Win afternoon tea for two at Sunderland's Paticake Patisserie

A cake and coffee shop which offers a kaleidoscope of sweet treats is raising a glass to four years in the city.

It was in December 2019 that couple Patrycja and Ariel Niesporek transformed the former The Fire Place shop in Tunstall Road to create Paticake Patisserie.

Named after Patrycja's nickname of Pati, it was an extension to her Paticake Bakery with all the cakes handmade for the shop from her bakery.

To celebrate four years in the city, we've teamed up with the business to give away an afternoon for tea worth £19.50 per person.

Despite being popular with its regulars, Ariel says there's still many people who don't even know the business, which is just outside the city centre on Thornhill Crescent, Tunstall Road, is there.

"We've had our ups and downs since opening, but I just love it when it's busy," said Ariel. "We found that in Covid people had more money, but since then, with the cost of living, we haven't been as busy - cake is a luxury.

"There's so many people I speak to who don't even realise we're here. But once customers come in, they always come back. I think once you have something so good, made with fresh, natural ingredients, it's hard to go back to fake cream and chocolate."

As well as a wide array of cakes and tarts, Paticake sells savoury options such as scones, toasties, sausage rolls, chutney rolls, and pasties, as well as some Polish options in honour of the couple's birthplace.

They include pierogi, which are Polish dumplings; bigos, which is a slow-cooked stew and Polish hot dogs.

"We have something for everyone," said Ariel. "We also like to offer unique things you can't get other places. A lot of people have visited Poland thanks to direct flights from Newcastle Airport so they love things like pierogi - but they say ours are better than the ones they've had in Poland."

*Paticake Patisserie is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturdays from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. If you'd like to book afternoon tea for dine in, it's best to book ahead through their social media pages. Afternoon tea can also be ordered for takeout.

Win

We've teamed up with Paticake Patisserie to give away an afternoon tea for two, worth £19.50 each.

The winner and their friend will receive sandwiches, two scones each in cheese and lemon and blueberry, mini sausage rolls, cheese and olives, fruits and a range of cakes of the day, as well as tea. Afternoon teas also come with a side of nachos.

To be in with a chance of winning afternoon tea for two, answer this question: on which road is Paticake Patisserie?

A:: Tunstall Road

B:: Thorney Close Road

C:: Town End Road

Email your answer, as well as your name and address, to [email protected] by 9am on Monday, January 22.

The winner will be notified by email.

They can redeem the prize on a day of their choosing but they will need to pre-book it with Paticake so they can get it ready.

Usual National World competition rules apply.