Blackfriars Restaurant

Fantastic Sunday meal hidden away in a gem of a spot! Popped through here for dinner in February. We were given the set Sundays menu which was very good value, so we ordered a main and dessert; braised lamb shoulder for myself and fish of the day for my partner (that day was rainbow trout). The food was absolutely fantastic; all the sides were very well seasoned and the main proteins were extremely well cooked, of note is the fish which was extremely tender with crackling-like skin. We also ordered a vanilla creme Catalan and sticky toffee pudding. The creme Catalan was very lemony with poached peaches on top that tasted very fresh, but the star for me was the sticky toffee pudding; it came with what had to be the best-tasting banana ice cream I’ve ever had - it was like eating the ripest banana condensed into a scoop with the most moist piece of cake to accompany the sweet and salty sauce! It was superb service and great value for the two of us. We will definitely be coming again and we both highly recommend it!

We visited Blackfriars in Newcastle for their festive menu and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of food and drink. The festive fizz was a great way to start — light, celebratory and very much set the tone. The food was excellent throughout. The Christmas menu felt thoughtfully put together, with generous portions and flavours that actually delivered rather than just sounding festive on paper. Everything was well cooked, well presented, and clearly made with care. Service was friendly and relaxed, which made it easy to settle in and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. It struck a really nice balance between feeling special and still being comfortable. A great spot for a festive meal — we left very full, very happy, and slightly tempted to book again before Christmas disappears for another year.

+6

We booked a table at Blackfriars Restaurant on New Year's Eve for the Christmas three-course set menu. It was the second year in a row, as we enjoyed it the first time around. Your guaranteed-quality food, every time, in a very unique venue. It benefits from a separate bar where you can go for a drink before your meal. It is worth sampling the beers that they brew on-site, including a quality IPA. Everything we ordered was delicious, with a special mention to the Goat's Cheese starter and the Apple and Almond Frangipane Crumble dessert. The one thing I’ve noticed, though, on both visits, is that you're speed-dating with your courses if you don’t slow the service down.

Celebrated my birthday in Blackfriars - this was my first visit. The venue is stunning - simply beautiful. Service - very friendly and professional. Food - wow 😲 delicious. Nothing to complaint. We had a lovely time, received recommendation for drinks and food. Also received a birthday card such a nice gesture. I will be back in the future for special occasions or celebrations ❤️

Been a few years since we were last here and was just as good as I remember. We got the langostine cocktail and scallop starters, with oyster and hash brown snacks. Followed by Duck breast and a side of cheese leeks. All dishes were exceptional, but I do need the recipe for the brown sauce that came with the hash browns. Or at least them to sell bottles of it. I've never felt so passionate about a condiment but this is well deserving. Service was great, attentive and friendly.

+2

I went for their Sunday lunch and it was absolutely amazing! It was 3 courses for £33 and the food was delicious! We sat in the banqueting hall and it was very atmospheric and cosy with a very positive vibe. The service was brilliant as always and if you are early you can have a nice drink in the oldest bar in Newcastle! I had the Northumberland lamb and it was divine! It's definitely my favourite place for a Sunday roast! The price is reasonable for the high quality ingredients and excellent service, our waiter was very nice and so were the staff behind the bar. A very friendly place to have a lovely time.

First visit here was for restaurant week, service was speedy, food was delicious, and well presented and the setting was fantastic, (we were seated in the banqueting hall). No complaints, empty plates all round. Highly recommended 👌

+4

Came for our 1st year wedding anniversary. The staff were all lovely, really nice to chat too, welcoming, professional and friendly. Everyone on the night was 10/10. Food was delicious, a good gluten free selection and understanding of coeliac, I'm not poorly this morning writing this so that bodes extremely well for there understanding too. They went the extra mile for us for our anniversary and it made our night that extra bit special for us. Thank you for amazing night.

+1

First time trying this restaurant……boy I was not disappointed. Best Sunday lunch in the north east. Firstly the setting is lovely, fantastic outside seating area and stacks of character inside. Staff were lovely. Now the food ….. amazing. Pork belly lunch with a black pudding starter. Delicious and I would recommend to anyone. A lovely experience and I will be back again !

Reservations recommended. Housed in a heritage friary from the 1200s, this beautiful restaurant now serves British favourites. Go during Xmas. Extremely festive and awesome vibes. Made Xmas feel like even more Xmas. Beautifully modern in a historic setting. Right by Chinatown. Ample parking

WOW, the food was so good, we originally started out planning to have two courses but couldn’t resist a third. Their homemade gluten free bread was the best bread I’ve had since being diagnosed coeliac. The staff took my allergies extremely seriously and made us feel very welcome. I couldn’t recommend this place highly enough, it was mind blowing.

