Clifton Coffee Shop in South Tyneside

On the weekend of 20th Oct'23, We had family staying locally for a Celebration Party we were holding. One of our family were booked into the The Clifton for 2 nights. We decided to join the family member on the Sunday Morning, I asked the relative to book a table for 5, which he did. On arriving at the Clifton's Cafe at 915am, A member of their team asked if we had a booking, I told her yes for 5 people, she showed us to a table for 4, I repeated it was for 5 (at this point our family member had come down from his guest room), the owner then interjected saying to "add a chair on end of table", one table isnt large enough for 5 adults plus all the drinks, breakfasts, plates etc I asked her if we could have table opposite but she didn't like that idea so i suggested another table, neither were given to us. After a lot of eye rolling & giving off a vibe that we were "an inconvenience ", we were told to "get in the snug". Unfortunately, the chairs in this area are very very low down & two in our group having disabilities, it wasn't suitable, so back into the main area we went. Only for more eye rolling & to be honest, rather abrupt attitude from the owner, telling us to sit where we'd already asked for, making us all feeling very uncomfortable. We spent over £50 between 4 of us for breakfast plus the £157 our family member paid for 2 night stay & I have to say her attitude was appalling & not acceptable. I decided to direct message the Clifton last night & explain how the owner made us feel & how we were upset by the whole situation. My message was read but no response after 24hrs. We've used this Cafe on many an occasion as you get such a lovely breakfast. I'm so disappointed they didn't respond to my message. I guess our business isn't that important to them, its sad but we'll have to move on.

We visited The Clifton Coffee Shop this week with our small dog. He was given a warm welcome as we were, too. We enjoyed a delicious jacket potato with prawns, probably one of the best we've ever had in a restaurant. Thank you all at the Clifton for giving us an enjoyable experience and we look forward to our next visit.

Had an excellent breakfast at a the Clifton. We had pre booked the table which is just as well as it was so busy (at 9am.) I ordered the traditional English breakfast and my husband order a pick your own, also toast and a pot of tea. The surroundings were decorated beautifully and it was immaculately clean. The breakfasts came out in good time and were piping hot, everything was cooked perfectly. We both throughly enjoyed the food no complaints at all! Service was excellent with pleasant, efficient staff who run thing like a well oiled machine. The price £25 for the two of us.Can’t wait to go back and try the lunch menu and the afternoon tea. 10/10

A group of 15 friends enjoyed afternoon tea in the lounge. Everything went smoothly from the time of booking onwards. The Lounge was the perfect space for us and very nicely set for our booking. All the staff we encountered were friendly, helpful and efficient. The food itself was nice and fresh with a good afternoon tea selection and not short on portion size. The tea and coffee was repeatedly replenished. All in all the whole group were impressed.

Regularly come here with friends, for breakfast (best breakfast in town), lunch or coffee and cake. Food is always fabulous, staff are friendly and welcoming and nothing is too much trouble. I always bring out of town friends here when they visit and they've always been desperate to return! Oh and our dog loves their sausages and scrambled egg!

Just wanted to say we loved the afternoon tea on Saturday. We were in the Snug room which was beautiful. All 7 of us really enjoyed the food, the cheese scones in particular were gorgeous. We would definitely recommend and we will be returning x thanks for a wonderful experience x X

Excellent find in South Shields. Fabulous cafe with warm atmosphere, very friendly staff, great service and fantastic food. Very impressed

Afternoon tea for three ,for the not cheap price of 15.00 per head i personally found all of it very disappointing,lacklustre sandwiches,microwaved mini tarts so the pastry went soft,scones i found tasteless and doughy ,worst of all for me ,no proper butter just an awful for me ,what tasted like a cheap spread on sandwiches and for the mini herb scone (if thats what is was) i couldnt face the rest of the sandwiches or cakes although my husband enjoyed the lemon and carrot cake. We have had far better in other establishments, but nice clean attractive decor and toilets and the food liked nice enough on other diners plates.

