Restaurants in the North East to Treat Your Other Half
What better way to show someone you love them than a romantic dinner date for two?
FRENCH QUARTER
Arch 6, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SA
0191 222 0156
frenchquarternewcastle.co.uk
This relaxed neighbourhood café, bistrot and wine bar is the perfect choice for date night. Challenging perceptions that French dining is formal or fussy, their small-plates menu can be enjoyed by choosing a number of options to share, or a couple of dishes just for yourself to make up your meal. With all the classics, from boeuf bourguignon and moules marinières, to tarte tatin and crème brûlée, as well as a fantastically well-stocked wine cellar, it’s a fun and friendly option for your date night.
FERN DINING ROOM
Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle NE2 2EY
0191 212 3000
jesmonddenehouse.co.uk
Fern is an upmarket neighbourhood dining room and bar which serves contemporary, non-fussy food created by executive head chef Danny Parker. The Masterchef The Professionals finalist takes inspiration from both classic and modern cookery techniques, offering a seasonally changing à la carte menu. With the highest standard of produce and a close relationship with suppliers, expect dishes such as Confit Duck Leg from Yorkshire on puy lentils and Morteau sausage, curry spiced Roasted North Sea Hake and Lindisfarne Oysters with red wine vinegar, shallots and lemon. So, if good food combined with relaxed, informal Geordie hospitality sounds like your kind of thing, this is the place for you.
THE SEAVIEW
The Foreshore Building, Lower Promenade, Saltburn TS12 1HQ
01287 236015
theseaviewrestaurant.co.uk
Take in unrivalled views of the coast while indulging in dishes created with the freshest seafood landed locally each day. From lobster thermidor and halibut with caramelised cauliflower, to the classic seaside staples of fish and chips or Whitby scampi, the menu caters for everyone. They also have special Seaview platters with smoked salmon, BBQ prawns, oysters, scallops and crab fritters, which are the perfect dish to share.
THE MUDDLER
69 Grey Street, Newcastle NE1 6EF
0191 222 0125
themuddlernewcastle.co.uk
For great pan-Asian cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere, the Muddler is the place to go. Their delicious dishes are Instagram-worthy, offering a selection of small plates including tempura, dim sum, chargrilled robata, and sushi options to share, or for couples who prefer something each they serve main dishes including katsu curry, salmon in miso, crispy duck salad and Ponzu sea bream. With a chic setting and unique cocktail menu to match, it’s a romantic treat for you and your other half.
3SIXTY CHAMPAGNE LOUNGE
27 Rutherford Street, Newcastle NE4 5DP
0191 933 8591
3sixtynewcastle.co.uk
In the highest building in Newcastle’s city centre, this 26th floor bar and restaurant offers dinner with a view. Enjoy a fine-yet-relaxed dining atmosphere, while gazing across the city. With a menu which includes Lindisfarne Oysters and plenty of sharing options, what better way to enjoy a romantic meal with your other half? We recommend the Pan-Asian board which includes confit duck, spring onion and ginger tacos with plum sauce, sticky Korean barbecue belly pork, spring rolls, katsu chicken skewers, salt and pepper squid and prawn crackers, all accompanied by a bottle of fizz for a real treat.
RESTAURANT PINE
Vallum Farm, Military Road, East Wallhouses,NE18 0LL
01434 671202
restaurantpine.co.uk
Restaurant Pine overlooks the beautiful Northumberland landscape. Enjoy a generous tasting menu using foraged ingredients from the surrounding countryside, and admire the team of dedicated chefs preparing your dishes in the open kitchen. Look out for the wine flight, carefully curated by the restaurant’s own sommelier, or during the day, make the most of their refreshingly modern approach to afternoon tea.
ST MARY’S INN
St Mary’s Lane, St Mary’s Park, Morpeth NE61 6BL
01670 641111
stmarysinn.co.uk
This hidden gem is a relaxed, informal but luxurious pub, hotel and restaurant offering popular pub staples alongside a more extensive menu so there’s plenty of choice, all accompanied by a hand-picked wine list. For a date where you know exactly what to expect – great food and relaxed vibes – St Mary’s Inn is a must.
RIO MIDDLESBROUGH
93–101 Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2PA
01642 262288
rio-steakhouse.co.uk
An authentic Brazilian steakhouse and grill, the traditional Churrasco dining experience is like no other. Start at the gourmet salad bar with an extensive variety of salads, imported cheeses, cured meats and classic Brazilian dishes, followed by your choice of meat served directly to your table where it is carved by a specially trained Gaucho chef. Perfect for couples with a big appetite, the chefs will continue to serve you until you say so and when you need a break they will temporarily stop. Simply turn a little card over as and when you want to be served to enjoy your meal at your own pace.
