*We were invited to the Mayfair in March 2020 to review their Sunday Lunch right before we went into national lockdown. Our meal was complimentary and reflective of the menu at the time. Links to current menus contained within the post.
People old enough to remember will know the Mayfair in Newcastle as the number one rock venue in the city. It closed and was demolished in 1999 to make way for the Gate complex but in it’s heyday had bands like The Animals and The Small Faces perform there.
It’s nice then that it’s memory is now living on via casual sports bar cum gastro pub come Saturday night venue The Mayfair Pub and kitchen, in the original location on the corner of Newgate Street and Low Friar Street.
And a good gastro pub means a good Sunday lunch, so let’s get into it shall we?
For starters, let me make it clear, it is virtually impossible for me to walk away from a baked Camembert; first f all, who doesn’t like baked cheese? Secondly, it’s so beautifully sharable! This Camembert was spot on, perfectly gooey and there was plenty of bread for dipping purposes which is always a sticking point for me for both Camembert or Pate.
For the mains, Dave went for the lamb shank and I stuck to what I know with the chicken. All meat at the Mayfair is locally sourced and served with seasonal veg. Now, this isn’t something I say lightly, but I can hand on heart tell you that the Mayfair Sunday lunch is the best we’ve had in Newcastle so far by and absolute mile.
For starters, the portions are insane for the price (currently £12) The meat is incredibly tasty and cooked to perfection, the veg complimented the meal well and, most importantly really, the roasties were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
When reviewing somewhere I usually try and squeeze in a pudding as well, you know, just so as to give a full well rounded review but sadly on this occasion the portions defeated us and we couldn’t manage one.
I also really liked the vibe of the place, it reminds me a lot of the Gosforth Hotel, which, incidentally is one of my favourite pubs in the North East; in that The Mayfair can be all things to all people and does all of it well. I can imagine on a match day it’s absolutely bouncing, but it’s also somewhere you can bring your family for a chilled Sunday lunch.
Drinks wise they have a mighty 12 lagers and 3 ciders on draught, an impressive amount of frozen cocktails and a whopping 23 gins to choose from. Their house white wine (every experiment needs a control!) was an extremely smooth Australian Sauvignon Blanc; a session white white if you will, and is very reasonable at £16 a bottle.
As I say it was over 2 years we visited The Mayfair and the menu has changed slightly since then, but I’m pleased to see they’re still going strong and I’m confident that they’ve kept up their impeccable pre-pandemic standards.
Also don’t forget, restaurant week starts in Newcastle from tomorrow, 8th August 2022 until 14th August 2022 and The Mayfair are offering 2 courses for £15.
