FOLLOW the cobbled back street to a sunny courtyard and you'll find this 'hidden gem' Northumberland café, serving 'outstanding' food and a slice of Italy.
Tucked away down Hexham's St Mary's Chare, is the Sardinian-inspired bistro, Salute - an authentic Italian-run café bringing the flavours of the Mediterranean country's most famous island to the North East of England.
As famed for its coffee as it is for its cuisine, Salute, which opened almost a decade ago, serves a diverse menu featuring breakfast, lunch, and dessert items, as well as Italian beer and wine.
Choose from dishes like melanzane alla Parmigiana, a comforting bake of aubergine, tomato and cheese or the classic, hearty lasagna al forno. Diners have also highlighted the malloreddus alla Campidanese, a Sardinian pasta with a rich, meaty sauce, alongside the ravioli all’aragosta, stuffed with lobster. To finish, the famous affogato pairs vanilla ice cream with a hit of hot espresso.
The traditional lunch spot, managed by the same family as the popular Newcastle restaurant Pani's, features cosy indoor and spacious outdoor seating, and is well rated online. At the time of writing, it has a 4.5/5 rating on Google Reviews (157 reviews) and a 4.3/5 rating on TripAdvisor (84 reviews).
Reviewers have lauded the "fantastic" and "outstanding" food, "great value", "really friendly owner" and "excellent service" of "Hexham's little hidden gem".
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One reviewer called Salute a "delightful find" and pointed out the "delicious cappuccino" that is "authentically Italian", the "wonderful", "friendly", and "attentive" service, and the setting, which made them feel like they were in Italy.
"My favourite Italian café anywhere, and the one place we visit for lunch every time we take the trip from Alston to Hexham," added another reviewer recounting their trip.
"I always have the maloreddus pasta with a side of rustic bread, washed down with a glass of fabulous Italian white wine. Fantastic value for money, and how they prepare such delicious meals in that tiny kitchen is a miracle!"
"On a sunny day, sit in the courtyard and pretend you're in Italy. Excellent food and friendly service. Don't miss it"
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