Play Hard

Michelin restaurants in Newcastle, Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire

Get your fine dining fix at our pick of the Michelin Star, Michelin Plate and Bib Gourmand restaurants in the North East.

Written by High Life North
Published 18.02.2022

MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS IN NORTHUMBERLAND

Restaurant Pine Northumberland Michelin Star

THE NEW KID ON THE MICHELIN STAR BLOCK IN NORTHUMBERLAND… RESTAURANT PINE

In February 2022, Restaurant Pine became one of the UK’s latest Michelin starred restaurants – and the second Michelin Star restaurant in Northumberland – with a listing in the Michelin Guide 2023, earning a Michelin one star as well as a Michelin Green Star for sustainability.

Set in a beautifully renovated cow barn, Restaurant Pine offers an intimate setting where you can admire the sloping Northumberland landscape alongside Hadrian’s Wall, or watch your evening meal be prepared by our team of dedicated chefs in the bespoke open kitchen.

During the day, Restuarant Pine offers a classic three-tiered afternoon tea with a refined, modern approach. In the evening, enjoy a generous tasting menu using ingredients foraged from the Northumberland countryside, or grown at its onsite kitchen garden.

A real North East gem, the decor is aimed to reflect the surroundings, with a warm, inviting, country feel throughout.

Wednesday – Saturday: Evening tasting menu only.

Friday – Sunday: Afternoon tea and evening tasting menu.

Tasting Menu – £120pp

VIEW MENU
Restaurant Hjem Northumberland Michelin Star

THE FIRST MICHELIN STAR IN NORTHUMBERLAND… HJEM

Restaurant Hjem (pronounced “yem”) was Northumberland’s first Michelin starred restaurant. With its gorgeous Scandinavian menu and country inn setting, this eatery is well worth a visit. It only has 24 seats so make sure you make your reservation well in advance!

It’s part of  The Hadrian Hotel which is ideal so you can just head upstairs to your room after all of that delicious food and wine.

The team serves a tasting menu created from ingredients sourced from the surrounding farms and gardens of Northumberland. The menu is between 15-18 servings, some of which are small bites, others are larger dishes – offering a really unique dining experience. All of the food is cooked with Scandinavian precision and techniques.

Tasting Menu – £120pp

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MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS IN NEWCASTLE

Solstice One Michelin Star Restaurant Newcastle

THE LATEST NEWCASTLE RESTAURANT TO BE AWARDED A STAR… SOLSTICE BY KENNY ATKINSON

Opened in 2022, Solstice is the newest fine dining restaurant in Newcastle by Kenny and Abbie Atkinson.

A small but perfectly formed restaurant, diners are served a tasting menu of around 15-18 individual servings from snacks to savoury meat and fish dishes before a sweet section of desserts and petit fours.

The atmosphere is intimate, with chefs presenting the plates to the guests themselves.

View a SOLSTICE BY KENNY ATKINSON sample tasting menu.

Lunch: £155pp

Dinner: £170pp (from 1st April 2023)

Wine pairing: £95

Non-alcoholic pairing: £55

VISIT WEBSITE
House of Tides Newcastle Michelin Star

WANT CITY CENTRE DINING?… HOUSE OF TIDES

Kenny Atkinson’s House of Tides was Newcastle’s only Michelin Star restaurant until his new venture Solstice scooped a star too.

Opened in February 2014, House of Tides is located on the North East’s historical Newcastle Quayside, just minutes from the city centre, and set within the beautifully restored Grade 1 listed 16th Century former merchant’s townhouse.

Set over two floors, the rustic ground floor entrance level with its original 16th-century flagstones and exposed beams provides an excellent venue whether you’re settling in for a drink, pre-dinner aperitif, or a leisurely nightcap. The first floor houses the main restaurant seating area also with exposed beams, a big open fireplace, and views over the River Tyne. A real city centre gem.

Check out a sample menu. 

Thursday to Saturday lunch: £100pp
Wednesday to Saturday dinner: £120pp

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MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS IN YORKSHIRE

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall Michelin Star North Yorkshire

IF YOU ENJOY NORTH YORKSHIRE CUISINE AND SEAFOOD… SHAUN RANKIN AT GRANTLEY HALL, RIPON

Located within the luxurious Grantley Hall Hotel, chef Shaun Rankin has created a delicious tasting menu that is served in decadent surroundings.

For more in-depth information, check out our interview with Shaun Rankin, where we spoke to him about how he created the menu.  

The 10-course tasting menu is created entirely from locally sourced produce (everything is sourced from within 20-miles) and includes dishes such as Bread, Butter, Dripping and Beef Tea, and Lanark Blue Cheese with a Harrogate Bun.

The restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star when the restaurant opened in January 2021 and has retained it again this year.

Check out a sample menu. 

Tasting Menu: £130pp

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Star Inn at Harome Michelin Star Yorkshire

IF YOU ENJOY BRITISH AND REGIONAL CUISINE… STAR INN AT HAROME

Currently closed following a fire in the building. Check the website for re-opening details.

Star Inn at Harome is a beautiful thatched inn with a stylish dining room and a cocktail bar looking out onto the rear gardens and Kitchen Garden.

On cooler days, the pub bar has a roaring fire – perfect to enjoy a pre-dinner gin. There’s a traditional low-ceilinged old dining room and upstairs they have a coffee loft with beautiful bright decor and a private dining room.

