- Play Hard
- 28th Oct 2026
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17 of the best dishes we’ve eaten in the North East – autumn edition
The best dishes we’ve eaten in the North East this autumn have one thing in common: they’re exactly what you want when the nights draw in.
Think steaming stew, proper pies, pasta worth crossing the Tyne for and a Sunday lunch with all the trimmings.
Since our summer round-up of 21 dishes we couldn’t stop thinking about, the High Life North team has been eating its way from Sunderland to Wooler, with a couple of detours over to the Lakes when temptation called.
Here’s everywhere (and everything) that earned a spot on our radar this season.
P.S. Don’t read this on an empty stomach. We did, and we regret nothing.
STEAK, ALE AND GUINNESS STEW AT AD GEFRIN, WOOLER
Autumn, served in a bowl. Tender chunks of steak and potato sit in a deep, glossy ale and Guinness gravy, finished with sweet peas and fresh pea shoots, with crusty bread on the side for mopping up every last drop.
Follow it with a dram of the distillery’s own single malt and settle in. Better still, book the next Bēodern Supper Club on Thursday 19th November, which is a must this season.
While you’re there, check out The Biscuit Factory’s exciting new collaboration with Ad Gefrin. It brings art out to the Northumberland countryside and is a first for the Newcastle gallery.
BUCATINI CARBONARA AT VITO’S OSTERIA, SHEEPFOLDS, SUNDERLAND
Vito’s made our July list with its 18-hour lasagne, and it’s straight back in for autumn. This time it’s the bucatini carbonara: thick, hollow strands coated in a glossy, peppery sauce, studded with crispy nuggets of cured pork and buried under a snowdrift of grated cheese.
LASAGNE, RAVIOLI, GARLIC BREAD AND DESSERT AT MASCALZONE, SANDYFORD
Sometimes you just have to order everything. This cosy Sardinian-Italian on Helmsley Road sent out ravioli in a rich tomato sauce, a lasagne bubbling under melted mozzarella and a garlic bread so generous it’s basically a herb-flecked pizza.
Then came dessert: a crumble-topped tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little jug of warm sauce to pour over. We’d do it all again tomorrow.
STEAK FRITES AT HOUSE OF TIDES, NEWCASTLE
Candlelit, unhurried and exactly what an autumn evening on the Quayside calls for. You have to experience After Hours at House of Tides this season. The steak arrives sliced and blushing pink beside a tangle of golden, skinny fries and a little silver jug of vivid green sauce for drizzling.
Add a crisp leafy salad and a basket of bread, and you’ve got a classic done properly.
TACOS AT LOBO
A table at LOBO turns into a feast fast. Ours had steak tacos heaped with herby salsa verde and crumbled cheese, crispy tacos piled with pico de gallo and slaw, and a plate finished with cooling crema, fresh coriander and jewels of pomegranate. With 25% tacos on Thursdays and £7 margs, you can really work your way through the menu.
There’s a four-pot salsa line-up for dunking, crispy potatoes loaded with chorizo and a salt-rimmed margarita on the side. Order more than you think you need.
HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH FROM HANDSOME SANDWICH, HEATON
Handsome by name, handsome by nature. This Chillingham Road favourite stacks thick white bread so high with shaved ham, sliced cheese, mayo and crunchy shredded lettuce that it barely fits in the paper.
Simple, generous and everything a lunch break needs.
YOGHURT BOWL AND MATCHA AND ICED LATTE FLIGHT AT FILTO, METROCENTRE
Can’t decide what to drink? Filto’s flight solves that. Three little glasses arrive on a wooden tray: matcha layered under a sky-blue foam, an iced latte with a creamy cap and a pale green matcha finished with crushed pistachio.
Alongside sat a yoghurt bowl piled high with fresh strawberries and a thick swirl of chocolate hazelnut spread. Breakfast, sorted.
DOUGHNUTS AT DEEP NORTH
Deep North makes everything from scratch, from the dough to the jams and glazes, and you can taste it. Our box included a citrus-glazed ring dusted with zest, a pink-iced number covered in sprinkles, a glossy caramel-coloured glaze and two sugar-rolled doughnuts with jam peeking out of the side.
With cafés in Newcastle, Tynemouth and Sunderland’s Sheepfolds, there’s always one nearby. One each is the official advice. Two is more realistic.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD AT CARRUTHERS & KENT, GOSFORTH
Half wine shop, half wine bar and all cosy. With shelves of bottles as your backdrop, settle in with a board of oozing brie, blue cheese and a firm hard cheese, alongside salami, sweet roasted peppers, grapes, chutney and crackers.
Pair it with a glass of red and you won’t want to leave.
PIZZA SLICES FROM I SCREAM FOR PIZZA AT FREIGHT ISLAND, NEWCASTLE
Big, foldable, New York-style slices are the way to go here. We went for pepperoni and a classic cheese, both with blistered crusts, plus a tray of fries and a couple of spritzes from the bottomless menu.
A Friday night win.
APPLE CRUMBLE FRENCH TOAST AT KITH & KIN, WHITLEY BAY
Kith & Kin’s French toast already has a loyal following, and this new special is autumn on a plate. Thick, caramelised toast sits in a pool of silky custard, topped with a layer of soft apple and a heap of buttery, oaty crumble.
Grab an iced latte alongside and you’re all set for a walk along the seafront.
CHICKEN CIABATTA AT DURANO LOUNGE, TYNEMOUTH
A laid-back lunch on Grand Parade: toasted ciabatta filled with chicken, melting cheese, tomato and greens, served with a bowl of crispy sweet potato fries.
Easy, filling and ideal after a blowy walk along Longsands.
SUNDAY LUNCH AT THE SNOWY OWL, CRAMLINGTON
Is there anything more autumnal than a proper Sunday lunch? The Snowy Owl’s came with a towering Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes, glazed carrots, sliced lamb and a jug of gravy, plus sides of pigs in blankets, stuffing and cauliflower cheese with a golden, bubbling top.
Walk it all off at Northumberlandia right next door. Heading further south? Here’s where we go for Sunday lunch in the Tees Valley.
PIE AT THE RUNNING FOX, NORTHUMBERLAND
A generous wedge of golden, glossy-topped pie with a hearty filling, served with chunky potato wedges, mushy peas, a pot of gravy and a doorstep of bread and butter.
With cafés in Felton, Longframlington, Shilbottle and Longhoughton, you’ve got options. It’s the sort of plate that makes a drive up the A1 worth it.
TASTING MENU AT THE HADRIAN HOTEL, WALL
Every course here is a showstopper. Highlights included a pearly piece of white fish in a golden butter sauce, crowned with caviar and a single leaf, followed by blushing slices of meat with a glossy jus. Make sure you add on wine pairing too – you won’t regret it.
It’s a special occasion dinner or date night that’s worth every mile.
SUSHI AT GILPIN SPICE, WINDERMERE
It’s a little further afield, but we couldn’t leave it out. Gilpin Spice’s sushi plate is a work of art: sesame-crusted rolls dotted with mayo, rolls wrapped in ribbons of avocado, glossy salmon nigiri, pickled ginger and a dab of wasabi, with a bowl of edamame on the side.
Worth the drive over the Pennines.
FESTIVE TASTING MENU AT ROGAN & CO, CARTMEL
Christmas came early, Rogan & Co’s festive tasting menu included tender slices of roast meat with a crumb-topped potato, a snow-white sphere nestled among popcorn and edible petals, and a jewel-red plate that looked almost too good to eat.
Proof that festive dining can be far more exciting than turkey and trimmings.
Molly Ferry
CONTENT ASSISTANT
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