My favourite place for good quality food and great coffe. Great atmosphere and very friendly staff the place is immaculate.I look forward to my visit every week

Having never been a "coffee shop goer", my mate & I stumbled across this gem of a place some 8 or 9 years ago. We very quickly became regulars and enjoyed not only the food and wonderful service, but watching the business evolve (& indeed thrive) over the years. The menu is varied and very accommodating for people with dietary constraints, whilst the decor is beautifully maintained and refreshed, giving the establishment a real classy feel. Friends from outside the region who have visited me have always been impressed (indeed, many have also stayed in their B&B rooms, which are quite beautiful). Anyone who knows Shields will be aware there is no shortage of coffee shops competing for business, but I genuinely think The Clifton is a cut above other establishments: there really is no comparison. Bravo Scott, Liz & all of the staff. Look forward to seeing you again soon.

The decor and seating is good, staff polite. Unfortunately the portions are poor and prices are high and the Clifton is riding on its previous good reputation which is unlikely to last. Tea for 2 is a pot which just fills the 2 small tea cups once and the pot is then empty. If you ask for it to be refilled you will realise that they only put 1 tea bag in the pot. The same size pot they use for tea for 1 but are charging twice as much. I wonder if they put half a tea bag in the pot of tea for 1. A cheese and ham omlette showed no trace of ham and barely any cheese. Eggs royale were anything but with the most miserly portion of salmon I have ever seen, one thin slice trimmed so small you had to lift the egg to even notice it. I know prices have risen but there are many very good cafes around now which are serving better quality, better portions and a decent size pot of tea. I'd suggest you go elsewhere, maybe the Clifton will then have a re-think.

We stopped off here following the reviews on TripAdvisor. We were only stopping for coffee but were tempted by their cakes. Both coffee and cakes were amazing as were the helpful staff. An added bonus was they were dog friendly. Although not the cheapest we had on our holiday the cakes were definitely the best. Well worth a short walk from the front to experience this coffee shop. Simply excellent.

First visit to the Clifton. We had Afternoon Tea, which was delicious! Everything was fresh and tasted wonderful- particularly the frosting on the carrot cake! Service was excellent and friendly staff. We will definitely be visiting again.

Bad coffee, underwhelming breakfast, high prices and not value for money! First time visit to the coffee shop for breakfast and black pudding stack at £7.95 was shocking. Swimming in water, a meagre 4 mushrooms quartered, wet tomato slice and poached eggs thick with passata sauce...dreadful

Gorgeous cafe. Helpful friendly staff. Delicious breakfast all in a lovely restaurant close to the beach and other amenities.

The Clifton is our go to breakfast spot! Myself and my partner have been to the Clifton several times and have always left completely and utterly satisfied after a delicious breakfast. The cafe is beautifully decorated and the staff are lovely and attentive. The food...

Myself and some family went for afternoon tea 9n 7th June for birthday celebrations. The decor was really really good and everything was great! My family enjoyed the selection of sweets and savouries. I didn't get afternoon tea but got a jacket potato which I...

Staff were lovely, food was amazing, service and hygiene were 10/10. Presentations of food the cafe itself was lovely. Will be visiting again.

Went in for afternoon tea as a treat for my mam. There was 3 of us altogether. The food was the beautifully fresh. The cakes were all lovely and moist, and the sandwiches were delicious. There was loads of it and we ended up taking...

Outstanding service and beautiful lunch once again perfection It's the best coffee to I am addicted to there steak and cheese toasties served with fresh salad and colesaw The staff and owner are amazing and I absolutely highly recommend this place. I've booked my daughter...

Pros - presentation of food. China quickly replaced by server when large crack in cup pointed out. Waiter very amenable and friendly whilst serving. Cons- seating was squashed, no teapot! (Though, to be fair, the table was too small to have one on. I had...

Lovely afternoon tea and great service… loved sitting in The Snug! Lots of variety with the food and staff available.

