The shortlists for national ceremony The Italian Awards have been announced with a dedicated Best in the North East category
Food from one of the finalists(Image: Instagram)
Now we all know that the North East has some absolutely fantastic Italian restaurants, with brilliant ones all over the region. And now 10 of them are in the running to take home a national accolade. And with some top notch contenders, competition for the Best Italian in the North East title will be fierce.
Just like everyone that reads ChronicleLive, we also love nothing more than a hearty Italian now and again and no, we’re not talking about the type of bread bun you can get from a certain sandwich chain! Luckily, the North East is blessed with an abundance of great options, whether you like a national or local chain, like a Sambuca, or prefer your Italian meals to be somewhere a bit more traditional, like some of the gems in Newcastle city centre, including Portofino’s, Uno’s and Puccini, all of which are also no stranger to a famous diner, as well as a 5 star review, with Charlie Hunnam, Peter Andre, Newcastle United legends and Tyson Fury all big fans.
At the end of last summer, realising that there were plenty in the area deserving of some recognition, The Chronicle asked our readers to nominate their top Italian in the North East. From there, we compiled a shortlist based on your votes and then asked you to pick a champion, with the eventual winner being Michelangelo’s in Ryton, the place that famous featuring on Channel 5 show The Hotel Inspector twice a few years ago.
Well now, the North East is getting representation on a national scale, with the reveal of a trophy just for the region at the Italian Awards 2026. The awards are the UK’s biggest Italian Hospitality Competition, so making the cut is a huge deal for those restaurants that have. The top in the running for Best Italian in the North East in alphabetical order, are:
Angelo’s Trattoria, East Rainton
Belle Buon, Heddon the Wall
Cafe Lilli, Norton
Davanti, Whitley Lodge
Leila’s Italiano, Darlington
Pranzo, Whitley Bay
Roma, Sunderland
Sambuca, Cramlington
Stable Hearth Pizzeria, Darlington
The Glasshouse, Whitley Bay
Uno Momento, Darlington
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Dining and Cooking