A traditional Sunday roast is one of my favourite meals of the week, if it’s done right. There is something so nice about a lazy start to the day, maybe a walk and a coffee, followed by an afternoon out for Sunday lunch in the North East at one of it’s many fabulous spots. Obviously it’s especially good in winter, when the weather is bad and a hearty dinner by a cosy fire is all you need, but all of these places are lovely for year round visits. I find that most restaurants will do a version of Sunday lunch, but in my opinion a select few do them really well. Here’s my picks for Sunday lunch in the North East.

Updated September 2024

Like with my cocktail bars in Newcastle post, this isn’t going to list everywhere, and your favourite might not be on there. For a good Sunday lunch I often think some of the best are the local pubs in towns that you might not have heard of, or be anywhere near, so if you have a real gem then let me know! I do love a recommendation and that’s how some of these places made the list. These are just my personal favourites in a couple of North East areas.

Sunday Lunch in Newcastle

There are only a few making the list here, and only two of those are actually in Newcastle the other two are in Jesmond. I know there are some places in Newcastle that get really good reviews, like Blackfriars, and the Forth, but for me my favourite takes some beating so I rarely go anywhere else in the city centre…

The Broad Chare

Long time followers will know that my favourite place for Sunday lunch in Newcastle is the Broad Chare on the Quayside. I’ve never had one anywhere else where I’ve come away saying – that was better than the Broad Chare. The pub itself is great, and you can walk in and sit downstairs which is dog friendly without a booking, but the restaurant upstairs is where I prefer to be.

It’s still got a pub feel to it, but it’s proper table service. The bar snacks are great as starters and my go to is the Scotch egg, followed by the beef Sunday roast, with a side of mash which is just mouthwatering. In spring the lamb is very popular and needs to be shared between two, but personally I’m not a fan of lamb so always go for beef. I can’t speak highly enough of it, and if I’m having Sunday lunch in Newcastle, I’m not booking anywhere else.

You will need to book online for the upstairs restaurant. Dog friendly downstairs which is walk in only.

Gaucho

Gaucho in my opinion do the finest steaks in Newcastle, and so it’s an ideal choice if you’re a fan of a beef Sunday roast. Given the nature of the restaurant, Sundays at Gaucho are all about indulgence and they have their ‘never-ending roast’ on offering, which forms part of their popular ‘Sunday Sessions.’

Basically between 12 – 3pm, you can enjoy a bottomless roast menu featuring a weekly rotation of the finest quality meats, including pink roast beef, roast potatoes, glazed veg and oversized Yorkshire puddings. All lathered in gravy. The price is £37 and for this you can enjoy as much as you want – the ultimate Sunday dinner treat.

Gaucho always has a good atmosphere, with live music and sometimes tango dancers. I’ve never had a bad meal here and although it’s definitely on the pricier side, it’s worth it for an occasion or a treat. Their bar menu is also excellent, so opt for a Bloody Mary if you need hair of the dog!

Details of Sunday lunch at Gaucho on their website here.

Jesmond Dene House

For an occasion, you can’t go wrong with Jesmond Dene House, and I’ve been a few times for Sunday lunch for Mother’s Day with Viv. It’s lovely to have a drink in the bar lounge first, the food is always delicious with seasonal veg, and it’s a nice relaxed atmosphere if there’s a group of you. I always enjoy eating here.

Please note – Jesmond Dene House has changed hands since this was published and although I still think it’s a great venue, I haven’t yet been for Sunday Lunch since it changed ownership. Book online here.

Branches

I really like Branches, and have been for Sunday lunch a few times. It’s definitely more of a restaurant than a pub style lunch, so if that’s what you’re looking for then book a table here. I’ve previously written a full review of the Sunday lunch at Branches here if you’d like to read in more detail.

Osters

Found on Gosforth High Street, Osters is the sister venue to Lovage Jesmond, and they started to offer Sunday lunches in January 2024. I was invited along (so this was a gifted experience) to try it, and it really was excellent. The restaurant is lovely, and they offer Sunday lunch alongside their a la carte menu from 12-4pm on Sundays. The choices include strip loin beef, feather blade of beef, Yorkshire leg of lamb with mint gravy, chicken breast with stuffing, belly pork or nut roast.

They are served with giant Yorkshire puddings, mash, vegetables and you can choose from a selection of sides. We got the cauliflower cheese it was unreal.

To starter we had the lobster ravioli and king prawns with Pink Lane focaccia, and we shared the chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and morello cherries. The whole offering was incredible and I would absolutely go back.

Sorella Sorella

I was recommended this place by so many people, it’s not in the city centre it’s in Sunniside, and it an Italian pub restaurant but they are known for serving up a pretty good Sunday lunch. A group of us did the drive (30 mins from Whitley Bay) one Sunday and it was worth it. The portions were massive and really good food.

What I will say though is book a lunchtime/early table, as by 3pm they had ran out of some of the sides including cauliflower cheese (devastated). Worth a visit and very family friendly.

The Mill House, Birtley

Back in the day the Mill House at Birtley had a great reputation for its Sunday lunch, but it changed hands a fair few times in recent years. It was taken over again a few months ago and they’re really intent on making it work long term. I was invited for Sunday lunch recently and it was great – proper scran.

There was a big selection of different roasts, as well as starters and desserts. The soup I had was so nice on a cold day, but the roast was a stand out. Extra gravy, an entire cauliflower for cauliflower cheese, and all the trimmings. I’d describe it as a proper hearty Sunday lunch experience in a good pub. I probably enjoyed it more than Sorella Sorella if I’m being honest.

