The Ultimate Foodie Weekend in Tees Valley

The North East of England has a burgeoning local gastronomy scene, and nowhere is this better showcased than in the Tees Valley area. The Enjoy Tees Valley team, who are working to promote the area as an exciting destination, asked if I’d like to share some of Tees Valley’s best food and drink with you, so I put on my stretchy pants and geared up for an indulgent weekend.

I’ve lived in this part of the UK a while now, so I can hardly use the excuse that I’m new in town to explain why I’ve never ventured into Tees Valley. In fact, before my weekend there, I wasn’t even certain where Tees Valley was. Awful, right?

In case you’re in the dark too, Tees Valley consists of the towns around the lower reaches of the River Tees; spanning Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees. These destinations champion local cuisine proudly, with a colourful calendar of events focused around food and drink livening up the summer months.

Why should foodies head straight for Tees Valley? Allow me to enlighten you. During my weekend there, I quickly learned that food in the area goes far beyond the iconic parmo…

Where to eat and drink in Tees Valley

From street food to five star gastronomy, there’s plenty to keep your tastebuds satisfied in Tees Valley. The area’s foodie events and street markets give independent local businesses a chance to shine and there are some real hidden gems for those seeking a more refined meal and drinks out, too.

Middlesbrough’s monthly Orange Pip Market

On the last Saturday of every month during the summer, a buzzing artisan food market takes over Baker & Bedford Street & Albert Road in Middlesbrough. Sunny days can attract up to 11,000 hungry bellies, but the grey skies during our visit meant the crowds weren’t as thick – which meant no queues for scran!

There’s live entertainment and a decent variety of food and drinks stalls. We had perfect wood-fired pizza from Whitley Bay company Art & Fire and incredible bao buns from Fat Panda Bing. There were options for every diet under the sun – The Green Guerrilla’s vegan burgers were popular.

The community spirit at Orange Pip Market is contagious; we got chatting to loads of the vendors and I felt a bit silly for never having visited before. It’s now got a place on my monthly calendar, and I can’t wait to try more of the dishes.

Tip: most stalls don’t take card payments, so hit the ATM before you go!

Cocktails in Middlesbrough

The bars in Middlesbrough spill onto the pavements on market day, giving the whole place a festival vibe. As the clouds started to look a little too threatening, we holed up in The Nuthatch, which is on the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars list.

With super knowledgeable staff and a creative menu, The Nuthatch deserves its number 36 spot on that list. Their signature cocktail is the most extra thing I’ve ever seen: it’s bright pink, served in a bird-shaped glass and garnished with rosemary.

If you’re into special effects, go for the Smoked Apple Grog. It’s served in a smoking treasure chest and tastes as impressive as it looks. Our server was absolutely lovely and I could have happily worked my way through the entire menu.

Saltburn Food Festival & Farmer’s Market

Our late July weekend in Tees Valley coincided with the seventh annual Saltburn Food Festival. The quaint town centre transforms into a mini-festival (though it was much larger than I expected it was going to be!) Admission is free and there are over 100 stalls manned by local vendors, flogging every type of cuisine you can think of. We picked up loads of quirky condiments, cheeses and some yummy brownies from Bespoke Brownies.

Some of the most popular stalls were Lily Tree Bakery, Gingerbread Mam (try the ginger syrup in Tees Cider!), Little Indian and Teesdale Cheesemakers.

You can go for lunch, sit on a haystack while you chow down, then wander around doing the best and most diverse weekly shop of your life.

If once a year isn’t enough for you, Saltburn’s popular monthly Farmers Market is held on the second Saturday of the month.

High-end dining in Darlington at Rockliffe Hall’s The Orangery

We stayed at Darlington’s Rockliffe Hall on the Saturday night and it’s now firmly got the top spot on my list of favourite North East spa hotels. The experience warrants a blog post of its own so keep an eye out for that!

We were treated to dinner at The Orangery, Rockliffe Hall’s flagship 4AA Rosette restaurant. Executive Chef Richard Allen’s a la carte menu was a show-stopping feast of local produce, from Whitby crab to Yorkshire lamb. The service is remarkably good and the restaurant itself, with its high glass ceilings and view onto the hotel’s flawless grounds, is perfect for special occasions.

Yes, there’s more to Tees Valley’s food that the humble parmo (for those that are from outside the North East, that’s deep-fried breaded chicken covered with béchamel sauce and cheese, originating from Teesside). Whether you’re after a quick bite or a slap-up fine dining experience, the lower reaches of the River Tees are bound to feed you well.

More North East England travel guides

Best things to do in Durham

Best things to do in Newcastle

Luxury places to stay in Northumberland

Where to go glamping in North East England

Click here to join my UK Travel Deals group on Facebook. We share lots of great ways to save money on UK trips and fun ideas for days out and places to visit in the UK.

I’ve resolved to spend more time exploring my adopted home region so watch this space for more blog posts about stuff to see and do in the North East! If you’re local and have recommendations, drop me a DM on Instagram or Twitter – I’ve also got a Facebook page and I share loads of travel tips for the UK and further afield.

As stated at the beginning of this post, my weekend in Tees Valley was sponsored by Enjoy Tees Valley. Opinions are my own.

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