THALI TRAY
Arch 2, Stepney Bank, Ouseburn NE1 2NP
07535 625601
thalitray.co.uk
This quirky street food venue can be found under Byker Bridge in Ouseburn and is a popular eatery with open fire pits and outdoor seating – the perfect place to cosy up and enjoy some delicious curry. With a simple menu at Thali Tray it’s hard to go wrong – a few light bites are on offer alongside three different thalis (metal trays loaded with everything you need for an Indian feast). From chicken tikka skewers to popular paneers, Bombay bites and delicious naan breads, it’s a great choice for your next date.
SALT DARLINGTON
20 Grange Road, Darlington DL1 5NG
01325 262520
saltdarlington.co.uk
A romantic restaurant is somewhere you feel close to the person you love while enjoying a great meal and, for some, Salt Street Food Kitchen and Bar will be just that. With a fun and casual approach to dining, dishes are served in nothing more than cardboard boxes and foil, as they know the flavour and quality of the food is all you’ll be focusing on. With everything from Lebanese chicken shawarma, to a sticky panko chicken Korean bowl, as well as a birria brisket beef burger, there is a comfort street food offering to suit every couple.
SCRANN
449 Norton Road, Stockton TS20 2QQ
01642 641589
scrann.co.uk
There’s nothing better than fresh pasta, and at Scrann theirs is homemade daily by their chefs. Whether, in true Disney style, you share a classic spaghetti and meatballs with your other half or instead opt for a 12 hour smoked beef brisket lasagne, let the flavours transport your date to the romantic streets of Italy. They also offer freshly stone baked sourdough pizza and artisan charcuterie, if that’s more to your taste.
LORD CREWE ARMS
The Square, Blanchland DH8 9SP
01434 677100
lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk
At the Lord Crewe Arms, delve into simple, honest food, much of it sourced from the surrounding Northumberland countryside. With a focus on seasonal simplicity, experience a culinary collaboration between heritage and landscape, in the form of patchwork feasts, dainty dishes and the occasional fix of comfort food. Whether you choose to cosy up next to the fire in The Hillyard or enjoy real ale and bar bait in the medieval vaulted pub The Crypt, it is the perfect place to take someone special.
IMPECCABLE PIG
Front Street, Sedgefield TS21 3AT
01740 582580
impeccablepig.co.uk
A pub with a lot of character, this restaurant offers bistrostyle food using good, honest ingredients. From pub classics such as beer battered haddock and chips, to Josper fried tandoori chicken breast, you can expect simple, no fuss dishes with great flavours. Not to mention their Sunday Pig-Out menu which includes leg of Yorkshire lamb, smoked salmon fishcake, trio of meats roast dinner and more. Combine this with a cosy atmosphere, an extensive wine list and superb selection of local real ales, and you’ve got a great place to dine with your other half.
808 BAR AND KITCHEN
21 St Thomas Street, Sunderland SR1 1QD
0191 435 3979
808barandkitchen.com
Food made for sharing, tapas is a great choice for a romantic meal for two. Order a few different dishes for a range of flavours, and at 808 they offer a variety of meat, seafood and veggie tapas. We recommend the albondigas, gambas pil pil, patatas bravas and Catalan chicken for a truly authentic tapas experience.
ZEN DURHAM
Court Lane, Durham DH1 3JS
0191 384 9588
zendurham.co.uk
In the heart of Durham, family-owned Zen brings the flavours of Thailand to the North East. Enjoy Asian tapas such as DIY duck pancakes at lunchtime, while looking out for massaman lamb shank curry and Phuket prawn stir fry in the evening. Combine this with a vibrant atmosphere and stunning interiors (complete with an Instagram-worthy pink blossom tree) and you’ve got the ideal place for a romantic date for two.
ELEVEN
11 Main Street, Ponteland NE20 9NH
01661 598054
elevenponteland.co.uk
A neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Ponteland, Eleven offers modern British cuisine in a relaxed and informal environment. Both hyper-seasonal and produce-driven, the menus here are regularly reimagined so you can enjoy a new dining experience every time you visit. With charcuterie, cheese and small plates designed to share for lunch, a five-course set menu for dinner, and a walk-in-only wine bar it is the perfect place for a date whichever way you choose to dine.
