Pink Lane Bakery has branches in Jesmond, Gosforth and Morpeth, but it was the original Newcastle city centre shop that came in for praise in The Times recently
12:43, 06 Apr 2026
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
A Newcastle bakery has been named one of the seven best in Britain. Pink Lane Bakery, has branches in the city centre, Jesmond, Gosforth, and recently opened up in Morpeth.
However, it was the original shop in Newcastle city centre that was picked out by the Times for its bacon sandwiches and cheese savoury sourdough.
Times travel writer Felicity Cloake wrote: “When it comes to bacon sandwiches, you can’t beat a Geordie stottie cake. I’m perpetually perplexed as to why this satisfyingly dense, deliciously chewy bread is so hard to find outside the North East of England, but that’s a rant for another day.
“Given this sad state of affairs, if I’m ever in Newcastle upon Tyne I’ll find an excuse to detour to the original branch of this small chain, a few minutes’ walk from the station, for breakfast or a cheese savoury sourdough version (a cheese-and-onion filling, often with grated carrot for a bit of added crunch and colour). The staff are lovely too — which always puts an extra spring in my step as I dash for the train.”
Reacting to the post on Facebook, Pink Lane Bakery said: “So lovely to get a mention by the brilliant Felicity Cloake in the Times in her piece about Britain’s best bakeries. So touched, as we’ve loved her travel and food writing over the years.”
Pink Lane Bakery opened in its tiny Newcastle city centre shop on Pink Lane in 2012, but expanded into the old fire station on Gosforth High Street. Demand for the firm’s sausage rolls, sourdough breads and pastries led to a move into Baker’s Yard in Gosforth, the former home of Greggs.
Its latest accolade comes after Pink Lane was named Best in the North East at the National Bakery Awards in November 2025.
Pink Lane Bakery is not the only Newcastle bakery to have received acclaim nationally recently, with the Big River Bakery winning £25,000 from the Airbnb Best of British fund. Co-director Andy Haddon says the money will go towards making National Stottie Week bigger and better, and that the funding will benefit the North East’s wider tourist economy.
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