Times Café opens on Post House Wynd, Darlington town centre

Times Cafe, at 28 Post House Wynd, opened its doors on Friday (June 12), transforming a long-vacant unit in the town centre.

The business, founded in 2017, is run by Manesh Damaniya and Dr Dhara Modi, who already operate 10 cafés in India and are now expanding into the UK for the first time.

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

Mr Damaniya said: “We have built this brand over the last 10 years and always had a vision to take it abroad.

“Darlington felt like the right place for our first café in the UK because we wanted to be somewhere people would really appreciate good food and coffee and take the time to enjoy it.

“We want people to come in, sit down and spend time here with family and friends. It is about creating a warm, welcoming environment where people feel comfortable.”

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

The café, which was previously home to the Coopers tearoom, offers a wide-ranging menu featuring dishes including pasta, sandwiches, and breakfast options such as Turkish eggs and shakshuka, alongside naan pizzas and Maggi noodles inspired by the brand’s Indian roots.

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

Dr Modi, who has a PhD in nutrition, said quality and freshness are at the heart of the business.

She said: “We believe in serving food the way it should be, fresh, hot and full of flavour. Most of our food is made in-house, and we do not use preservatives.

“It is very important to us that everything coming out of the kitchen is fresh and healthy. We do not compromise on quality, and that is something we have carried through all of our cafés.”

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

As well as food, the café also prides itself on its drinks, with a wide variety of coffees and shakes created by the team.

Mr Damaniya said: “Coffee is a big part of what we do. We have spent a lot of time developing our drinks so that customers can enjoy something a bit different.

“We want to bring something to Darlington that it does not already have, with really flavourful food and carefully made coffee in a relaxed setting.”

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

He added: “This is not just somewhere to grab food and go. We want to build a small but loyal customer base where we can really look after people.

“It is a family-oriented space where children can play games, people can read, and everyone can enjoy good food together.”

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

The interior has been carefully developed over the past five months, with most of the café’s furniture shipped from India while preserving the building’s original character.

The co-owner said: “We have put a lot of work into making sure the space feels cosy and homely while respecting the history of the building.

“It was important to us not to disturb that heritage.”

Co-founder Manesh Damaniya and manager Nirali. (Image: Andy Futers)

The new opening has also created job opportunities for people in the area.

Mr Damaniya said: “It is exciting but also a little bit nerve-wracking opening somewhere new, especially in a different country, but we are confident in what we are offering.

Times Café, Post House Wynd, Darlington. (Image: Andy Futers)

“We just want people to come in, try the food and experience it for themselves.

“We truly believe they will not find anything quite like this locally.”

Times Cafe is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm, and Sunday from 9am to 4pm, at 28 Post House Wynd.