Cafe at the House — Restaurant in South Tyneside

First impressions always count they say and when you enter you are met with huge mouth watering sandwiches and pies in the display cabinet. As you walk through the premises, it then seems you've entered the doctors Tardis, with rooms either side of the main room. Decor is fab and you'd thought you were in a plush restaurant rather than a cafe, so well done to the decor team. The cafe wasn't busy with I'd say 4 tables taken. One waitress was providing all the services. Two things disappointed our first time at the cafe. One was the table to our right that had finished plates left with food scattered from the baby which stayed uncleared throughout the majority of our time there. Not something you want to see to be honest. Second was the fish finger sandwich we ordered. The meal arrived and instantly was hit with a very odd smell. Kept smelling the sandwich to ascertain what it was and could only conclude that the fish fingers had been deep fried using oil that had been used for other breakfast items....that's where I had a real issue as my partner is a pescatarian and usually has to follow a vegan dietary requirement when out. All I could think of was this fingers had been cooked in oil where sausages had been cooked also. Didn't enjoy the meal what so ever. Purchased 2 Aberdeen Angus steak and ale pies, where upon returning home cut into them to find it packed full of meat so thumbs up on that one. Dogs enjoyed there pie, will have the other at weekend.

So I'm questioning the hygiene between food dietary requirements. Sure you'll come back and say that different oils are used and not mixed, but the smell wasn't pleasant. Don't get that when I cook fish fingers at home!!

Will be back with the dogs but will be more careful what I...

First time visiting. My first reaction was that the food displayed in the cabinets looked fabulous, the decor is beautiful, like an up market restaurant. It was a great start. There was a huge choice of sandwiches (which is what we wanted) some of the descriptions stated that they contained mayo, I have an allergy so chose one without, on ordering I luckily double checked the mayo situation, and was told all sandwiches contain it, but it's OK, you can't really taste it. Not a great reply. Can I suggest that some of your sandwiches don't contain mayo, not everyone likes it or can eat it, we would like a choice. I decided on a steak pie, to be told the only pie available was corned beef, so I had that. We also ordered two large glasses of wine. Our food arrived but not our drinks, there was no salt or pepper on the tables so I went and asked, I also asked if our drinks could be bought to us. Salt and pepper came, still no drinks. We were half way thruogh our meals and again had to go and ask if we could have our drinks. The cafe was not particularly busy, lots of empty tables, so no excuse for slow service. Inspite of the bad service the food was very good, but not sure if we will return. Also while we were looking at the menu, on two occasions we were bought someone...

This was the first time I'd visited Cafe at the House, and it will probably also be the last.

We took my mother-in-law here for an early Mother's Day lunch. We arrived at 12.15, and I went to ask for some menus. I told they were just dotted around the cafe. I went to find some menus, and after deciding what we'd have, went to order at the counter at around 12.30. I was told that they weren't taking any orders, and to come back to the counter in at least 10 minutes. The girl at the counter then advised me that they were only serving breakfasts and whatever sandwiches and toasties were already pre-made behind the counter. As we had already chosen what we wanted, and none of it was available to order, we decided to leave. We wanted lunch, not breakfast at 12.30.

Surely they could have taken the order and just explained that there was wait for food? And we should have been told when we asked for the table or when we had to ask for menus of the reduced menu options, rather than having to be told to choose something else after already deciding what we wanted.

The cafe also lacked atmosphere, with no background music and the tables were very close together.

It's a shame the customer service was so poor, as the food does...