WITH voting for The Northern Echo’s Best Coffee Shop now well and truly open, your favourite needs your support!

Every day over the next ten days, we will be featuring one of our top ten finalists, chosen by our readers.

Today, we hear from David Stephenson, who owns The Grind Bar & Kitchen and Baby Grind Cafe in Spennymoor.

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Despite first opening The Grind – now known affectionately as Baby Grind – in September 2020 in the middle of two Covid lockdowns, the business has gone from strength to strength.

David said: “After seeing the business grow, we knew it was time to take the next step with a bigger space – luckily, it was just a few doors down. This venue, which seats around 70, became The Grind, and we rebranded the original as Baby Grind.”

“Baby Grind is a cosy coffee shop offering cakes, scones, and sandwiches, perfect for a more intimate vibe. On the other hand, The Grind has evolved into a restaurant and bar. A lot of our staff love working in Baby Grind though – we all have a soft spot for it!”

David said he originally had a coffee and clothing shop in Durham, but due to redevelopment, this building was knocked down.

He said: “I just always saw a gap in the market in Spennymoor for a breakfast place to have good coffee and brunch. I headhunted my general manager Dean Goundry, as I knew I couldn’t do it without him and he is still here four years on. We have amazing staff, who have mostly been with us for more than two years.

“We get our coffee from Lonton in Barnard Castle, our fresh meat from Deerness Valley Meats in Esh Winning, and use all local produce where we can.

"I think it’s the staff, food and experience makes us so special. We get customers coming from all over the North East, from Tyneside to Teesside. Plus, with our strong presence on social media, people know exactly what we’re about, and that definitely helps us grow.”

“We also host live music on Friday nights and our popular Thursday night quiz, drawing 60-70 people every week! It’s not your usual quiz thanks to our quiz master Stonesy. With our evening menu running Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, we’re offering Spennymoor something a little different.”

“We’re really proud to have been nominated, particularly by The Northern Echo as it’s part of North East heritage!”