Overview

Situated on the Quayside in the heart of Newcastle, 21 provides the perfect place for a great meal with fantastic service. The story of the restaurant starts in 1988, when chef restaurateur Terry Laybourne opened the restaurant as 21 Queen Street on the city’s Quayside, with support from wife Susan and brother Laurance. It was an exciting time for the city. Back then the area was not yet fashionable, the cultural renaissance barely a flicker, and the dust still settling after a painful period of deindustrialisation on Tyneside - but 21 Queen Street was at the heart of it all. In less than three years, the restaurant won a Michelin star and became one of the region’s best-loved fine-dining establishments. Fast forward to the mid-noughties and the restaurant, now the flagship of the 21 Hospitality Group, would take the name Café 21 and relocate to nearby Trinity Gardens, a sleek new enclave of restaurants and bars close to the Law Courts. Repositioned as a city centre bistro, Café 21 would win multiple awards, such as the Egon Ronay star, in addition to personal accolades for Terry, such as Independent Restaurateur of the Year and an MBE for services to the Hospitality Industry. Today, the restaurant remains the crown jewel of the 21 Hospitality Group, the venue where it all began. With a simple but imaginative food philosophy, an emphasis on classic bistro cooking, and a respect for ingredients both fresh and seasonal, 21 creates dishes that more than satisfy.