Nestled within the heart of Newcastle’s Chinatown is an historic building full of character, charm and delicious food.

Blackfriars is a restaurant with a difference. With multiple spaces for private dining including a banquet hall for weddings and parties, wine tasting rooms and a cookery school, there is something for everyone. Portfolio North was invited along to taste their latest menu within a beautiful venue.

Blackfriars is believed to be the oldest purpose built dining room in the UK and dates back to 1239 when the restaurant was the refectory for the ‘Black Friars’ of Newcastle.

We were welcomed into the restaurant by friendly and knowledgeable staff who recommended drinks that we might enjoy. The room is across two levels and has dark wooden tables and chairs and large windows to provide plenty of light. At the entrance are beautiful stained glass windows which provided a lovely glow and depicted the history of the restaurant.

There is a real focus on local produce and locally sourced drinks and the menu included information about different breweries, farms and suppliers. This ensured we knew exactly where the food was coming from and that it was fresh and from not too far away.

We were served warm sourdough and hand-churned butter to start and enjoyed a lager from Allendale Brew Co., near Hexham. The waitress gave us plenty of information on the beer and the brewery itself and the bottle was delicious.

To start, we had the young goats cheese, candied walnut, roast beetroots and honey dressing. It was beautifully presented on speckled crockery and tasted really fresh. The cheese was complemented well by the roast beetroots and you could tell a lot of thought went into each ingredient and how they would pair together. The honey dressing that provided a bed for the start was the right amount of sweet and took away from any tanginess in the cheese.

The main course was nothing short of spectacular. With pork from Wilde Farm near Ponteland, the pork ballotine, miso-glazed carrots, wild garlic potato puree and brown shrimp created a deconstructed roast dinner with a difference.

The subtle mixture of land and sea combined with uniquely cooked vegetables was fantastic and the presentation was fantastic with so many vibrant colours on the plate.

The portion was a good size and ensured we were just full enough for dessert.

We also ordered a side of cauliflower cheese which was the perfect size for a side dish and was well-cooked and the right amount of cauliflower to cheese.

For dessert, we had the sticky toffee pudding and the toasted hot cross bun. The sticky toffee pudding came with salted caramel sauce and banana ice cream, which was an unusual- but welcome- addition. The flavours paired well together and the portion was a good size.

The hot cross bun came with vanilla creme patisserie and rum and raisin ice cream and was perfectly constructed and delicious.

The venue was well-cared for and a beautiful spot for a spring lunch. The staff were friendly and the food was fantastic and really worth the money. This would make an ideal meal for a celebration or business lunch, and with so many dining spaces on offer, Blackfriars cater for every kind of event and party size.

Blackfriars also have an outdoor dining and cooking area now open in the courtyard that the restaurant surrounds which will be ideal for a summer evening meal or drinks with colleagues.

For more information on Blackfriars, click here: https://www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk/