Food and drink in Northumberland

Forkfuls of local food

Take one diverse county, add a sprig of coast, a dash of countryside and a sprinkling of passionate producers. The result is Northumberland’s fresh seafood, outstanding restaurants, locally brewed tipples and fantastic food and drink festivals.

There's nothing that food won't fix

Sample smoked kippers on the coastline at Craster, taste tea at the home of Earl Grey himself at Howick Hall, shell out on exquisite seafood at one of the region’s best restaurants and sip on Mead fit for monks on Lindisfarne Island in Northumberland.

Here, eggs can be bought fresh from farmers’ markets, bread is made with flour ground in Northumberland’s oldest working water mill, and ice cream that’s made on an award-winning local dairy farm. As you explore the region you can really get a taste for the local area and its produce.

Taste local tipples from one of our excellent breweries, gin distillers and mead producers.

Looking for food on the go? Northumberland has some of the best takeaways for days out, including fish and chips, stone baked pizza and the renowned ‘Bamburgh Banger’.

Also of interest

Restaurants

Dine in a castle drawing room, amongst fairy-lit treetops or al-fresco beneath the stars in Northumberland. We have everything from riverside restaurants to fish shacks on the beach, so you can make your next meal one to remember.

Pubs

Rub shoulders with locals, taste Northumbrian drinks or dine with your dog in one of Northumberland’s dog friendly pubs. From seafront pubs with beachside beer gardens to cosy, countryside inns with roaring log fires, we’ve got pubs a-plenty.

Afternoon Tea in Northumberland

If you’re looking for the best Afternoon Tea in Northumberland then look no further. We have collated a list of ten of the best Afternoon Teas in Northumberland that are excellent for a birthday celebration, Mother’s and Father’s Day, or just simply a no-occasion-needed treat.

Cafes, Tea Rooms & Coffee Shops

Curl up in one of Northumberland’s cafés and tea rooms for a comforting cuppa or a warming coffee. Settle into comfy armchairs, indulge on home made baked goods in between sightseeing or quench your thirst in the sunshine on a garden terrace.

Seafood in Northumberland

Northumberland’s coast makes for fantastic seafood restaurants, which are plentiful throughout our old fishing villages. Lobster hatcheries, fish shacks, fish and chips shops and Michelin-star restaurants offer an eclectic mix of fresh seafood.

Food and drink events

From celebrity chefs to agricultural shows, food and drink festivals in Northumberland are the perfect way to celebrate rural life and the county’s award-winning produce.

Produced in Northumberland

From the monks at Lindisfarne to the kitchens of the great castles and country houses, to the gardens of shepherds' cottages and allotments of miners' terraces, the food heritage in Northumberland is rich and varied.

Picnic spots

Roll up a blanket, fill a basket with delicious local ingredients, find a beautiful picnic spot and enjoy your meal ‘al fresco’. In Northumberland, you can choose from castles and cobbles, sea and sand or hills and herds as your picnic backdrop.

At your service

Dine by firesides in cosy pubs in Northumberland, soak up sea views with your four legged friends in one of our many dog friendly pubs and cafes, or look out over countryside landscapes while you taste local delicacies in Northumberlands picturesque towns and villages. Northumberland has some of the best restaurants, pubs and inns to stay at, including The Ship Inn, The Lord Crewe Arms Restaurant and Bar, as well as the Bamburgh Castle Inn and many more. Whether it is enjoying afternoon tea with loved ones or sampling a hearty Sunday roast, there are so many options to choose from in Northumberland.

Your guide to the best food & drink in Northumberland

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Pubs, Bars & Inns Alnwick

The Hog's Head Inn Restaurant & Bar

Named after the Inn in Harry Potter books, The three-star Hog’s Head Inn is just a short drive from Alnwick Castle. Offering exceptionally good food, free Wi-Fi and plenty of parking.

Restaurants Alnwick

Sonnet Restaurant

Sonnet is a new restaurant concept created by Gary McDermott and Claudia Mazareanu that offers a wonderful food journey throughout the year.

Pubs, Bars & Inns Hexham

Twice Brewed Inn Restaurant & Bar

Welcoming Pub situated on Hadrian's Wall near Housesteads Roman Fort, with on site Planetarium and regular Dark Skies Events.

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Pubs, Bars & Inns Blyth

The Commissioners Quay Inn Restaurant & Bar

Commissioners Quay Inn is the jewel in the crown of Blyth’s impressive harbour development. Maximising every inch of its water’s edge location, the Commissioners Quay Inn is the place to eat, drink, sleep and explore from.

Pubs, Bars & Inns Berwick-upon-Tweed

The Lindisfarne Inn Restaurant & Bar

A warm and welcoming coaching inn at the gateway to the island of Lindisfarne offering a great value place to stay, eat and to explore from.

Pubs, Bars & Inns Warden

The Boatside Inn Restaurant & Bar

Book any room and receive a £30 restaurant voucher for each night of your stay. Available until the end of February.

Alnwick Restaurants

Lilburn's

01665 603444

Red Row Cafes, Tearooms & Coffee Shops

Gingerbread Coffee House

01670 762184

Amble Restaurants

Harbour Fish Bar

01665 710442

Berwick-upon-Tweed Cafes, Tearooms & Coffee Shops

Northern Soul Kitchen

07933 833165

The best fish and chips

Grab a bag of crispy, salty fish and chips in Northumberland. There's nowhere better to taste delicious, fresh fish than on our exquisite coastline where the catch is local and the fish and chip shops take great pride in their amazing produce. Whether it’s Bamburgh, Alnmouth, Amble or Blyth, you will be sure to enjoy a taste of Northumberland on your visit.

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Food Blogs

16 February 2024

The best fish and chips in Northumberland

Fish and chips — the number one seaside delicacy. There’s nothing quite like it, especially after a lengthy walk along the coastline.

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14 September 2023

The best Sunday lunches in Northumberland

There’s nothing more comforting than gathering with loved ones and tucking into a hearty lunch on a Sunday.