Food

Located in the heart of Newcastle’s Quayside, pre-pandemic Aveika was popular with clubbers wanting a classy, modern dine-and-drink experience. Post-pandemic, Aveika still has that nightclub vibe – just a slightly toned down version. We popped in last Sunday afternoon to sample the Japanese restaurant and mocktails (it was a Sunday, so alcoholic beverages were not […]

Good food and good drinks is all anyone really wants, isn’t it? Well, I should think so anyway. Newcastle’s Tomahawk Steakhouse, I am pleased to confirm, makes both of those wishes come true. Set by the glorious Quayside, a window seat offers you a lovely view of Gateshead’s Sage. If you’re not seated at the […]

With the news that Greggs sales have beaten pre-pandemic levels, we thought it would only be fair to rank their best pasties that have been a staple of North East cuisine for decades. The bakery chain saw profits looking healthier after what it called “pent-up demand” for non-essential retail items. So, which pasties are best? […]

4/5 If you love a good theme, Las Iguanas is a restaurant you might like to try. The Latin American-style chain has restaurants all over the country, but I recently popped into the one on Grey Street just down from the Theatre Royal. As always, the restaurant itself is pristine and the atmosphere is super […]

3/5 It gives me no pleasure to say it, but The Boat Shack, settled in the nest of the stunning Derwent Reservoir, was a bit of a disappointment. The cafe-style parlour has an Instagrammable selling point: its milkshakes. Everyone from everywhere has had one (or so it seems) and they look absolutely incredible. So, on […]

4/5 Greek food is absolutely all the rage at the moment. You can’t go two minutes on Instagram without seeing a kebab-like thing drowned in yoghurt. But I tell you what – once you’ve had one, you know why. Acropolis in the Grainger Market is a relatively small but authentic Greek street-food-type joint offering a […]

4.5/5 Authentic Lebanese food has taken off in the UK. It all began in London, really, and then hummous started to take off basically everywhere. Thank goodness it did – we wouldn’t have Fattoush Lounge in the Metrocentre otherwise. I am a sucker for a really good bit of authentic food – be it Italian, […]

4/5 What’s better on a gorgeous day than going for a cocktail with a mate? Nothing. And The Hudson is now one of my favourite places to do that. Located just opposite Newcastle Central Station with both indoor and outdoor seating, you can really take in the beauty of our city at The Hudson – […]

5/5 When we were eventually let out of the house, there was one place I wanted to go: Tynemouth Surf Cafe. After originally hearing about them via the social media whispers of local singing hero Sam Fender in the midst of lockdown, I kept an eye on the beachfront venue. I’m glad I did. The […]

3.5/5 As I’ve said many times before in my restaurant reviews, the small city of Durham provides a hub of places to eat for foodies and those who just want a belly full. Flat White is one of the most popular brunch restaurants in Durham for both types of people – so popular, in fact, […]

4/5 Although Durham is home to many independent restaurants, cafes and bars, sometimes it’s nice to step inside of a big chain like Slug and Lettuce. Slug and Lettuce is one of the brand new restaurants in the historical city of Durham, situated next to the Champagne Bar and the Gala Theatre. From the moment […]

4.5/5 In one of my many reviews of Durham’s bars and restaurants, I’m heading to the newly opened Cosy Club, situated above the bank of the River Wear, opposite Durham Cathedral. Cosy Club is not the cheapest place in Durham for food – that’s agiven. This is definitely because of its more sophisticated and classier […]

4/5 The leafy and historical city of Durham sits tucked away on the banks of the River Wear. Along the Wear you’ll find cafes and bars – Revolution being one of them, and one of the most popular. Though Revolution is part of a wider chain of cocktail bars and restaurants, it doesn’t feel that […]

4/5 Newcastle is, of course, world-famous for its nightlife. Bars and clubs are a hit with pretty much everyone who ever visits our city, but it’s always nice to know what locals make of the watering holes around the Toon. Revolucion de Cuba, located just off Grey Street in the Cloth Market, is one of […]

Many people choose to eradicate animal produce from their diet to try and save the planet. But are they doing more harm than good? Here we explore whether the vegan diet is really as eco-friendly as we think. The vegan illusion Growing crops is often not the perfect method of food production that many people […]

4/5 Everyone loves a good Spoons, right? But with so many of them kicking around – all going by different names – sometimes you don’t know which one is best to go to. In central Newcastle alone, there so many different Wetherspoons all dotted around in different locations. If you add the one in the […]

4.5/5 With the Easter holidays in full swing, lots of families in the northeast will be looking for places to take a day-trip to. The historical city of Durham is a great place for a family day out, and Tango, a burger restaurant located on Elvet Bridge, is the perfect place to stop by for […]

5/5 The historical city of Durham is the perfect place for a day-trip in the North East. And if you’re heading there with friends or loved ones, Durham’s Riverview Kitchen is just the place to be if you want breakfast, brunch, lunch or a sweet treat and a cup of tea. Situated right on the […]

Vegan, plant-based or plant-powered: whatever you call it, going meat-product-free is becoming increasingly trendy – and a way of bringing in the money. In the latest fast food chain attempt for publicity and vegan-friendly status, Burger King has announced that they have a vegan Whopper burger potentially coming soon. The vegan Whopper, named the Impossible […]

Observed mainly by the Christian faith, Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday, as it is officially called, is when people literally stuff their faces with pancakes. In previous times it was also an opportunity for people to empty their cupboards in preparation for the fasting of Lent. While there are a number of variations of the […]

