Craig’s Bakehouse — Restaurant in England

Edited November 2023 When I first visited in 2021 (see below) I had no idea quite how extraordinary Craig's was in comparision to other places in this region. Now after living in County Durham for just over a year I have had to come back, change my review and rave a bit more about this place. In terms of the affordability of the food versus the quality of the food Craig's is without doubt the best place I have found in my travels in North Yorkshire, County Durham, the Lake District and Northumberland. They use flavour and spice exquisitely, with unusual ingredients, delightful combinations and fantastic clarity. It is only a cafe, but the quality of the food here is unbeatable. Ox-tail and kimchi skillet? - heart-breakingly good! Cruffins? They make you want to cry with joy!

2021 review: I never imagined when we looked for a little cafe to get a good coffee in Marske-by-the-Sea that we were actually going to find such a gem! I was expecting standard crowd pleasers, but instead got really state of the art lunch and fab cakes made by someone who used to work with Benoit Blin (the judge on Bake Off The Professionals). The savoury lunches featured an interesting selection of vegetarian, vegan or meat options, with fashionable fermented items such as locally-produced kimchi bringing a bit of vavavoom to the dishes. The cakes all looked amazing and we enjoyed the varying flavours and texture of our macaron and financier. I was not expecting food of this quality in a little seasoning de cafe and it was a real treat! Some people may be surprised by the prices, but if you are know the difference between price and value you’ll appreciate the quality on...

Craigs didn't really live up to expectations. It's very basic inside, very little thought to décor and display. The coffee is OK, although the latte was served in a smaller cup than the cappuccino which is nonsense. The menu might look exciting at first glance (despite the bizarre spelling mistakes) but it is deceptively simple. Smart move from a business perspective but disappointing as a customer. The eggs benedict cruffin was nice although I don't think the hollandaise was homemade and the eggs were a little bit snotty still. Nice bacon on the sandwich but the bread was sliced so thinly and unevenly it was almost see through in places. Why skimp on something so simple? We took some choux pastries away with us and while they looked nice they were most definitely past their best. Despite the craquelin the choux was painfully stale, the cream on top drying and cracked with an unpleasant taste. Service provided by the cheerful Kerry was warm, friendly...

Craigs isn’t your average cafe, Craigs is run by an artist, not just someone who is a good cook. The food is divine - the menu changes every so often and so you can constantly discover this clear culinary talent. The chef knows how to pair flavours, herbs, spices and high quality ingredients to provide the customers with heavenly flavours. I’ve tried dishes I’ve never had before and I’ve always been incredibly impressed. Everything is made from scratch, fresh and of high quality. When you go to Craigs be brave to experiment and order something unique, let him take you on an adventure. And if you’re a fan of pickles - order sides from their house fermented...