Zula Restaurant Newcastle — Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne

After recommendations from a foodie group I follow, we really wanted to try some Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine and visited Zula Restaurant Newcastle. It was honestly one of the best meals I've had and I would 100 percent recommend this place to anyone!

The place doesn't look much from the outside and you could easily bypass it but once you get inside, it's lovely, a real hidden gem!

The staff were very friendly and accommodating from the moment we arrived. They will adapt the spiciness of dishes to suit you. We opted for the meat and veg combo (usually for 4 people) but they had no problem reducing the amount to accommodate 2 people instead as we really wanted to try a mix of dishes. You can choose any 5 vegetable dishes and you also have 3 set meat dishes. (For anyone who is vegetarian or vegan, they have platters to accommodate too with plenty of options!) The platters are also served with injera bread which as you can see they provide plenty of (these are the rolls and also what covers the bottom of the platter).

The platter was served with a traditional woven lid covering it and the presentation was absolutely phenomenal. We couldn't believe how amazing this platter looked and how generous they were with the portions! Everything on the platter was delicious. Full of flavour and they really know how to use their spices. We were just gutted we couldn't finish it all as it was super filling! You could easily have a third person share this and you would still be full!

We had our food accompanied by a couple of drinks each, I had a homemade honey wine (which I highly recommend trying) and a mango juice and the other person I went with had a guava and a mango juice. After our food, they served us some traditional tea on the house, served in a strainer to share. Full of flavour once again using different fruits and spices.

Total bill for 2 people: the meat and veg combo for 2, the tea and 4 drinks came to £31 exactly. Excellent value for money.

We will be back again soon. Thank you for a...

This is really confusing. This place used to be called mosab which we visited exactly a year ago for my sins birthday. Mosab are now in the middle of a move to different premises elsewhere in newcastle. The place is now called zula although photos (menus etc) and reviews seem to be mostly about mosab.

Anyway, we (2 adults and 15/17 Yr old) returned this year for my son's birthday. We booked for 8pm on a Friday night and we're stunned we were the only people in there (considering it closes at 10). 2 other parties (of 2) came in so 8 in total(which is why I marked down on atmosphere) . We placed our order which was the meat sharing platter for dad/son and veg sharing platter for mum/daughter. Our order took over an hour to arrive (which is why I marked down on service). When the food came it was equally as good as the same dishes last year although, again, way too much food.

Surely a restaurant can't survive on only 8 customers on a Friday night although I do hope they prove me wrong.

Also as this cuisine is new to newcastle, photos of each of the items on the menu would...

"I had an incredible experience at Zula Restaurant in Newcastle! As a Habesha (Eritrean and Ethiopian) restaurant, it truly delivers authentic flavors that transport you straight to the Horn of Africa. The service was outstanding—warm, friendly, and attentive. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, perfect for enjoying traditional dishes.

The food was absolutely delicious! The injera was soft and perfectly fermented, pairing beautifully with the rich and flavorful stews. The tibs had just the right balance of seasoning and texture, and the shiro was smooth and full of flavor. I also had Shikla, which was an absolute delight—well-seasoned, juicy, and cooked to perfection!

A special thanks to the staff for their amazing hospitality. I highly recommend Zula Restaurant to anyone looking for an authentic Eritrean and Ethiopian dining experience...