The Restaurant is normally open all year round offering a seasonal A la Carte Menu with honest flavours and a range of small plates and bigger dishes. Pre-book to experience the full Tasting Menu with the option of a matched package of premium wines selected by their Wine Consultant.

Check out a sample menu.

Tasting Menu: £95pp

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Michelin Star The Angel at Hetton Yorkshire

MICHELIN DINING FOR ALL OF THE FAMILY… THE ANGEL, HETTON

Situated within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, The Angel is an ancient stone inn with a two Michelin-starred chef renowned for his high-quality cooking. Michael Wignall has reimagined the pub’s offering and created a delicious new menu which earned the pub a Michelin Star rating from October 2019.

With a style that’s casual and contemporary, the new Angel is all about seasonal menus, great food and great hospitality. It aims to give people a relaxed experience with a range of menus – if you want to go with kids, it all offers an exciting menu for children, with the option to choose a four-course mini-gourmet menu for £42.00.

Check out a sample menu.

Tasting Menu: £80pp

VISIT WEBSITE

MICHELIN PLATE RESTAURANTS IN THE NORTH EAST

Michelin Plate Finbarr's Restaurant Durham

FINBARR’S, DURHAM

Finbarr’s is situated in a converted farm building on the outskirts of Durham in the North East. Its rustic surroundings and stylish design have been awarded a Michelin Plate for its high-quality cooking and just honest flavours, making it another great spot to eat.

With locally-sourced ingredients, delicious simple dishes and a wide range of good value dining options, there’s a reason the Michelin Guide has awarded this restaurant a Michelin Plate.

VISIT WEBSITE

 

Michelin Plate Trakol Newcastle

TRÄKOL, NEWCASTLE

Träkol was awarded a Michelin Plate in recognition of its great cooking, while also being praised for its ideal spot on the Gateshead riverfront and the availability of outdoor seating.

This Gateshead Quayside haunt is a firm favourite of our Editor Laura, who really loves the Sunday Dinner and can also recommend the feasting options – particularly the 1/2 Pigs Head, Chop & Pork Belly, Black Pudding, Apple, Watercress, Sauerkraut & Fermented Honey – £70 to share. There is also a great range of small plates as well as larger dishes.

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Michelin Plate 21 Restaurant Newcastle

21, NEWCASTLE

The story of the restaurant starts in 1988, when chef Terry Laybourne opened the North East restaurant as 21 Queen Street – it was an exciting time for the city and 21 quickly became one of the region’s best-loved fine dining establishments – a crown it still holds today.

21 has since relocated to Newcastle Quayside’s Trinity Gardens, and still has a straightforward, flavour-first food philosophy that is unashamedly influenced by the French classics.

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Michelin Plat Cook House Ouseburn Newcastle

COOK HOUSE, OUSEBURN

This relaxed restaurant was set up by chef Anna Hedworth – originally as a supper club housed in two converted shipping containers. She’s now opened Cook House was she imagined as ‘the restaurant we’d all like to hang out.’ It offers casual, all-day dining, focused on food, but most of all a hospitable and convivial environment.

The new site has two floors, a dining terrace, shop and green kitchen garden. The kitchen is still at the heart of Cook House – sit in the upstairs dining room and you can see the team of chefs work their magic, serving a seasonal, regularly changing menu. A real favourite in the region – and a great spot for lunch sitting on the terrace.

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Michelin Plate The Patricia Jesmond Newcastle

THE PATRICIA, JESMOND

Headed up by chef and owner Nick Grieves, who spent time working at Michelin-starred London restaurants including The River Cafe and Simon Rogan’s Fera. The Patricia’s menu is a produce-focused mix of modern bistro-style cooking with European influences. They cook with the very best ingredients simply and thoughtfully without any pretence.

It offers a six-course menu designed to showcase the best possible produce available at that moment. And wine made with love and without chemicals. This is an incredibly good value restaurant for the level of food and service it provides.

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BIB GOURMAND RESTAURANTS IN THE NORTH EAST

Havelli Ponteland Bib Gourmand Indian Restaurant

HAVELI, PONTELAND

Kicking off the first of the Bib Gourmand restaurants, Haveli offers a large selection of top-quality Indian cuisine that is also a great value for money. Michelin has praised the experience provided by members of staff in the restaurant, who combine personality and professionalism to perfection. Great for a special occasion.

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Michelin Plate Route Restaurant Newcastle

ROUTE, NEWCASTLE

Route offers a casual dining experience with flavoursome and seasonal British food. Serving specialities including buttered crab with potato cake, watercress and curry and a wild seabass with gnocchi, ceps and dash – well worth a visit. To make sure you can experience as many dishes as possible. we recommend sharing the steak which is excellent, with hand-cut chips. Just make sure you leave room for dessert.

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Michelin Plate Fern Dining Room Jesmond Dene House Newcastle

FERN DINING ROOM, JESMOND DENE HOUSE, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE

Fern Dining Room at Jesmond Dene House is a great place to relax and enjoy delicious food just outside of the city on Jesmond Dene Road – we love sitting in the garden room with views out over the garden.

With Executive head Chef Danny Parker (a finalist on MasterChef The Professionals) at the helm, the food is modern british, non-fussy and prepared with love. They offer relaxed, informal Geordie hospitality, and memorable dining experiences. The seasonal menus showcase Danny’s relationship with suppliers, and the incredible British larder, drawing on inspiration from memories and of course, embracing the sassy classics. This is a Bib Gourmand recommendation to try asap.

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