All the North East's best restaurants
✪✪✪✪✪✪ (OUTSTANDING)
Just off the A19 in North Yorkshire
Very attractive pub/restaurant with rooms
Very attractive pub/restaurant with rooms
1 Michelin star, 4 AA rosettes
Simple, local ingredients redefined by Alexander Nietosvuori's genius - a fabulous fine dining restaurant near Hexham
House of Tides
Kenny Atkinson's casual fine dining restaurant on Newcastle's Quayside
1 Michelin star, 4 AA rosettes
The Man Behind The Curtain
Michael O'Hare's eccentric, brilliant cooking in Leeds
Tasting menu, 1 Michelin star
Peace & Loaf
Skilled, innovative cooking from Masterchef finalist
Tasting menu
The Raby Hunt
Modern European, near Darlington, County Durham
Extraordinary modern cooking - dinner only, except Sat
2 Michelin stars
✪✪✪✪✪ (EXCELLENT)
Reliable modern British bistro, Newcastle Quayside
Bao Bar
Bao Bar
Fabulous Asian food in the tiniest Newcastle spot
The Bay Horse
Relaxed gastropub near Darlington
Authentic Neapolitan pizzas in Jesmond
Cook House
Anna Hedworth's homely, delightful new restaurant
The Crathorne Arms
DH1 [CLOSED]
Tiny fine dining spot in Durham
The Feathers Inn
Award-winning Northumberland gastropub
The Garden House Inn
Excellent gastropub in Durham city
Haveli
Modern fine dining Indian restaurant in Ponteland
Cook House
Anna Hedworth's homely, delightful new restaurant
The Crathorne Arms
Excellent gastropub near Middlesbrough
DH1 [CLOSED]
Tiny fine dining spot in Durham
The Feathers Inn
Award-winning Northumberland gastropub
The Garden House Inn
Excellent gastropub in Durham city
Haveli
Modern fine dining Indian restaurant in Ponteland
Consistently good brasserie, chain, Central Newcastle
Papa Ganoush
The Patricia
Papa Ganoush
Fabulous southern Mediterranean cooking and a warm welcome in Whitley Bay
The Patricia
Excellent cooking from chef Nick Grieves in local (Jesmond) neighbourhood restaurant
Very fine dining from chef Richard Allen
Route
Route
John Calton's excellent little Quayside restaurant
The Roxburgh
The Roxburgh
Skilled cooking in small Whitley Bay restaurant
St Vincent
Terry Laybourne's latest city centre venture - small dishes and great wine list
Trenchers
The best fish and chip restaurant in the region
- in Whitley Bay's Spanish City
St Vincent
Terry Laybourne's latest city centre venture - small dishes and great wine list
Trenchers
The best fish and chip restaurant in the region
- in Whitley Bay's Spanish City
✪✪✪✪ (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Modern British cooking with local, seasonal ingredients, in contemporary art gallery
A Taste of Persia
Authentic Iranian, Central Newcastle and Jesmond
Barrio Comida (CLOSED)
Great tacos and a wonderful view on Newcastle's quayside
Beadnell Towers
Friendly village hotel now updated with good traditional British food
Bistro Citron Vert
Good French bistro in former County Durham pit village
Boat Noodle
From the owners of Chilli Padi (see below), another little Malaysian gem
Bouchon Bistrot
Authentic French bistro in the middle of Hexham
The Brasserie at Sage Gateshead
Tiny menu, noisy, impersonal ambience, but good cooking with great value
The Bridge Tavern
Newcastle's latest gastropub, with its own microbrewery, Quayside
The Broad Chare
Newcastle's first real gastropub, consistently good, Quayside
Byron
The ubiquitous chain finally hits Newcastle - with very good burgers
Bundobust Leeds
Very informal (paper plates and disposable cutlery) curry house in Leeds
Catch Ponteland
Some very good cooking and fresh fish on the A696 north of Ponteland
Chadwicks Inn Maltby
Fine gastropub combining ambitious cooking with pub standards
Chez Mal Brasserie (Malmaison Hotel)
Classic Frenglish brasserie fare overlooking MIllennium Bridge
Chilli Padi
Tiny Malaysian cafe - authentic cooking, no alcohol licence
Colmans Seafood Temple
Great sea views from every table in South Shields fish restaurant
Côte
It may be a chain, but the French food is good and the service excellent
The Curing House
Classy little charcuterie bar and restaurant in Middlesbrough
Dobson & Parnell
Interesting new fine dining restaurant near Newcastle's Quayside
Dosa Kitchen
South Indian restaurant in Jesmond - great dosa!
