Al Buco - New Life in an Exhausted Genre

Why has Italian food been done to death in this country?! You can’t walk fifty metres in Newcastle’s city centre without coming across either a half arsed effort at independency or a vulgar, mind-numbingly generic ‘Italian’ franchise restaurant. And regardless of origin, these substandard approaches always seem to offer the same uninspiring menus, addled with inaccurate renditions of pizza (usually completely molested by American influence), excessively creamy pasta dishes or lethargic attempts at steak. However, 2016 has seen someone with a real passion for authentic Italian food finally set up shop in the centre of Newcastle, just a stone’s throw from Monument.   

Al Buco represents a lot of what is great about social Italian dining - its family run, very welcoming, exceptionally comfortable and literally everything is prepared in-house, giving the whole place a brilliant home-grown vibe. And that’s not say they’ve cut corners on delivery, you can expect everything dished out here to be of fine-dining quality and markedly better the likes of the nearby, horrifically overpriced chain restaurants. And better still, they take great pride in the authenticity of their dishes and don’t conform to the Italian culinary normative that our society wrongly expects. Their carbonara isn’t laden with litres of double cream but is crafted with egg and fresh pasta; their pizzas haven’t been overloaded with greasy toppings but are light, crisp and ultimately delicious and their lasagne will make local franchise restaurant managers want to quit their day jobs. 

This café bar naturally lends itself to lunchtime dining, but late afternoon visits and relaxed evening drinks here can also be easily envisaged, and as (or more accurately if) summer develops this venue will serve for a perfect one-stop shop for shoppers and workers alike to indulge in real Italian food and drink. The extra effort seen across their menu, such as the simply outstanding tiramisu, as well as the atypical (assumingly region-specific) additions to the menu certainly haven’t gone unnoticed, as hasn’t their relentless efforts to please customers with warming service and highly competitive menu pricing. 88% 

The Herb Garden - Fresh Thrills

There are only a few things out there that make the Fat Spoon very angry. Such atrocities include over priced coffee shops, alcohol-free beer and smelly people in restaurants. But what really makes the Fat Spoon froth at the mouth with rage is crap pizzas. These spongy, bland and lifeless faux Italian dishes are served up in many of the generic restaurant chains in Newcastle. Even some of the independent places think its acceptable to overlook what should be a vibrant and delicious main, often concentrating on their main meat courses. Worst of all, people are buying these compilations of weak bread, baseless tomato puree and skeptical mozzarella. Stop it! Don't encourage these jokers, because thankfully The Herb Garden has the solution for this abomination of the Italian classic. Although a little off the beaten track this visually stunning walk-in restaurant will certainly surprise you....burning the image of freshness on to the back of your retina. The main dining area features an actual herb garden used to lift their pizzas to a heavenly level of flavour vibrancy. Multiple pizza stoves means they can churn out perfectly thin pizzas that even Mario's mam could argue with; married with the finest Italian meats, golden mozzarella and of course ultra-fresh herbs. Freshness of course being imperative for maximum flavour when it comes to herbs. And for those with some sort of weird affliction to pizzas they do offer a range of meaty specials, their carnivore platter and steak board being if particular interest. The food and drink is reasonably priced and the service is great. Fall in love with pizza again. 84%

Paradiso - Charming and Chilled

Paradiso is a funny one, but not necessarily a bad one. It advertises itself as a caffe, bar and a restaurant. And it isn't really any of those to be honest, it's an interesting eatery. The Fat Spoon often rages at such venues that claim to greedily span across several trades, but Paradiso does generate an unusual vibe of it's own. The menu, possibly put together by a food lover on crack, is as random and as mismatched as the serving staff, but it does offer some delightful dishes amongst the confusion. With heavy Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish influences delivered with a slightly contemporary slant you are sure to find a dish to suit your taste, thus making Paradiso ideal for a mixed or fussy table. The open kitchen on the first floor makes for a lively atmosphere but other levels of the crystal-maze-like venue have a far more subdued feel to them. What is particularly good about this place is there ability to produce simple dishes to a solid standard. And even an ultra radgie real life Italian wouldn't complain about their homemade pizzas. There are no major thrills here, but the price tag across all of their numerous, buffet, al a carte and tapas menus will please almost any wallet. At busy times however, you will find yourself wondering whether you should just start clearing the table yourself, but at least the staff are very friendly. If you can fight through the chaos you are sure to enjoy an experience at Paradiso. 73%

Santana's Jesmond - An Italian with Budget Brilliance!

Looking for authentic Italian food that doesn't cost the world? Then you needn't look elsewhere. Santana's is a proper Italian restaurant that delivers expertly cooked and substantial cuisine, but unlike most good Italian restaurants, they don't charge obscene prices. Although the menu isn't at all outlandish, there are a few interesting quirks as well as classics that are all worth sampling. If you are looking to splash the cash, they have a great selection of wines and some brilliant fillet steak, Sea-bass and king prawn dishes. The deep fried brie is a crucial starter to opt for. The level of service is good, although some of the younger waiting staff are a little untrained, they do offer friendly and welcoming service across the board. But where Santana's really hits its stride is the sheer mind-boggling value for money of their set menus. Even the stingiest of students can't complain at 3 course lunch for less than £4! A strongly recommended restaurant for anyone, regardless of their budget. 84%

Gusto Newcastle - A Classy Italian

Despite being an Italian franchise restaurant, Gustos does indeed manage to keep it's head above water amongst the big boys on Newcastle's Quayside. Although there isn't anything particularly outlandish on their menu, there is something for everyone and every dish is prepared with true Italian finesse. The starters, meat mains and fish dishes demonstrate their ability to deliver quality produce that tastes great, that really suits their well balanced wine menu. And their range of pasta, risotto and pizza are all also well prepared and give you good portions at relatively acceptable prices. The venue itself is well suited to their cuisine, with outdoor being perfect for a hot summers day, and the inside giving you a nice view of the Quayside on an evening. And of course the Italian's excel at desserts, the nutella and mascarpone calzone is a more essential choice than your underpants. The service is also excellent. All in all, a pretty good Italian restaurant considering it is a chain, just lacking on a few special touches in their menu (as a lot of chain restaurants often do!) 81%

Da Mimmos - THE Classic Italian!

A personal favourite for the Fat Spoon, all your expected Italian dishes in a comfortable and friendly environment. Most of the menu isn't particularly arousing, but their fillet steak rossini is out of this world. Combining a quality bit of beef, home-made pâté and a delicious full-bodied sauce makes this dish one of the best steaks in the city! But all dishes are cooked to a good standard. The service is generally good, although the head waiter is EXTREMELY Italian and might agitate some people. Beware the house wine, its acid. Only acceptable to the seasoned drinker. The set menu is a little pricey, but a gourmet society card or lunch/early bird menus make it a little more wallet friendly. Decent takeaway style pizzas. All in all, a great little restaurant. 71%