Spotlight: Lovage
Michelin Guide-listed and holding 2 AA Rosettes, this small family-run Mediterranean restaurant on St George's Terrace is one of the North East's finest neighbourhood bistros.
When a restaurant earns a Michelin Guide listing within months of opening, it tends to justify the early excitement. Lovage on St George's Terrace in Jesmond has done exactly that — and followed it up with 2 AA Rosettes, awarded in February 2026.
The chef
Head Chef Kleo is Albanian by birth and spent time in Italy before making Newcastle his home. That Mediterranean heritage runs through every dish — the cooking is seasonal, flavour-driven, and unshowy. This is not fine dining in the stiff-collared sense; it is simply excellent food served in a warm, unpretentious setting.
The menu
Seasonal menus change regularly, reflecting what is freshest and best. A tasting menu option is available for those who want to put themselves in the kitchen's hands, and a traditional Sunday roast rounds out the weekly offering. The wine list is thoughtfully curated to complement the Mediterranean focus.
The space
Lovage is deliberately small and intimate — the kind of neighbourhood restaurant where the team knows your name after a couple of visits. Booking ahead is essential, particularly at weekends.
Sister restaurant
The same team is behind Osters by Lovage on Gosforth High Street, which focuses on seafood and also holds a Michelin Guide listing. Between the two, Gosforth and Jesmond residents have genuinely world-class dining on their doorstep.