Newcastle’s DOOD Shortlisted for Global Restaurant & Bar Design Awards
Newcastle's Persian/Levantine restaurant, DOOD has been shortlisted for a globally renowned design award, standing shoulder to shoulder with leading hospitality destinations in the likes of New York, Miami, Barcelona and Dubai.
The Quayside restaurant has been named as a finalist for the visual identity category in the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2025, an international competition that celebrates the world’s most creative hospitality spaces. Now in its 17th year, the awards are recognised as the most prestigious in the industry, spotlighting venues that push boundaries in design, innovation and experience across the globe.
DOOD’s inclusion on this year’s shortlist is a major coup – not only for the restaurant itself but for the city’s growing food and drink scene. It marks a rare moment of global recognition for a North East restaurant in a category usually dominated by major international cities.
DOOD opened in November 2024 and quickly gained a reputation for its stunning interiors and standout menu. Set within a Grade II-listed former map printing house on Newcastle’s historic Quayside, the restaurant offers a refined take on the delicate flavours of Persian and Levantine cuisine – with everything from succulent mangal-grilled meats to freshly baked taftoon bread and mouthwatering, homemade dishes.
Designed to be a place where cultures connect and stories are shared through food, DOOD’s space blends the building’s original character with worn Persian and Middle Eastern detail – from the warm, low lighting and bespoke furnishings to the muted colour palette, hand-finished textures and carefully curated artwork.
DOOD’s striking branding and interior vision has been brought to life by award-winning design studio Run For The Hills. Specialising in branding and interiors, the London-based team blends storytelling, craft and creativity to shape unique, character-filled spaces.
Speaking about the shortlist announcement, Christopher Trotman, Creative Director at Run For The Hills, said: "We had an absolute blast collaborating with the DOOD team on this project. They had a brilliant concept, inspired by the nomadic travellers on the ancient Silk Road, and it was a true joy to bring their vision to life. It’s not often we get to create such a rich tapestry, an immersive brand world that guests can step into that takes them away to another time and place. A brand that’s fully intertwined in the interior space – not just the menus and the usual brand touchpoints you would expect – but through the hanging Persian rugs we created that subtly featuring brand motifs, the framed art on the walls, the design of DOOD’s own beer can (Nomad’s Tale Pale Ale), even the tiles in the bathroom featuring our nomads, and all tell stories of the silk road."
The awards ceremony will take place on 27 October 2025 at EPIK Dubai – a suitably impressive backdrop for one of the hospitality industry’s leading celebrations of creativity and design.
To find out more about the awards or to view the full shortlist, visit: restaurantandbardesignawards.com/entries/shortlist.
Head to runforthehills.com to find out more information about DOOD’s branding.
Visit thedood.co.uk to view menus or book a table.
