Self-taught baker fulfils dream by opening up all-vegan cafe in Jesmond
Written by Libby Seath on 14th November 2025
A new all-vegan cafe, called Layla’s Kitchen Cafe, opened at Jesmond United Reformed Church this month.
The all-vegan cafe offers a mix of vegan, and some gluten-free, drink and food options, including teas, lattes, salads and wholesome cookies.
The owner of Layla’s Kitchen Cafe, Yasmin Sayed Ahmed, had been running an independent catering business for over five years, including selling all-vegan options for three years at Jesmond’s food market. After successfully completing a pop-up at the Newcastle Piano Festival in March, she decided she wanted to take her business to the next level by opening up her own cafe.
Photo credits: Meahcreative
Yasmin said: “I’ve always dreamed of opening up a cafe, as I’ve always had the passion for baking and creating.”
The choice to sell all-vegan products for her catering business, and later on for her cafe, came from Yasmin’s decision to become vegan in 2018. This decision was caused by various reasons, including for ethical, environmental and health reasons. She was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease, which made her motivated to eat no processed foods, alongside plant-based options.
Yasmin added: “Other than having my food hygiene rating and certificates, I am a self taught baker, having had practice since I was little.”
This includes learning from Youtube videos. She enjoys the creative aspect of it, and apart from having recently hired a barista for her cafe, she has completed the self-catering and markets by herself.
Local resident and vegan Josey Grant, 36, said: “It appears restaurants and cafes are now taking vegan options off the menu or limiting the choices” and that she tends to “go to the same places we know offer decent vegan range or those that are fully vegan”.
This brings a positive note to the opening of another all-vegan cafe, which will offer another option for locals who are vegan.
Her full menu, alongside details of opening times, can be viewed on her Facebook page:
Layla’s kitchen catering | Newcastle | Facebook
Photo credit: Meahcreative
