Diners' Choice: Best Service restaurants in Newcastle and Northumberland

OpenTable

Updated 05 November 2026

Looking for restaurants with the best service in Newcastle and Northumberland? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Solstice

5.0

5 (90)

£41 and over

Global, International

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Nestled in the heart of the historical Newcastle Quayside and hidden behind an unassuming facade,
Solstice by Kenny Atkinson offers a very distinctive dining experience.

As a guest at Solstice, you will not be presented with a menu on arrival.

Your menu has been carefully created by Kenny Atkinson and Head Chef Scott John Hodgson, through a procession of courses which is inspired and led by the British seasons and the very best produce available.

From our open plan kitchen our team of chefs will serve every course and we also finish a lot of our dishes in front of the diner, explaining the produce and passion behind our dishes.

In March 2023, Solstice was awarded a Michelin Star after only 8 months of opening. Solstice is currently rated number 26th at The UK Top 100 National Restaurant Awards 2024.

Please be aware if you would like to contact us then do so via email on admin@solsticencl.com as our phone line in not monitored. Many thanks.

Top review

JACK

Dined on 31 Oct 2026

Excellent experience. Amazing food and great service.

Saltwater Fish Company

4.9

4.9 (1710)

£25 and under

Seafood

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Designed for seafood lovers – Saltwater Fish Company, situated in Fenwick Foodhall, operates as both a Fish Bar and Fishmonger with a ‘we cook what we sell, we sell what we cook’ philosophy. There’s no fuss – just a passion for seafood, simple yet creative cooking and friendly service.

Top review

Emma

Dined 2 days ago

Another amazing visit to this beautiful little restaurant. Super fresh locally sourced ingredients and cooked to perfection as always and the staff are the most attentive I’ve come across without being over bearing.

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Experience

Oyster Sunday – £2 Lindisfarne Oysters (All Day)

Experience

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY 🍷

Branches Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (365)

£41 and over

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Branches is a multi award winning restaurant
which aims to provide its customers a contemporary dining experience set in a beautifully modern décor surrounding.

Located on the hugely popular Osborne road we pride ourselves on the professional service our staff provides each customer. The intimate stylish dining room caters for individuals and parties to provide the ideal setting for any occasion from romantic to business.

Our chef source the freshest, local, best of British produce direct from nearby suppliers, farms and markets.
All our dishes are created from the highest quality products available. We also offer a wide selection of Wines, Beers, Gins and expertly made Cocktails.

Branches Restaurant has won Tripadvisors Travellers choice award for multiple consecutive years along with appearing consistently in their top 10 restaurants in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Top review

Simonne

Dined 3 days ago

We were served by our waitress Maria who is so friendly and charming. The food ordered was delicious and desserts excellent. The staff were so attentive without being intrusive. I would thoroughly recommend Branches.

The Beaumont Hotel

4.8

4.8 (41)

£26 to £40

British

Hexham

About the restaurant

The Beaumont is an independent Victorian townhouse hotel in the centre of Hexham, with stunning views of the 6th century Abbey.

Dine on local seasonal produce in our restaurant or enjoy a drink at the bar with the open kitchen and the Victorian Sele park as a back drop. While visiting Hexham immerse yourself in stunning architecture of market town and stories about the Vikings, historical criminal families or “Border Reivers’, and the Anglo-Saxon Abbey.

Top review

Ruth

Dined on 1 Nov 2026

Sunday Lunch ~ the best place ever...... Quality of food & the presentation is fabulous. All the staff are excellent.

Bellini - Seaburn

4.8

4.8 (43)

£26 to £40

Italian

South Shields

About the restaurant

Bellisimo Italian cuisine, a chic setting and warm and welcoming service are what’s to be found at Bellini, a charming Italian restaurant located on Dovedale Road. As well as being a favourite among Seaburn locals, Bellini is know throughout the city as the place to go for an authentic Italian meal, attracting diners from all over Sunderland with a menu boasting everything from Italian pizzas to hearty pasta dishes and juicy steaks. Whether it's for lunch or dinner, Bellini is always a popular choice, so be sure to book ahead to avoid missing out.

