Newcastle’s best Too Good To Go bags you won’t want to miss

Newcastle has many independent businesses who offer surprise bags on Too Good To Go, a food-waste saving app. If you haven’t used it before, food that can’t be sold the next day is put on the app for a heavy discount, but what you actually get a surprise. Pick a restaurant, cafe, or shop, pay, and pick up your bag at the specified time. When bags range from bubble tea to pizza, it can be hard to know where to start; so, here’s The Courier’s picks for the best bags you can get in Newcastle.

Our favourite breakfast bag is from Social Bird in the city centre; with over 4.5 stars, this bag promises value of £12 for £4. Though it usually has a narrow pickup window, if you’re going to be in town, their picky-bits breakfast is ideal.

If you eat before your lectures, you can still pick up a discounted drink on Too Good To Go. Newcastle have many great bubble tea options, but our favourites are Utepia Tea in China Town and Manua Cha in Grainger Market. Utepia Tea’s bag costs just £2.99, while Manua Cha guarantee two large teas for around £4.

In the afternoon, more full meal bags become available. After lectures, pop to The Bake in Eldon Square for a £5 Lebanese meal, usually a box of chips, meat, salad, and sauce.

On your way home, stop in Layla’s Kitchen Cafe, Jesmond; their plant-based bags contain two portions of homemade, whole-food focused soup and freshly-baked bread (if they have any left).

Gills Fish & Chips, who have locations across the city, serve surplus product, so you could get anything! They guarantee a hot meal that you can enjoy as-is for just £5.

Ouseburn-based Gingerino’s pizza is even better when it’s on Too Good To Go - for £4.49, we got a quarter of a margarita pizza, a quarter of a misto carne pizza, and a vegano mini calzone. Delicious, fresh, and quick and easy to reheat when you get home.

Some bags are much more competitive than others; whether it’s the popularity of the spot that makes it so sought after or just a low number of bags available, some bags are worth the daily check. When we finally got a bag from Ernie, Ernest’s deli in Ouseburn, we were not disappointed: we got two filled croissants, two cakes, a sweet pastry, and a cheese pasty.

Dot’s Bagels in Heaton are also a firm favourite; whether you get filled bagels or a selection of their fresh, New York-style bagels, this bag is a treat.

Finally, every student’s favourite: Olive & Bean. The sight of a bag is rare, and usually comes with a “sold out” label. Still, for £4, it’s certainly worth checking each day in case one is available, and you can enjoy their bread, bakes, and cakes at an amazing price.