Newcastle student Ella, creator of EatsandElla, opens up about her journey as a student food blogger, sharing how she discovers hidden culinary gems without breaking the bank.
Newcastle’s vibrant food scene is a treasure trove of flavors, offering everything from independent bakeries to buzzing street food markets. But for students on a tight budget, exploring these culinary delights can feel out of reach. That’s where Ella, the creative mind behind the popular TikTok blog EatsandElla, comes in. Today, I’m sitting down with the student food blogger herself to uncover the secrets behind her success and her love for Newcastle’s dining scene.
Ella began her blogging journey in January 2024, after years of capturing her meals through her phone camera for only her camera roll to see. “Just a girl whose camera does eat first,” she says in the bio of EatsandElla. What began on a whim, following some encouragement from friends, quickly gained traction among students and locals alike (as well as one social-media celebrity). Her reviews of Newcastle eateries and budget-friendly recipes struck a chord, earning her a loyal following.
Being a student means navigating financial constraints, but Ella sees this as an opportunity rather than a limitation. “I have to be a little bit creative” she explains. “Especially when I first started, I used loads of old pictures” to create content. Beyond managing her own student finances, Ella uses EatsandElla to share budget-friendly eateries located in Newcastle, London, Leeds, and beyond.
Ella’s talent for uncovering hidden gems in Newcastle has also set her apart. From cosy cafés tucked away in Heaton to food trucks serving mouthwatering street food at Tynemouth Market, her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to experience the city’s diverse cuisine.
Part of what makes EatsandElla so relatable is Ella’s authenticity. Her reviews go beyond the menu, delving into the atmosphere, service, and overall value for money.
Her transparency has made her a trusted voice in Newcastle’s food blogging community, even gaining traction from local food bloggers that Ella admires. “Before I started my account, there were a few Newcastle food TikTokers that I watched quite often,” she says. “And when I made my TikTok, they followed me.” One of them even reached out to Ella, sharing how nice it was to hear another Yorkshire voice in the Newcastle food-blogging community.
Looking ahead, Ella continues to expand her blog’s reach as she documents her year abroad in the Netherlands through vibrant culinary adventures, exploring local markets, viral eateries, and the evolving food scene, bringing her audience a unique blend of travel and taste from a fresh, international perspective – and with 386 restaurants on her ‘to try’ list, food blogger Ella has no plans to slow down.
Ella’s story is a testament to the power of creativity and determination. Through EatsandElla, she’s not only carved out a unique niche but also inspired students to embrace the joy of good food, no matter their budget.
To hear more about Ella’s journey, her favourite Newcastle eateries, and her tips for budding food bloggers, tune into Bake My Day’s podcast, where Ella shares her insights on the art of balancing food, travel, and blogging.
Transcription
Ella: So I’m Ella, I’m from Leeds and I do history and politics. I’m currently doing a year abroad in the Netherlands, which is super fun.
Charlotte: When and why did you start your TikTok blog?
Ella: It was last January and basically I always just take pictures of my food. I don’t know why, like I just love to like make a meal or go out for a meal and I just always take a picture anyway and I always love to try like new places like my brother and sister like they’ll send me places to go in like the family group chat. I’m like, oh my gosh, we need to go there and then we’ll all go together and stuff.
Ella: I had a little idea about doing it and then my friends were like, yeah, you definitely should. So I was like, oh, okay then. And it was like, ‘Newcastle Restaurant Week’. So I was like, this is the perfect opportunity. So I just gave it a go and I posted like one video about like Lola Jeans. Yeah, that was, that’s like the beginning.
Ella: It’s quite hard being a student with the finances. So I have to be a little bit creative. Especially when I first started I used like loads of like old pictures.
Charlotte: Where are like your favourite places to eat in Newcastle?
Ella: There’s one called like Fork in the Rose. It’s like a plant shop but it’s also like a coffee shop and they also do little bakes like carrot cake and stuff like that.
Ella: I had a gluten free housemate last year, and on the same road as that, there’s a gluten free bakery, so she was always going there, and she was like, it’s amazing.
Ella: Obviously, Pink Lane Bakery in Jesmond. All the breads, every time you walk past, you see all the bread, you’re like, oh, I need to, I need to go in and get a sweet treat.
Ella: I love Deep North. They do like a run club every month in Tynemouth, and then when you finish, you get a coffee and a doughnut, so that’s really fun. You like pay a few pounds for your ticket, and then you get a doughnut.
Charlotte: And where’s just like your favourite place you’ve been, like, of everywhere?
Ella: A good food place is obviously Italy. I didn’t realise like how, how cheap the food would be there. I just remember getting this like really big bruschetta and it was like €1.50 – like huge and I was like wow, this is, this is the life, this is actually the life.
Charlotte: So do you enjoy it?
Ella: I think it is really like fun, like I do feel a bit of pressure to keep posting, like find things to post. Like I said, with like finances, it’s quite hard. And like I have had a few deals with places which is pretty cool. So I’ve like had a few free meals in exchange for videos which is really fun and a good way to, obviously with like not being able to spend as much money being a student, it’s good to like have that as well.
Ella: And it also makes me, like, try more places that I’ve not tried before.
Ella: Before I started my account, there was like a few Newcastle food TikTokers that, like, I watched quite often. And then, like, when I made my TikTok, they’d, like, followed me.
Ella: I posted one about Francesca’s. Max Belegde, like, he commented on it, and I was like…
Charlotte: Really?!
Ella: Because he went to Uni of Newcastle. I didn’t know that.
Ella: He commented on it, and he was like, “This is my favourite restaurant when I was at uni in Newcastle”.
Charlotte: I did not know that.
Ella: No me either, but I was just, I was starstruck, I’m not gonna lie.
Thank you for reading! If you’d like to join the conversation, leave me a reply.
Love the way you’ve formatted this!! Great read ☺️☺️
Thank you so much! 🙂
hadn’t heard of this creator before but have now checked her out and i love her!!
I’m so glad to hear it!
I’m a huge fan of EatsandElla! It’s great to get an insight into what her life as a TikToker is like
Her content is brilliant isn’t it?! I’m always intrigued to hear what life as a blogger is like.
I hadn’t heard of Ella’s blog until now. The food she posts look incredible – I will definitely be checking out the places she recommends!
It does, doesn’t it?! I love seeing what she’s eating on her year abroad now aswell.