I often pop in here for late breakfast early lunch the staff are a pleasure - surroundings very clean & comfortable & can’t find a fault with any of the dishes I’ve tried

Great atmosphere, beautiful food and fantastic attentive service. We would highly recommend and we will return as often as possible. After a lovely walk along the coast this stop off was much needed and we certainly left content and re-energized to continue the day.

We seen the Clifton Coffee shop on Living North Best places for afternoon tea and they were rated number 1 and they did not disappoint. The staff were lovely, attentive on the day. Special mention to Skye, Lorraine and Callum who couldn’t do enough for...

I have came to this coffee shop a number of times and it’s her disappointed, staff are amazing and the food is beautiful. I have recommended the Clifton to a few of my friends who have then passed on their recommendations to their friends. I...

I can never fault the food, staff and service at the coffee shop. It's one of my favourite places to go with friends and family. Whether it's breakfast/brunch or afternoon tea, it's fabulous. I also live the fact that they cater for dietary requirements as...

After coming to the Clifton regularly and never being disappointed, we decided to go ahead and book the afternoon tea for my daughters birthday at her request. . Once again the service, food and cleanliness of the Clifton was amazing. My daughter absolutely loves the...

This is the second time I’ve visited the Clifton tea rooms, and we have not been disappointed. I took my mum for some lunch, we had a simple tuna and cucumber sandwich, we actually made a comment of how can a simple sandwich taste so...

Visited the Clifton cafe 3 weeks in advance of a special occasion as I was checking out venues in South Shields for afternoon tea. The "manager/owner*" took my booking and I specifically booked a private area, 'the snug'. I rang 5 days in advance of...

It was an absolute treat to visit the Clifton Cafe! The food was excellent, the surroundings were well furnished and decor beautiful. It was spotlessly clean all thanks to Lorraine, and we were made very welcome by the lady owner. We'll definitely be back!

Food was absolutely delicious, well cooked and great value. I’ve just never paid money to sit on the floor to eat! We were told there would be a wait for a table - not a problem, ordered drinks and sat in the lounge area on...

We came here because our friends had bought us vouchers. Lovely welcome by staff and nice seating and a spotless cafe. We ordered our meals snd the drinks . Drinks came out quickly followed by our poached egg meals. Beautifully presented and tasted as good....

Excellent service and food. Staff were inviting and friendly. Quick service and hot meals. Came highly recommended from someone and they were not wrong. Lovely chat with staff member Lorraine who gave us ideas on where to visit. We will certainly be returning

I took my neice for afternoon tea as a belated birthday gift. I requested a gluten free selection for myself and I cannot fault either choice. A good selection of sandwiches however the miniature quiche are so flavoursome and the selection of cakes .... mmmmm!...

I've been wanting to visit here for such a long time and finally got a chance to visit. Lovely food and a friendly atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back.

Well what can I say. The rooms are of a good size and value for money it has everything you need even has a google assist I found that good to play some music. We had the best time here food amazing staff very friendly...

Came along to our favourite cafe as we do weekly. Food and service as always superb 👌. Staff are always lvelto our little boy. I would recommend this place any day of the week.

Had an excellent afternoon tea with my mum. My afternoon tea was also gluten free. Excellent service and very friendly and helpful staff would highly recommend

Great food and service. Lorraine and Callum were polite, friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Food was served quickly even though it was busy. The food was plentiful and great value. We visited twice in out three night stay in the B&B within which...

We called in to the tearoom twice today. When I say we I mean 5 adults, 3 children and a dog. The first visit was on our way from the ferry landing towards the sea front and we only wanted drinks. Bearing in mind they...

Had a gorgeous afternoon tea here today for my birthday! Everything was delicious and the service was great too! Callum especially, was great - we got caught in torrential rain on the way there and my partner was so drenched he offered us a towel...

A day out at the beach with an excellent Afternoon tea served with an extra help of customer service second to none,from start to finish we arrived early which wasn't a problem,although the place was really busy the outside of the building was inviting modern...

