The wait is over, the dates have been announced for January’s ever-popular NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week. The first NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week of 2024 will run from the 15th to the 21st of January.
Over 100 restaurants in the city centre have signed up to take part in this January’s event, offering diners the chance to eat out for only £15, £20 and £25 per person.
Many of the city’s top restaurants will take part in what is one of the most popular events in NE1’s annual events calendar. Last year, the two NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Weeks, held in January and August, broke all previous records for both attendance and economic impact. More than 100,000 diners enjoyed the two events, and the weeks generated over £2 million for participating businesses.
This year NE1 is expecting another bumper year with significant interest already expressed by restaurants which are new to the city and want to get involved, and from the public who are keen to see the culinary event return and make their all-important bookings.
Long-standing participants including 21, Blackfriars, and Dabbawal, who all helped NE1 launch the first event back in 2011, will be back in January together with five new restaurants for people to sample.
Among the new participants is Salparo, a stylish Greek tapas restaurant located on The Side in Newcastle. This is the first city centre restaurant for owner, Aldo Hasani, a former Northumbria University student, who has already made his mark in the North East restaurant scene with the highly successful Paros in Heaton.
Another newcomer is Manahatta on Collingwood Street. The vibrant New York-inspired restaurant only opened in November but was quick to sign up for their inaugural Restaurant Week. Manahatta will bring glitz and glamour to the week with its signature party-bar antics and stylish décor.
Popular sushi restaurant, Sushi Me Rollin’ on Grey Street is also taking part in its first Newcastle Restaurant Week with some amazing £25 per person offers including sushi platters.
Commenting on January’s event, Rachel Barlow, Marketing and Events Manager at Newcastle NE1 Ltd said:
“We are delighted to announce the dates for this January’s NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week and we are excited to be launching the event with over 100 participating restaurants. Last year was a record-breaking year with the number of restaurants, and diners, as well as a huge £2 million boost for participating restaurants. We hope this year will be just as successful. January’s Restaurant Week gives people a much-needed chance to shake off the January blues and enjoy delicious food at a fraction of the normal price, as well as an opportunity for get-togethers with family, friends and work colleagues. It also provides a welcome boost for business at what was a traditionally quiet time of the year until NE1’s Restaurant Week was launched.”
Jaf Ali, the owner of Dabbawal and celebrity favourite, Khai Khai was one of the original 11 restaurants that helped NE1 launch the first Newcastle Restaurant Week back in 2011. Jaf has taken part in every event since he said:
“NE1’s Newcastle Restaurant Week has been transformational. It was designed to support the industry at two of the quietest times of the year, in January post-Christmas, and in August when people were traditionally away on holiday. These two weeks are now among the busiest. Restaurant Week turns the spotlight on Newcastle and helps promote its vibrant and thriving restaurant scene, demonstrating that the city is one of the UK’s leading destinations for eating out.
“NE1’s Restaurant Week provides a great excuse for people to dine out knowing that they can enjoy a fixed-price meal, try somewhere new, or visit an old favourite, confident that it won’t break the bank. Over the years, the event has introduced thousands of new diners to our restaurants and we are delighted to say that many are now our regulars.”
Background
Newcastle was the first city in the UK to introduce the Restaurant Week concept back in 2011. It has now been copied by many other cities across the UK.
The event was first launched in 2011, as a way of supporting the city’s restaurant industry at traditionally quiet times of the year. The idea was for all restaurants to adopt the same offer which would be simple and easy for customers to understand and for restaurants to administer, with set-price menus. NE1 encouraged some of the city’s top restaurants to get on board with the first event, which has grown from 11 participating restaurants to over 100.
NE1 works with the city’s restaurateurs to organise the event in January and August and supports it with a heavyweight marketing and public relations programme.