I’ve taken up the mantle of reminding the food loving sector of the nation that the North exists beyond Leeds and that we, Newcastle, often forgotten, practically in Scotland, are going about our business quietly up here, knocking up some decent food. The people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful and the food scene is ever-expanding.
We, like the rest of the country, are seeing closures in hospitality, rising taxes, bills and the price of food and wages are really hitting us hard. However, despite our geography and the increasingly punishing economy there are some great things going on in Newcastle at the moment.
My favourite new opening is Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Heaton, vegetarian, although you wouldn't really notice, the food is excellent, the cocktails great, and they are thoroughly nice people. The salsas and pickles are so good, the tacos range from smoky oyster mushroom, fried cauliflower, battered banana leaf as well as additions like a spicy red mole with tomatoes and fennel, and on my last visit I had a simple green leafy salad in the most delicious tangy green salsa dressing that has really stayed with me.
Lubber Kitchen, is also new on the block, they do an insanely reasonable £28 set menu in a cool little spot in the city centre, tasty, generous, interesting people, in a beautiful space. We sat at the counter and had tiny martinis in beautiful glasses and feasted on peach fattoush with sunflower seed tahini, a rice stuffed tomato in fermented tomato sauce that was so delicious, torched mackerel with pea sauce and beetroot, followed by chocolate olive oil cake and peach sorbet. Make sure you are hungry, it is generous.
Flint Pizza is my most visited restaurant aside from my own, it is always good without fail, the pizzas are excellent, as good as any I had on a recent trip to Naples, as are the small plates. Their peach and tomato salad in a chilli dressing with tarragon is delicious, I had a courgette, basil and ricotta pizza on my last visit and a classic marinara with anchovies, which is so good, house aioli and fermented chilli hot sauce for dipping. They have a lovely team which always makes visiting a pleasure. Burt’s is their latest offering, just opened round the corner in Heaton, a burger joint hitting a high bar. I've only been once but can’t wait to return, and the tomato leaf martini is still very much at the forefront of my mind.
Awesome Franks has just opened in West Jesmond Metro station, I’ve been watching the builders and willing them along as it is very near where I live. I had a mortadella, pistachio and burrata focaccia that was delicious, coupled with a salami, pecorino and chilli honey focaccia on my first visit. I will be back for the breakfast bodega roll; it's a really cool little space, I love the station setting looking out onto the platform.
Small Canteen in Sandyford is a tiny little shop unit where Sam single handedly cooks up a small chalk board menu, it is not like many other restaurants you will go to, normally just a couple of starters, couple of mains and couple of puddings on offer, but always good.
The Grainger Market in the city centre has always been one of my favourite places to go on my days off, a real mix of old and new stalls; I like wandering round, getting some fruit and veg, a slice of pizza from Pizza Slice or some dumplings from Nan Bei, or a King Baby Bagel, wondering who buys the fleeces with wolves on them or the grandiose lace clad dolls; my current favourite food offering is Biang Biang Noodles, a little counter offering tucked away at the back of the market, I’m obsessed with the spicy beef noodles which I think about a disproportionate amount of time and endlessly try to recreate at home. Also in town I love Chilli Padi, a Malaysian restaurant that I frequently get take out from, the beef rendang, butter squid and roti bread might be my death row meal.
Recently opened in town is Assemble, a new bar from the people behind House Bar, and currently home to Soku, a pop up I have been to a few times now, a fun interesting menu in a nice little basement space and somewhere you can get good wine in town, which is always important.
I can’t not mention a few bakeries too, as I tend to spend a lot of time in them: I love the Portuguese custard tarts from Pink Lane Bakery, their cheese scones and their granola too; I love the bread from Northern Rye and their sandwiches – my current favourite is the gorgonzola, walnut and grape. I also love a sausage roll from Greggs, but this might not be the place to mention that!
