Neighbourhood Italian restaurant Marco Polo in Newcastle has been serving authentic Mediterranean food to locals for over 50 years. Since 1974, the restaurant has held an impressive legacy, prioritising good quality ingredients sourced directly from an Italian deli. The team has always been passionate about crafting their own take on this crowd-pleasing cuisine, constantly reinventing the menu and offering creative twists on classics.
Menus are updated weekly and include a pre-theatre selection, a la carte menu and drinks options. For an idea of what to expect, the a la carte at the time of writing starts with grilled peaches, mozzarella, basil and balsamic glaze, alongside tuna carpaccio, pomegranate, orange, pickled cucumber and fennel.
For mains, think goat's cheese, beetroot and spring onion risotto, as well as pan-fried chicken breast with marsala cream sauce, green beans and crispy parma ham. It's hard to deny the allure of the seared tuna steak with balsamic onions, capers, tomato, pomegranate and red onion salad. Afterwards, indulgent desserts such as chocolate cake with Chantilly cream, summer fruit cheesecake or passionfruit and pistachio panna cotta keep guests happily satisfied. As for drinks, choose from a long list of wines, alongside classic cocktails and some playful twists such as the Blood Orange Negroni.
This innovative attitude also spans across the atmosphere and decor, with a design scheme that feels modern and fun, with a few nods to classic Italian trattorias, too. Exposed brick walls and Chesterfield sofas rub up next to mounted graphics of black and white photos depicting old Italian dining scenes. A glass mezzanine space and double-height ceilings create a sense of ambience, with a buzzy vibe up and downstairs.