Restaurants in Newcastle Upon Tyne

[Archana]

I'm off for a w/end in Newcastle Upon Tyne at the beginning of February. I've not visited there since i left university there some 10 years ago! Are there any destination restaurant's, must go's you e-gulleter's could recommend??

Price wise somewhere in the region of £40/£50 p/head.

Cuisine wise, very, very unfussy, willing to try anything.

[Andy Lynes]

Cafe 21 (Newcastle)

19-21 Queen Street

Princes Wharf

Quayside

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 3UY

Tel: 0191 222 0755

Fax: 0191 221 0761

I ate there twice when it was still Michelin starred "21 Queens Street", both meals were excellent. I understand the food is just as good but the prices have come down and the whole thing is a bit more informal.

The Blue Room restaurant in The Vermont Hotel used to get good reviews, not sure if it's still there though. Newcastle also has a Malmaison Hotel and their brasseries are very good.

[Gavin Jones]

I walked past Cafe 21 a few weeks ago - looked like a good menu.

Cheap & cheerful is Pani's on High Bridge a notch above the local trattorie with a Sardinian accent.

[Tonyfinch]

Second Andys Recc. I also ate there when it was 21 Queen St. The food was fine but my main memory is of thre building's fire alarm going off and we all had to evacuate into the freezing Tyneside night in the middle of the meal for about half an hour

Fortunately we'd just finished and we got a cognac on the house. Don't know what happened to those who were half way through their main courses though.

[Archana]

Thanks for all your suggestions. It'll be great to go back to Newcastle with a bit of money and not to just have stotties and newcastle brown ale [not that there's anything wrong with these delicacies!]

I've also heard good things about Fisherman's Lodge, can anyone confirm that this is still the case.

[Andy Lynes]

4 out of 10 in the Good Food Guide (Cafe 21 gets 6) http://fishermanslodge.co.uk

[danlepard]

Hi,

Other than those listed:

it really depends what your after. I travel to Newcastle frequently, and I've liked:

Cafe Royal is very good (but I do work for them), from breakfast though to the evening. Has a great deli.

Cafe Royal

8 Nelson Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. Tyne & Wear

Tel: 0191 2313000

The company have a very good pub with food, ales and wine,

Twin Farms

22 Main Road, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle upon Tyne. Tyne & Wear

Tel: 0191 2861263

Not far from Newcastle, and worth a visit,

The Angel Inn

Main Street, CORBRIDGE, NE45 5LA

Tel: 01434 632119 Fax: 01434 633496

Email: info@theangelofcorbridge.softnet.co.uk

head chef - alan o'kane

Alan trained with Philip Britten (at the Capital), and at Cafe 21. The meal was great, very comfortable room, classy cooking

Otherwise, Chinatown is good, perhaps heavily anglicized, but big portions of clean fresh food.

Went a bit early to the Baltic, so can't give a favorable comment (but hope they've lost the potted indoor plants). Stay at the Malmaison, rooms are great, food I would give a miss.

[Archana]

Many thanks. As luck would have it, we're staying at Malmaison [and looking forward to it very much].

I think i've got so many suggestions for good restaurant's that i need to go for a week, not merely a weekend

[emsny]

To revive this thread (my wife will be spending a week in NCL soon): anything new in or near Newcastle that might be worth a visit?

[postcode]

anything new in or near Newcastle that might be worth a visit?

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Go and see Durham - it's a great place to dander 'round when the weather's good and the students have all gone home. As for dining, Treacle Moon is very good on the quayside and is part of the Seaham hall stable (without the horses)

[PoppySeedBagel]

Postcode - do you know where's good to eat in or near Durham these days? (am going to a university reunion there soon)

[postcode]

Postcode - do you know where's good to eat in or near Durham these days? (am going to a university reunion there soon)

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Sorry, only been to Durham twice and don't recall ever eating anywhere 'notable' whilst there. Seaham Hall's pretty close, but I've never been. Steve Smith's a fantastic Chef (ex MPW) and it may well be worth a visit. Ain't cheap, though!

[YKL]

If you're thinking of the Terry Laybourne route with Cafe 21 in Newcastle - think there's an offshoot in Durham as well called Bistro 21?

Had a reasonable Sat lunch at the Baltic last year - and I imagine the views at night from the rooftop restaurant must be pretty special

Yin

Edited May 23, 2005 by YKL (log)

[beaker]

In newcastle Barn Again is one of the best places to eat - it is part of the biscuit factory (Art Gallery) just up from the keyside (although a little tricky to find) Great food though. The other excellent place which is very central (just down from Grays monument on the side street that runs along the theatre royal) is Charlies - it is down in the basement but (in my humble opinion) is definitely the best place to eat in newcastle for food quality and value (it is around £40 a head) - it also has a really great buzz about it.

[tony h]

Had a fairly miserable dinner at Cafe 21 the other night - gone downhill since my last visit last year. Very rushed service too.

