Poppies - County Durham

This used to be a wonderful place to visit, all members of staff were friendly, the food was always piping hot, well portioned and very reasonable. It has undergone a few changes, one being the name now named The Lighthouse by Poppies . It seems the new owners have made a few changes, the decor has been vastly improved, however there are couple of new members of staff who just aren 't as friendly. Furthermore, the quality of the food is terrible compared to all our previous visits. The chips which used to be absolutely wonderful are now terrible I 'm not certain if a different oil is being used, but the quality is just not there, and the meal was also served warm as opposed to hot. To add to this, the prices are much more expensive, even a can of coke is £1.50 a can that came from a multipack! I 'm afraid what was a regular place and a highlight of Seaham has now been crossed off the list. Finally, a Traditional Turkish Breakfast ... It 's an English cafe for goodness sake!!!

Lovely coffee, but had to wait ages for food, even though this was just toasted tea cake. I asked at the counter and was told there had been several orders, but that ours was next, We then had to wait about the same length of time. By the time we received our food, we had finished our drinks. Although the staff apologised, this did not seem sincere and was more of an excuse than anything. The tea cakes were well-toasted, but doughy and in-edible. All in all, this was an experience, which we will not be repeating.

Excellent value for the money and delicious food. The staff is very friendly. Although I tried out new cafes in the area that supposedly had better menus and higher quality, I ultimately returned to this restaurant. Don't be fooled by fancy menus and appearances in newspapers, because they don't guarantee great food.

This café is extremely welcoming with a great selection of homemade dishes. The quiches and pies are particularly tasty, as are the delicious chips and cheese scones. The milky coffees are also lovely. This is definitely the go-to spot in Seaham for homemade food. The atmosphere is comfortable and the venue is clean. I highly recommend it.

As someone new to the area, I decided to try a hot drink at this restaurant. I'm glad I did, and also ended up trying their scones and cake! My partner ordered eggs and chips, which were freshly cooked and exactly what they were craving.