Jesmond Dene has all the trappings of a modern country house hotel – but transplanted into a prosperous city suburb. Originally Georgian, the building was extended in Victorian times and now features gorgeous public rooms, a cocktail bar and summer terrace, as well as an elegant restaurant: Fern Dining Room. Fern is an upmarket neighbourhood gem with an emphasis on non-fussy, flavour-packed dishes and respect for high-quality produce.
Executive head chef Edie Saint takes inspiration from both classic and contemporary cookery to formulate his menus. He sources all his ingredients from trusted, local suppliers, and places particular emphasis on his love for fish and homegrown produce.
Both a la carte and set menus are available at Fern Dining Room. The set offering is served from Wednesday to Friday and offers an affordable two or three-course meal for those looking to enjoy Fern’s food on a budget.
The main menu, meanwhile, features nibbles, starters, mains, sides, desserts and a cheese course. Seasonal starters include the likes of burrata with green strawberries, Isle of Wight tomatoes, almond and vierge dressing, plus duck liver parfait with sauternes pickled pear and truffled brioche. For main course, you might expect to try BBQ monkfish with Iberico chorizo, red pepper, Canarian potatoes and sea vegetables, or pan fried halibut with potatoes and trout caviar beurre blanc. To finish, a smoked caramel, date and pecan delice with mango sorbet rounds things off admirably. Or, if you're not a sweet fan, then you can choose from a selection of artisan cheeses served with sourdough crackers, seasonal chutney and walnut and raisin bread.
In a nod to dressed-down informality, there is no dress code and service is friendly and relaxed. While the dining room itself is a beautiful, conservatory-style space with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over its lush gardens.