Table 1 Espresso Speers Point — Restaurant in Newcastle-Maitland

Disappointing experience.

Friend and I arrived and informed waiter we were after a table for 3. We sat down, already ready to order for our third person who was joining us, as we had discussed it prior.

Friend and I started chatting away, after 10-15 minutes we both commented that it was odd no one had approached our table yet. We decided to close our menus to hope that would signal someone over. Another ten minutes went by and no one had come. 5-10 minutes later we were starving and made pointed looks at a waiter who came over, he stated he waiting for our third to join us before taking our order.

While I understand the thinking behind this, as I mentioned before we had already discussed with our third what we were going to order so it would hopefully be ready by the time they arrived. If a service member had bothered to start us off with drinks we could have passed this along.

While ordering we were told there was a limit on hash browns, and only those ordering a meal including hash browns could have them (I wanted to order one as an extra but it was denied). This was disappointing but obviously not the fault of the restaurant as there’s a supply shortage.

We were however surprised to see that my friend received no discount even though her meal arrived with no hash brown (even though it was stated as a part of the meal in the menu).

Food arrived warm-ish. Not the greatest size serving for a $21 bacon and eggs..

Was quite the shock to see a $98 dollar bill for 2 meals and 3 tiny drinks ($9 for an iced coffee?!) we were told that there was a surcharge due to the public holiday, fair enough, but even at the original value of $84 it’s pretty insane.

Probably...

I visited this café on a public holiday with some friends. It was understandably busy, and while the food and coffee were enjoyable, I had a difficult experience as someone with celiac disease.

I usually don’t eat food outside of my home due to the high risk of cross-contamination, but the waitress assured me that they understood celiac requirements and that they were “celiac safe.” When I asked more detailed questions about preparation and cross-contamination, I was met with a fairly dismissive attitude — as if asking further was unnecessary because they “knew what they were doing.” A note was added to my order, but I didn’t feel truly heard.

Unfortunately, about 15 minutes after eating, I began experiencing the symptoms I get when I’ve consumed gluten — which confirmed that despite the assurances, cross-contamination had likely occurred.

I fully accept that managing my condition is ultimately my responsibility, and I don’t expect every venue to be celiac-safe — it’s a big ask, and I know how challenging it is. But what’s important is how allergy-related questions are handled. I believe there’s a real need for more education around how serious cross-contamination can be for people with medical dietary requirements. A confident response isn’t always a safe one.

My gluten-eating friends enjoyed their meals, and the atmosphere was lovely. But I’d caution others with coeliac disease to be very careful here and perhaps stick to...

Dog Friendly! My son decided at the last minute to take me out for lunch on Mother's Day. I didn't expect to get in anywhere without a booking and with a dog! We decided to try Table 1 at Speers Point because it's close to home. We were both pleasantly surprised when we were welcomed at the door, informed they had a table AND that they were happy to welcome our large great dane in. Some other cafes have told us she's too large but not Table 1. We were seated in a nice location with views of the park and the lake. We were given time to peruse the menu but didn't have to wait once we'd made our choices. We didn't have to wait long for our meals to be served and they were fresh, colourful, incredibly tasty and well presented. I enjoyed a perfectly brewed coffee & Persian Eggs which were a taste sensation with layers of complex but harmonious flavours while my son enjoyed a Slow Braised Pulled Lamb Burger with Feta Fries. It must have been good because it didn't last on his plate long. Our waitress checked on us to see if all was well and if we needed anything but we weren't hassled at all. All in all we had a wonderful experience, a delicious meal and we were incredibly pleased that Willow was welcomed in to join us. We both recommend Table 1 Espresso at Speers Point whether you have a doggo in tow or not. The food and service were wonderful. Thank you for helping make my mother's...