiful location, surrounded by nature and history, a great place to meet family and friends or treat yourself any day of the seek. Highly recommended, Thank you to the team who looked after us last Sunday too 🥰