Hello! My name is Alison and I started my new job at WERS at the beginning of January 2024. As a self proclaimed foodie I was thrilled that one of my first assignments was to visit newly opened The Seven Bridges Café, WERS new collaboration with Dance City, and write a review. The aim of the Café is ‘to be a place where great food and drink offers the context for conversation. At the heart of The Seven Bridges lies a deep commitment to empower refugees and asylum seekers through training and development opportunities.’

Currently open daily from 9:30-3:30 for drinks and 11-3 for food you can check out their Instagram or Facebook pages for more information. They also have a Crowdfunder to raise money as they work towards the official launch, to donate you can click here.

I was anxious to arrive at The Seven Bridges Café located inside Dance City, just off of bustling St James Boulevard in Newcastle, not least because it was a biting 0°C but mainly because I had heard such wonderful things about the food. I met my dining companion, Madeleine, outside and we entered together into the inviting warmth and large open lobby of Dance City, and on to the café at the left hand side. The café is small and welcoming, with a mixture of comfy chairs, booth style benches and dining tables ready for customers to enjoy a casual coffee and a snack or a filling meal.

As The Seven Bridges Café only opened up last week the menu is small for the moment, but chef Lukasz told me he is looking forward to expanding it as the café moves towards its full opening and expanded hours. For now though the menu has more than enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters, and even though it changes often the principle is always the same; quality food, fresh ingredients and worldwide inspiration. Todays offerings included two different sandwiches-one vegetarian and one chicken, an African stew, a butternut squash soup and a chicken pasta salad.

It was an easy choice for me, the peanut maafe- a west African stew served with couscous, jumped straight out at me, and for only £4.50 who could complain? Madeleine chose the Mediterranean chicken pasta salad, £6.00, and we headed to a comfortable table in the corner to wait for our choices. We didn’t have to wait long as the friendly member of staff who took our orders was with us less than ten minutes later, placing in front of us two dishes that made us both go ‘wow!’

The presentation of both plates was something that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Michelin starred restaurant we couldn’t help but remark, as we looked at the white plates perfectly highlighting the vibrant colours of the food in front of us. We eagerly grabbed our forks and took our first bite, letting out a simultaneous noise of approval. The peanut maafe was divine, full of a variety of fresh vegetables so that not only was it delicious, but it was nourishing as well. The peanut flavour was well balanced and the scattered peanuts on top added a welcome crunch, while the perfectly cooked vegetables all held their own in a dish with a lot of flavours. The couscous was flavourful but not overwhelming, allowing the maafe to be the star of the plate. The slight spicy heat of the dish was welcome on this cold Monday in January. Overall an excellent dish that ticked all of the right boxes for me.

For research purposes I took a bite or two of Madeleine’s salad, it looked too good not to, and I was glad that I did. The salad leaves were fresh and crunchy and the tomatoes-juicy and ripe. The whole dish came together beautifully with a perfectly tangy dressing, not too much though, that really invoked the Mediterranean ideals of clean, fresh food.

The budget is of course a huge factor in menu planning, although not necessarily just to maximise profits, the point is to keep the menu ‘cheap and accessible, so that anyone can walk in and eat here.’ Of course, balancing a budget means it’s not always easy to cater to all dietary needs, whether these are for health or religious reasons, so the chef tries to keep it simple and make sure there are a variety of vegetarian dishes and that the meat is usually chicken or fish.

Volunteers from WERS Skillsmatch program who are matched with the café can volunteer in any role they want; the chef feels it’s important to emphasize they are not there to do the jobs no one wants. If they want to wash dishes and clean tables, great! But if they want to learn about menu planning, food ordering, budgeting, barista training, front of house, health and safety, and of course cooking, these are all options which are open to them as well. Lukasz is there to support the volunteers and do the jobs that need doing, no complaints.

What’s in for the volunteers besides learning new skills? A free meal, expenses paid and the chance to make new friends and connections.

“I feel privileged to be given this opportunity to learn new skills.”

— Ryan, Skillsmatch volunteer

Speaking of volunteers, I quickly caught up with volunteer Ryan to hear about his experiences before I begrudgingly headed back out into the cold. It was only Ryan’s second day at the café but his enthusiasm for the work was palpable. As Ryan explained to me the opportunity to work was one which made him feel ‘privileged’, he had been a graphic designer and interpreter (he speaks 5 languages and is working on number 6) before his journey as a refugee had begun, and he is used to working hard. ‘I feel like I’m living a parallel life,’ he told me.

With nothing for him to do in the hotel he is currently living in and not being allowed to work, Ryan relished the chance to learn a skill he had ‘personally chosen to build.’ He doesn’t have to volunteer, he wants to, and cooking is something he’s always wanted to do but never had the chance in his life before coming to England. ‘In some ways it’s like my real life is on pause,’ he says. Further explaining that he is currently able to focus on things he enjoys to occupy his time before he can jump back in to a full time job, wherever and whenever that may be. ’Hopefully the Caribbean’, he tells me with a wistful smile.

If he had his way, he would be at the café 5 days a week, but WERS has a waiting list of volunteers who are eager for their chance to work with the Seven Bridges team, so for now two days a week will have to do. Ryan doesn’t let that hold him back and Skillsmatch also found him a volunteering opportunity relating to one of his other hobbies- bikes. So he spends a further two days a week volunteering at Rcyke y’bike learning essential maintenance skills.

For now we’re happy to have Ryan as one of our volunteers but we’re looking forward to the day, hopefully in the not too distant future, when Ryan can resume his normal life and utilise his new skills.

To donate to the Crowdfunder for The Seven Bridges Café click here or to learn more about the project click here.