Doxford Hall
Country house hotel, modern British, local ingredients, North Northumberland
Ernest
Quirky, laid back Ouseburn café bar
Fat Mermaid
Interesting "British" tapas in a relaxed atmosphere by Amble Harbour
Finbarr's
Traditional restaurant, interesting, modern menu in Durham city
The Forge
Good cooking and a lovely atmosphere in Washington, near Sunderland
Fratelli
Ponteland Italian (Sardinian) great pizzas and pasta, welcoming, family-friendly
The French Quarter
Authentic French food and good wine in central Newcastle restaurant/wine bar
Fuego
Mediterranean wine bar and restaurant in Fenwick's Food Hall, Newcastle
Harissa Mediterranean Kitchen
Healthy and delicious Mediterranean food in lovely modern restaurant
Hibou Blanc
Quality cooking in the middle of the Bigg Market - who'd have thought it?
Hinnies
Authentic Iranian, Central Newcastle and Jesmond
Barrio Comida (CLOSED)
Great tacos and a wonderful view on Newcastle's quayside
Beadnell Towers
Friendly village hotel now updated with good traditional British food
Bistro Citron Vert
Good French bistro in former County Durham pit village
Boat Noodle
From the owners of Chilli Padi (see below), another little Malaysian gem
Bouchon Bistrot
Authentic French bistro in the middle of Hexham
The Brasserie at Sage Gateshead
Tiny menu, noisy, impersonal ambience, but good cooking with great value
The Bridge Tavern
Newcastle's latest gastropub, with its own microbrewery, Quayside
The Broad Chare
Newcastle's first real gastropub, consistently good, Quayside
Byron
The ubiquitous chain finally hits Newcastle - with very good burgers
Bundobust Leeds
Very informal (paper plates and disposable cutlery) curry house in Leeds
Catch Ponteland
Some very good cooking and fresh fish on the A696 north of Ponteland
Chadwicks Inn Maltby
Fine gastropub combining ambitious cooking with pub standards
Chez Mal Brasserie (Malmaison Hotel)
Classic Frenglish brasserie fare overlooking MIllennium Bridge
Chilli Padi
Tiny Malaysian cafe - authentic cooking, no alcohol licence
Colmans Seafood Temple
Great sea views from every table in South Shields fish restaurant
Côte
It may be a chain, but the French food is good and the service excellent
The Curing House
Classy little charcuterie bar and restaurant in Middlesbrough
Dobson & Parnell
Interesting new fine dining restaurant near Newcastle's Quayside
Dosa Kitchen
South Indian restaurant in Jesmond - great dosa!
Doxford Hall
Country house hotel, modern British, local ingredients, North Northumberland
Ernest
Quirky, laid back Ouseburn café bar
Fat Mermaid
Interesting "British" tapas in a relaxed atmosphere by Amble Harbour
Finbarr's
Traditional restaurant, interesting, modern menu in Durham city
The Forge
Good cooking and a lovely atmosphere in Washington, near Sunderland
Fratelli
Ponteland Italian (Sardinian) great pizzas and pasta, welcoming, family-friendly
The French Quarter
Authentic French food and good wine in central Newcastle restaurant/wine bar
Fuego
Mediterranean wine bar and restaurant in Fenwick's Food Hall, Newcastle
Harissa Mediterranean Kitchen
Healthy and delicious Mediterranean food in lovely modern restaurant
Hibou Blanc
Quality cooking in the middle of the Bigg Market - who'd have thought it?
