Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Newcastle Upon Tyne

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

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

St Vincent

4.8

4.8 (906)

£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

Rebecca

Dined 1 day ago

St Vincent’s is a fabulous restaurant. Matt, Emma and the team make you feel so welcome and the food is outstanding- the chefs really go the extra mile to accommodate any requests- they were even able to cook half a T bone well done and the other half rare! I am never disappointed there and absolutely love everything about it. Thank you again for another fantastic meal.

Saltwater Fish Company

4.9

4.9 (1493)

£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

John

Dined 2 days ago

We turned up two hours early and were still offered a place even though the restaurant was busy, The food was amazing and we could not fault the service

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Experience

Oyster Happy Hour

The French Quarter

4.8

4.8 (2660)

£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

Rachel

Dined 1 day ago

Delicious food, excellent customer service, attentive and friendly staff.

Blackfriars Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (6505)

£26 to £40

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Blackfriars is located in a 13th century medieval friary where it once served as the refectory for the Dominican friars, making it one of the oldest purpose-built dining rooms in the UK.

The restaurant serves a classic, gutsy British menu sourcing seasonal produce from local farms and markets accompanied by a large award-winning wine list. It also has an adjoining 50-seat Banquet Hall for private parties and weddings and above the restaurant is a Cookery School and Wine/Beer/Whisky Tasting Room. See their website for a full list of what’s on.

Blackfriars has won a host of awards including The Taste of the North East winner in the North East Tourism Awards, Best Sunday Lunch in Newcastle by readers of the Independent, Best restaurant in the North East/Newcastle’ by readers of The Observer and Metro Newspaper. It has an AA rosette, inclusion in the Which? Good Food Guide, Hardens and Michelin Guides.

Top review

Angela

Dined 2 days ago

All the way from Holland to this so good restaurant. Thanks

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Experience

Afternoon Tea

Peace and Loaf Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (2623)

£41 and over

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Headed up by Chef / Owner Dave Coulson, Peace & Loaf is a restaurant unlike any other in the region. Dave has an unrivalled reputation and passion for creating flavoursome and innovative dishes, which shows with the diverse menu and delicately decorated food on offer. Highlighting the importance of using only the freshest, locally sourced produce, Peace & Loaf will offer exciting, seasonal menus that will incorporate Dave’s signature dishes. Heavily inspired by traditional British cuisine with Dave’s own inventive flare, the meticulously crafted dishes will excite and intrigue even the most discerning of palates.

Top review

Brian

Dined 4 days ago

Great staff great food always a pleasure Thank you all

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Experience

"The Decades" : Tasting menu

4.8

4.8 (5399)

£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

Kathleen

Dined 4 days ago

Fabulous food and very knowledgeable and pleasant staff.

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Popular dish

Cheddar Cheese and Spinach Soufflé

Mantra Thai Dining Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (17)

£26 to £40

Thai

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

At Mantra, we take pride in serving top-quality, fresh Thai cuisine to our customers because we genuinely care. Our skilled chefs from Thailand collectively boast over 30 years of experience and are dedicated to crafting authentic, flavorful dishes from various regions. We aim to create a memorable dining experience by infusing our food and service with heartfelt Thai hospitality, always striving to elicit a smile from our guests as a measure of our success.

Top review

Penelope

Dined 2 days ago

We had to alter the time of the booking and they were very gracious & helpful. They kept our table for us. The service was efficient without being at all pushy. The food & wine were really good - we got plenty yet it tasted so fresh and healthy. The spice was perfect - enough to enjoy without being too hot we loved it.

Bouchon Bistrot - Hexham

4.8

4.8 (2869)

£26 to £40

French

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

Winner of the Best European Restaurant honour at the North East Restaurant Awards and conveniently situated in the centre of Hexham on Gilesgate, Bouchon Bistrot serves straightforward country style French cuisine, including daily specials in the evening. Born in the Loire Valley and having plenty of experience from working in Michelin starred restaurants throughout France, the owner of Bouchon Bistrot is an expert when it comes to traditional country cooking in France.

Top review

Catherine

Dined 2 days ago

Delicious meal and lovely ambience! New menus look delightful and clearly set out Fantastic value fixed price and new dessert to enjoy…..delicious!!

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4.6

4.6 (1379)

£26 to £40

British

Newcastle upon Tyne

About the restaurant

This magical Edwardian building has been transformed to a beautiful bar, restaurant and private room where we hope to deliver to our customers an experience you won’t find anywhere else in Newcastle.
Join us to dine in our elegant brasserie which aims to serve classic dishes, including a generous Sunday lunch, using the very best ingredients with plenty of flavor but no fuss or in the bar for some light bites and fantastic drinks curated by a team of some of Newcastle best mixologists.
Above all we want you to relax, enjoy the music and feel at home here at Hibou Blanc.
Please note our bar operates on a walk-in only basis, and you can book our main restaurant to enjoy both our lunch and our a la carte menu. When joining for Afternoon Tea please state this in your booking notes.

Top review

Claire

Dined on Jun 14, 2025

Fantastic service and amazing food. I have a gluten allergy and the menu was great, good choice.

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Popular dish

28oz Chateaubriand to share

4.8

4.8 (187)

£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

Conor

Dined on Jun 13, 2025

The staff were great very friendly and attentive couldn't do more for you. Meal was incredible one of the best steak I've ever had and cooked perfectly my partner's pork dish was also delicious and cooked well and the wee in-between courses dish compliments of the chefs were a lovely touch would highly recommend and will definitely be returning if ever in Newcastle again. Thanks for a great meal.

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