Celebrate National Picnic Week In Newcastle
Some of the best venues to help you celebrate National Picnic Week in Newcastle
National Picnic Week arrives from the 14th-21st June, so it seems like the perfect time to pack up the sunglasses, layer on the sun cream and roll out the blanket for a delicious picnic in NE1.
So, in the spirit of all things National Picnic Week, here our ten of our favourite places in Newcastle city centre where you can pick up your picnic goodies - from savoury snacks to sweet treats!
Sweet Dreams Dessert Café, St. Andrew’s Street
Cake, Cake and more cake! Sweet Dreams Desserts is the perfect place for all things sweet! Selling a variety of cake, gelato, churros, waffles and crepes - there is a sweet treat for everyone at the picnic table. Fancy a drink to go alongside? Choose from a menu filled with cake shakes, daiquiris and a variety of slushes! This is a place you do not want to miss when buying picnic goodies. The name says ‘sweet dreams’ and it is definitely a dreamy place to go!
Mason + Rye, Fenwick Food Hall
Perfect picky-picnic? Mason + Rye is your one-stop shop for all picnic necessities. Here, you can buy continental style sandwiches, cakes, hot drinks and fresh artisan breads. With a huge selection of foods, it’s a perfect grab and go if you’re in a hurry! Sweet or savoury, the choice is endless when you visit Mason + Rye.
Frankie & Tony’s Sandwich Bar, Ridley Place
Is it even a picnic if you don’t have a selection of delicious sandwiches? Frankie and Tony’s Sandwich Bar has stood in Newcastle for over two decades and is renowned for its amazing sandwiches. Ranging from your simple cheese savoury or ham and cheese to a Swiss new yorker (smoked cheese, pastrami, mustard and lettuce) they have every type of sandwich you could think of! What more? You can even choose what type of delicious bread your sandwich is served in. They all sound mouth-wateringly good, and the queues outside of returning customers proves this! They also sell cakes and flapjacks, so you can grab everything for your picnic in one place! Perfect.
Camera Shop, Collingwood Street
From wraps, sandwiches and toasties, to loaded jacket potatoes, there’s hardly anything that Collingwood Street’s Camera Shop doesn’t do. This small but mighty institution is jam-packed with picnic-ready pick-me-ups to take away, and even offers a range of breakfast options, deliciously healthy super salad boxes, cakes and coffee too. A special shout out goes to their Funky Fish option, which not only boasts a brilliant name, but includes their very own shop-made kimchi too!
Matthew’s Cheese, Grainger Market
For a gouda picnic, head to Matthew’s Cheese Specialists in Grainger Market! This lovely lot are all about local and international hand-picked cheeses by renowned cheese specialists, making this the perfect stop to help complete any posh picnic packing. Whether you’re after some Northumberland Nettle for a sarnie, or some smoked blue stilton to enjoy alongside lashings of chutney and crackers, there’ll be something for everyone here!
M&S Food Hall, Northumberland Street
Of course, we’d be remiss to write about picnic week and not mention the M&S Food Hall. The concept of “M&S picky bits” has become a bit of a phenomenon across the country – and for good reason! After all, who wouldn’t want to dine on olives, crisps and dips al fresco? That’s not forgetting that there’s shedloads of drinks options too, regardless of whether you’re sticking to soft drinks, or indulging in your preferred tipple while picnicking.
House Brown, Old Eldon Square
One for the coffee connoisseurs now, with the recently opened House Brown on Old Eldon Square. This family run café brews Newcastle-roasted coffee daily, as well as dishing up a wide variety of fresh pastries and sandwiches. Plus, it’s perfectly placed for the return of NE1’s very own Screen on the Green this summer – ideal if you fancy catching the latest flick with your picnic!
Hunter’s Deli, Grainger Market
For feel-good food at even better prices, head to Hunter’s Deli inside Grainger Market! From freshly baked goods, cooked meats and deli classics, there’s no shortage of foodie favourites to satisfy here. Pick up some deliciously doughy bread to make your own sandwiches with, or a pork pie (or two!) to dine on - the opportunities are endless!
The French Oven, Grainger Market
And while you’re in the Grainger Market, why not pay The French Oven a visit? This independent artisan bakery makes most products individually and by hand, with baking taking place all day and night to ensure the best quality and freshness. Grab the gang some sausage rolls, homemade pasties, pies and focaccia to get the picnic kicked off to a delicious start, and biscuits, brownies and traybakes to dig into for afters!
Eat4Less, Northumberland Street
And last, but by no means least, there’s Eat4Less on Northumberland Street. Their self-proclaimed “fresh, fast and famous” baguettes are ideal for picking up en route to the park, with shedloads of variations to keep everyone happy – and no-one left feeling hungry!
Wherever you’ll be picking up your picnic goodies, there's no shortage of places to shop in the city centre for all kinds of treats and we're sure you'll be in for a delicious time celebrating National Picnic Week in Newcastle!
Main image: Group of People Sitting on White Mat on Grass Field, Photo by Helena Lopes via Pexels, Free to use under the Pexels License
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