Mark Toney: Newcastle's Love of Italian Ice Cream

For well over a century, generations of Geordies have shared a sweet and simple pleasure: a scoop or a sundae from Mark Toney. This much-loved Newcastle ice cream maker, founded by an Italian family who settled in the city, has become a genuine local institution, woven into the happy memories of countless childhoods. The story of Mark Toney is a heartwarming tale of migration, family and a long love affair with ice cream.

An Italian Journey to Newcastle.

The Mark Toney story begins in the late nineteenth century with the Marcantonio family, who came from a small village in the mountains between Rome and Naples. Like many Italians of the period, they made the long and brave journey away from home in search of a better life, and they found it in Newcastle. The family brought with them a treasured recipe for ice cream, inspired by the traditions of their Italian homeland, and they began making and selling it in their new city. The brand proudly traces its history back to 1892, marking well over a hundred and twenty years of ice cream making in the North East.

A Recipe Passed Down the Generations.

At the heart of Mark Toney's enduring success is a commitment to quality and tradition. The ice cream is based on the family's original Italian recipe, hand-made using fine ingredients, and the skills involved have been passed carefully from one generation to the next. This continuity is part of what makes Mark Toney so special; it is not a faceless brand but a genuine family business, still run by descendants of the founders. That sense of heritage and pride in the product is something customers can taste, and it has helped the business retain its loyal following across many decades of changing tastes and fashions.

A Newcastle Institution.

Mark Toney's parlours and cafes have become part of the fabric of Newcastle life. For countless Geordies, a trip to Mark Toney is bound up with cherished memories of childhood, perhaps the excitement of a first knickerbocker glory, or of meeting friends over a sundae in later years. The family opened their early ice cream parlours in the city, including one in the historic Grainger Market area, and the business grew into a beloved local fixture. This deep connection to the everyday lives and happy occasions of generations of customers is exactly what makes a business an institution rather than just a shop.

The Famous Grainger Street Cafe.

Perhaps the best-known of all Mark Toney's premises is its cafe on Grainger Street in the city centre, a long-standing favourite that has been welcoming customers for many years and is celebrated as one of the oldest surviving coffee shops in Newcastle. With its traditional, nostalgic atmosphere, it offers a step back in time, serving not only its famous ice creams and sundaes but also coffees, sandwiches and light meals. The cafe has become a destination in its own right, a comforting and familiar place where the simple pleasures of good ice cream and friendly service never go out of style. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the appeal of doing things well and consistently.

Part of the City's Story.

Mark Toney's history is also part of the wider story of Italian migration to Tyneside, a chapter that has enriched the city's food and culture in many ways. The contribution of families like the Marcantonios, who brought their skills and traditions to a new home and built thriving businesses, is an important and appealing strand of Newcastle's social history. The family's significance has even been recognised in the city's Discovery Museum, which has featured their story as part of its exploration of the people who made their lives on Tyneside. It is a reminder that a beloved local treat can carry a rich history within it.

A Sweet Tradition That Endures.

In a world of ever-changing food trends, Mark Toney has endured by staying true to what made it loved in the first place: good, hand-made ice cream, a warm welcome and a strong sense of family and tradition. The business continues to be run by the founding family's descendants and still makes its ice cream in the North East, keeping the original spirit alive. For Geordies young and old, it remains a reliable source of simple, sweet happiness.

The next time you find yourself in Newcastle on a sunny day, or even a cold one, treating yourself to a Mark Toney ice cream is a delicious way to share in a tradition that has been delighting the city for well over a century. It is proof that the simplest pleasures, done well, can last for generations.

Italian Families and Tyneside.

The story of Mark Toney is part of a larger and often overlooked chapter in the history of the North East: the contribution of Italian immigrant families to the region's food and culture. From the late nineteenth century onwards, families from Italy settled across Tyneside and the wider North East, and many of them became associated with ice cream, opening parlours and cafes that brought a touch of continental warmth to the region. These families worked hard to establish their businesses, often facing considerable hardship, and in doing so they enriched the local culture in lasting ways. The ice cream parlour became a cherished part of community life, a place for treats, celebrations and gatherings. Mark Toney is one of the most enduring and successful examples of this tradition, but it belongs to a wider story of migration, enterprise and the blending of cultures. Recognising that heritage adds an extra layer of meaning to every scoop, a reminder that even the simplest pleasures can carry a rich and very human history within them.

Share your thoughts.

We would love to hear your memories and opinions, so leave a comment below, especially your favourite Mark Toney treat from childhood.

What is your go-to order at Mark Toney, a classic sundae or a simple cone?