Ophelia

In January this year GRDY Restaurants opened the doors to our new sister venue Ophelia.

A beautiful Brasserie in the heart of Gosforth serving French comfort food, with an extensive cellar of low intervention wines.

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

“There is a pleasing lack of over-complication to the food at this slick neighbourhood brasserie that wears its French heart on its sleeve. Great care is put into the cooking by an on-view kitchen team and the Gallic influence can be seen across the range of thoroughly enjoyable dishes, which are presented with a friendly smile. The French focus also extends to the low-intervention wine list.”

The Good Food Guide

‘A first-rate French bistro,’ is, according to Ophelia’s fans, ‘exactly what Gosforth needed.’ It’s been delivered by the extremely capable team behind Jesmond’s Patricia, with chef Nick Grieves at the helm. Inside, the classy navy-blue and terracotta fit-out (with lots of poster art) feels like a commitment to the space, while the menu represents a commitment to good eating. From snacks of crispy chicken skin with rouille through to superlative desserts, this is ‘really high-quality cooking that’s refined but comforting’, backed by a ‘well-chosen’ French-led wine list and warm, assured service. To start, a tomato and roast garlic sourdough tartine packs a mustardy punch, with aged Parmesan emulsion to sop up with the bread. On Thursdays, the ‘poulet frites’ menu rules, with the open kitchen turning out beautifully roasted chickens with loads of chips and two fine sauces: béarnaise because of France, and gravy because of Newcastle. A lighter plateful might be bang-on Cornish pollack with fudgy ratte potatoes and tarragon beurre blanc. Puddings are the business, especially a densely alluring mousse au chocolat with cherries and a shorter-than-short cocoa biscuit, or a deep, rich crème brûlée, yellow with yolks. If that doesn’t hit the sweet spot, the news that Ophelia is ‘fancy enough to feel like a treat but simple enough you could eat there every week’ certainly should.

The Bar

Come down for a drink! One of our favourite things about opening Ophelia was building our beautiful bar area. Any of you who have made it down already will have had the chance to meet Angus, we think his cocktail list is one of the most interesting and exciting in the country.

Angus cut his teeth at Edinburgh’s Aizle, before moving to Newcastle and working at Michelin Starred House Of Tides, and later Solstice, where his drinks still grace the menu today. The bar area is also available for non-diners during service hours, so be sure to come and have the best Martini you’ve ever had.