What to expect from Pablo Eggsgobao as cult favourite heads to Sunderland

This month it was announced that Pablo Eggsgobao will be bringing its breakfast bao bun offering to Mackie’s Corner.

Started as a pop-up in Heaton, Newcastle, during lockdown in 2020, the brand has proved a hit, going on to open its first stand alone takeaway shop in Whitley Bay, as well as a shop in Newcastle’s Blandford Street, a pop up in Byker and two branches in Edinburgh.

Its ethos of specialising in one dish, and doing it well, has took off, with around 1,500 bao buns sold across its branches each week.

The brand’s USP is combining Asian-style bao buns with full English classics of a hash brown and sausage patty and egg, topped with cheese and spicy and sweet sauce, which is also available as vegan or vegetarian.

Now, Wearside will be able to take a bite out of the delicacy at Mackie’s Corner.

As part of the renaissance of the landmark building, on the corner of Bridge Street and Fawcett Street, Pablo Eggsgobao will open in the as-yet-underutilised courtyard at the rear of the site.

Accessed via an alley next to Fat Unicorn, the courtyard will house a Pablo Eggsgobao van, with bao buns available for take away as well as to eat al fresco on the courtyard benches with the area also being dog-friendly.

It will be a new breakfast offering for the city centre, opening daily from 7am to 2pm, and will also be available on Uber Eats within a three mile radius of Mackie’s Corner.

The new Sunderland branch is due to open mid-August and Pablo Eggsgobao area manager Dave Turner says they’re excited to be a part of the wave of hospitality openings on Wearside.

“We’d thought about coming to Sunderland and then Kirtley Co (the Sunderland firm who own Mackie’s Corner) approached us. It’s a cool little space and the perfect fit for us,” he said.

“We really like all the other businesses in Mackie’s Corner too, they’re all quirky and independent and it’s great to see money being invested in rejuvenating a building like that, as well as the arrival of big brands like The Botanist.

“We’ve had an amazing response to an Instagram post we did on coming to Sunderland, it’s actually one of the best-performing we’ve done. It’s been a bit crazy and we’ve had loads of messages. It’s great to see there’s a buzz about it already.”

Speaking about the menu concept, he said: “When we first started as a pop up, we came up with a couple of ideas but settled on what we have now. All we’ve done is refined it over the years: improved how it looks and improved its eatability.

“People were a bit confused by it at first, but then it proved really popular because it’s so moreish. Now, we have customers who come almost daily.”

Mackie’s Corner will also welcome a new brunch hotspot soon.

Sofia’s will open in part of the former Cafe 1851 unit serving brunch options, coffees, natural wines and cocktails. Its booking system will go live soon and it’s expected to open in the coming weeks.

The new additions complement the existing hospitality offering at the site, which includes Fat Unicorn deli and The Sweet Petite cake shop.

Other new food and drink venues opening in Sunderland in the coming weeks include Sheepfolds Stables.

Opening from August 2 with a big launch weekend, the converted former stables will house The Calabash Tree, Ember, Vito’s Osteria, I Scream for Pizza, Mother Mercy, Spey Snug and Deep North, as well as an in-house bar offering.

*The Pablo Eggsgobao team is recruiting for staff members. Anyone interested can email [email protected]

On the Sunderland menu

Breakfast bao (£6.50) - giant bao bun, hash brown, high welfare sausage patty, melty cheese topped with egg, sriracha and tangy sauce.

OG veggie bao (£5) - giant bao bun with hash brown, topped with melty cheese, egg, sriracha and tangy sauce.

Vegan bao (£6.66) - giant bao bun with hash brown, topped with vegan sausage, melty vegan cheese and egg, sriracha and tangy sauce.

Hash box (£5) - box of hash browns in house seasoning and dip. Veggie option available.

Ice cream (£4) - Cornflake flavoured ice cream with baked cornflake crunch.

Doggo treat (£1.20) - high welfare pork sausage patty.

Drinks - a range of cold soft drinks, including orange juice.