The Northumbrian Piper, Fawdon Close, Newcastle

Oct 4 2009 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

AS regular Sunday Scran readers will know, Mrs Eats and I are always on the look-out for somewhere new as we continue our quest to find the best Sunday lunches around.

There’s nowhere in the North of England we won’t go in search of that perfect roast, even if it does mean suffering She Who Must Be Fed for a couple of hours in the car.

But our latest find wasn’t too much of a trek, although given its location, it’s probably somewhere we would never have found had we not had a prior tip-off.

It was one of my drinking pals who recommended The Northumbrian Piper. “Best Sunday lunch I’ve had in years,” he enthused over a pint one night.

Although I’d never heard of said pub, he told me it was in Fawdon, Newcastle, tucked out of the way among suburban streets, and was well worth a visit.

Which was how Mrs Eats and I found ourselves in the Eatsmobile recently, heading through a housing estate wondering where this pub was – and if it even existed.

“Are you sure you took down the directions correctly?” she muttered as we headed along a tree-lined street, but a sign soon appeared with an arrow to let us know we were heading in the right direction.

Pulling into the large car park, we both agreed this pub cuts an impressive figure. It resembles a large, rambling house with the grandeur of a nice restaurant and gorgeous grounds filled with tables for al fresco dining or drinking.

A bit of research earlier had taught us it was advisable to book, so we had reserved a table in advance, although during our visit a number of people did come in without a reservation and were quickly shown to a seat.