After what felt like a very long and bleak winter, the clouds are breaking, the dawn chorus is resounding, and summer is just around the corner. For those eager to soak up a bit of vitamin D, there are few indulgences more seductive than the rare luxury of al fresco dining — and the North East is blessed with an abundance of settings to choose from. Of course, there are several well-known favourites frequently mentioned through the darkest depths of winter (Riley’s Fish Shack in Tynemouth, The Lord Crewe Arms in Blanchland, and Blackfriars in Newcastle to name a few), but you already know about those. So we wanted to share a little of that love with a handful of the North East’s somewhat lower-profile, open-air gastronomic treasures. Places where sunnies and shorts are strongly recommended. Places the locals might prefer to keep to themselves. But places you’ll keep coming back to year after year, regardless.
Hadrian’s Hotel, Hexham, Tyne Valley
A New Alternative
Rising from the ashes of Michelin-starred Hjem, Willow restaurant at Hadrian’s Hotel is proof of the power of reinvention, throwing open the shutters and embracing the valley and the community.
The pedigree here is undeniable. Manager Jack Brown (previously of Hide and still co-owner of Nest and Flight) has brought his team over to Wall with an enviable kitchen team bolstered further by local chefs. It’s a bit of an “all-star” North East lineup, and the result is a menu that feels grounded, delicious, and fairly priced — a very deliberate move to ensure that the restaurant isn’t just a destination for foodies, but also a regular haunt for the local crowd.
Outside, the team has set to unlocking the potential of the hotel’s glorious position and outlook. The enviable south-facing, terrace offers a panoramic vista across the rolling Northumbrian hills and will no doubt come into its own as the temperature rises during its inaugural season.
Some will come for the food, some will come for the refreshment after a few hours exploring the countryside. But all will fall in love with the warmth and the serenity in a restaurant that’s just as inviting as the landscape it overlooks.
Embers, Embleton
A Humble Hideaway
Home-made pizzas fired in a home-made pizza oven set in a home-made kitchen. On the outskirts of Embleton, Embers has risen from one man in a 10ft shipping container to a beloved staple in the community that now accommodates more staff, more customers, and — crucially — more pizzas.
But despite its burgeoning popularity, the commitment to quality over covers remains. The pizzas are regarded as some of the best in the region, and there’s a tangible soul to the operation that makes it feel as far from mass-produced as you’re likely to find. That spirit is epitomised by the curated soundtrack of Embers Radio — a rotation of vinyl spinning from the hut that lends a magnetic, vibrant energy to the experience.
On a good day, the backdrop offers a rare kind of seclusion in the modern world. Cradled on the edge of a mature woodland, Embers is a place of real life, real people and real food. Somewhere you can find a bench, breathe in the scents of the clearing, and share the view with the shaggy Highland cows grazing in the adjacent field. As the sun dips behind the neighbouring byre with the music drifting through the trees, you’ll realise that a freshly made, wood-fired pizza in a quiet Northumberland retreat is every bit as delicious as the finest white-linen dining room.
The Glass House, Wynyard
A Botanical Escape
The Glass House restaurant proudly presides over the kitchen garden, with seating spilling out into the sun-kissed patio. Fruit, veg and herbs are freshly picked right in front of you, and paired with regionally sourced ingredients to create flavours that provide the perfect foil to a serene afternoon.
Beyond the garden walls lies a 400-acre estate that was originally the private playground of the Londonderry family. Today, that grand heritage is felt in the sheer scale and presence that exude from the imposing Wynyard Hall. This is one of those places where the weight of the past meets the pulse of the present. A few hours can be easily whiled away exploring the woodland trails or admiring the splendour of the grounds, before retiring to the restaurant’s terrace overlooking the estate and kitchen garden. Together, they create a sense of calm that makes the world outside the walls feel very far away.
Bradley Gardens, Tyne Valley
A Charming Oasis
Set within a manicured walled garden threaded by pebbled pathways that crunch under your feet, Bradley Gardens offers a deep, restorative breath just half an hour’s drive from Newcastle. The restaurant is flanked by a miniature assortment of plush, boutique lifestyle shops well stocked with home and garden wares such as woollen throws, wicker baskets, ornate plant pots, and scented candles.
With a slightly elevated, southerly aspect, the Glasshouse Café itself once housed the garden’s fruit-growing operation, but has since been beautifully converted. The outdoor seating area is ample and uncrowded, adding to the sedate, relaxing atmosphere that envelops the complex. The perfect spot to take a leisurely lunch, drink in the sun, listen to the birds sing, and marvel at the lush garden.
The menu is understated, elegant, and well-done. Very good food, thoughtfully prepared and always impeccably served. And despite the effortless sense of refinement and exclusivity, the prices are very reasonable. Their excellent and substantial Sunday roasts come in at around £20, which — considering the surroundings, the service and the calibre of the fare — is refreshingly modest for such a sumptuous setting.
The Fish Shack, Amble
A Seafood Haven
With its own little slice of the iconic Northumberland coastline, The Fish Shack offers a treat for the senses. On summer days, with the sun glistening on the harbour water, the picket of masts swaying in the marina, and the briny scent stirring through the sea air, a thick layer of tranquillity blankets the Coquet Estuary.
The restaurant is a wonderfully quirky establishment. An old training boat called the Sea Quest that used to sit in the harbour was reclaimed and repurposed to form the shell of the structure, while other rustic, maritime-themed materials add to the aesthetic. Outside, there are ingenious ‘dining pods’ made from the upturned hull of the Sea Quest, alongside a collection of humble picnic tables perfectly positioned to bask in everything this place has to offer.
As you’d expect, the menu is a marine extravaganza, with many ingredients caught just offshore. The flavours are as big as the portions, with the riches of the deep taking centre stage on the platter. It’s hard not to be drawn in by a tradition that has played out on this coast for centuries: fresh seafood, prepared simply, and enjoyed heartily.
Sheepfolds Stables, Sunderland
An Urban Union
Just a stone’s throw from the Stadium of Light you’ll find a vast, sensitively restored stable block that’s now home to an array of exceptional eateries and drinkeries to tempt your every tastebud. At the heart of the stables is the central courtyard where everyone comes together to enjoy their chosen scran.
The story behind the building is quite remarkable. Dating back to the 1800s, it served as a hub for the city’s horse-powered (that’s literal horse-power) industry. And that rich history has been admirably respected in the restoration; many original features have been retained and revived either as ornamental decoration or with a new purpose. Underfoot, 30,000 hand-laid cobbles form the courtyard’s tactile spine, while the old clock tower ticks once more thanks to a specially commissioned replica of the long-lost timepiece. The industrial legacy is everywhere you look, with an authentic 19th-century cart occupying pride of place in the bar, and the retired hayloft winches preserved exactly where they once toiled.
There really is something for everyone in the yard — from craft beer and Caribbean soul food to artisan pastries and scotch whisky — so it’s a great choice if you don’t know what you fancy, or if your group can never agree. And to top it off, the courtyard also boasts a big screen for live sporting events (including every televised SAFC match) to really build the atmosphere, especially when the blue skies are out.