The reputation of the North East's food scene is very definitely on the up and this week's Michelin success will no doubt bring it further recognition.
It was confirmed this week that The House of Tides in Newcastle and Hjem in Northumberland will each keep its hard-won Michelin star and The Raby Hunt near Darlington also will be retaining the two it has achieved.
And in further exciting news the Michelin Guide announced that another Northumberland restaurant has earned a first star: Pine at Vallum Farm is now the proud owner of a Green Star which recognises its "outstanding sustainable commitment".
Read more: Pine's reaction to winning a Michelin star within nine months of opening
It's of course hugely difficult to win a Michelin star - and just as hard to retain it in subsequent years - so they tend to be few and far between.
Geordies love their food and make their own judgements about the city dining scene. Customer loyalty is why some restaurants have stood the test of time - they might never see a Michelin inspector at their door but they continue to thrive and will always hold a place in our hearts.
At the same time Newcastle also has restaurants that would stand out in anyone's book, with consistently high standards that have made them favourites with those who know their onions.
Here we list, in alphabetical order, 10 Newcastle restaurants which just shine - star or not.
Blackfriars - Having just celebrated its 20-year anniversary, this Friars Street restaurant, just off Chinatown, works its magic on seasonal local produce to create what it describes as "gutsy, traditional British food" but which is actually far above the norm. You can't get any more traditional than its location either: a 13th Century former friars' refectory with a claim to be the oldest dining room in the UK. Besides its set menu deals, check out the a la cate option.
Cook House - Anna Hedworth's imaginative cooking quickly outgrew its shipping container origins and has been showcased since 2018 in a two-level restaurant in the Ouseburn's Foundry Lane (she recently launched a second restaurant too). From it bistro-style menu even small snacks - Cauliflower Top Kimchi anyone? - are presented with an eye for detail. If you want to treat yourself to a tipple, try one of the cocktails with an unusual twist, such as a salt and pepper Negroni or smoked butter Old-Fashioned.
Dobson & Parnell - Offering refined British and European cuisine on the Quayside is another Andy Hook restaurant which happens to occupy the original Queen Street home of Terry Laybourne's 21. Named after two of Newcastle ’s famous architects - John Dobson and William Parnell, who designed the Grade II-listed Victorian property in 1863, it offers a tasting menu with a wine-match option.
Horticulture - Small plates seem to be the way these days, as the social appeal of continental-style eating wins out over the traditional three courses and a coffee, and in this buzzy Market Lane cafe-bar, chef Peter Breckon's "modern British food with international flavours" includes such inspired small plates as confit cauliflower steak and octopus tagine. Almost all the food is organic and local. The menu is also 90% gluten-free.
Jesmond Dene House - The restaurant in the Jesmond hotel had a recent revamp to become Fern where Danny Parker, former finalist on MasterChef The Professionals, leads the way with a seasonally-changing a la carte menu. There's a set menu too which you can peruse over a cocktail in the hotel lounge, where you are made to feel at home (if you live in stately luxury that is) as soon as you walk in.
Kaltur - Picking from Spanish-inspired small plates, diners can chill out over the likes of charcuterie boards, aged Manchego cheese, Iberico pork cheek and Icelandic cod. Plus there's a range of sherries so extensive they have their own wine list. The original family-run restaurant opened in High Bridge in 2017 and proved so successful a second branch opened around the corner in Dean Street in 2019. Take care when booking to ensure you don't turn up at the wrong branch on the day and settle in with a drink only to have to leg it around the corner to meet your friends. Because that can happen.
Peace & Loaf - Chef patron Dave Coulson, former finalist on Masterchef: The Professionals, has made his mark and then some at this restaurant on Jesmond Road where dishes are fast-changing depending upon what's available locally at the time. In keeping with the restaurant's heart logo, the chef shows his love in a tasting menu and vegetarians are in luck as there's a dedicated non-meat version of this which really pushes the boat out with ideas as far away from the nut roast as it's possible to get.
Silk Room - This dark and cosy boutique find in Trinity Gardens on the quayside is both a restaurant and a Champagne bar, with a menu, starring local produce, peppered by quotes such as Marlene Dietrich's "My only regret is that I did not drink more Champagne". There is a selection here to cater for any demand. Food-wise, local produce is the star with, for instance, all beef sourced from Northumbrian farms; grass-fed, naturally-reared then traditionally dry-aged for a minimum of 35 days on the bone for enhanced flavour.
The French Quarter - Tucked under an arch at the High Level Bridge end of Westgate Road is this Parisian-style gem where, from a selection of small plates, you can pick a 'planche' or several of charcuterie or cheese with walnuts and cornichons while there are more substantial dishes too: authentic mains such as Boeuf bourguignon, casseroles and confit duck. If you have a favourite French wine - or like a seasonal surprise - you will no doubt find it on its extensive wine list.
21 - Terry Laybourne actually won Newcastle's first Michelin star with his fine dining restaurant 21, then based in Queen Street. Following its closure, the creator of 21 Hospitality Group opened 21 in Trinity Gardens, tucked behind the Newcastle Quayside and near Silk Room, where it consistently delivers, whether it's pork cooked five - or however many - ways or an old school pre-dinner martini.
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