We had a meal here recently, it was beautiful. We hadn't been before but both our kids had, spoke highly of it and bought us a voucher for a meal. The restaurant is great, lovely decor throughout, very old feel to it and rich furnishings 'proper posh'. The staff were all great, our server talked through the menu, explained how we use our voucher etc. nothing was too much trouble. We would highly recommend Blackfriars, well worth it for an amazing meal in a great atmosphere with great staff. We had the fish platter starter to share, very tasty and fresh. I had the venison which was beautiful, my wife had the fish with pasta, she loved that.

We had a 60th birthday in the tasting room and I have nothing but positive comments. From the staff dealing with our booking by email and phone to our wonderful waiter Sky who looked after us all evening, all the staff were wonderful. The tasting room was perfect for private dining, we could move around without bothering any other guests and it was nice to have an unusual room. The food was delicious and Sky accommodated our request for a delay before dessert was served. They really could not have been more helpful. I would highly recommend for celebration meals.

Got this recommended and could not have been happier. Just wow. Beef Wellington was unbelievable, service was great, atmosphere cosy.

A really lovely restaurant in a beautiful building with great ambiance. We came here for the Christmas menu and were very impressed with the quality of the food. All of our dishes were absolutely fabulous! The service was great and the waiters were all so helpful and professional. The selection of drinks is brilliant, with a selection of gins and beers sourced locally. We can’t wait to return to try the regular menu.

Stunning location offering delicious food, relaxed atmosphere and stellar customer service. My husband and I chose from the set (winter) menu which is available until 29/03/2025. Starters were leek & potato soup (vegan), mains were maple-roasted nut roast (vegan) and handmade pork sausage, followed by coffee & almond tiramisu (vegan) and sticky toffee pudding. Service was quick and friendly, staff were incredibly attentive without being overbearing and matched each table’s energy. They spoke highly and passionately of their own food which are all green flags in our book! Will definitely return, very much recommended. Total cost for meal, drinks (Diet Coke & bottle of Chardonnay) and coffees = £101 plus optional tip

+3

Went here for our anniversary and had a wonderful time. Great service and beautiful themed decor.

Amazing food, staff were so lovely and attentive. Will definitely be back to try the BBQ!

Our first meal in the city. The atmosphere was chic and relaxed yet set in a unique, picturesque, and historic location. The food was good, and the staff was friendly.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this establishment and was thoroughly impressed. The food was absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and expertly prepared dishes. The service was equally outstanding, with attentive and friendly staff. I especially appreciated the warm and inviting atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. I will definitely be returning soon.

For an enthusiast of the Middle Ages like myself, it was a memorable experience to experience a dinner in this refectory from the 13th century. And the food was amazing! Oyster from Lindisfarne, BBQ’d summer cabbage, pickled & crispy onions, Parmesan crisps, brown butter emulsion and millefeuille!

A wonderful lunch occasion at Blackfriars. We had the set menu, and the food and service were excellent. Highly recommend.

Such an amazing experience! We visited for Sunday Lunch and the nut roast was the best we’ve tried so far. Portions are very generous and prices reasonable considering the quality of food. We also went for the wine pairing to accompany our starter and main, which was great and our server told us all about the wines we were having. I’d highly recommend visiting!

Blackfriars is 1 of my favourite restaurants in Newcastle, lovely historic building with character, relaxed atmosphere, friendly service & great food. Everytime we come to Newcastle, try to make a reservation & never had a bad meal, good service and again, relaxed atmosphere 👌

superb lunch in an amazing setting. fab lunch menu, I think it's £21 for two courses, £25 for three. the food is very good, the service is excellent, relaxed and very friendly and the setting is rustic and beautiful, in the heart of the city.
 great value, highly recommended.

Lovely three course lunch. Sat in the courtyard as it was a beautiful day Cocktails didn't have much taste so shall order a different one next time. The starter was really delish but the cheese cake dessert was light and creamy and tart. Really delicious. The service was lovely couldn't have been friendlier. Can't wait to come back

Visited for Sunday lunch. Relaxed atmosphere in a historic building. Service was great and didn't feel rushed. Amazing roast, sirloin beef was cooked perfectly with a large selection of trimmings. Stick toffee pudding and apple crumble were good too! Good selection of wines. Would definitely recommend!

Brilliant. Great tasting food. Lovely staff. Set menu, £25 for three courses Saturday lunch, cracking value. Two wines on the pairing option for £11.50, staff member was very knowledgeable about the wines, explaining why they had paired them with our food choices. Gorgeous food, we will be back. Thank you staff.

