The success of Jesmond restaurant Lovage has led to the team behind it acquiring a second site for a new venture in Gosforth.
Lovage opened on St George’s Terrace in Jesmond less than a year ago, with its Mediterranean food becoming an instant hit, including earning a mention from Michelin within months of launching.
Headed up by chef Kleo Tabaku and front of house manager Lisa Hide, the pair joined forced with hospitality entrepreneur Stuart Young of Northern Bar Management to create a restaurant inspired by Kleo’s upbringing.
Now the partners are adding another string to their culinary bow with Osters – which is scheduled to open on Gosforth’s High Street in mid-November.
The new restaurant, in the former Stock Gosforth, will focus on seafood and fish, as well as catering for meat eaters and vegetarians. Kleo will be creating the new menu, but will remain as head chef at Lovage with Albi Tabaku, a long-standing colleague who has worked with him for a number of years, heading up the kitchen at Osters.
“This is a very exciting new venture for us and the opportunity to showcase new dishes but at the same level and with the same attention to detail that we have at Lovage,” said Kleo. “It will still reflect my style of food and hopefully will have the same amazing reception that we have had at Lovage.”
Stuart added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to Lovage and the style of food we offer there. The opportunity came up to take over this prime site in the heart of Gosforth and we knew it was the perfect place for us to create a new restaurant with a different menu, but still reflecting Kleo’s style of food. I am delighted at being able to continue the successful partnership with Kleo and Lisa and believe this will be a really strong addition to that relationship.”
