Horticulture: great food, fantastic drinks, and good times in Newcastle & Whitley Bay

By Ania Askwith

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Newcastle: 1 Market Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6QQ.

Coastal: 201-203 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2SY

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A well overdue write-up about one of our favourite spots in town – and now also in Whitley Bay– Horticulture.

We have been visiting their Newcastle branch since forever and it has always been memorable. They were the first to introduce Newcastle’s largest margarita menu in spring 2023, and their small plates and brunch dishes are amazing.

And last weekend, we got to do a double visit, as we went for drinks at the Newcastle venue on Saturday night, followed by Sunday dinner in Tynemouth the next day.

The greatest margarita menu in town

First up – the drinks. Their menu is epic – and that is not an exaggeration. Together with El Guapo next door, they do THE BEST MARGARITAS IN TOWN. And it isn’t just us who think that – we have introduced so many of our friends to this place and they agree that the cocktails here are 10/10. Margarita is my favourite cocktail and I have had it all over the world, but I can honestly say that not many places come close to this. Absolutely gorgeous, and the menu changes regularly, so there is something new every time you visit. And they are super creative too. I could go on about their margs forever (I’ll save this for my El Guapo review) but now let me tell you a bit about their most current offer.

They’ve teamed up with Kahlua to bring some unreal cocktails for every day in the lead-up to Christmas. If you didn’t get the advent calendar you wanted this year—or, like me, have already finished all of yours —get yourself to Horticulture for their super cool 24-day festive cocktail advent calendar.

We tried 4 of their creations:

• Apple Spice (Avallen, Fireball, Kahlua, cinnamon, espresso)
• 14 Coffee Walnut Whip (toffee vodka, Frangelico, Kahlua cream)
• 18 Tinsel Royale (Chambord, prosecco, glitter; it was my favourite because of the presentation – I LOVE it when there is a bit of theatre, and you certainly get that when you pour the Prosecco and glitter out of a bauble into your glass!)
• 22 It’s a Tommy Christmas (Olmecca Reposado, orange bitters, cherry, lemon juice, agave).

Every day is like unwrapping a festive treat and I can confidently say, each of these was a TREAT! So so so good!!
You obviously don’t need to stick to a date, you can order any of the 24 cocktails, and you can have more than one a day – literally the best advent calendar, right?

Horti’s food – small plates and stunning Sunday dinner

So even though I am obsessed with their drinks, they are definitely not just about that—their food is equally as good – and as creative!

On Saturday, we tried the Brie & cranberry bites with roasted garlic aioli and the crispy halloumi fries, topped with pomegranate molasses and za’atar, both of which were delicious. And absolutely nothing says Christmas nibbles like a baked Camembert with rosemary & truffle bread (it was gorgeous), and pigs in blankets – served with cranberry ketchup – that took the classic to the next level.

While the festive additions were gorgeous, and their usual menu – small plates wise – is something we’ve loved for a while, last weekend we also discovered how stunning their Sunday dinner is. To say it is absolutely faultless is an understatement.

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Horticulture Whitley Bay

The menu has some incredible options, and it was actually quite hard to choose our starters as they all looked sooo tempting, but we went for:

• Harissa cured salmon, horseradish mayo & beetroot carpaccio – this was actually insane! I eat a lot of salmon and it can feel a bit samey, but this was a super creative dish that isn’t your standard smoked salmon. A must try.
• Rare beef salad – I don’t think the beef could be any more succulent and buttery soft; the texture and taste was perfect. Spectacular is the word that comes to mind when I think about it now.

For the mains, we went for:

• Roast sirloin of beef served with mash potatoes, roasties, roasted veggies, a gigantic Yorkshire pudding, and gravy. The beef, again, was buttery soft and stunning in texture and flavour, and the mashed potato was actually quenelled which is not what you see very often – in fact we usually see it when watching MasterChef Australia – so that says a lot about the chefs here. The Yorkshire was also delightful and the gravy had so much depth of flavour. It was pure Sunday dinner perfection!

• Caramelised celeriac & mushroom gratin with pomegranate, vegan feta, greens. I always go for the non-meat option and this was – hands down- the best veggie Sunday dinner I have had in a loooooong time. Again, it was MasterChef worthy; the layers of the gratin so thin and flavoursome, it just all went so well together. I did ruin the aesthetics by pouring a jug full of gravy on top, but not before taking loads of pics as it was beautiful! And the gravy was worth it – it was delish!

• A side of pigs in blankets – a classic and seems fitting for December and festive vibes.

Dessert menu that truly caters to anyone’s taste

I always say I am not much into desserts BUT I have never been this happy reading a dessert menu. They actually do a selection of 3 cheeses with chutney and crackers which, to me, is a perfect dessert. Not to mention how fitting, especially this time of the year. It honestly made my day! So nice to see a dessert option for those of us who have more of a savoury palate!
It was presented beautifully, was super moreish, and perfect for sharing.

You could easily have this between two people, but since one of us has a sweet tooth, we also opted for a Biscoff cheesecake mousse with warm spiced fruit compote. It was really delicious and we both loved it – a nice twist on a classic cheesecake; it was lighter, but just as satisfying as a standard cheesecake.

We had a great experience and have already been telling our friends about this spot for a Sunday dinner.

And what’s even better, they do the same advent calendar cocktail menu throughout December as their Newcastle venue AND they also serve a full El Guapo cocktail menu!
So we obviously had to have one of those (one sip and I wanted to go out out!). I also had their Soft P*rn mocktail and it was GORGEOUS. I actually couldn’t tell that there was no alcohol in it, which is so rare with mocktails.

Why we love Horticulture

If you’ve made it this far, you’ll know why this place is so high on our favourites list. There may be two different locations, but you can expect the same great food, gorgeous drinks, friendly staff, beautiful decor, and chilled, relaxed vibe.

Plus they are dog friendly, so Loui is definitely coming with us next time!

Location:

Newcastle: 1 Market Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6QQ. The nearest Metro station is Monument Metro Station, which is approximately a 5-minute walk, with city centre parking available nearby.

Coastal: 201-203 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2SY. The nearest Metro station is Whitley Bay Metro Station, which is also a short 5-minute walk away. There is parking available right outside the restaurant.

Tips for visiting:

• If you go this December, both branches do the advent calendar cocktails which are definitely worth a try. We are actually going back this Friday to make the most of their festive menu
• If you go any other time of the year, you definitely need to try their margarita menu. It is honestly the best in town.
• If you prefer savoury food to sweet treats, their dessert menu has you covered; you’ll love their cheese board which is big enough to share
• Book before you go. While they do walk-ins, we usually book as they do get quite busy and there may be a longer wait for a table if you haven’t got a reservation.

Link:

For the latest updates, events, and seasonal menus, check out their  Newcastle website here and their Coastal website here or follow them on their socials here and here.

Reviews:

I really enjoyed reading some of the reviews as they actually echo our experience here. The average Google Reviews rating is a solid 4.6/5 and TripAdvisor is a similar: 4.5/5 with customers highlighting the unique and stylish ambiance, relaxed atmosphere, and the brunch options. The Newcastle venue is also praised for the outdoor terrace (we’ve not tried it yet, but there’s always next time…)

Best for: Sunday lunch, cocktails, Newcastle dining, Tynemouth dining, dog friendly

Enjoyed this post? If you love discovering things to do, places to go, and the best spots to eat and drink in the North East and beyond, be sure to follow my blog for more reviews, recommendations, travel tips, and hidden gems. And for a closer look at my day-to-day experiences, follow me on Instagram@ania.askwith for behind-the-scenes content and even more discoveries! Let’s explore together!

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