There will be huge excitement in Newcastle over plans by Michelin star chef Kenny Atkinson to launch a new restaurant with his wife Abbie Atkinson.
News of a second restaurant for the city involving the owner of Quayside award-winner The House of Tides was revealed on social media - alongside its name, Solstice.
There had been speculation as to what the next plans would be for the enterprising pair after Violets - Abbie Atkinson's own bistro-style cafe on The Side - was closed earlier this year.
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And now it has been confirmed on Abbie's Instagram account that they will be opening new venue Solstice, described as a sister restaurant to The House of Tides.
There are no further details as yet about the restaurant, other than that it is "coming soon" but it no doubt will be an eagerly-awaited addition to the city's dining scene, considering the popularity and success of their other ventures.
The House of Tides - a first restaurant for proud Geordie Kenny, who first started out on a fruit and vegetable stall in the Grainger Market - won a Michelin Star less than 18 months after its opening in January 2014 within a restored merchant's house along the Quayside at The Close.
Kenny, who has been a familiar face on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, had earned a star twice before: while working at Tean Restaurant on the Scilly Isles then again at Seaham Hall but he saw this one as extra special given the fact he'd developed the restaurant from nothing, in a building - initially known as a Buttress House -which had stood empty for 30 years.
At the time of his award, he recalled: "It had never been a restaurant before but my wife believed in my vision.”
Serving fine dining-style food without the stuffiness, it went on to win a stream of other awards, receiving four AA Rosettes.
Abbie's nearby small cafe Violets, which opened on The Side in 2016, also soon grabbed the attention of the culinary experts.
The cafe was singled out in 2019 by the Michelin Guide for a Bib Gourmand award - made for "exceptionally good food at moderate prices" - and its all day menu was hugely popular.
So the announcement of its closure in spring, following a lengthy spell in lockdown during the pandemic, came as a shock to many.
Sharing the news on Facebook at the time, the five-year venture was described as "a wonderful journey" and the announcement came with a promise of "some exciting plans ahead in the same premises, so this is not the end".
Among the reaction from followers were comments including "I'm gutted" and "Great memories of delicious food" while others wrote "looking forward to the next chapter" and "good luck - whatever you do will be amazing I’m sure".
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