Hinnies
Geordie comfort food in bright Whitley Bay seafront restaurant
Inoodle
Handmade Lamian noodles and interesting Chinese menu
Inoodle
Handmade Lamian noodles and interesting Chinese menu
The Jolly Fisherman
Fantastic sea views, great food at this atmospheric gastropub in Craster
Lane7
Great chilli dogs, burgers and bowling (NOTE: change of chef since review)
Langley Castle
Some pretty fine cooking in a very grand setting
La Yuan
Calm, classy Sichuan restaurant in Newcastle city centre
The Lord Crewe Arms
Medieval inn in Blanchland with old British recipes reinterpreted by former head chef at HIx Soho
Matfen Hall
Greatly improved country house hotel restaurant, near Corbridge
Meat:Stack (formerly The Grind) @ No 28
Great burgers in a fun, Newcastle city centre bar
The Morritt Hotel
Ambitious cooking in hotel restaurant near Barnard Castle (NOTE: change of chef)
Muse
Lively, modern, fun brasserie in Yarm
The Northumberland Arms
Comfortable gastropub near Morpeth with rooms and modern British food
The Old Boat House
Destination fish restaurant/bistro in Amble, right on the harbour
Omni Café
Small Whitley Bay café with Asian tapas in the evening
Pleased To Meet You
Classy French-ish cooking with great ingredients in city centre gastrobar
Porterhouse Butcher & Grill
Dry-aged steaks and a broad, interesting menu at latest Laybourne venue
The Potted Lobster
Great seafood restaurant in Bamburgh
The Rat Inn
Atmospheric and award-winning gastropub with view, near Hexham
Riley's Fish Shack
Ultimate view and good fish at this tiny beach restaurant in Tynemouth
Roots York
Tommy (Black Swan) Banks's second restaurant opens in York
Saltwater Fish Company
Terry Laybourne's fishmonger-cum-fish bar in Fenwick's food hall
Seaham Hall (Byron's Bar and Grill)
Some excellent cooking at this smart hotel restaurant (NOTE: change of chef)
The Ship Inn, Ouseburn
Very good vegetarian/vegan cooking at this pleasant Newcastle pub
Simla
Atmospheric family-run Indian restaurant on Newcastle's Quayside
Six
Great view from the Baltic art gallery, Modern British, overlooks Millennium Bridge
Sky Apple Café
Gastro-vegetarian, tiny, great value, Newcastle (Heaton)
Stable Hearth
Darlington pizzeria with great pizzas and other Italian dishes
The Staith House
Former Masterchef finalist John Calton's gastropub on North Shields Fish Quay
Starks Kitchen
Modern café/restaurant in Heaton with some great cooking
St Mary's Inn
A welcome return for the sister inn of Jesmond Dene House - a fine gastropub
Tapas Revolution
Celebrity chef Omar Allibhoy brings his authentic Spanish chain to Newcastle
Thai House Café
Some authentic hot and spicy Thai food in informal city centre café
Träkol
Gutsy, imaginative cooking and great beer in 'Creative Container Community'
Truffle
Classic French technique, good ingredients and a great cheeseboard in Darlington
Tyneside Bar Café
Informal, buzzy, city bar with proper food, part of Tyneside Cinema
Vallum Farm (formerly David Kennedy)
Modern British, local ingredients, Tyne Valley
Vercelli
Italian restaurant in Hexham with some excellent cooking
Violets
Abbie Atkinson's classy café on Newcastle Quayside
Vujon
Smart, long-established curry house with wide range of regional dishes
Grand country house hotel, overbearing ambience, food improving, Tees Valley
Zucchini Pasta Bar
Fresh pasta bar in the middle of Newcastle, with delicious sauces and sides
Zyka
Welcoming Hexham curry house with some very good cooking
✪✪✪ (RECOMMENDED)
12 Harland PlacePopular local café/restaurant in Norton Village, Stockton
1910 Steak & Seafood
Destination restaurant within Whitley Bay's refurbished Spanish City
Akbars
Bustling Indian, part of famous Bradford chain, Newcastle Central and Middlesbrough
Al Buco
Friendly, family-run Italian in Newcastle city centre with authentic Puglian food
Aveika
Modern Japanese cuisine in swish Newcastle Quayside late bar
Baba Yaga
Newcastle's only Polish restaurant - hearty, homely, inexpensive cooking,
The Barrasford Arms
Village gastropub with simple, no frills cooking, Tyne Valley
Bealim House
Gastropub with its own gin still, and straightforward bistro food
Bierrex
Good quality barbecue meat in Newcastle city centre smokehouse
Blackfriars Restaurant
Gutsy British food in a medieval friary
The Black Bull Inn at Frosterley
Delightful classic (and classy) old village pub with some very good cooking
The Black Horse
Eclectic British menu in eccentric Boldon pub run by former punk band front man
Bonbar
Extravagantly decorated bar inside Newcastle's Assembly Rooms
Branches
Modern, attractive dishes in bright Ponteland restaurant
The Bridgewater Arms
6 miles from Barnard Castle, classic, stylish cooking in atmospheric gastropub
Café Royal
Newcastle café renowned for afternoon teas, but also does good lunches
The Cellar Door
Small, attractive, ambitious restaurant in Durham with some good cooking
Cena Trattoria
Modern Italian café in Yarm
Central Oven & Shaker
Good Neapolitan-style pizzas opposite Newcastle's Central Station
Chefs' Academy
Restaurant run by students from Newcastle College - during academic term only
Colmans
Classy fish and chip restaurant in South Shields - not open evenings
Colonel Porter's Emporium
Wildly furnished gastrobar near the Quayside in Newcastle
Crab and Waltzer
Crab sitting in a waltzer in Whitley Bay? What could be nicer?
