Took a shot in the dark on third trip to Newcastle,UK and after a shot walk across the bridge I was…read morewell taken care of with steak sandwich and fantastic drinks. If you need a place to chill and get some grub this is my new go to spot Adam is man at the bar this good night and totally took care of me. God Bless the Living Room

Bit of a difficult one to grade this time. Having been here a few years back for a work Christmas…read moredo, had another opportunity to return here for dinner with some colleagues. We specifically chose here due to my previous experience plus other reviews on here and elsewhere. The menu looked promising enough and it has a nice ambience, so we tried to book a table (online) for a specific time but could only get a reservation a little later. Didn't want to eat too late, but not the end of the world, so we thought the place would be busy with other diners... when we got there it was virtually empty. The staff were very friendly indeed, really cannot fault their service at all. However, the food we had can only be best described as average. It went down fine, but there was nothing really memorable about any of our meals. The food that came out was pretty much just what was stated on the menu i.e. a starter of scallops on a bed of chorizo, fried potatoes and salad was literally just that, nothing more. Similar for the mains: beef and ale pie with 'fat chips' turned out to be a pie with a basket of chips on the side that were out of a packet. I know it's being somewhat picky, but you would think a place like this would at least do their chips themselves. Dessert was sticky toffee pudding; as a STP afficionado, I have had a lot better elsewhere. Don't get us wrong, this wasn't a terrible meal by any means, we all just felt that there was something missing from this particular visit, which is why it's only 3* this time around. I will come back again, see if it was just a one-off, but I won't be hurrying back anytime soon. Food aside, I would recommend a trip the bar at the front of the place, had a nice feeling to it and a good range of drinks. Downstairs is a lovely private bar area, so it has potential for sure. Just can't quite put my finger on why it didn't really live up to expectations this time around.

Been here twice in the last few weeks surroundings are very nice and ambiance is very relaxed food…read morewas fantastic service was brilliant KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

Cafe 21 is a nice option for higher-end European food in Newcastle's Quayside. The menu is…read moreextensive and offers a nice range of locally inspired Continental dishes. For my main I ordered the roast of Northumbrian venison which was served with sour cherries, grapes, bacon & walnuts in a juniper sauce & accompanied by a side of Spätzle (German style egg gnocchi)---see photo:) While the dish sounds too unnecessarily complex, the unique flavours of the dish actually worked well together. Great attentive service---the wait staff know the menu well and were quick to offer suggestions. While there was a mix up with my drink order and it was resolved unbelievably quick with no attitude whatsoever. The also kindly offered to order a taxi. Prices are high by Newcastle standards-but you definitely get what you pay for!

This was a disappointing meal…read more We arrived with high expectations - the Cook House had come strongly recommended by locals, and we were ready to be charmed by its post-industrial locale and open, relaxed interiors. Sadly, the food was something of a let-down. A starter of panzanella was among the saddest dishes I've eaten this year - a pallid offering of bland tomatoes and a few forgettable chunks of bread, totally lacking the freshness and bite I'd expect of it. A Korean-inspired pork main course was better, but not something I'd come back for. My companion's main course was similar - competently-cooked lamb chops with roasted fennel and tzatziki were outweighed by a trough-full of chickpeas. The prices here (about £60 a head for two courses with drinks) were what I'd expect from an on-trend restaurant in central London, and the decor, excellent drinks list and general vibe all matched that. Sadly, the cooking fell flat.

Route is a great addition to the Quayside - a trendy, romantic interior and a creative menu. My…read morehusband and I came for an extremely rare date night last weekend. We started with sprout fritters and a roast chicken and black pudding terrine. The terrine was great - sounded a bit strange but I'm so glad we went with it. Rich and savory with the truffle mayo and crisp toast alongside. You could really get the truffle flavour. The sprout fritters were nice, but there wasn't much to them - I was expecting/hoping for chopped up sprouts mashed together in a cake, but this was literally massive brussels sprouts cut in half and fried. They were tasty enough with the harissa mayo, but not something I'd go out of my way to order again. For larger plates, we shared the Shetland scallop with apple and smoked eel, the ray with brown butter, and the ribeye of pork with crispy parsnips. Everything tasted great - I think the ray was my favourite, as it was cooked exquisitely. The fish just flaked off the bone, and the raisins and capers added a necessary zing. The scallop was huge and cooked beautifully, but my husband was incredulous that there was only one scallop for £12.50. Admittedly you do get apple puree, two pieces of smoked eel, and some sunchoke, but it did seem an expensive dish. The apple was a nice constrast to the rich, buttery scallop. The pork was the least memorable - as I am sat here only 2 days later struggling to remember it - but I remember the meat being well-cooked, and that I enjoyed the curry sauce but wasn't knocked out by it. Dessert was a gooey chocolate fondant thing, with a small dollop of ice cream. I was amazed that I enjoyed it, as I normally find such desserts unbearably rich, but somehow, this one didn't overwhelm me and it was delicious. They have a great wine selection and a few interesting beers for those so inclined. The staff were friendly and happy to give recommendations. They were chatty and open, which always surprises me when dining in the UK as I find service here generally a bit more removed. The restaurant was busy on a Friday night, but happily the service was perfectly-paced. Dishes came out one at a time, so you could really enjoy them. Our table didn't get full of food, so we weren't overwhelmed. That made a really big difference, I think. Felt like a six-course meal! Overall most of what we had was very good, and any missteps weren't bad, just occasionally uninspired. But I'd happily come back, because the menu changes often and restaurants like this are rare in Newcastle.

