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 Catalin Cirimpei, who runs Influence Cafe in Skinnergate, Darlington, with wife Mariana.

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Catalin knows that despite serving up delicious cakes, breakfasts and brunches, the cafe is perhaps most famous for Rocco and Macy – the couple's adorable cockapoo dogs who sit in pride of place in their own little den in the window.

"We are very dog friendly," said Catalin. "And everyone loves to come and see the dogs."

The cafe opened in 2018, and Catalin said the couple has dealt with plenty of challenges along the way, including having to close during Covid.

He said: "We opened the cafe to try and make a difference to the town, and Skinnergate, and support the community.

"We used to host live, local music events, but these stopped during lockdown and we haven't started them back up, but it is something we'd love to bring back. We also act as a gallery for local artists – our walls are covered in artworks and we sell them for the artists.

"It's just a great way to support the community."

Influence Cafe serves up delicious breakfasts and brunches, as well as homemade cakes and Turkish coffee.

The husband and wife team also run two other town centre eateries: Banqo, based in Darlington Market; and Number Eight Bakehouse, an artisan bakery in Post House Wynd – which made The Northern Echo's top ten Best Bakeries, earlier this year.

Using locally sourced ingredients, Banqo serves up everything from breakfasts, wraps, sandwiches, soups and schnitzel as well as freshly made sourdough bread.

Catalin added: "We're delighted to have been nominated for our cafe – thank you so much to our wonderful customers!"