A Seaburn favourite and a Durham gem have been recognised amongst the top 100 local restaurants in the UK.

It’s been announced this morning, July 16, that North in Seaburn and Isla in Durham have made it into the Good Food Guide’s annual 100 Best Local Restaurants list for 2025.

North opened in Seaburn in December 2022 | Sunderland Echo

placeholder image — North opened in Seaburn in December 2022 | Sunderland Echo

They’re two of only a handful of restaurants in the Yorkshire and North East category, with Long Friday in Jesmond named as the overall winner for the area.

2025 marks 15 years of the Good Food Guide’s annual list, which celebrates brilliant, independently run restaurants that offer affordable and accessible dining across the UK.

To choose the best 100 restaurants, the Good Food Guide accepted almost 60,000 public nominations, before anonymous inspectors visited each one to determine the best.

In partnership with business technology platform Square, the Good Food Guide has revealed its 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2025, including its winner for every region and the overall winner.

North, a sister restaurant to Mexico 70 and Koji, had already made it into the Guide last month, so to then make top 100 is the cherry on the top.

Co-owner Neil Bassett said: “To be even included in The Good Food Guide as we were a month ago was a fantastic achievement for us, but to find out today that the inspectors have chosen us as one of the top 100 local restaurants in the United Kingdom is next level exciting.

“The fact that there’s only three other restaurants representing the whole of the North East alongside NORTH shows the quality of the competition from across the rest of the UK and it’s great to be recognised alongside such quality restaurants.”

Praising the dedication of the staff, Neil added: “Huge congratulations to head chef Lee Bennett and the whole kitchen and front of house teams who’ve made this possible.

“It really puts Sunderland and our beautiful coastline in the culinary limelight. There’s so much buzz in Sunderland at the moment with the Lads getting into the Premier League and our recognition as a Music City, plus all the new developments taking place.

“It’s great to be able to contribute to such a wave of positivity.”

Isla opened in North Road in Durham City last summer, a sister restaurant to the hugely-popular Coarse in nearby Reform Place.

Isla in North Road, Durham | National World

Ruari Mackay, head chef and owner, said: “It’s amazing to put County Durham back on the culinary map after a 6 year hiatus, and the first time ever in the top 100 for the city of Durham (as far as we know).

“We just want to make good food at good prices so people can continue to go out and enjoy themselves without breaking the bank.

“We’re forever grateful for all our customers but ultimately we’re really proud of all the staff, it’s been a crazy year really and it’s not been easy.

“We all believe in the place so it’s nice to get the recognition that makes it all worthwhile. We want to keep on improving and we’ve got big plans for it moving forward. It’s got so much potential so it’s nice that other people can see that too. Big up North Road.”

The full Yorkshire and the North East list for top 100 2025