We visited for afternoon tea for 8 of us. The service was fantastic and food delicious. One of our party is gluten intolerant and there was no problem at all with providing her with a delicious afternoon tea. Plenty tea and coffee refills provided. The...

I only eat out in one other place in South Shields preferring Newcastle but today that's changed to 2 places! When we arrived the place was busy with a lovely atmosphere I would recommend booking as this place is very popular. Let me tell you...

Had the fabulous afternoon this week. We had the Libary Room. The food was delicious. The service was fabulous. Scott and Callum were very attentive. Most of the company have not been before. But would definitely return.

My fiancee and myself came to the Clifton Hotel Coffee Shop for afternoon tea. We ended up having afternoon tea in the hotel, as the coffee shop was unable to open, due to staff isolating. We weren't disappointed, the room was gorgeous, the staff were...

We were told there would be a delay on food as we entered. This wasn’t an issue however people come in after us, ordered, ate and paid before our food arrived. We waited that long for our food to arrive a waiter come over to...

Visited the Clifton yesterday and had one of the most delicious afternoon teas I’ve ever had. Lots of variety and everything very tasty. It was really busy but the staff were fantastic, very attentive, polite and friendly. We had a truly lovely afternoon. Upon leaving...

Stayed at the Clifton over the bank holiday. We had a lovely time. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Bedroom was lovely with a lovely comfortable bed. Spotlessly clean everything you would want. Plenty of choice for breakfast. As I had only scrambled egg on...

We had afternoon tea at the Clifton and the food was excellent; lovely sandwiches and homemade quiche/scones. Great service from Amber.

Hi great breakfasts, Nice staff, Very clean and relaxed morning we had here. I had full English maybe could of done with having two or everything except one but all in all was lovely.

Visited The Clifton today for afternoon tea for my mams birthday - it was fabulous! Food was gorgeous and service from Amber and her male colleague (sorry didn't get his name) was top class! With a couple of food intolerances in our party nothing was...

We chose to collect our order,and arrived early in time to have coffee and something tasty from the excellent menu.,before collecting our afternoon tea to take home.Superb and friendly service,and our tea was lovely and beautifully presented.We were marking a sombre family occasion ,and the...

We had afternoon tea delivered on Sunday, and it was excellent. Beautifully presented in individual boxes, with a fine tasty selection. We can't speak more highly of the quality and service

Please note this review relates to a take away afternoon tea service. For my birthday my husband had booked a delivery for afternoon tea for 2pm. Arrived 25mins late - which wasnt too much of an issue. We had set out our tea cups and...

Visited for a Saturday afternoon coffee and treat after a lovely bike ride. Lovely surroundings, good choice of cakes and great service

My husband and me always try and have a cheeky breakfast out on a Wednesday before work, we live in East Boldon and used to go to a regular one in East Boldon before it changed ownership, I had been here before with friends and...

Three of us enjoyed a beautiful afternoon tea, we ate outside, the service was impeccable, food delicious, and the Covid safety procedures are second to none. The best place in South Shields.

Nice enough place, quite boutique, just not sure what sets this place apart. I ordered an iced coffee which came in a warm glass, with one small cube of ice that melted after a minute or two, so was a luke warm coffee rather than...

Beautiful breakfast! Lovely quality in lovely surroundings with very friendly attentive staff. We visited during g eat out to help out and they were really busy but it was still amazing.

Been a few times here and it never fails. Highly recommend, lovely staff and the breakfast was unreal! You can even bring your dog ☺️

Great little cafe. We were lucky to get a table outside in the glorious sunshine. All Covid rules and sanitation were spot on. The menu isn't huge but we had a club sandwich and a chorizo and chicken sandwich. They were both huge, fresh and really tasty. Came with nachos and a salad garnish - best we've ever had. Lovely coffee too.

Came for afternoon tea with my mam and daughter and we all loved it, staff could not have been more helpful and every single bite of the food was delicious. A lovely selection a d fantastic big pot of tea. We wi be back, this is now my favourite spot for afternoon tea in South Shields.

