Magic Hat cafe — Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne

I’m a regular customer at this beautiful café charity. It’s become my go-to place to meet friends and family for coffee, chats, and a comforting bite to eat. The environment is incredibly relaxing, cosy, friendly, and inclusive, with such a diverse crowd and a welcoming atmosphere full of positive vibes and big friendly smiles. You can feel the care in everything they do, from the food to the service.

One of the main reasons we come here is because we want to support a local charity that gives back to the community by helping feed those in need. Most of the staff are volunteers, and they do an amazing job creating a space that feels more like home than a café. The menu changes depending on the chef and what food donations are available, as the café proudly supports the zero food waste movement. It’s advertised as “one menu, one table, one price”.

I attended their Saturday dining room event on the 3rd of May with family and friends, and once again, they delivered something truly special. We chose both the meat and vegetarian options, and each dish was thoughtfully prepared. The meal began with a fresh salad dressed in a high-quality extra virgin olive oil—you could taste the difference. Alongside it, we had pickled vegetables paired with a light, flavourful carrot sauce that was perfect to spread on fresh bread.

The main dish featured beautifully pulled pork topped with a fried egg, nestled over tender aubergine and potatoes. The pork was rich, tender, and comforting—like a hearty, homemade stew. On the side, the classic cauliflower cheese brought back warm memories of Sunday family dinners.

To accompany the food, we tried their cocktails (the margarita and a ginger-spiced option) both beautifully presented with a summery, refreshing twist and a gentle, lingering aftertaste that paired perfectly with the meal.

Being someone with a sweet tooth, I’ve also enjoyed many of their desserts over coffee, cakes, pies, and tarts that are made fresh daily and with real love. I’ve never been disappointed.

This café is more than just a place to eat. It’s a community hub built on kindness, care, and quality. It’s easily my favourite spot in Newcastle, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for great food at a great price, all while supporting an important...

📍The Magic Hat Cafe@ Newcastle City Centre What's not to be loved when the food you're buying involves great ethics? 🗑️Zero food waste - ingredients that would have gone to the bin are used here to skilfully prepare culinary delights! There's even 'Pay-as-you-FEEL' weekends, where NO there are no set prices for the food served. Use money, or even TIME through volunteering. The concepts are catchy, and it's truly something to embrace heartily. 🙆‍♂️Service here is great. It was a busy Sunday afternoon with customers already forming a line; we were served with smiles and enthusiasm! The interior is nicely designed with a minimalistic touch. Pictures revolving around the theme of Zero Waste hang on the walls. The cuisine here is DELICIOUS. 🐟Whole Roast Seabass - salted to perfection, it was literally a whole seabass roasted in the oven, and served with potatoes and zhug. 🥩Lamb Koftas - juicy and succulent pieces of lamb, perfectly complemented by cucumbers and pickles. 🍝Pasta (Penne with tomato base) - this was most unique to me. Seasoned just right, with ?pine-nuts giving it a fresh taste. I love the concept here, and it's something I'd definitely come for again! *There's even a Pay as you Feel 'marketplace'...

Been wanting to try Magic Hat for a while, finally got round to it last week. First of all, absolutely incredible that it’s the first coffee shop in Newcastle dedicated to challenging food waste - that is certainly five star, missions don’t get more paramount than that. The inventiveness and creativity of rescuing and transforming leftover food, destined for landfill, into great meals has to be applauded. The interior is rather nice, cosier than your average coffee shop, the vibe is buzzing and alive. What jumped out to me straight away was just how much more socialable it felt than most places, it really feels like a social hub. I imagine a lot of people have struck up conversations with strangers here which is great. It would also be a nice spot for catching up with friends or business lunches. You can book events / hire spaces here, and there’s also a volunteering program too - all brilliant stuff. Service was polite and friendly, prices were reasonable, and the coffee was enjoyable but not quite the best I’ve tasted. I urge everyone to check out their website to see how to get involved, and visit. Can’t...