TWO of the district's restaurants have been recognised as being among the best in the UK.

Fine dining Pine and Restaurant Hjem have both been named in the Harden's top 100 best UK restaurants diners poll.

Cal Byerley and Sian Buchan's Pine, at Vallum Farm, on the Military Road in East Wallhouses, came in at number ten, with the food rated 5 (exceptional). The service and ambience were handed a 4 (very good).

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The converted cow barn restaurant, which has Michelin Star status, received a glowing review by The Sunday Times' food critic Marina O'Loughlin shortly after opening. 

Based on a three-course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover and service charges and VAT, a visit will set you back nearly £151.

Chef patron Cal and front-of-house manager and co-owner Sian said: ''What an amazing start to 2023, we can’t say how much this means to every one of us in the team.

"Last year was off the scale and to start the year in this way alongside some of the UK’s top restaurants is amazing."

The couple added: ''Being listed at number 10 is huge for us, especially as Harden’s is diner-led, which means that it represents a true reflection of how people receive what we try to deliver for every one of our guests and also recognises the hard work of every member of the team in the restaurant as we strive to improve and evolve on our journey."

Wall's Michelin Star Restaurant Hjem also made the guide and placed 15th, with exceptional reviews for the food. The service and ambience were both rated as 4 (very good) at the Front Street hotel.

A visitor said that Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his Northumberland-born partner Ally Thompson “have created a laid-back foodie haven."

A total of 30,000 reports are submitted from a survey of 3,000 diners to compile the list, which this year, was headed by Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at the Greeneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

Harden's also found the southwest to be the strongest dining region, after the southeast with Cornwall, as the county with the most top 500 listings, and that this year, increasingly cost-conscious diners are exhibiting ‘push-back’ against restaurants perceived as overpriced.