Dining Out Review: We tried lunch at the Influence Cafe in Darlington

Walking down Skinnergate we decided to grab a bite to eat at the Influence Café and I was pleasantly surprised.

We arrived last Saturday (May 13) around 3pm. The market square was full of people and there was a good atmosphere in the city center that day.

We sat down and both ordered a glass of fresh orange juice to start with (£3 each). Then my mum Sheila ordered poached eggs with avocado on sourdough toast (£7) and I ordered the bacon, avocado, pecan and walnut salad with mixed leaves and honey mustard dressing (£8.50).

Influence Cafe on Skinnergate in Darlington. Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

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My salad was delicious. I thought right after ordering that the pecan and walnut might be overkill, but it worked out just fine. They weren’t exactly skimpy on the bacon, there was plenty of it which meant my mother had to cut corners at the end.

While I thought maybe streaky bacon would have been more appropriate in this type of salad, it was still tasty and a good post-workout protein kick.

The honey mustard dressing wasn’t overpowering, and sometimes I find it can be.

My mom’s poached eggs were well cooked with runny yolks, and she ate her lunch in five minutes.

Poached eggs and avocado on toast from Influence Café. Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

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The avocado on both dishes was slightly mashed, which worked well for spreading on sourdough.

Personally, I think maybe the avocado for my salad should just be sliced ​​to add a bit more texture.

The cakes on the counter looked delicious and I was very tempted to buy one but unfortunately I was pleased with my huge salad. However, the Spanish cheesecake and chocolate brownies definitely caught my eye.

The cafe has a nice chilled vibe and if you’ve ever walked through Skinnergate you’ll probably have noticed people sitting outside having coffee while music blared through the speakers.

Bacon, Avocado, Walnut, and Pecan Salad from Influence Café. Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

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The Influence Café also has an alcohol license should you fancy it.

All in all, Influence is a lovely little cafe and if like me you enjoy people watching there are window seats where you can sit back, enjoy your food or drink and watch the world go by.

Our bill came to £21.50 which I thought was a fair price considering the quality of the food.

Reviews (out of ten) Food quality: 7.5 Surroundings: 7.5 Value for money: 7.5 Service 7.5.

The cafe and bistro is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm and is located at 74 Skinnergate, Darlington, DL3 7LX.