The Top 10 Restaurants in NewcastleGateshead

There are so many fabulous and unique restaurants in NewcastleGateshead to choose from that picking out the very best is a nearly impossible task.

However, there are some Newcastle restaurants, cafes and eateries that simply stand out from the crowd, and where you're always guaranteed a delightful dining experience.

Below, we've rounded up just 10 of the top restaurants in Newcastle - in no particular order - and we could have chosen many more. We've picked these for their exceptional food, unique location, or fabulous service - and in most cases, all three. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it!

Newcastle is steeped in history and has a rich heritage that is well-worth exploring. Why not combine your historic tour of the city at the same time as tucking into traditional-British cuisine at the award-winning Blackfriars Restaurant? Located in a 13th-century medieval friary, voted Taste of England in the North East England Tourism Awards, a meal out at Blackfriars is an undeniably unique dining experience which offers you a menu overflowing with mouthwatering dishes such as Barbary duck breast & leg, orange puree, charred Jerusalem artichoke and wild garlic.

You may also like to try Blackfriars’ sister restaurant, Dobson & Parnell which serves a refined British and European menu on Newcastle’s vibrant quayside. Located within a stunning Victorian Grade I listed building it is one of the most architecturally interesting dining spaces in Newcastle and already boasts recognition from fine dining big hitters with a well-deserved listing in the Michelin Guide 2020 (for the third year running) and the gastronome's bible - the Harden's Guide 2018.

The jewel in the crown of Newcastle's fine dining restaurants, House of Tides is the first restaurant opened by double Michelin-starred chef, Geordie lad and TV star, Kenny Atkinson. Enjoying an enviable location on the Newcastle Quayside, House of Tides was awarded a Michelin star in September 2015 - just 18 months after its opening - making it the very first Michelin-starred restaurant in Newcastle since the year 2000! House of Tides is a thoroughly British restaurant, offering set tasting menus that change daily to reflect the availability of local produce, and you'll soon discover why it was worthy of such high accolade.  

This friendly, Greek-inspired pavement café is a favourite with locals and scores very highly on TripAdvisor. Located in the historic Bigg Market, it has an intimate, chilled-out vibe, and serves traditional Greek dishes like moussaka, gyros and souvlaki as well as a gluten-free menu and a vegan menu. And you can get two courses for £10 between 5pm and 7pm. 

SIX at BALTIC is on the south side of the River Tyne beside Gateshead Millennium Bridge. It's a chic, riverside restaurant with a modern British menu and unrivalled views of the Quayside. The award-winning restaurant is also very popular with Afternoon Tea fans and is an excellent spot for celebrations all year round.

Träkol is located in By The River Brew Co - an independent container community which sits beneath the iconic Tyne bridge and whose entrance is on the south side of the Swing Bridge. Since Träkol's opening in summer 2018, it's had some stellar reviews (for example The Guardian described the restaurant as 'Outrageously good'). The open-fire kitchen which showcases 'nose to tail' cooking at its best, is proving popular with diners too - early booking is highly recommended.

Now most often referred to as simply '21', this stylish bistro is one of Newcastle's longest-established eateries, having first opened in its former location in 1988. Now at the Quayside, with a second more relaxed location in Fenwick, 21 is north-east chef and restaurateur Terry Laybourne's first and best-loved eatery in Newcastle. On the menu is classic European bistro food with a thoroughly modern touch, and crafted with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, but the restaurant itself is the real finishing touch with crisp white tablecloths, elegant polished wooden floors, and spotlit tables for an intimate atmosphere.

We ALL Scream for Pizza! Starting out life on the road as a top choice at many food markets, the team behind Scream for Pizza now run a busy restaurant in Sandyford, a small Newcastle district sandwiched between Jesmond and Heaton. Scream for Pizza pride themselves on fresh and delicious wood-fired pizzas which have an impressive range of toppings including many options suitable for vegans like the Vegan Shuffle Truffle with black truffle vegan cream base. Visit Scream for Pizza for relaxed vibes, excellent pizza and top Instagrammable moments!

Cook House in vibrant Ouseburn is a must-visit restaurant which continues to gather accolades, acclaim and awards. Another great independent restaurant to have grown from a passion for good food, Cook House started out as a recipe book before expanding to a small shipping container and now is a busy and extremely popular restaurant. Choose from sharing platters and small plates as part of an evening meal or grab brunch at the atmospheric venue. Created with top-quality food at the heart, Cook House is casual dining at it's best with a choice of appealing spaces to gather in and catch up with friends. Cook House is the passion of founder Anna Hedworth who prioritises seasonal, locally sourced produce when devising the regularly changing menus.   

The Newcastle street food scene is outstanding, but you don't need to head to a market or street food festival just to get a taste. Dabbawal is Newcastle's Indian street food restaurant, and here you can tuck into authentic street food dishes on any day of the week. There are two Dabbawal locations, on High Bridge and in Jesmond, and both offer an exciting menu of authentic Indian dishes - if you're stuck for choice, order the Chef's Special Menu, and let the chefs surprise you with their choices of dishes from the daily menu. Vegans and vegetarians are also especially well catered for at Dabbawal with a range of flavour-filled dishes to choose from.

If you love the sound of Dabbawal, or have already been and would like to try somewhere similar then why not book a table at sister venue Khai Khai on Newcastle Quayside? Alternatively - head to My Delhi in Newcastle city centre which is a family-run, independent restaurant that serves up award-winning Indian street food and was recently declared the Best Indian Street Food Restaurant in England 2021 when it took home the top spot at the English Curry Awards.

If your taste is more 'filthy burger' than 'fine dining', Newcastle has you spoiled. Fat Hippo is Newcastle's burger institution, with two Newcastle locations in the city centre and Jesmond, and its burgers (which are the good kind of filthy!) are dangerously addictive. All the beef is ground in-house daily, so whether you sink your teeth into a classic American, or experiment with delicious toppings like peanut butter, chilli jam or candied bacon, you're guaranteed a real burger experience. Vegetarians can enjoy too, with several options - including a burger of deep fried mac 'n' cheese balls which even carnivores can't resist.