Top review

John

Dined on 31 Oct 2026

Great food and great service…..what’s not to like. Been coming here for years, and we’ll continue to do so.

The French Quarter

4.9

4.9 (3261)

£26 to £40

French

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

The French Quarter is a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant & wine Bar in a community of unique and quirky businesses in Newcastle city Centre. We are a friendly and approachable team of people, with a passion for the good things in life. Born from nostalgia for a traditional style of commerce and a desire to challenge perceptions that French dining is formal or fussy, we work with independent suppliers to offer a regularly changing wine list & tapas style menu. We have created a casual and sociable environment where customers are invited to experience our food, try our wines, shop from our deli and share our love of all things French!

Top review

Tim

Dined 5 days ago

Fantastic food and wine flights for a memorable birthday lunch. Great service and ambiance, high quality bistro food and great value for money. Will definitely be back.

Vito's Osteria

4.9

4.9 (748)

£26 to £40

Italian

Sunderland

About the restaurant

Vito's Osteria, the restaurant of authentic Italian cuisine, serves food prepared with traditional recipes and fine Italian wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

It is located in a charming converted barn that has been transformed into a dining and entertainment center in the city of Sunderland.

Top review

Melanie

Dined 7 days ago

My favourite place to eat in the whole of the UK. Food is always excellent quality, staff are very attentive without being too much. We always come to Vitos for any special occasion, anniversary, birthdays, celebrating new jobs and exam passes. The restaurant has a lovely ambience and there’s also a good selection of drinks. Highly recommend!

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4.8

4.8 (3486)

£26 to £40

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

We’re big on warmth, low on fussiness: stripped wood floors, high bar stools, painted brickwork and comfy leather banquettes. Sup your pint beside our polished-oak bar or tuck yourself away in the Snug behind the frosted glass partition. You can hear yourself talk, concentrate on the crossword or nod off quietly in the corner.

To help keep everyone safe, our teams will continue to wear face masks and we'd love you to do the same when nentering and moving around the pub and dining room.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding and we look forward to seeing you.

Top review

Anne

Dined 5 days ago

Great menu choices. Food arrived piping hot. Nothing too much trouble for wait staff. Good ambience. Returning diners would definitely eat there again

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Experience

Worker's Lunch

St Vincent

4.8

4.8 (1201)

£26 to £40

Wine Bar

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Part wine bar, part restaurant, a city centre venue with a city centre buzz. St. Vincent is an after-work drinks spot, supper-with-friends place and general 'snack-with-a-glass-or-two' hang out with a big-hearted 'everybody welcome' attitude.

Inspired by the neighbourhood bars we've found on our travels through France and Italy, we offer interesting wines, charcuterie and crowd pleasing plates full of punchy flavours. We're a place where an hour spins into several without anyone noticing.

Open evenings Tuesday to Friday, all day Saturday and close late.

Enough said. Come and find out.

Top review

Rob

Dined 3 days ago

Best customer service in town! Great food, great atmosphere

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Experience

Pedro Lopes Vieira x St. Vincent

Experience

Beaujolais Nouveau Menu

Experience

Whole Suckling Pig for the Table

4.8

4.8 (5769)

£26 to £40

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

21’s cooking is big on flavour and short on fuss. We’re talking about a style which embraces the seasons and where the ingredients are king. Expect to find stylish, imaginative dishes – which don’t pander to fads or fashion…………and still have room for pudding. Expect a warm welcome, generous hospitality and service that is both friendly and correct.

A city centre restaurant with a city centre buzz. In the heart of Newcastle's Quayside, 21 has an excitement and warmth all of its own. Smart but not stuffy, sleek but not pretentious, fun but not gimmicky - It's about eating good food in comfortably stylish surroundings.

Menus include Lunch and Early Evening Fixed Price, Five Course Seasonal and à la Carte.

Top review

Pia

Dined 4 days ago

A great place with a friendly atmosphere. Staff are very welcoming and professional and the food was amazing. Will definetly recommend this restaurant to family and friends.

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Popular dish

Cheddar Cheese and Spinach Soufflé

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