Chinese takeaway meals from supermarkets and restaurants should carry health warnings, due to the high level of salt, campaigners have said. Action on Salt analysed more than 150 dishes and found some of them contained half of the recommended daily salt intake for an adult. Main courses like your standard beef in black bean sauce […]

Restaurant chains Wagamama and TGI Fridays have each been fined for failing to pay staff the national minimum wage. The Japanese restaurant has repaid an average of £50 to 2,630 employees, with the American style restaurant repaying £25 to 2,300 staff. Wagamama blamed an ‘inadvertent misunderstanding’ of staff uniform rules for the underpayments. The company […]

A biopic about the man behind Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is in the works at Fox Searchlight, the studio behind Juno and Slumdog Millionaire. The movie, which will be titled Flamin’ Hot (good God) and will follow the life of Hot Cheetos inventor Richard Montanez. Variety reported the news today, saying that multiple studios were all […]

I am astounded and perplexed. But at the same time intrigued by a McDonald’s Valentine’s Day. Sort of. If you happen to be one of the many people who use Valentine’s Day for seeing your partner and spending romantic time with them maybe avoid this next bit. McDonald’s is offering, around this lovey-dovey season, a […]

In case you missed it, Trump threatened nuclear war through Twitter and KFC jumped on the opportunity to spill some tea. Or gravy, rather. There is now a raging debate as to whether the president’s account should be suspended due to these threats. The tweet in question was: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948355557022420992 We don’t need to say how […]

Get it? A pizza? Like a piece of? Forget it. People aren’t too pleased with the high street food chain Pizza Hut after they ran a series of advertisements from The Sun, the infamous tabloid, known for spouting hate and lies throughout its lifetime. From lying about the events of the Hillsborough disaster to just […]

It’s not often I chat about food. Which is odd, I spend 90% of my workday eating. Whether it’s snacking on Cheddars, or munching down a Dominos for lunch. But few things ever compare to my favourite food. This magnificent cylinder of flavour is the perfect meal. Here’s why. It contains most of the food […]

Last month, someone on the internet made a startling discovery. The KFC Twitter only follows 11 people. 11, like the number of herbs and spices that goes into their chicken. User Edgette22 shared this with the world to widespread shock and awe. https://twitter.com/edgette22/status/921103567771131904 Look at all those shares and likes or smileys or whatever Twitter […]

Spoilers for the finale below. The Great British Bake Off finale saw a massive live audience of 7.3 million people, which then rose to 7.7 million when taking into account those who watched on Channel 4 +1. The figures come despite co-host Prue Leith accidentally tweeting the name of the winner a full 10 hours […]

Given that one in ten young people, aged between five and 19 is obese, we thought it might be a good idea to look at how you can keep healthy. Obviously, it’s a difficult thing to do, to either admit you’re overweight or tell your child they’re overweight. Even slimmer people are bigger than they […]

Morrisons is launching three veg boxes, the cheapest of which being £3 and said to be able to feed a family of four for a week. The boxes will be available across Britain from 28th September and will be available for order online from 2nd October. The standard box, for £5, contains 4.2kg of vegetables, […]

Bake Off is the gift that keeps on giving, isn’t it? The amount of innuendo crammed into the highly British show at one time is wonderful, yet highly wholesome. Well, this week, contestant Julia Chernogorova got a little bit carried away when creating her ‘Snail Under a Mushroom’ sculpture for bread week. Safe to say, […]

From crisps to Helen Mirren dragging Ivanka Trump’s take on feminism, it’s a Midweek Blues mash-up! To start, you ever read something so wrong you exhale like a dolphin that’s just been made to pick up four cards in a row in Uno? Well, someone decided to stir the proverbial Twitter outrage pot with their […]

You know what sucks? Being hungry. You know what sucks even more? Being hungry and not having any food. Where is this line of questioning going? You’ll see. *Food porn incoming* According to a study, we have found a way to measure ‘hangriness’, an emotion that occurs when we’re starved and require sustenance, but there’s […]

2/5  Just picture it: I was celebrating my 17th birthday a week after its occurrence because my best friend, who was supposed to be sleeping over, got ill and couldn’t come. I was obviously disappointed, but I knew I’d be going out for a meal with my parents instead. I chose Akbars, an Indian restaurant […]

4/5 While on your travels in the Metrocentre, Gateshead, you will have seen Yo Sushi and will have undoubtedly wondered if it’s worth it and if you should try it. After all, sushi is a funny food and not something us Geordies are particularly acquainted with. The first thing to say about Yo Sushi is […]

Pizza Express has been bringing the delight of authentic Italian cuisine to the UK since 1965. Founder Peter Boizot was unhappy with the pizza in London compared to Italy, shipped over a proper oven and opened the first Pizza Express restaurant on Wardour Street. But you don’t have to travel to London for a proper […]

Yeah, it’s a weird name, just bear with us. Recently, I took a trip to Edinburgh to celebrate a year’s worth of time spent with my partner. And obviously, wherever you go, you use that as an excuse to pig the heck out and eat a quarter kilogram of pork everyday. (HA. Pig pun.) It’s […]

You ever see something so wrong you want to vomit? You’re about to. https://youtu.be/V3MngAEIDjg That’s right. If you didn’t hate Nestle enough already, they defiled the sacred law of cereal. It’s cereal, then milk. No other way. Nope. And people are losing their b**ping minds over it: In the Nestlé cereal ad, they pour cereals […]

2016 was the year of superfoods: foods that supposedly reduce your risk of illness and may even make you more intelligent or attractive. While this was certainly a health craze of the last year, there is still much debate as to whether they actually do anything. So, with some help from the NHS, we’re here […]