The Michelin Guide has been awarding Michelin stars in the UK for over fifty years now, and it remains one of the resources that hungry foodies turn to the most when looking for quality restaurants all over the country. Likewise, a Michelin star is an award that chefs up and down the country spend their entire careers striving to achieve. The Michelin Guide doesn’t throw away stars like penny change, so it's a testament to the excellence of Newcastle's restaurant scene that this northerly city boasts not one, not two, but three Michelin-starred restaurants in close proximity.
Despite a Michelin star being the highest award that the guide can dish out, let’s not forget its esteemed cousin - the Bib Gourmand - which recognises restaurants that serve 'quality food at a value price’. There are a couple of restaurants in Newcastle who lay claim to this award and which certainly shouldn’t be regarded as a run-up prize.
We certainly wouldn’t rule out Newcastle as a destination for serving top-notch food, whether that’s places in possession of a Michelin star, fine dining restaurants or simply somewhere to sample some really good fare. So, when we say we've rounded up the Michelin restaurants in Newcastle upon Tyne, we've included all the ones that are currently featured in the guide, from star holders to special mentions. They're all well worth a look if you’re in the area, and each offer seasonal menus and locally-sourced produce at the very least. Take a peek and keep checking in to see if any more are added to the list – there are always new restaurants opening in Newcastle and one of them could well be the next winner of a star.
Newcastle restaurants with a Michelin star
Kenny Atkinson is the undisputed king of Newcastle's fine dining scene with two Michelin-starred restaurants under his watch. Head a bit further out to East Wallhouses and you'll also find Pine - SquareMeal's UK Restaurant of the Year in 2024.
House of Tides, Quayside
What: House of Tides earned its Michelin star back in 2015, a mere year after Kenny and Abbie Atkinson first opened the restaurant in 2014, and has retained it ever since. Located in a 16th century Grade I listed building overlooking the Tyne, the tasting menu showcases Kenny’s take on modern British fare, from lamb fat crumpet with lamb shoulder and kohlrabi, to strawberry, elderflower and lemon verbena trifle.
What the Michelin Guide says: 'The attractively presented dishes are well-thought-out and flavours have plenty of depth – and there’s the occasional playful touch in evidence too'.
Where: 28-30 The Close, NE1 3RF
Book now: House of Tides
Solstice, Quayside
What: Solstice is the second triumph by Kenny Atkinson, who already owns Michelin acclaimed House of Tides. He is the biggest name in Newcastle's fine dining scene and clearly is showing no signs of slowing down. Located just minutes from the Newcastle Tyne Bridge, the restaurant is minimalistic, modern and filled with white tablecloth lined tables. The menu itself is ambiguous, with little given away in advance, but on arriving the dishes are complex and immaculately executed - think slow roasted lobster with lobster oil made from the shells and head, poached in brown butter and finished with fresh fennel pollen and a yuzu kosho butter sauce.
What the Michelin Guide says: 'The kitchen’s restraint and maturity ensure that the focus is very much on the quality of the diverse selection of ingredients – and the sauces are particularly memorable'.
Where: 5-7 Side, NE1 3JE
Book now: Solstice
Pine, East Wallhouses
What: Pine was our UK Restaurant of the Year in 2024, and deservedly so - this sustainable, fine dining powerhouse serves outstanding, precise tasting menus in a converted cow barn in rural Northumberland. Pine is all the more remarkable given its eco credentials - the restaurant has a Michelin Green Star, given to restaurants that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, and uses a huge amount of wild and foraged ingredients.
What the Michelin Guide says: ‘Cal knows the local area intimately and, as well as plucking fresh ingredients from their kitchen garden, leads his team on foraging missions and seeks out small independent producers. He and the chefs use this produce skilfully, in dishes which are full of colour and really pack a punch.’
Where: Vallum Farm, Military Road, NE18 0LL
Book now: Pine
Newcastle restaurants with a Michelin Bib Gourmand
Restaurants in possession of a Bib Gourmand are very exciting in our book, offering not just quality food but excellent value. This prize isn't all about fine dining, so you'll find a much wider spectrum of interesting restaurants in this category.
Haveli, Ponteland
What: Bright, colourful, fun, vibrant - Haveli is the sort of buzzy Indian restaurant we all wish we could have in our neighbourhood, and just one of many exciting restaurants putting Ponteland on the gastronomic map. This regular award-winner has a huge menu packed with outstanding cooking and all at excellent value. This signature biryani and Railway Lamb Curry are both must-orders.
What the Michelin Guide says: ‘Satisfying Indian dishes at eye-catchingly affordable prices is the name of the game at this smart spot in an outer Newcastle suburb.’
Where: 3-5 Broadway, Darras Hall, NE20 9PW
Book now: Haveli
The Broad Chare, Quayside
What: The Broad Chare describes itself as a proper pub, serving proper food and proper beer. Take a seat here for traditional British grub with a no-frills approach and plenty of warm and welcoming vibes. The sturdily furnished first-floor dining room is where guests can dine on the likes of haggis on toast with fried duck egg and HP sauce, dry-aged Dexter ribeye with watercress and steak butter, and a glazed bacon chop with broccoli. It’s rib-sticking stuff. The ales are worth a mention, too, with names such as Black Velvet (Guinness topped with Champagne) and Death by Flap Jacks (English porter with hints of maple and vanilla).
What the Michelin Guide says: 'Housed within a converted warehouse by the quay, Broad Chare is a ‘proper’ pub, with a cosy bar serving appetising bar snacks and over 50 beers, and a rustic first floor dining room offering a more substantial menu of hearty, punchily flavoured dishes'.
Where: 25 Broad Chare, NE1 3DQ
Book now: The Broad Chare
Fancy something sweet? Take a look at the best afternoon teas Newcastle has to offer, or for more restaurant ideas, our list of the best restaurants in Newcastle has you covered.