Relaxed Dining Destinations Across the Region
Muse Continental Café
104b High Street, Yarm TS15 9AU
01642 788558
Muse offers a European-inspired range of breakfasts, lunches and dinners – any of which you can take outside to eat at tables on the cobbles when the sun is shining. They always use fresh, carefully-sourced and seasonal ingredients to make their rustic dishes, including their roasted whole sea bass and pan roasted duck breast.
Seaview Restaurant
The Foreshore Building, Lower Promenade,
Saltburn TS12 1HQ
01287 236015
Perfectly placed just metres away from Saltburn’s sandy beach and famous Victorian pier, Seaview Restaurant’s delicious dishes include fresh fish and shellfish landed daily by local fishermen. The menu runs Monday to Sunday, changing weekly depending on the seasons and the fresh ingredients available, and as a family-friendly restaurant, it has something for everyone. We can heartily recommend the Whitby scampi and chips, and classic moules mariniére served with sourdough. Boasting sea-view dining over two floors and a stunning outdoor terrace, this vibrant, award-winning restaurant recently featured on Fred Sirieiux’s Remarkable Places To Eat, and we can’t wait for them to reopen at the start of July following an exciting refurbishment.
83 High Street, Norton TS20 1AE
01642 554422
A real institution in Norton, Café Lilli is open from Thursday to Saturday (and the first Sunday every month) – comfort food is the name of the game here. Those Sundays are the all-important time to book for the three-course Sunday lunch menu, where ham hock terrine, 28-day aged rib of beef and pan fried sea bream are all on the menu. Make sure you save room for the strawberry and lime cheesecake though.
Ernest & Ernie
1 Boyd Street, Ouseburn NE2 1AP
Stepney Road, Ouseburn NE2 1AP
0191 260 5216
Ernest is a hugely-popular spot at the top of Ouseburn, serving delicious food and drink alongside quality music and art, and their brunches have become the stuff of legend (we love the Local Hero breakfast which celebrates many of our foodie favourites including Nicholson’s Butcher’s bacon and Block ‘n’ Bottle’s sausage), and locals return time and again for their famous hash bowls and flatbreads (available until 9pm). Bag a pavement-side table and watch the world go by here. Equally as cool is their sister venue – Ernie. That’s their new shop, deli and takeout around the back of Ernest. They sell handpicked products and aim to be as kind as possible to people and planet – a cross between a wholefood corner shop, farmers’ market, deli and bakery, plus a very special off licence; what more could you want?
East Parade, Whitley Bay NE26 1AP
0191 447 0500
This restaurant, with its coastal vibes, is owned by Andy Hook who also runs the multi-award winning Blackfriars and Dobson & Parnell in Newcastle. Inspired by his passion for a good plate of freshly-cooked food served in a relaxed and informal setting, it celebrates all things North East. The menu feature Geordie-influenced classic dishes made from scratch using local and seasonal produce – we love the North Sea grilled plaice with Jersey Royals and samphire. Their weekend brunch is great – try the Hinnies Belta. Oh, and their terrace beside on the sea front welcomes four-legged friends too.
Tomahawk Steakhouse
Middlesbrough, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle, Jesmond and Ponteland
Whether you order rump, ribeye, sirloin or wagyu, you can guarantee your steak will be cooked just to your liking at Tomahawk, but veggie, vegan and fish options are available too – we love their chicken parmesan. With outposts scattered across the North East, you’ll find one near you, but we’re looking forward to dining in the newest addition: ‘Rio Brazilian’ in Middlesbrough. Take a culinary journey into the Tijuca Urban Forest that surrounds Rio de Janeiro at this Brazilian steakhouse, with planted walls and flowered ceilings offering a showstopper of a dining experience.
Staddlebridge, Northallerton DL6 3JB
01609 882671
Renowned for its fantastic food, stellar service and eclectic furnishings, The Cleveland Tontine offers up delectable dishes that change seasonally, but are always made with local produce sourced from farmers around the North. You can always be sure of a perfect Sunday roast here.
