Disclosure: we received a complimentary family meal in return for this honest review.
The Union Rooms in an iconic building in Newcastle. It is a
Grade 11 listed building on Westgate Road close to Newcastle Central Station. Until 2017 it was
a Wetherspoons pub but has since changed hands and undergone a transformation
and now has a pizza restaurant, garden room and sports rooms too.
Although in
the past I’ve watched quite a lot of football on the tv there, it’s not
somewhere I’ve thought of to take the boys for lunch. However, with a great kids’
menu and occasional kids eat free offers we decided to give it a try as a family-friendly dining option in Newcastle.
Family-Friendly Dining at The Union Rooms, Newcastle
The Union Rooms serves food every day. There is an extensive
menu including authentic pizzas cooked in our open pizza oven, as well as
vegan-friendly treats in the Garden Room, and good, filling comfort food for
lunch or dinner.
Food is served from 9am until 9pm on Friday and Saturdays;
12 noon until 9pm Monday to Thursday and 9am until 6pm on a Sunday. Children
are welcome up until 7pm.
- BREAKFAST & BRUNCH - Served from 9am - 12pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday only
- POWER LUNCH - £6.50 - Served Mon to Fri 12pm - 5 pm - Eat in or Take away
- MAIN FOOD MENU - Served from 12pm - 9pm Monday to Saturday
- SUNDAY LUNCH - Served from 12pm - 6pm Sunday only
The Union Rooms
A former gentlemen’s club, the Union Club was built in the
French Renaissance style by architect, M.P. Manning in 1877, with flamboyant
roofscape features and prominent slender chimneys in a unique French chateau
style. The gentlemen’s club counted 19th-century industrialist and engineer,
Lord Armstrong, among its members.
The building's restoration was assisted with
funding from the Grainger Town Project, and in 1999 became part of the JD Wetherspoon
as The Union Rooms before selling in 2017. In February 2018 Cyclone Leisure
Group bought the iconic building and took over the running of the site and gave
The Union Rooms, one of the city's most historic venues, a facelift.
Family-Friendly Dining at The Union Rooms, Newcastle
The Union Rooms is both an eating and drinking establishment. We visited on a Saturday lunchtime just before a Newcastle United home game. So, you can imagine it was quite busy with people having pre-match drinks, however, the food is served away from the main drinking areas and it was a really lovely place to have a family lunch.
Drinks
On the table, there was an ample supply of tap water and we opted for soft drinks of lemonade, blood red orange drink and I had Wild Elderflower Bubbly - it so good I'm going to have to try and buy some for at home.
Union Rooms Kids’ Menu
My youngest opted to try the kids’ menu and chose the potato
skins for a starter. Although nearly 10 years old he hasn’t got the biggest
appetite, but beware these portions are not small. They were crispy and
plentiful – so much so that he shared the Golden Fried Potato Skins and Garlic
Mayo with me and his older brother.
Although he could have made his own pizza his current
favourite meal is Macaroni Cheese so that was his main course. Again a generous
portion and he said it was even better than mine which is usually his
favourite!
Dessert was an easy choice for him – the ice cream in a
cone. A cute dessert and the perfect way to finish his meal.
Kids’ Menu - £7.95
three courses
Main Menu
My eldest, 11 likes to choose from the adult menu now,
however, he was pretty beaten with the portion sizes so next time we go I think
he may opt for the kids’ menu. We shared a starter of Nachos, which were corn nachos topped with guacamole, jalapenos, salsa, sour cream, and a tangy cheese sauce. I’m glad we
shared because there was plenty for two, but not so glad we shared in that they
were delicious, and I wanted them all to myself!
Loaded street corn
nachos £6.95
Feeling like a healthy lunch I opted for the Union Rooms
Super-fuel Salad – hoping it would help me keep up with the boys! This was a lightly
dressed salad with tri-coloured quinoa, soya beans, pomegranate seeds, candy
beetroot, fresh garden herbs, roasted sweet potato, avocado, toasted seeds,
chickpeas, pickled red onion, spinach, broccoli, citrus and tahini dressing. I
topped mine with warm za‘atar halloumi and flat cap mushroom, Sriracha mayo. I
felt very virtuous and not at all hungry – even though a salad it was filling,
crunchy and tasty.
UR super-fuel salad £9.95 + £2.50
My eldest loves burgers so he went for the Union Room burger
and fries. This was a handmade beef patty, grain mustard mayo, pickles,
Emmental cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, toasted brioche bun and beer-battered
onion rings. One word of warning, as a veggie I don’t really think about requesting
how the burger should be cooked, but this was served a little too pink for my
child’s liking so do ask. The Union Rooms were happy to change it though.
Union Room Burger 10.95
Dessert
I’m not sure how we fitted in dessert but we did. I shared warm
churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and berry compote with the boys and they also had sorbet and ice cream too, and I enjoyed an espresso to wake me up a
little after my big feed.
Warm churros £5.95
Ice Cream / Sorbet £4.95
Espresso 1.80
There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available throughout
the menu as well as traditional pub fayre for meat eaters. The food was tasty
and reasonably priced. The portions are not at all skimped and I’ve got to say
the staff were so friendly and welcoming.
We’ll definitely be back. Maybe pizza
next time…
Deb x
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