My wife and I booked for breakfast here. I'd never eaten here despite living in South Shields all of my life, but boy am I glad I did. A warm welcome awaits you here whether you are a guest at the adjacent Clifton Hotel or just passing by. The surroundings are very cosy, impeccably clean and the place has a lovely vibe. The staff are very polite and friendly with customers and it has a very family-run feel overall. The food selection (even during Covid-19) is wide and varied. I chose a Full English and my wife chose the Eggs Royale. Both were outstanding in terms of presentation and taste. They offer afternoon teas too which I have heard are wonderful. If you are staying in South Shields, you must try this place as it really is a little gem.

an exceptional breakfast was included in the price of our stay and nothing was to much trouble for the staff always checking to see if everything was ok and if there was anything else we needed i cant rate the owners and the staff enough our whole stay was perfect from start to finish

Great food fab breccie great comfy room bathroom with shower fab decor very retro great staff amazing don't stay anywhere else cannot wait to return afternoon teas Sarnia also available thanks to all staff

Popped in for brunch. A nice chilled place with polite staff and great service. The food was presented nicely and tasted fresh. The salmon with scrambled egg on a bagel is a must try and there is a good selection of teas, coffees and juice to choose from. Will be back again soon.

Was greeted by one of the staff with a face like thunder cos we hadn’t booked. Food was actually lovely ordered my son a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake , when it arrived it was a sponge cake... tasted awful.Sent it back . But they wouldn’t take it off the billWaitress was so fake. Didn’t crack a smileWon’t be returning

My friends took me to Clifton coffee shop for afternoon tea. All social distancing measures were observed, our table was cleaned on arrival and set when we sat down. Afternoon tea was delicious and plenty of it. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Went for lunch with my son 4thJuly 2020, food was amazing and service was fantastic, will definitely recommend and will be back very soon.

Liz and Scott made me feel very welcome during my stay. The hotel is absolutely fantastic, immaculately clean, serves a very reasonably priced, first class afternoon tea and great bacon sandwiches for breakfast. The rooms I stayed in over two weekends were very accommodating, immaculate and had all the additional features you would expect to find in a hotel of such high class. The hotel is located in a few minutes walk from the sea front and the town centre. I would highly recommend The Clifton to Company’s looking to accommodate key workers, as was the purpose of my stay. May I pass on my personal thanks to Liz and Scott, wishing them both a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous future. Best regards, Steve.

Went for afternoon tea, excellent food and excellent service! Would definitely recommend and will be returning.

The tea was disappointing. Savoury scones were so hard the knife wouldn't cut through and had to be replaced. The sandwiches and scone were spread with margarine . A small tea pot was brought for 2 and we were not offered any more until we had finished eating.

Pleasant place to have lunch, plenty of choice even on the gluten free menu which is important to me as a coeliac. Gf bread available and lots of choice of hot and cold sandwiches. Staff are cheerful and friendly.

Breakfasst was lovely - only small grip that I have is that the sausage was tastless - but still eat it!. Service spot on and price superb! Took a cake home - strawberry and white cholocate - delicious! Will be returning! As an aside it is not suitable for people in wheelchairs - no ramp to door.

Lots of choice, well cooked and beautifully presented. I thought the egg, cheese, bacon muffin with my extra Avocado was superb! I particularly loved the soft Avocado. Will be back again and again....

Visit here quite regularly and never disappointed. Extensive menu to cater for dietary requirements. Callum is a joy to be served by always have a chat with him. Owners liz and scott very friendly and welcoming.

First visit yesterday and wont be the last. We came for a coffee and catch up, lovely menu with something for everyone. Amber, our waitress was lovely, friendly and efficient, food delicious and coffee hit the spot.

We visited as a party of six, mid afternoon. It was quite busy but we had pre-booked. Warm, welcoming feel good quality sandwiches and cakes, fair prices. Dogs allowed. Not certain but I think alcoholic beverage on sale . We didn't try the meals but menu offered good variety of options. The coffee shop offers a private room for parties of ten great idea for a celebratory get together

Met friends for lunch - superb. Delicious food and great service. My steak baguette was lovely. Dog friendly too - our four-legged friends were very well looked after.

