Recently opened on Market Street in the city centre, Gaucho bring their passion for Argentine food and culture to the region. Newcastle’s newest dining experience is already proving a foodie favourite, complete with refurbished interiors to match the splendour of the menus and combining the rich history of the North East. Restaurant Marketing Executive Aileen McGowan lets us in on what to expect from one of the newest restaurants in town...
Tell us a bit about the history of Gaucho.
The concept came to life after Rare Restaurants Founder and CEO Martin Williams’ returned from a South American trip with a freshly discovered appreciation of Argentina; its people, their lifestyle, culture and rich food and wine offering. Having witnessed the gaucho way of life first-hand - spending time exploring the pampas region at the foothills of mineral rich mountain ranges, and visiting working farms and vineyards - he brought these influences back to London and opened the first Gaucho restaurant in 1994 in Piccadilly. Since then there are now a dozen restaurants in the capital and six regional sites in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Newcastle makes that seven.
Why was Newcastle chosen as the location for Gaucho’s first North East restaurant?
Newcastle’s own rich historic culture and diverse food scene was always an attractive prospect - all it needed was the right location. The former Virgin Money building on the corner of Market Street and Pilgrim Street is a stunning Grade II listed building dating back to the mid-1800s that highlights the beauty of the city’s incredible architecture. The glamour of the exterior as well as the central location matched the restaurant group’s vibrancy, elegance, and passion for the cultural and culinary heritage of modern Argentina. Put simply, they felt it complemented the Gaucho brand and ethos perfectly.
Can you tell us a bit about the refurbishments you’ve undertaken?
Gaucho brings seven figure investment and sustainable promise to Newcastle. Each restaurant that makes up the Gaucho collection celebrates its own personality, allowing for individuality in design to complement its location and surrounding neighbourhood. For Newcastle, the award-winning hospitality design company DesignLSM were appointed to take inspiration from Newcastle’s heritage as the birthplace to railways, ship building, electric lighting, and turbine power, along with their vision of highlighting the beauty of the incredible architecture.
The upmarket, Argentine steak restaurant has 140 covers and also features a glamorous cocktail bar and private dining room which can be hired out for intimate occasions. Its contemporary setting is inspired by modern Argentinian and other global influences in décor, and within its culinary heritage.
The Gaucho steaks are carbon neutral too. Can you explain more about this?
Gaucho Newcastle will become the first restaurant in the city to serve carbon-neutral beef to the region, which forms part of the group’s integrated approach to running socially and environmentally responsible restaurants. It doesn’t just stop at the beef though! There’s sustainable drinks programme promoting biodynamic and organic wines, and all restaurants, including Newcastle, operate a zero food-to-landfill policy as well as running on 100% renewable energy.
Gaucho’s Argentine beef is sourced from cattle which have enjoyed a life roaming in vast pastures at specially selected pampas farms, everything they eat being 100% natural. With the equivalent of four rugby pitches’ worth of space per cow, they enjoy a lush, free-range lifestyle in an area famed for its fertile soil.
The restaurant has strong relationships with their suppliers and understands the supply chains that brings their ingredients fully. Part of their commitment is to work closely with local North East suppliers. For example, FYTO, based in Hoult’s Yard, is Newcastle's first and only hydroponic vertical micro-farm, who strive to deliver the freshest and most flavourful produce with the least environmental impact.
So, what can we expect from the menus?
Unsurprisingly steak is the star of the show. Gaucho lay claim to arguably the best quality steak in the world, and in serving exclusively carbon-neutral beef it embodies Martin Williams’ vision for the way that restaurants should operate responsibly both socially and environmentally.
Newcastle offers a lunch menu, evening à la carte, group sharing, group feast, as well as Gaucho’s Sunday Sessions – effectively a bottomless Sunday Roast with live music each week. The brunch and set lunch menus draw from Latin culture with a selection of meat and sweet potato (vegetarian) empanadas, sirloin or rump steaks, 100% Argentine beef burger, pasta alla norma and apple pancake, pistachio ice cream or chocolate brownie. Highlights from the à la carte menu include shrimp ceviche, marinated pork matambre and salted dulce de leche cheesecake from the dessert menu.
Tell us about your drinks menus
In keeping with the sustainable ethos and working with regional suppliers, Gaucho team up with the ecologically minded Hepple Spirits, based in the Northumbrian hills, selecting them to bring their wild botanicals to Gaucho’s bar which is fantastic news for gin lovers! There are also a host of speciality cocktails available including a Truffle Old Fashioned using 12-year-old whisky aged in bitters and chocolate, El Niño with its Bacardi rum, coconut and sweet fruits or Smoke and Mirrors, with its punchy blend Jimador Blanco Tequila, Quiquiriqui mezcal and lemon.
There’s also a very well-stocked bar of champagne, wines, spirits, beers, ciders and non-alcoholic options. As you'd expect, all of these are sourced sustainably where possible and marked on the menu accordingly.
What are you hoping Gaucho brings to Newcastle’s restaurant scene?
Gaucho are bringing the vibrance and colour of Argentina to the occasionally temperamental Tyneside weather by adding more than a splash of South America to the city! The restaurant's commitment to delivering fine quality and flavourful steaks and food are complimented by the relaxed atmosphere.
If you’re looking for a midweek express meal or a long leisurely lunch, Gaucho’s weekday set lunch menu offers a range of lighter dishes perfect for quick dining with two courses for £25 and three courses for £28. The famous party culture of modern Argentina is in full flow for Gaucho Lates every Friday and Saturday night, with resident DJs from 8 pm till late. Sunday Sessions are bottomless Sunday Roasts complete with live music and each week diners will see live performances from some of their favourite local artists, creating the perfect relaxed "Sunday Funday" atmosphere.
This sounds fantastic, how do we book?
Online booking for the restaurant is highly recommended.
No doubt Newcastle diners will be delighted that Gaucho has set up shop in the city. If the thought of those succulent steaks, creative cocktails and bottomless Sunday roasts have got your taste buds tingling, why not book a table at Gaucho and sample all the amazing food and drink Newcastle's newest restaurant has to offer?
