The Best Value Special Occasion Restaurant in Newcastle

I have dined at Peace & Loaf in Jesmond a couple of times now and I truly believe they deserve the title of best value fine dining in Newcastle. 

Yes, you could very easily spend a fortune here (we will order their tasting menu and wine flight *one day*) but equally, you can enjoy some of the best food in the North East along with a fantastic experience without breaking the bank.


The photos in this post have been taken from various prix fixe menus over the years. The prix fixe menu is currently available Monday-Saturday 12noon-2pm and 5:30pm-7pm. The cost is £27 for three courses at lunch or £32 for three courses at dinner (price checked January 2020). Sometimes they have special offers available too - look out for #NE2RestaurantWeek in January where it is possible to enjoy 2 courses from as little as £15.

Generally speaking, we tend to spend £25-£45 per head when dining from the prix fixe menu including a glass of wine, three courses (which is actually more like six courses when you consider all of the extras you are provided with) and a side to share. Yes, this is at the higher end of what we like to pay for a meal but to be honest , we have actually spent more than this at Pizza Express in the past and the value at Peace & Loaf is just incredible.

For us, Peace & Loaf is an affordable special occasion restaurant we may treat ourselves to once a year and somewhere that is more than worth spending £30/£40 each. 

First of all, let's talk about the bread. It is complimentary here (I read on Twitter that one local restaurant charged £3.95 for bread recently) and comes with the most fabulous whipped butter. They are generous too and it really feels like an indulgent treat and sets the scene for the meal to come. 

Another reason I love Peace & Loaf is even if you are dining from the cheapest menu, you are still provided with a 5* experience. Service is always super attentive and I love that every table is provided with complimentary canapes to start with which is always a treat. You never know what may turn up and I have to say, the charcoal carrots above were spectacular - they should be on the main menu. 

The food at Peace & Loaf is always beautifully presented as a work of art. The menu can be a little elusive to what you are actually ordering but if you have any dietary requirements, let the staff know. As each dish is presented to you, the staff will let you know what is on the plate.

For example, the dish below was worded as Parsnip, Truffle, Tunworth, Almond and Honey.

Once your starters have been cleared, you will be presented with a complimentary intermediate course. These range from little tasters to cute mini tacos. Little touches like this, really go a long way to making a meal feel like a special one.

Onto main courses and sides are a little on the pricey side at around £5 each but I can never resist triple cooked chips and would definitely recommend - there are plenty to share. The portions here are fairly big considering it is fine dining and the food is pretty rich too.

You can easily skip sides if you want to and would still feel more than satisfied. Steve was so full during our last visit that he couldn't even squeeze in dessert. Peace & Loaf is somewhere you definitely won't leave feeling hungry.

Every single element of every dish I have ever ordered from Peace & Loaf has been perfectly cooked. The braised beef rib and smoked mash below just melted in the mouth. So good!

 If I am out celebrating a special occasion at a restaurant I only visit as a treat, I want to make the most of it and I always have to order dessert. Again, they are beautifully presented and this chocolate and cherry dish below is the best dessert I have had in years. The flavours just exploded in my mouth and I am still thinking about it weeks later.

The food at Peace & Loaf is always exciting, never boring and often playful. Definitely a talking point.

They often have a cheese alternative to dessert on the prix fixe menu (usually at no additional cost) and my top tip would be for one person to order dessert and one person to order cheese and to split them to get the best taste experience.

If I was going to pick Peace & Loaf up on anything, it would be that you aren't given a homemade truffle/sweet treat if you order coffee. Considering the level of service you are provided with during the meal, I would kind of expect this. It is only one teeny tiny fault though and obviously, not the end of the world. I am really nitpicking here!

I always leave Peace & Loaf feeling like I have enjoyed the bargain of the century. You are always well looked after, you are provided with complimentary bread, canapes and an intermediate course, the food is some of the best in the North East, they do not add a compulsory service charge if there are less than 8 of you dining which when it comes to fine dining, is pretty rare.

There are never lots of dishes with added supplements on the menu - the price you see advertised, is the price you will pay and wine is available from £5.50 per glass or  £21.95 per bottle. The whole experience from start to finish is always just outstanding.

Peace & Loaf have picked up so many awards over the years and it is clear to see why and how they achieve this.  I actually prefer it here to House of Tides in Newcastle - the atmosphere and cooking feels a lot less pretentious than House of Tides but still of the highest quality. I never feel out of place at Peace & Loaf and I really feel like it is the kind of restaurant who welcomes everyone.


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Let me know if you have dined at Peace & Loaf and if you love it too.

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