August Dates Confirmed for Biggest Ever NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week
The date has been confirmed for August’s NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week, which returns this summer in association with Tyne and Wear Metro.
From 3rd to 9th August, Newcastle Restaurant Week will offer a seven-day culinary spectacular with mouth-watering menus for only £15, £20 or £25 per person at participating restaurants.
More than 130 restaurants have already signed up to take part in what will be the biggest Newcastle Restaurant Week in the event’s 15-year history.
Originally launched in 2011, Newcastle Restaurant Week was designed to shine a spotlight on the city’s restaurant industry and boost business at traditionally quieter times of the year. Fifteen years on, the event has become one of the city's most successful hospitality events, transforming two of the quietest weeks into some of the busiest and most profitable weeks of the year.
Built around a simple concept, the initiative brings together Newcastle’s extensive restaurant community through a fixed-price promotion that is easy for participating venues to adopt. Coordinated by NE1 through an extensive marketing, PR and social media campaign, the event gives diners the opportunity to experience some of the city’s finest restaurants at a fraction of the usual cost.
The event generates its own momentum and energy, filling restaurants across the city and having a positive impact on the wider hospitality and leisure sector and public transport operators. The event also supports jobs in hospitality by guaranteeing full-time hours for staff working in restaurants.
Last August’s NE1 Newcastle Restaurant was the most successful to date, attracting over 59,000 diners and delivering a £1.1 million boost to participating businesses.
Newcastle was the first city in the UK to host a Restaurant Week, inspiring many other cities across the country to host their own events.
Many of the original restaurants that helped NE1 launch the first Restaurant Week are still involved today. These include the 21 Hospitality Group, Blackfriars and Dabbawal alongside several exciting newcomers for summer 2026.
New venues taking part for the first time include Cocochine on Queen Street, Newcastle’s first authentic Asian tapas restaurant, Kozle, a Turkish halal grill restaurant on Clayton Street and 12 Muqam, on Stowell Street serving traditional dishes from the Uyghurs, a community from the Xinjang region of northwest China.
All the newcomers signed up to take part only months after opening and are excited to be participating in their first Restaurant Week event.
Hoa Nguyen, owner of Restaurant Week newcomer Cocochine, said: "We had heard all about NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week even before the restaurant opened and were really keen to play our part in the event.
"At Cocochine, our vision is to become a true local favourite – a place where people can enjoy the vibrant flavours of Asia through our tapas-style dishes, catch up over great coffee, unwind with handcrafted cocktails, and create lasting memories with family and friends. We hope that our involvement in Newcastle Restaurant Week will encourage new guests to come and sample what we have to offer and to bring the people they love to enjoy the event and that Cocochine becomes one of the places they love returning to.”
Jaf Ali, owner of Dabbawal, Khai Khai and DOOD and one of the original Restaurant Week participants, said: “For two weeks of the year, Newcastle’s restaurant community comes together to celebrate the city’s outstanding restaurant scene and the wide variety of cuisine on offer. During Restaurant Week, we set aside our competitive differences to showcase the best of what the city has to offer.
“With NE1 managing the event and its promotion, we can concentrate on creating exceptional menus and welcoming guests, old and new. The event encourages people to try our restaurants for the first time and rewards our loyal customers with great-value dining in their favourite restaurant, all within the vibrant atmosphere the event creates.
“Newcastle Restaurant Week fills the city’s restaurants and has a positive effect on the wider hospitality and leisure scene. People come out in force to enjoy the event and we are looking forward to serving up another busy Restaurant Week this August.”
Commenting on the event, Rachel Fenwick, Head of Marketing and Events at NE1, said: “Newcastle is renowned for its vibrant restaurant scene and Newcastle Restaurant Week was created to celebrate the best of the city, whilst supporting the industry at quieter times of the year.
“For diners, Restaurant Week creates the perfect excuse to dine out at some of the city’s finest restaurants, try new places and enjoy traditional favourites all for a fraction of the usual price, and for restaurateurs, it provides an opportunity to open their doors to new customers, showcase their offer and drive additional revenue during what would traditionally be a quieter trading period.
“As soon as the dates are announced WhatsApp groups go into a frenzy with friends, family and work colleagues all using Restaurant Week as the ideal opportunity to get together to enjoy some of the city’s best restaurants.
“This year we are delighted to be partnering with Tyne and Wear Metro. Public transport is a natural fit for an event that encourages people into the city centre, and together we will be promoting sustainable travel on the Metro for diners to make the most of their evening.”
Sarah McCourt, Head of Communications and Marketing at Nexus, said: “We are excited to be teaming up with NE1 to support Newcastle Restaurant Week once again. This is a much-anticipated date in the city’s event calendar, and we are proud to be playing our part. The Metro provides diners with a convenient, reliable and sustainable way to travel into the city centre to enjoy everything Restaurant Week has to offer. And as kids go free on Metro, it’s also an affordable, fun and delicious day out for families too.”
For details of all participating restaurants, menus and how to book, visit: www.getintonewcastle.co.uk/ne1-events/restaurant-week