Middlesbrough is synonymously linked with one particular type of food Parmos. Since I have left…read moreMiddlesbrough I seriously do miss them. The Europa Restaurant is known in the local area for their value for money and offering the best Parmos in town. The Europa is located on Borough Road; they offer a variety of home cooked meals which are always popular. On a weekend the atmosphere in this restaurant is extremely lively, most of the people here have been out drinking all day/night and now fancy something nice to eat. In saying that that atmosphere is not a bad one it may be rowdy but it is not offensive by any means. If you are ever in Middlesbrough then you have to try this restaurant

Been going to Europa for years and parmesans are the best in town by far.read more

We had an excellent dinner at the Cellar Door when visiting our daughter in Durham recently…read more The festive menu was nice. Dishes we got included the lamb rump and the salmon wellington. These were excellent - 5 stars. We got excellent oysters to start. Dessert was the Christmas pudding baked Alaska, also excellent. We had a nice wine. Service was excellent, friendly and efficient. The ambience and decor are nice, with an attractive main dining area plus an atmospheric, more intimate space downstairs in the stone-lined cellar, where we ate. It is in the heart of the Bailey, the historic core of Durham.

I was here with a large group of people who were staying in Durham over the early May Bank Holiday…read moreweekend and we were booked into The Cellar Door for a meal following Evensong in Durham Cathedral, on a pre-ordered three-course menu. The quality was first class, though there was a sense of wondering if and when the spuds would arrive. I'm just glad that I didn't order the rhubarb dessert, having seen what my neighbour had on his plate. My baked Alaska wasn't much bigger though. Some of us were discussing stopping for chips on the way back to the hotel on the outskirts of Durham but that never happened as we were block-booked for taxis. I've given 4 stars overall. That's really 5 stars for quality and somewhere between 2 and 3 for quantity. My drink was Tailgate Peanut Butter Stout, which I just had to try when I heard of it. I liked it enough to have a second one but had already ordered it when I heard that they also had a salted caramel stout. I think I would have ordered that if I had known in time but 3 beers would have been a bit much.

We had heard about the cafe at the Townhouse Hotel awhile back via Trip Advisor, but never really…read morefelt compelled to give it a go before this weekend. We just happened to be right by West Avenue yesterday & completely starving, so we stopped in to check out their lunch fare. The hotel lobby is very well appointed, modern and elegant. The cafe itself, open from 8am to 6pm, has a modern European feel to its interior. The staff is very friendly and accomodating. The menu ranges from traditional breakfast items (including kippers?!) to gourmet burgers and sarnies. We had a tuna melt and a gourmet burger with homemade salsa and fries - both very tasty. The Cafe appeared to have a full bar but I didn't really see anyone drinking there at the time, except for coffee - which was fantastic by the way! They also have a very good cake selection. We had a slice of their Beetroot & Hazelnut cake which was suprisingly tasty and moist! (Don't worry, it didn't taste like beetroot at all, but it did have a lovely pink colour). The clientele appeared to be typical Gosforth middle class. The prices weren't cheap but I did feel we got good value and a pleasant experience out of our £20 lunch including drinks and pudding. Definitely will try this place again.

..........nice place - coffee and cake both excellent - and it's not a chain - makes a change on…read morethe High Street. Staff were friendly and efficient.

Set in this quiet village is a great little restaurant with accomodation…read more The rooms are simple but comfortable and perfect for anyone looking for a weekend retreat or a base to go walking in the beautiful surrounding countryside. The restaurant offers well cooked food in a very relaxed atmosphere. Unpretentious and laid back, the wooden table and chairs set the place off nicely for informal dinners and there is a very attractive garden to the back of the restaurant where early evening drinks can be enjoyed. The menu is mainly good English cooking, mid-priced, but with a certain flair. Vegetarian options are always available and the service is excellent. Hosts Debbie and Clive are normally around to ensure things are running smoothly but the staff are responsive and very friendly. There is a decent wine list as the owners take their wine very seriously and can offer advice on any bottle you choose. This place is certainly a well-kept secret but I have had a really enjoyable time on both occasions I visitied it.