A Darlington food van has taken a major step forward after opening its first café to queues of customers.
Mighty Bite, owned by Natalia Domaszk, 39, and her husband Daniel, 42, has launched on Red Barnes Way, facing McMullen Road.
Mighty Bite, owned by Natalia Domaszk, 39, and her husband Daniel, 42, has opened its new cafe in a unit on Red Barnes Way, facing McMullen Road. (Image: PROVIDED)
The café officially opened on Monday, October 5, with customers turning out to support the family-run business.
The couple has thanked the customers who have supported them throughout their six years in business.
In a Facebook post, they said: "We’ve spent six years working toward this, and in the last three months, we’ve created a space where you can wait without the wind or rain beating down on you.
"Six years might not seem like long to some, but for us, it’s been a wonderful time.
The new Mighty Bite cafe (Image: PROVIDED)
"We’ve met so many people - some have been with us from the very beginning. Thank you; we couldn't have done it without you."
Mighty Bite began in 2020 after Natalia was made redundant from her job as a breakfast chef at Crathorne Hall Hotel during the pandemic.
She bought a small black food van from friends in Edinburgh and began building the business, with Daniel joining two years later to serve customers while Natalia cooked.
Now, six years after starting out, the couple have taken the business into a permanent premises.
The couple in their food van (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
The move will also help the business continue operating when Natalia undergoes another operation.
She said: "I am going in for another operation and we want Daniel to still be able to open with cold sandwiches, salads, cakes and things like that so we don't need to close."
Being self-employed meant the closures also left the couple without an income, prompting friends, customers and family to rally around them.
A GoFundMe appeal was set up to support the couple while Natalia recovered.
The new café will continue serving Mighty Bite's existing food offering while adding new options including protein shakes, smoothies, healthier food, chicken and rice, salads, cold sandwiches and Polish cakes and other bakes.
The previous smaller van that the couple used to run their business from (Image: MIGHTY BITE)
There are two tables inside, along with a bench-style breakfast bar for customers who want to sit in.
Opening hours are currently the same as the food van, from 8.30am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.
The business remains closed on Saturdays and Sundays, although Natalia said the hours could eventually be extended following the move.
The couple are also hoping the new premises will allow Mighty Bite to grow further.
Natalia, Daniel and their son Alex (Image: MIGHTY BITE)
If everything goes well, they are considering selling the food van.
Natalia said: "If everything goes well with this extension we will sell this [the van] eventually."
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Speaking as the new premises opened, Natalia said: "We are excited and stressed."
"I think we have made a great job of the unit.
"It was a completely empty unit, only like bricks and roof and we have done it all out ready for opening and excited for people to see."