The French Quarter is a cosy, Parisian-style bistro in Newcastle, sitting right in the shadow of Newcastle Castle and just a few minutes walk from Newcastle station. Founders Cédric and Catherine Boc-Ho opened The French Quarter in 2017, hoping to bring a casual, French style of dining to the city and offer an alternative to the high street restaurant chains.
Inside, The French Quarter has all the sensibilities of a classic French bistro, whether it’s the black and white geometric flooring (not quite chequerboard but close enough), chic wooden furniture, or shelves upon shelves of wine bottles lining the walls. The restaurant itself is housed in an old brick railway arch and as a result, there’s room for an upstairs dining area as well as the main ground floor space.
Cédric and Catherine wanted to dispel the idea that French cuisine is fussy, and the menu at The French Quarter is extremely relaxed and convivial, designed to be enjoyed as a group. The menu has plenty of charcuterie and cheese to share - perfect if you’re just stopping for a glass of wine and something small to nibble. The rest of the menu is split into meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, and includes the likes of ratatouille, endive salad with Roquefort, moules marinieres, tartiflette and confit duck in orange sauce. Throw in an assortment of other traditional French dishes like rillettes, terrines and even the famous escargot in garlic and parsley butter, and you have a quintessential Parisian bistro in the heart of Newcastle.
The French Quarter also offers a fixed price lunch menu and special set menus for large groups, and the wine list is, predictably, loaded with wines from all over France.