Rebel — Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne

This was my first experience of a tasting menu and I genuinely wasn't sure how I'd enjoy it. We arrived at Rebel Which is a discreet shop front on Heaton Road. Entering we found a warm pleasant, laid back little restaurant, with chunky tables, and welcoming staff. The concept is simple. You don't order anything except drinks. I had a lovely rose and my partner had a cracking little bottle of craft beer. The server, ours was a really pleasant lad called Jack, brings out a tiny little beautiful piece of food, tells you what it is, says enjoy, and leaves you to eat it. In all we had 9 I think, or 10 courses. The service was exceptional and slick. A work of art appeared, a professional explanation and then everything was whiskey away. Like stage management. The food. I'm not going to lie. Some of it I really didn't like the taste of. But isn't that the point, and it's subjective. It was like visiting a food art gallery where I could see the talent and skill. But wouldn't have it hanging on my wall. The mushroom turned out to be a small pot of warm liquid. Absolutely gorgeous and teamed up with fresh butter and warm sour dough. The pork was melt in the mouth beautiful and the blackberry was a round of sweetness tartness that finished the meal off beautifully. Pastry was so crisp and thin you'd think elves had made it and the caramelised beetroot on the venison was paper thin . " how've they got it like that?" I asked my boyfriend. It was a fantastic evening. Different tastes and textures to explore. Questions to ask Annie and Alex the ever attentive servers( who answered all my ridiculous questions with knowledge and prifessionalism). Immaculate toilets (always important) clean cutlery and a really chilled laid back vibe. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the evening, I thought I'd need a sandwich when I got home but I had a great time and felt like I'd eaten. I'll definitely go back to see what little works of art they serve up on their next menu. Definitely try this if you haven't before go with somone you like. Or yourself ! Because you'll be there a couple of hours and it's worth taking the time to...

Been to this place a fair few times from the greedy gannet to picking up Sunday dinners during lockdown! always had a great experience until now …

The food itself was very full of flavour and presented fantastically in their usual style, however a few of main dishes were served barely warm and both the pork and venison were just luke warm. (Other tables also brought this to their attention) The waitress sits us down and explains the drink menu, The drinks menu has quite a large selection of wines but only 3 non alcoholic drinks, not excluding coffee, please add Coke or something similar to the menu it’s not that much of a ask!

We made the reservation for 2 people, but then changed it to 4 but unfortunately 2 of the guest dropped out earlier in the day but I called and give them notice and their response was “Thank you for letting us know, and we look forward to seeing you soon” no mentions of cancellation policy’s that was until the bill came and without any prior notice they added and additional £80 cancellation fee to the bill. Now I don’t mind having a small cancellation fee but £80 is surely over the top without explaining the policy until the end.

The final nail in the coffin was one of the owner’s personal conduct. when she explained the bill and the many empty chairs in the restaurant and simply walked away when questioned about the cancellation policy charge.

I simply paid and left and won’t be back! Wish I had just cancelled the whole evening and saved myself £250

My advise if you’re looking for something similar I would book a table at Peace and Loaf it’s cheaper and you get more...

✨ Rebel, Heaton – what a treat! ✨

From the moment we sat down, I knew this was going to be special. The menu is small but so creative – every dish feels like it’s been designed with real thought.

We kicked things off with the Okonomiyaki topped with Japanese mayo and guanciale – rich, savoury and the perfect little bite. The Isle of Wight tomatoes came next and honestly, they tasted like summer in a bowl, with that cashew cream and toasted yeast giving them an extra depth.

The standout for me was the duck with peach, caramelised cream and toasted grains – the flavours were bold but balanced, and the duck was cooked beautifully. Dessert was just as exciting: the Tonka Bean creation with blackberry, almond praline and kataifi looked incredible and tasted even better – crunchy, creamy, fruity and fun all at once.

I went for the wine flight with the meal and it was absolutely worth it – each glass paired so well with the food and made the whole experience feel extra special.

The service deserves a shout-out too – relaxed, friendly and really knowledgeable about both the dishes and the wines. You can tell the team love what they do, and that makes all the difference.

Rebel feels like the kind of place Newcastle needs more of – creative, modern dining without being stuffy. If you’re looking for somewhere for a memorable meal, this is it. I’m already planning...