Jesmond Restaurants and Bars: Osborne Road and Beyond
Jesmond eats along four streets: St George's Terrace, Brentwood Avenue, Osborne Road and the Dene. Here is where to book on each, with opening days checked.
The best Jesmond restaurants are spread across four streets. St George's Terrace in West Jesmond has the Michelin-listed Lovage and the original Fat Hippo; Brentwood Avenue has Long Friday, the Good Food Guide's regional winner for 2025, and Dabbawal close by; Osborne Road is the bar strip, with Jam Jar and 97 & Social; and Jesmond Dene has the hotel dining room at Jesmond Dene House. Opening days below were checked in October 2026, and several of the best places close on Monday and Tuesday. For the full directory see Newcastle restaurants.
St George's Terrace
Lovage
At 115 St George's Terrace, Lovage is the street's serious table: a Michelin-listed neighbourhood brasserie from chef patron Kleo Tabaku, born in Albania and with time in Italy behind him, cooking refined Mediterranean food with the seasons. The set menu is £30 from January to November. It opens Thursday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, the last Wednesday of each month for dinner, and Sunday from noon to 6pm with last booking at 4pm. See Lovage's own site to reserve.
Fat Hippo
At 35a St George's Terrace, in an end-terrace building, Fat Hippo Jesmond is where the burger chain started in 2010. It opens daily from 11.45am, until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, so it is the reliable choice on a Monday or Tuesday when the independents are shut.
Angel's Share
A newer arrival on the terrace, Angel's Share opened in July 2026 as a self-serve wine bar, pouring in 50ml, 175ml or 250ml measures. Try a few tasters before or after Lovage.
Brentwood Avenue
Long Friday
Anna Hedworth, who made her name at Cook House in Ouseburn, runs Long Friday at 46 Brentwood Avenue. Expect regional, seasonal small plates for sharing (beer-battered sage leaves are the signature), a natural-leaning wine list and Wylam beers. The Good Food Guide named it Best Local Restaurant in Yorkshire and the North East 2025. It opens from 5pm Wednesday and Thursday and from noon Friday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday.
Dabbawal Jesmond
Dabbawal's Jesmond branch is a neighbourhood version of the High Bridge original, with a lively open kitchen and a bright veranda. The menu runs from North Indian chaats to charcoal kebabs and southern seafood, and The Sunday Times has written up its railway lamb curry. There is a Dabba Sunday Roast, bookable online.
Osborne Road
Jam Jar
At 88 Osborne Road, Jam Jar mixes signature cocktails with its own house jams and pours its own Jam Jar ale alongside craft beer. It does brunch and roast dinners, and opens from 10.30am Tuesday to Saturday, from 4pm Monday and noon Sunday.
97 & Social
At 97 Osborne Road, 97 & Social is open noon to 11pm on Saturdays and runs a bottomless brunch that day; our bottomless brunch guide has the price.
Dinithi
Dinithi moved from its Grainger Market stall to its first restaurant on Osborne Road in February 2026, serving Sri Lankan food. The Sunday unlimited feast is £24.95 a head, or £19.95 for the veggie version; order the lamprais.
Manor House Road and around
Pizzeria Francesca
At 134 to 136 Manor House Road, Pizzeria Francesca has been serving pizza, pasta and risotto since 1983 and still takes no reservations, so arrive early or queue. It opens noon to 9.30pm Monday to Friday and to 9pm on Saturday, and is closed on Sundays.
Ai Fiori and BifaNata
Ai Fiori opened in April 2026 on the former Geisha site, a second restaurant from the team behind Fuochi on Westgate Road, with wood-fired pizza over two floors. For coffee, BifaNata on Clayton Road has done pastéis de nata and speciality coffee since September, mostly to take away.
Jesmond Dene: Fern
Fern, the dining room and bar at Jesmond Dene House on Jesmond Dene Road, has sweeping windows and a patio over the gardens, with European cooking from head chef Eddie Saint, a Sunday lunch menu and afternoon tea through the week. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 7am.
Good to know
Monday and Tuesday are the quiet nights: Long Friday and Fern are shut and Lovage opens only from Thursday. Fat Hippo, Jam Jar and Pizzeria Francesca are the safe midweek bets. Newer openings are tracked in the Luxe openings round-up.
FAQs
What is the best restaurant in Jesmond?
Lovage on St George's Terrace is the only Jesmond restaurant on this list in the Michelin Guide, and Long Friday on Brentwood Avenue was named the Good Food Guide's Best Local Restaurant in Yorkshire and the North East for 2025. Book either for a proper dinner.
Which Jesmond restaurants do not take bookings?
Pizzeria Francesca on Manor House Road has never taken reservations since opening in 1983, so expect to queue. It is closed on Sundays.
What are the best bars on Osborne Road?
Jam Jar at number 88 is known for cocktails made with its house jams and its own ale, and 97 & Social at number 97 runs Saturday bottomless brunches. Dinithi, a Sri Lankan restaurant that opened on Osborne Road in February 2026, is the newest food stop.
How do I get to Jesmond from Newcastle city centre?
Take the Metro to Jesmond or West Jesmond. West Jesmond is the closer stop for Brentwood Avenue and St George's Terrace; Osborne Road is an easy walk from Jesmond station.
