On our Evergreen campus, around 60% of students embark on a study abroad trip during their junior year. This is due to the wide range of locations offered by Loyola, programs come from locations in Europe, Africa, and South America. No matter where you go, Loyola will ensure this destination becomes your second home, and if you’re headed across the pond to Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, like I did in Spring 2023, follow this guide to eat the best food in the toon, and food that reminds you of home.
Stereotypically, the United Kingdom isn’t known for the ‘best’ food. From beans on toast to sausage rolls, these unique cuisines are unknown to the American palette. To be honest as a picky eater, I was pretty worried about finding food I enjoyed while abroad. Despite this, I found some spots that reminded me of home and I am craving to have them again soon.
Grainger Market
Every food stall in Grainger Market is absolutely delicious and has food for everyone. It’s located in Newcastle City Centre and is truly a must-try! My favorite stall was RedHeads Mac ‘n’ Cheese, which features deluxe mac and cheese bowls that come with a variety of toppings. From the sticky rib, to the Italian, to the original, nothing beats it! The garlic breadcrumbs on top are easily my favorite. This is something I will miss daily until I get to have it again. If you end up frequenting this spot during your time in Newcastle, grab a punch card! Every bowl of mac and cheese will add up to a free one. You need 10 for a freebie, so if you really love it, the punch card is worth it. Some other great stalls in Grainger Market include Fed’s Chicken, Acropolis, and North Shore Coffee. It was also one of my favorite spots for fresh produce at a cheaper price!
Pizzeria Francesca
Italian food is my absolute favorite and Pizzeria Francesca in the Jesmond section of Newcastle was my top choice in England. The restaurant was owned by Italians and they truly made amazing Italian food, which I was worried I wouldn’t find in the UK. Both times I went I ordered the spinach and ricotta ravioli in tomato sauce, which was absolutely delicious. I also tried two different appetizers, the garlic cheesy bread and the cheese pizza. Apparently, it is not normal in British custom to order pizza as an appetizer for the table. To say the least, the waiter was horribly confused, but we still got our pizza. I do not think I will ever find Italian food in the UK better than this spot and I stand by that. Please, try it out, you won’t regret it.
Dough Daze
Fair warning: if you hate the flavor of garlic, this is not the restaurant for you. Similarly to Pizzeria Francesca, Dough Daze has some food that reminds me of home. New Jersey and New York pizzerias are my favorite things, and nothing can ever compare, but this is the closest thing I could find. In my opinion, a classic cheese pizza is the best judge of how good a pizzeria is, so I had to try the one at Dough Daze. The crust was perfectly cooked and it had the perfect combination of sauce and cheese. It did sometimes have an overwhelming flavor of garlic, which was even a bit too much for me, but was overall a pretty solid pizza pie. I haven’t tried the entire menu, however what I did try was delicious and I kept going back for more after my first try. Dough Daze is located right by Newcastle University’s campus and is a great meal to eat after a long day of classes. It satisfied my New Jersey pizza craving whilst I was miles away from home and, truly, that was enough for me.
Las Iguanas
Mexican food is easily one of my biggest go-tos for dinner with friends, and if you know me well, you know I always order fajitas. It was a priority for me to find a place in Newcastle with the fajitas, and once I did, it easily became one of my favorite dinner spots in the city. These fajitas are truly special and I will never stop talking about them. I always ordered the chicken fajitas with a side of black beans and they were perfect, minus the small portions. Everyone I went with always agreed that we could double the portion size. The drink menu, for those over 18, has a wide variety of options and will have something for everyone in your party. The vibe in Las Iguanas is really cool and was such a fun spot to hangout with friends due to the fun and bright decor inside. Las Iguanas is located right on Grey St in Newcastle City Centre and has a mobile line app so you can hop in the ‘queue’ and continue to walk around the city while you wait!
Chicken Shack
In Newcastle, there is no dining plan, but there are many on campus food options to eat in between classes. My personal favorite, and the favorite of many others, was Chicken Shack. I don’t think I can put my love for this restaurant into words. My order was a 20 popcorn chicken and fries meal with ketchup. This meal only would have been made better with honey mustard, but unfortunately Chicken Shack only offered ketchup or mayo for sauce options. By the end of my semester abroad, I think I had spent over $100 at Chicken Shack, which is slightly embarrassing. It was too good for me not to! Another huge perk is the wait staff, who were the nicest people ever. On my friend and I’s last visit, they brought us out ice cream to say goodbye. Anything you get here will be pretty amazing, but try all of the on campus food options before choosing your favorite! All of them are super affordable and tasty.
One of the most exciting things about the study abroad journey is getting to know your home city, whether this be finding your favorite local coffee shop or discovering a new boutique. All things are unknown and it is up to you to find your way, I just thought I’d give you a little help.
To those of you venturing to Newcastle anytime soon, take care of our city and make the most of your time there. And, if you go to Chicken Shack, say hi to the workers for me!