Dabbawal (Jesmond)
Indian street food in the suburbs of Jesmond. Atmospheric and fun.
D'acqua
Comfortable Italian/French/English fare in Sunderland
Datbar
Hamburgers and pizza in Newcastle bar with a 'cool, punky, urban vibe'
The Duke of Wellington Inn
Tyne Valley gastropub (change of chef since review)
The Earl of Pitt Street
Quirky gastropub offshoot of Electric East close to St James' Park
Elder and Wolf
Small, atmospheric cafe/restaurant in centre of Whitley Bay
Eslington Villa
Good value reliable British cooking in comfortable family-run hotel
Eshott Hall
Country house comfort with classic British menu near Morpeth
The Fat Hippo/Fat Hippo Underground
Simple burger restaurants in Jesmond and Central Newcastle
The Fork in the Road
Not-for-profit restaurant in Teesside with solid British cooking
The Funky Indian
Indian tapas in Sunderland basement restaurant
The Granby Inn
Village gastropub with some very good cooking from 2016 NE Chef of the Year
The Granby Inn @ The Dyke Neuk
Solid British favourites at this country pub near Morpeth
Harry's Bar & Brasserie
Huge Newcastle city centre venue, with some good cooking and some not so much
The Hudson (County Hotel)
Pleasant hotel brasserie right opposite Newcastle's Central Station
Jamie's Italian
Rustic Italian from big efficient chain, with Big Love from the celebrity chef
Jesmond Dene House
Smart hotel restaurant in Jesmond Dene, some very good cooking
Kiln
Amospheric café/pottery in Newcastle's Ouseburn
Latimer's Seafood Deli & Café
Wonderfully fresh seafood by the sea in this tiny unlicensed County Durham café
Little Italy
Small Italian cafe/deli in heart of Newcastle's historic Grainger Market
Lollo Rosso
Jolly, atmospheric local Italian with good seafood
Longhorns Barbecue Smokehouse
Beer and smoked beef and pork on huge planks - no table service or napkins
Longsands Fish Kitchen
Small, ambitious fish restaurant in Tynemouth, open all day
Lost and Found
Attractive Pan-Asian restaurant in former Heaton antiques shop
Meet & Treat
Atmospheric little pan-Asian cafe in Newcastle's Chinatown
The Mizen Head
Comfortable modern restaurant in Bamburgh, specialising in mussels and fish
Nadon Thai (Morpeth)
Tiny Thai above a Morpeth fish and chip shop
Nadon Thai (Newcastle)
Good Thai food in Newcastle - at last!
The Pheasant Inn
Unfussy, solid cooking with local, seasonal ingredients in pub near Kielder
Proven Goods
Best doughnuts in Newcastle - in Hoults Yard off Walker Road
Quay Ingredient
Excellent little coffee house on Newcastle Quayside, with very good breakfasts
Raval
Interesting Gastro-Indian, close to the Sage Gateshead and Hilton Hotel
Red's True Barbecue
Newcastle branch of barbecue chain - good brisket
River Beat
Thai tapas on the Tyne - pan Asian small and large plates
River Café On The Tyne
Modern British, good for fish, intimate, North Shields Fish Quay
Rosa Twelve
Family-run Low Fell Italian bistro with pizza, pasta, and a happy atmosphere
The Running Fox
Classy café in Felton near Morpeth, with great pies and generous afternoon teas
Sabatini
Italian (Authentic Sardinian), good winelist, Newcastle Quayside
Sachins
Traditional Punjabi cuisine in Central Newcastle
Sea&Soil
Small, bright restaurant in Amble with some very good cooking
Shilling
Cocktail bar with some good cooking on Newcastle's quayside
Sky Chinese Cuisine
Fun dim sum (before 8pm) restaurant in Newcastle's Chinatown
The Town Wall
Big elder sister of The Bridge Tavern gastropub, close to Central Station
Turtle Bay
Lively, colourful Caribbean chain in Newcastle city centre
Viva Brazil
Brazilian-style Churrascaria (all you can eat grilled meat) in Newcastle
Walwick Hall Hotel
Boutique hotel close to Hadrian's Wall with some very good cooking
Wolfmann's Eating House
Tasty Asian food prepared by really nice people in this South Shields cafe
The Wood Oven
Friendly local pizzeria in Wylam with sourdough pizza and a great attitude
Wylam Brewery
The brewery's gastropub in Newcastle's beautifully renovated Palace of Arts
Zaap
Reliable Thai chain restaurant in Newcastle city centre
