Experience... Solstice

Any self-professed foodie worth their Himalayan rock salt will no doubt have heard of Solstice, the Quayside restaurant making waves in Newcastle’s fine dining scene. For those not in the know, it’s the second restaurant from celebrated local chef Kenny Atkinson and set up shop just a short walk from his flagship venue House of Tides in the summer of 2022.

Following its recently awarded Michelin star and a string of rave reviews from the likes of The Guardian and The Times, we went along to try its ever-changing seasonal tasting menu to see what the fuss is about.

It’s clear you’re in for something special from the moment you walk through the doors of Solstice. An intimate and elegant dining room with just 14 covers sets the scene as Kenny Atkinson and his talented team welcome each guest personally – a taster of just how immersive the culinary experience awaiting us is.

A night at a Michelin-starred restaurant might be intimidating to some, but Solstice eschews pretension and stuffiness in favour of a more approachable interpretation of fine dining: the ambience is relaxed and the staff as friendly as they are knowledgeable and passionate about the food they serve.

That’s not to say that dining at Solstice is devoid of theatrics. After being seated, we were presented with a rather cryptic menu simply stating the main ingredient of each of the 17 courses to come – a mystery that gradually unravelled as the night began and the first course came out.

Petrossian Daurenki caviar atop smoked eel cream served with chicken skin crackers arrived accompanied by a member of the Solstice kitchen team, on hand to explain each dish in detail and stress the seasonal, sustainable focus of their cuisine.

The caviar opener set a trend that continued throughout the evening – delicate and beautifully presented dishes packed full of flavour and served with panache, passion and proof that the chefs at Solstice are true masters of the culinary arts.

An artfully plated dish of radish served three ways made us reconsider the humble root vegetable with a taste sensation of daikon, smoked apple and horseradish crème fraiche that was soon followed by a sumptuous scallop dish accompanied by a ginger, lemongrass and sesame-infused consommé.

Seafood was a starring cast member of the menu with a “Catch of the Day” course that we can confidently call the best fish dish we’ve ever tasted – flavoursome, caught fresh that day and served with a creamy sauce of smoked Craster kippers – but meatier palates were satisfied as the feast continued with a delicious piece of venison plated with Wye Valley asparagus and a gorgeously rich sauce of Perigord truffle and Banyuls vinegar.

We opted for the wine pairing, so each dish delivered from the Solstice kitchen was accompanied by a glass (including a sake and a four-time barrel-aged white rioja) perfectly suited to its ingredients and an in-house sommelier on hand to talk guests through each wine. The knowledge required of the sommelier to pair wines with ever-changing ingredients shone through, with selections that enhanced the intricate flavours of each dish and a helpful tip to taste every wine both pre- and post-food to explore how their flavours play off and complement each other.

As the evening progressed, the tasting menu segued into sweet tooth territory with a succession of delectable desserts. A light and refreshing goat yoghurt ice cream with rose oil and blackcurrant juice cleansed the palate nicely for richer sweet treats including a malty parfait of Northumberland honeycomb and a heavenly brown butter financier served with caramelised apple puree.

Before we knew it, we’d traversed the Solstice tasting menu and the night had come to an end. Leaving just shy of midnight, we realised we’d been in the restaurant nigh on four hours although it didn’t feel like that long at all: with such an immersive, incredible experience delivered by such a passionate team, the evening raced along with each delicious dish brought to the table.

Dining at Solstice isn’t an everyday affair: with a dinner tasting menu priced at £170 per person and a wine pairing that’ll set you back £95 (or £55 for non-alcoholic pairings), it’s the kind of experience reserved for special occasions.

That said, it’s well worth saving up for, offering foodies a culinary journey and personal touch that’s unrivalled in Newcastle. We’re certainly glad we can say we got to savour their amazing tasting menu and are proud that Kenny and the incredibly talented team at Solstice are helping put Newcastle firmly on the culinary map.