Three years after its closure a popular Northumberland seaside restaurant is undergoing a transformation
19:37, 08 Mar 2026Updated 19:38, 08 Mar 2026
Aegean will open in Blyth this week(Image: Facebook/Aegean)
It was a sad day when it closed down nearly three years ago with ‘immediate effect’ but now a popular haunt by the seaside, which once won Come Dine With Me, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. And it will soon be bringing an injection of Greece to Northumberland, when it re-opens as a Mediterranean restaurant.
Caboose shut down in Blyth in March 2023, with its owners making the decision after seeing their trade ‘crippled’ in the years that followed the Covid pandemic, with its owners Marc and Allison McPake also attributing its 80% downturn in trade to the construction site of the new Energy Central Campus in the town, which has extended into the restaurant’s car park.
The sad closure of Caboose came just a year after it triumphed on Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me: The Professionals, defeating its rivals at River Beat on Newcastle Quayside and Savoury Fix in Hetton, with a final score of 29 out of 40, to take the £1,000 cash prize. Well now, after it’s been standing empty since 2023, the Quay Road building is undergoing an extensive refurbishment and will soon re-open as Mediterranean eatery Aegean, with the aim of bringing fresh energy and authentic flavours to the area.
And we now know just when Aegean will open its doors, as this weekend, it was revealed on social media that the restaurant will officially launch on Wednesday, March 11, with its aim to bring diners ‘closer to the Mediterranean with every bite.’ And, having seen its menu, we think they might just fulfill that mission.
Aegean’s menu is packed full of dishes, with starters like mussels marina, grilled halloumi, lamb koftas and stuffed vine leaves; a huge range of pizzas and pasta, including marinara, inferno and calzone pizzas and pasta dishes like carbonara, arrabiata, marinara and lobster ravioli. The main offerings also feature a host of chicken dishes like Milanese and Valdostono, fish dishes including salmon and seabass and a selection of steaks. And, those with a sweet tooth should be well catered for with desserts ranging from Greek yoghurt with honey to apple crumble.
Aegean will be open Wednesday-Sunday for its first four weeks of business, with customers being invited to experience ‘experience authentic Mediterranean flavours, fresh ingredients, and warm hospitality.’
We have a dedicated newsletter for What’s On news and reviews. It’s free and you can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest updates on food, drink, entertainment and events in and around the North East.
ChronicleLive has created a dedicated WhatsApp community for What’s On news and updates. You can join this WhatsApp community here. It will keep you up to date with things to do around the North East and breaking gig announcements, sent directly to your phone.
Dining and Cooking