Taste of England: 5 Foods to Try in Newcastle
Did you know the UK’s oldest dining room is in Newcastle? You’ll find it this atmospheric slice of history dating back to 1239 in Blackfriar’s restaurant. The food scene in Newcastle has evolved plenty over the centuries that followed. In 1835, the popular Grainger Market opened where 17 different food stalls now mingle with another 60 shop stalls, and show how the cuisine here has internationalized. You’ll find traditional Greek street food, handmade Chinese dumplings, Spanish tapas, and vegan Indian curries. A century later, in 1936, Greggs bakery was founded in Newcastle and has now swept across the UK. In 2019, they had 2,000 outlets selling their famous sausage rolls and bacon butties alongside a menu of new vegan options.
There’s a variety of international tastes to experience in Newcastle, but be sure to sample some of the more traditional heritage dishes from the region too!
Don’t miss these top foods to try while you’re studying abroad in Newcastle:
1. CRASTER KIPPERS. With its proximity to the sea, it’s common to see fish and other seafood on the menu in Newcastle. If you want to try one of the famous dishes in the region though, look for Craster kippers, smoked herring soaked in brine and hung for about 16 hours. Most of these come from a century-old smokehouse in Craster, a local village, hence the name. They’re commonly paired with a cup of tea and toast with butter!
2. PANACKELTY. A heritage food popular in Newcastle, this slow-cooked, filling dish is similar to a casserole, with meat and root veggies left for several hours in spices and herbs to marinate and develop flavor.
3. SINGING HINNY. This is a bit like a scone, with a whimsical name that came about because the chef would sing to the dough while baking them!
4. PAN HAGGERTY. Many places have a famous hearty dish that is made of cheap ingredients and is linked with times of poverty and manual labor. In Newcastle, this is pan haggerty, which is a flavorsome combination of potatoes, cheese, and onions.
5. STOTTIES. Not a dish but a deliciously chewy loaf of bread, stotty cakes are another traditional working-class food. They were made with slowly-cooked leftover dough in the bakeries. To check if the loaf was ready, the chef would drop it on the floor to see if it bounced. If it did, it was good to eat.
There are many other delicious, interesting, and unusual foods to try when you study abroad in Newcastle: Bacon floddies (little grated potato cakes with bacon and onion), Pease pudding (a medieval dish made with yellow split peas), Chevington cheese (locally-made cheese with a strong nutty flavor), and, of course, fish and chips!
Have pics of something you’ve eaten abroad that you can’t easily find at home? Tag us on Instagram at @ASAStudyAbroad or #AwayWithASA. We’d love to see!