Anyway – had a splendid lunch at the Baltic’s top floor restaurant yesterday. Lovely seared scallops with asparagus risotto, truffle foam and confit roast tomato. The tomato was the only bit that didn’t gel – a bit too bitter & strong for the rest of the food – only a minor complaint. All beautifully presented.

Main was fillet beef with tortellini of braised shin. The filet was, I think, cooked sous vide and was particularly succulent. The tortellini filling was a bit too refined – looked like jarred meat paste – but tasted OK if you ignored the texture. Carrots we server 3 ways – ribbons, dried & foam. Lovely maderia (I think) jus.

The kitchen is very large and housed behind a ¾ length glass partition at the back of the restaurant – I was sat with a good view of the kitchen. All was going swimmingly well until we started to actually swim: the fire alarm went off, the sprinkles came with a veracity and forced I hadn’t quite anticipated was possible, the chefs were drenched in seconds & the poor waiter who when to see what happened came out a moment later also soaked. The announcements came over the PA system asking us to evacuate, immediately. I sat there fascinated by the spectacle – I’ve never seen anything quite like it & really didn’t wan to leave (plus I hadn’t finished eating!). I felt so sorry for those poor souls caught up in the mess – I guess it’ll take a age to clean & recover (esp. electricals). I do highly recommend (take an umbrella!)

Also – there’s a superb sam taylor wood exhibition on just now. Well worth seeing.

[Ian]

Taipan is probably the best Chinese in Newcastle though I haven't eaten in Landmark yet. It's in Thornton Street.

[Gavin Convery]

I have heard good things about Black Door (ex Cafe 21 staff) - it was restaurant of the year or something in Harden's. There was also a new italian in there that I wasn't familiar with.

Anybody been?

[beaker]

I have heard good things about Black Door (ex Cafe 21 staff) - it was restaurant of the year or something in Harden's.

Anybody been?

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I went to the Black Door brasserie at the Biscuit Factory for lunch the other day and was pleasantly surprised - the food had a lightness of touch and subtlety that lifted it above standard newcastle "brasserie" (for example what was previously offered by Barn there - which i liked but was much more robust) and made the 16.50 three course lunch deal really good value. Staff were still bedding in but exceptionally friendly and helpful.

I haven't been to the main restaurant but have heard good things about it from people whose opinion I usually trust - definitely somewhere I'll be trying next time I'm back up there.

Edited August 2, 2006 by beaker (log)

[BertieWooster]

We're spending more and more time in Northumbria, so any suggestions for north of Newcastle??

All seems to be a desert, but there must be some good pubs.

[beaker]

We're spending more and more time in Northumbria, so any suggestions for north of Newcastle??

All seems to be a desert, but there must be some good pubs.

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Your observation is pretty much right - there are good pubs for drinking but eating often isn't that great.

Any particular bit of Northumberland (i.e. the north (nearer Berwick) or south (Morpeth/Bamburgh etc)?I've always tended to head into Newcastle - if you give me a bit more of an idea as to area I'll have a think.

On the plus side there are an increasing number of farm shops etc with good produce springing up

Edited August 3, 2006 by beaker (log)

[BertieWooster]

Well, we're staying outside Berwick this time, but if there's good places, it will impact on where we choose next time!

[YKL]

have a vague recollection of a good smokehouse in Craster .... with a restaurant or eat-in place attached. Not fancy - but good produce

Think there are a couple of okay pubs in Bamburgh Castle as well - think at least one of them was mentioned in my michelin pub guide so will try and dig out tonight.

Do remember there being an excellent butchers opposite Bamburgh Castle - which sold delectable pork pies and portugeuse custard tarts ..

[Gavin Convery]

Newton-by-the-sea has a renowned Pub famous for their crab sandwiches. I would say they are Ok rather than amazing but nice location. Problem is that it has been discovered by the London crowd and it seemed more like Clapham-by-the-sea when I went. Long way to go for crab sandwiches though...Craster and Seahouses are other places you might find similar.

There are other reasonable pubs but I don't recall.

Would recommend Howick Hall for afternoon tea and lovely gardens.

[Gavin Convery]

I have heard good things about Black Door (ex Cafe 21 staff) - it was restaurant of the year or something in Harden's.

Anybody been?

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I went to the Black Door brasserie at the Biscuit Factory for lunch the other day and was pleasantly surprised - the food had a lightness of touch and subtlety that lifted it above standard newcastle "brasserie" (for example what was previously offered by Barn there - which i liked but was much more robust) and made the 16.50 three course lunch deal really good value. Staff were still bedding in but exceptionally friendly and helpful.

I haven't been to the main restaurant but have heard good things about it from people whose opinion I usually trust - definitely somewhere I'll be trying next time I'm back up there.

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Let me know if you go there...might get there this Christmas if it's good.....

[beaker]

Let me know if you go there...might get there this Christmas if it's good.....

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Will do - had actually booked for next weekend but am having to have my wisdom teeth out instead now