Arch 2, Stepney Bank, Ouseburn NE1 2NP
07535 625601
Thali Tray have teamed up with Newcastle Brewing Ltd to create Newcastle’s first craft brewery and Indian street food joint in Ouseburn. The bar area is inside Newcastle Brewing Brewery Building which features a fully-stocked bar and 10 beer taps coming straight from the brewery behind. You can reserve a table under the sheltered arch of the bridge and expect chicken skewers, masala fries and plenty of Indian-inspired food with a great twist.
Cook House
Foundry Lane, Newcastle NE6 1LH
0191 276 1093
This award-winning restaurant in Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley, under the watchful eye of Anna Hedworth, is currently expanding its team of talented chefs to keep up with demand. With two floors, a dining terrace and garden, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, with the emphasis on (very) local and ethical. While they change their menu regularly, based on the season and that day’s produce, you can always expect sumptuous sourdough sarnies for brunch and small plates made for sharing in the evening – plus delicious retro desserts with a twist such as the rhubarb, rose and pistachio pavlova, and honey panacotta with camomile syrup and shortbread.
ARLO
36–38 Brentwood Avenue, West Jesmond NE2 3DH
0191 281 4838
This quirky food haven is the perfect place to while away the hours. Filled with Alpine memorabilia and retro knick-knacks, whether you’re outside on the terrace (wrapped in rugs under their heaters) or inside, it has a warm and homely feel. The locally-sourced, seasonal and home-cooked food is prepared by talented chefs here and, whether you’re going big or small with your sharing plates, we recommend their steak and fries, seared halloumi tacos and tempura prawn skewers for an evening of tapas. Don’t forget their delicious desserts are available for takeout too.
34 Church Street, Durham DH1 3DG
0191 370 9688
Barrio Comida is a taqueria serving tacos, cocktails and mezcales in the historic city of Durham. They began as a pop-up in the summer of 2015, inspired by a love of Mexican food and culture, and now the people of Durham love their permanent location (which they moved to in February last year). Their specially-imported tortilla machine cooks tortillas from scratch throughout the day to ensure they’re super fresh, and the buzzing atmosphere makes it well worth a visit.
Beaumont Street, Hexham NE46 3LT
01434 602331
The Beaumont is a Victorian townhouse hotel in the centre of Hexham, boasting stunning views of the sixth century abbey. Their open-plan restaurant, lounge and bar offer a relaxing and informal space to enjoy everything the hotel has to offer – that includes stonebass, lamb and risotto with plenty of aperitifs to sup (think Aperol spritz and negroni).
Colmans and Colmans Seafood Temple
176-186 Ocean Road, South Shields NE33 2JQ
0191 456 1202
Sea Road, South Shields NE33 2LD
0191 511 1349
Colmans have been serving their famous award-winning fish and chips and seafood for over 100 years. Colmans Seafood Temple (on Sea Road) is a family-friendly restaurant serving fabulous fresh fish and seafood, whilst their Ocean Road outpost is another perfect spot to try some of the finest fish and chips. You can be sure of the best quality in both locations as they still personally choose their own seafood from the local fish quays. They pride themselves on using local and seasonal produce wherever possible, and take sustainability seriously. Treat yourself to ‘Colmans Finest’: haddock or Whitby scampi served with thick-cut chips, homemade mushy peas plus a pot of tea or cup of filter coffee.
The Forge
The Avenue, Washington Village NE38 7AB
0191 908 7621
The Forge’s building, the 400-year-old ‘Old Smithy’ in Washington Village, has undergone a full restoration and has been transformed into a vibrant eatery, serving locally-sourced, wholesome and seasonal British food. Accompanied by an impressive wine selection, locally-distilled gins, real ales and cocktails, it has everything you’ll need for a casual get-together over food. A selection of steak, small plates, mains and desserts are on the menu – we love the hand-rolled linguine, foraged mushrooms, spinach and shaved summer truffle.