Had a family meet up and was very surprised to find this wonderful venue. Baby shower booked for March so checking the “Library” room whilst there

Not the fault of the coffee shop...who apparently weren't aware , but Tripadvisor state they are open from 9-1 p.m. on Sundays. They are NOT! They don't open on Sunday as I found out to my cost after a 12 mile drive on Sunday January 5th only to find the doors firmly shut at 11.30a.m.

Visited today for my mam's birthday. Really lovely food (recommend the afternoon tea), staff and surroundings. Will be back 👌😊

A large group of us visited for afternoon tea on New Years Eve. As a previous visit had shown the premises were quite small, I wondered what it would be like.. It surpassed expectations. We were in a private room at the front of the building, seated on comfortable sofas and armchairs with a large central table. The food was delicious. 4 types of sandwiches, quiche, pigs in blankets, savoury and cream scones, trifles and cakes. Doggy bags were provided for leftovers. We are planning our next visit already.

We went here for afternoon tea for my birthday the food was festive seeing it was so close to Christmas it was well presented tasted delicious was freshly made and didn’t break the bank .The staff here are lovely all in all a very good afternoon in very pleasant surroundings

Had a lovely 😊 breakfast tea ☕️ / afternoon tea ☕️ to celebrate 🎉 Christmas 🎄 2019 with friends. Food was delicious 😋 in relaxing 😎 surroundings. Thank you for a great afternoon.

Visited the coffee shop with 2 kids, very clean tidy and quirky. The staff were polite and helpful food was great.Would recommend the milkshakes well worth a visit for

Absolutely amazing afternoon tea. Looked delicious when served and tasted Devine !! I am a big fan of afternoon tea and have done several. I can honestly say this is the best one I have had. Great value, nicely presented, lovely choice of food and cosy place Cameron served us and what a nice young man, he’s a credit to the place. Well done The Clifton, I will be back in January with friends.

7 of my family had afternoon tea here. EVERYTHING was fantastic, food beautiful with bottomless coffee/tea to drink throughout. Definitely worth 5 stars. Credit to Callum for going the extra mile for us, Clifton he is a credit to your company, lovely lad and great worker. Thank you X.

Been once. Sad to say will not be going again. During the consumption of my coffee anmd light bite I witnessed a member of staff drop cutlery on ther floor and, upon retrieving the items immediately return them without washing to the dispensers from which future tables would be set. This did not inspire confidence.

I've visited the Clifton for breakfast and lunch on many occasions and always had good food and drinks from a surprisingly large and varied menu.

Went for the first time for lunch. Lovely and clean fresh looking surroundings. They don't rush you. I had the club sandwich which was tasty. My husband had the egg florentine which he said was amazing. The white hot chocolate was like melted milky bar great for those with a sweet tooth. Good vegan selection too. Mixed age group. Will be visiting again.

Absolutely tremendous property. Clean great area. Staff wonderful. Food fabulous. Will stay again. Rooms are beautiful.

My wife and I call into this cafe once or twice a month and are always made welcome and the service and food are excellent.

Bestilte bord til 6 personer for Afternoon tea. Veldig koselig og særegen plass. God mat og drikke. Du får mye for pengene. Vil absolutt anbefale stedet.

Great place for coffee and cake or full breakfast. Food is excellent and freshly made. Staff are friendly and efficient. Have had most breakfast dishes, from a black pudding stack to the full English, all top drawer.

Found this gem while out on a wander, and decided to pop in. Easily the best decision made in a while!

This place is prefect to meet up with Family and friends. Great atmosphere great service great food. It also has beautifully decorated sitting rooms you can use for a bigger gathering.

I booked on the morning we wanted to go, which is a must, for afternoon tea . I was asked about any allergy information straight away, so informed them of my strawberry allergy