Going to the coast for chilled walks along the sandy beach, breathing in the sea air, relaxing on the sand as the tide goes out wave after wave - there’s already a lot to love about Whitley Bay… Was I able to add a café experience that would add to those highlights? Ran by Eve Ogilvie, Kith & Kin is a ‘coffee & kitchen’ style café serves up all day breakfast, brunch, lunch, homemade cakes, artesian coffee, loose leaf teas and carefully selected beers and wines. Serving from a menu inspired by different food cultures and countries to create exciting and satisfying dishes, the café offered much but could it deliver? I was about to find out.
When we got there, we couldn’t have asked for a more inviting welcome. The place was full and one of the waitresses told us they hadn’t stopped all morning; a great sign of things to come. As we were taken to our table, I was singing along to the song playing in the background – Kith & Kin had a wonderful chilled out mix of music going on. Sat probably at the best table in the café (adjacent to the window with a view overlooking the street) it felt comfortable, it felt cosy. With the sun shining in, it was a terrific setting for brunch.
To drink, as it was around 12:30pm, we decided on a pot of infused tea of lemon, mint and honey. It was so refreshing and cleansing. It began with intense aromas from the mint sweetened by the honey then the bitterness of the lemon would kick in. It was ideal for the variety of dishes we were to be served.
For our main dishes, we decided to go on an around the world cultural tasting adventure by going with ‘The Aussie’ and ‘The Mexican’. The Aussie, at £8.50, was grilled halloumi, homemade beetroot hummus, sautéed mushrooms and kale, fried free-range egg, fresh herbs, sourdough toast, dukkah (blend of nuts and seeds), fresh lemon and herb olive oil. There was an option to add streaky bacon for a further £2.50 which of course I did and gluten free bread available too. The Mexican, at £8.55, was slow cooked black beans, green and red chilli salsa, zesty avocado smash, grilled tortilla, fried free-range egg, minted yoghurt, fresh lime and coriander and had an option with chorizo for a further £2.50 which again we opted for.
When the plates arrived, they were huge. They definitely do massive portions at Kith & Kin. However, that didn’t mean the presentation was affected in any way as both were served as pretty as a picture and as colourful as a rainbow. Starting with The Aussie, it was an alluring plate of food. The streaky bacon was fabulously crispy. With a creamy taste, the sautéed mushrooms were smooth and soft but still needed a bite. The halloumi was bouncing around in my mouth and my taste buds couldn’t get enough of its springy saltiness. The slice of sourdough toast was crunchy on the edges and had a great texture, lovely! The egg white was gleaming and when it was smashed open, I could hear angels serenading. The star of The Aussie show was the homemade beetroot hummus. Yeah, I’ll have that on everything now please. The Mexican was also on the money. The beans were the plate’s sensation. The well-seasoned chorizo was an excellent combination with the zesty avocado too. We were both in our element.
With various cakes to choose from, we went for a slice of Lemon and Blackberry Cake and a slab of Orange and Walnut Flapjack. The cake was so light, invigorating and with the blackberry sweetness, it didn’t take long to disappear. The Flapjack had a chewy, sticky texture that had a sweet tang from the orange. Brilliant.
If you’ve never been, have a wander along Whitley Bay. If you want an established café to start off your day or round off your afternoon, I challenge you to find one as peaceful yet charming as Kith & Kin nearby... You won’t be disappointed. Ideal location, smiling faces, feels like family. That’s just it, the name says it all, Kith & Kin, for friends and family. You’ll feel automatically part of the furniture. It’s not a question of if you will return but when… Probably the same time next week thanks
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