Sunday Lunch at the Coast

I may go to the Pavilion for Sunday lunch quite a bit as it’s so local, and good if I’m hungover and just want to roll in somewhere, but my favourite is actually…

The Beehive in Whitley Bay

The Beehive in Whitley Bay takes some beating for their classic pub dishes and especially their Sunday lunch – the beef brisket is just so good and the gravy is something my Nana would have been proud of. 

As an old coaching inn, it’s made up of lots of little rooms and nooks, some with a roaring fires and one of which is dog friendly. The Beehive’s Sunday lunches are definitely a local favourite, with huge portions, with perfectly cooked meats, crisp roast potatoes, and indulgent Yorkshire puddings. They book up weeks in advance so if you fancy a visit plan ahead. To book call 0191 252 9352.

Sunday Lunch in Northumberland

Northumberland has some incredible pubs and restaurants in general, not just for Sunday lunch, but I have enjoyed many Sunday roasts over the years in various spots. Expect tradition, local produce and great service. Here’s where I always enjoy.

The Whittling House, Alnmouth

A lovely restaurant and bar right in the heart of Alnmouth, one of my favourite Northumberland towns. The Whittling House has a restaurant on one side, and a cosy bar area on the other. The bar area is dog friendly, so go for a dog walk along the beach and walk from there into the village for your lunch.

Expect a refined Sunday dinner, made from locally sourced meats and fresh seafood, as The Whittling House prides itself on using high-quality ingredients, ensuring each dish comes from Northumbrian produce.

Book online here.

The Angel, Corbridge

I had a very nice Sunday lunch with my mum and sister at The Angel in Corbridge last Autumn, after a day pumpkin picking at Brockbushes Farm and followed by a browse of the shops in Corbridge itself.

It’s a great pub with dog friendly areas, a lounge and a main restaurant. Food was really good, work up an appetite for it with a walk along the river first.

Bradley Gardens, Wylam

For a Sunday lunch in a different setting, pay a visit to the Glasshouse Café at Bradley Gardens. The location is beautiful, both the gardens themselves and the restored 19th-century glasshouse that once grew fruit for Bradley Hall. It’s now the Glasshouse café and has an relaxed atmosphere, especially when the fires are roaring on colder days.

We enjoyed a Sunday lunch here for Mother’s day last year, starting with raspberry bellinis and finishing with a pretty indulgent banana and hazelnut sundae. Make sure you book as walk ins are very limited.

The Masons, Warkworth

When we go up to Amble/Warkworth to see our friends up there, this is where we always head for Sunday lunch. A big beer garden for in the summer, but cosy, plenty of tables and dog friendly when it’s not nice enough to sit outside too. The food is big portions of hearty good food, and decent gravy. I always enjoy it here.

Walk in only and dog friendly.

Cook & Barker, Swarland

A great pub if you’re near Swarland, It’s very traditional, the staff are lovely, and the food is very good. It has a lovely atmosphere to it with a roaring log fire and very welcoming staff. 

You can book tables, and they’re family and dog friendly but specify this when you book. Sunday roast has all the trimmings, and their menu offers something for everyone, whether you’re a meat lover or vegetarian. There’s plenty of parking too.

Email them to book via the website

Beadnell Towers, Beadnell

We had a really nice Sunday lunch here recently, and the food was excellent. We had beef, and it came with huge Yorkshire puds and a selection of veg with extra gravy as standard. We also had starters – soup and smoked salmon. For this and two cokes, and one G&T it came to £70 which is the most expensive of all the Sunday lunches I’ve had. It was lovely, but it was pricey so it’s not somewhere to go without considering that.

Close House, Heddon on the Wall

A few years ago I was invited to Close House restaurant for Sunday lunch, and although I’ve not actually been back it was another really good Sunday lunch. Despite what people might think the restaurant at the golf club house is open to anyone, you don’t have to be a member or playing golf to go. Read more about it in my Close House blog post here.

Slightly further afield…

But still very much worth mentioning are two other places. Middleton Lodge near Richmond in North Yorkshire do an incredible Sunday lunch. We had it when we stayed in January and it was up there with the Broad Chare. The sides were great, it’s another place that do seasonal tweaks and all produce is locally sources. You can read more about it in my Middleton Lodge review here.

Dog friendly in the outside courtyard, but not in the restaurant.

And finally the Drunken Duck in the Lake District just outside of Ambleside. This place is so popular you need to book at least a month in advance unless you get lucky. Although it’s dog friendly in the bar, they don’t serve food in there, only the restaurant.

There are some places that you might be shocked to hear I haven’t yet been, but they’ve also either been recommended to me or they have generally very good reputations. These include Blackfriars in Newcastle and Wylam Brewery. They always gets mentioned by people, and I’m sure I’d love both if I went. The only thing that stops me is I just end up booking the Broad Chare instead, I must get round to trying them.

So as you can tell, this certainly isn’t just a list of everywhere you could possibly get Sunday lunch in the North East. I’m really trying to avoid that type of blog post, as I’m a creature of habit and know what I like! I’ve ate at many places for Sunday lunch, and these are the ones that spring to mind for each area – I take my recommendations seriously.

Since I wrote this post we went to Porterhouse in Fenwick food hall for lunch, and although we didn’t get the Sunday lunch it looked pretty amazing. Seeing other people’s has made me want to go back for it there too.

Please don’t be outraged if your go to spot isn’t on here, like I said I know what I like when it comes to a Sunday lunch and it takes a lot to sway me from these choices. These are just my recommendations and top picks, but I’m always open to trying new places. If you have a real gem near you then let me know.

Other posts you might like:

Where to get pancakes in Newcastle

Cocktail bars in Newcastle for every taste and occasion

The seasonal menu at Fern, Jesmond Dene House

Where to eat on the Northumberland Coast

A Luxury stay at Middleton Lodge