We had a hen party in Blackfriars Medieval Banquet Hall yesterday and the staff (both on the day (Dan and Dan) and the events organisers) went above and beyond. I cannot thank you enough and we all had an amazing time. We had 22 people and food came out at the same time for all 22 of us and it was exceptional. I cannot recommend Blackfriars enough for any events you are thinking of having there!

Blackfriars always excels and well deserves it’s place as Newcastle’s top restaurant & venue I attended their launch of the new Cloister outdoor dining area yesterday and it was excellent! The launch was somewhat marred by an hour-long battering of rain at the key time when guests were arriving and the first meals were being served. This did not trouble we guests so much under our umbrellas but I felt for the staff, particularly the manager, who had to suffer the rain! But it did clear up after an hour & was sunny & warm so hopefully future evenings will be perfect! Lovely setting, sweet staff, magnificent food, cocktails & wine 🍷

Really tasty food and great staff Really enjoyed my works meal in the private suite. I had the smoked salmon and prawn cocktail starter. It was a good size portion and very nice. The bread that came with it was rock hard though, as was the bread shared at the table. For main I had the beef welly. A reasonable slab of meat with good extras. The onion mash particularly was lovely. The side orders of roasties and root veg were great too. I had the chocolate almond gateux for dessert and that was excellent. Light sponge but very sweet. Not a fan of the coffee ice cream though! A fantastic venue and delightful service from all the staff. It's a popular place with my company so we're sure to be back again.

Fantastic experience.We enjoyed a cookery course for Artisian Bread making .Great location, great staff fantastic group of people. And i baked my very first bread and i am 60 🙂🙃 thankyou..

We visited here as part of a walking food tour. The building is beautiful with loads of history and a beautiful garden to dine in if you get good weather. We only had 1 course here but it was my favourite. Well presented and so tasty. This was whipped goats cheese with beetroot and candied walnuts, served with onion sourdough.

Amazing value for money for this level of food. Three courses for under £30 on the set lunch menu is outstanding 👌 The fish sharing starter was the star of the show for me but everything is perfect. Well deserved top tier rating.

Unique atmosphere in their historic building and very detailed interior creating an elegant yet cosy environment. The food is pretty good with carefully designed menu, not overwhelming but always satisfying. The wines menu is good, well matching the food. The set menu is also pretty good if you can catch it. The bar next to the main dining area is so good that I sometimes go there early to get a glass before going to the main area.

Food was amazing. Had the Christmas Fixed menu. Everyone from the bar staff to the waitstaff exceeded expectations. Good was well crafted and had very deep well developed flavours. My favorite were the roasted potatoes and the turkey. Very pleased to have had my vacation Christmas dinner with you all.

Service was first class throughout. Extremely professional, attentive, polite. I felt the food lacked flavour. While being cooked very well, even the basic seasoning seemed missing. My date thought it was fine though. Leek soup was good. Pork terine, cod with butter & capers, cheeseboard and port all seemed lacking in flavour. I anticipated the butter sauce being Grenoblois but it was burre blanc which is fine but there wasn't much of it. The sauce should be the star of the dish and served abundantly. The place was full in January and, overall, a good experience. Would recommend it.

It's better than an average eatery pub, Indian, Chinese, or Italian, but in the range of British food restaurants it sits slightly below Branches in Jesmond and sightly above 21 restaurant on the Quayside, although all three are alright. Blackfriars has that dark history atmosphere and benefits from having an old banquet hall. Food is of a consistently good quality, but not memorable. It's a safe place to invite visitors.

I was apprehensive about eating here after a poor Sunday roast at dobsen and pernell, which is owned by the same person. This was a much better experience. We came for a Sunday lunch and sat in the banquet hall which is amazing, a really nice place to be. The staff were friendly. Polite and attentive. The food was nice but not amazing. The lamb was very soft, as were the roast potatoes, I appreciate this is a matter of taste but I do like a crispy roast potato. The texture of the sticky toffee pudding was a little different to normal and the mint sauce was overly sweet (again a matter of taste) but the food was still very pleasant. The pork belly in particular was very nice. We received a call an hour before eating saying the electrics were off and we may not be able to eat, we were very glad that we could.

Almost there for 4/5*. The Sunday lunch was lovely but poor portion size of meat. Pork belly was 1 thin non crispy slice for £22. Then we decided no pud or starter yet they still charge you for two courses regardless!! As I say the small portion was nice enough but not a top rated review as meat slender and not fully cooked as described.

Everytime we walk past this restaurant it always seems busy and the smells are amazing from the kitchen. So went today for a birthday meal. Our food came out 35 mins late and even though we ordered from the restaurant week menu, the starter which was soup was salty, our main was bland and chicken was very dry. The only thing that saved the set menu was the bread and butter, and the pudding. Interior of the restaurant is stunning, I just wished the food matched. Im glad I have experienced it but won't be returning.