Foodies snapped up 6,000 dish tokens in under 30 minutes for the upcoming BiteBack charity event in Newcastle. A group of 15 chefs from some of the UK’s leading restaurants – with 16 Michelin stars and three Michelin Green stars between them – will cook at Wylam Brewery on Sunday June 9 to raise money for Cancer Research UK. On the day, each chef will serve up a unique dish, providing guests with an insight into their individual inspirations and influences. The event is free for people to attend and while the majority of dish tokens have been pre-sold, there will be a limited number of tokens ..read more

McColl’s Brewery, based in Bishop Auckland, has launched the Mayday project – a national collaboration with six other breweries and 25 venues across the UK – to reduce the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, get people talking, and raise money for three causes. The initiative will include a range of special edition brews sold in each of the participating venues – including The Hop Knocker in Durham and the Free Trade in Newcastle – from April 26. Beers will also be sold on the McColl’s website. 15p from every can and pint sold will be divided between men’s health causes Man Up?, The Grievi ..read more

Social Bird has spread its wings with a grand launch event at the Fenkle Street, Newcastle venue featuring live music, magical performances, and lots more. Guests flocked from all corners of the North East to enjoy the opening night, with singers Annabel Pattinson Hurrell and Finn Foster, and DJ Suzee x Music entertaining guests. Caricaturist Paul Slattery brought laughter to the crowd as he sketched guests’ faces onto Social Bird chicken bodies, while magician Chriss Cross dazzled guests with mind-bending tricks. Throughout the evening, signature cocktails flowed, and guests were also treated ..read more

Award-winning and bestselling cook Anna Jones is heading to Newcastle on Friday May 10 to discuss her new book, Easy Wins, with North East-based chef and author Anna Hedworth – in a one-off event created by Forum Books. The event, at The Biscuit Room, will see Anna Jones discuss what went into the book, including her golden rules for easy wins in the kitchen and how she creates super-simple recipes that are bursting with flavour and are kind to the planet. For tickets and more information visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/forumbooks/an-evening-with-anna-jones/e-qlbkjm ..read more

Matfen Hall is celebrating the arrival of spring with a new seasonal menu. The Northumberland venue has launched a spring à la carte menu in its Cloisters Restaurant and Bar, offering a selection of dishes featuring seasonal and locally sourced produce, including ingredients grown in the estate’s gardens and foraged from its grounds. Dishes include seared beef carpaccio, pan-fried salmon with polenta and roasted gem heart, and cauliflower steak with roasted pears and black garlic. “The Cloisters brasserie menu is seasonal driven, and we’ve updated it to fit the shift in season,” said head chef ..read more

Gosforth restaurant Ophelia has announced the return of its poulet-frites menu, featuring classically cooked half or whole roast chicken served French fries, Béarnaise sauce and Chicken Gravy. The menu also features a pair of starters – Lindisfarne Oysters with chicken fat, and crispy chicken skin and rouille – along with a gem lettuce salad with anchovy and parmesan, and roast livers with fried egg and pepper sauce. Created by chef-owner Nick Grieves, the menu is available until May 11 on Thursday evenings and Saturday lunchtimes. Meanwhile, the Ophelia at Home April menu – created and cooked ..read more

Curries, crepes, cocktails and mocktails will be among the delights on offer at next weekend’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Durham County Council, which organises the festival, has confirmed more than 150 traders from Durham and beyond will be taking stalls at the event on Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21. Alongside the familiar faces that regular festivalgoers will recognise, there’ll be 30 new traders selling everything from paella to Portuguese street food. There’ll also be activities and performances within the grounds of Auckland Castle. Last year’s festival pulled in an estimated ..read more

New markets celebrating street food, farm produce, Christmas and more are coming to locations across County Durham. Durham County Council has procured specialist social enterprise Baccanalia to organise bespoke markets at 11 centres across the county. Ranging from craft markets, street food, farmers’ markets, vintage fayres and Christmas markets, the events will run throughout the year and build on previous events which have been held in Bishop Auckland. The markets will be coming to Chester-le-Street, Spennymoor, Consett, Stanley, Crook, Peterlee, Newton Aycliffe, Seaham, Bishop Auckland, Bar ..read more

The sounds and spirit of South America are set to spice up Newcastle when Motel Mexicana opens to the public on March 30. The Mosley Street venue is dedicated to all things Latino – with entertainment, food and drink and, ultimately, accommodation. Its £500,000 first phase will officially open to the public on Saturday March 30, with those who sign up as Motel members able to enjoy a sneak preview on Good Friday (March 29). The venue, which will open seven days a week, will offer a Mexican-inspired food and drink menu alongside a daily, changing line up of entertainment – including live music ..read more

Social Bird is set to spread its wings and take flight on Newcastle’s Fenkle Street on April 5. The restaurant promises to combine a laid-back atmosphere with an innovative menu that celebrates local flavours, community spirit, and a chicken charm. Head chef Ben Watson said: “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Social Bird team and bring a fresh and exciting dining concept to Newcastle. We have worked closely with local suppliers to create a menu that highlights the best of our region’s ingredients and flavours. The involvement of the local community has played a big part in the development of So ..read more