El Coto

Best Spanish tapas in Newcastle that has me coming back time and time again! Varied menu, substantial portions that will not leave you dissatisfied and consistently brilliant service. A hidden gem that I would recommend to anyone!

My friends and I came here for the Restaurant Week deal, which was 3 tapas for £10. They have a lot of set menus anyway, for parties of 4+, which are like 15 tapas for £15 each - don't worry about that being enough food, we had 12 between 4 of us and we couldn't finish them all! Stuffed!

Servers were very nice to us as a few people in our party came late and we were just sitting there with wine for 30 minutes, but they didn't make us feel rushed at all. They have a very small list of wines by the glass, just two whites and two reds I think, and not especially good-tasting. The interior is really cute, looks like an old building with wooden tables and visible wood beams on the ceiling. We went for the Restaurant Week deal while we nibbled on some juicy green olives, and then came the food onslaught! They bring all the tapas at once, which I don't really like because it's just an insane amount of food at the same time, but we made it work somehow!

We got -
Pan y Aioli: baguette with garlic aioli - delicious! Even after we were full, we kept going back for more of that garlic mayo.
Papas Bravas: potato cubes with spicy tomato sauce - not bad, good flavor in the sauce, not as spicy as we thought.
Patatas Con Salsa de Mostaza - potato cubes with creamy honey and mustard mayo - disliked. They liked the mayo on way too thick, my least favorite dish.
Albondigas - lamb meatballs in tomato sauce, these were lovely.
Tortilla Paisana - probably my favorite, unexpectedly! Sort of like a quiche, an egg cake with potatoes and veggies. It has a really delicate texture and didn't taste as "eggy" as I thought it would, it was really silky and gorgeous.
Ternera a la Mesonera - beef stew with some veggies, good tasting but nothing very unique
Calamares a la Molinera - fried squid rings, very well-cooked, just needed salt!
Pollo al Ajillo - chicken with oil, wine, garlic, parsley - Mild flavor, a little plain, but enjoyable
Gamas al Ajillo - Prawns in oil, chili, and garlic - great! 5 prawns in an order, absolutely loved them.
Tapa de Jamon Y Queso - a lovely plate of serrano ham and (yum!) manchego cheese with a few grapes. Must be eaten with bread and preferably aioli. Is there anything better than Spanish cheese and cured meat on bread? No.

We finished with two very nice desserts - a mascarpone/lemon curd cheesecake that was pleasantly tart and presented beautifully, and chocolate ice cream in a dark chocolate shell that you had to break open - another great presentation and rich flavors.

Bill only ended up being about £15 each thanks to the Restaurant Week deal! But if you get their set menu, you'll get a similarly good deal and more food than you can eat. Must tries are the bread with garlic aioli, the tortilla, the lamb meatballs, the prawns, and the desserts. The only "miss" was the potatoes with mustard and mayo, just too thick and creamy. Everything that I didn't love was at least "good," with its only crime being a bit simple. Would love a better wine-by-the-glass list, but I was impressed enough to guarantee a return visit!

Been here a couple of times and both times the food has been excellent. The set menus are really good for groups and you get plenty to eat. Service is good and the food is brought to the table when it is ready. Excellent value for money. The restaurant looks small for the outside but it is extended at the back so can sit a lot of people.

Close to the best tapas I've had, ever. The food is so flavoursum and the menu so varied. Great deco & staff. No hesitations with recommending this place to anyone.

Wonderful place to meet up with friends for great food, wine, coffee and conversation! The tapas are to die for and the atmosphere is wonderful! Warm and cosy fires, candles glowing, fireplaces in every room and the staff is so friendly and accommodating. Who could ask for anything more! In summertime, there is a small but elegant grotto for your outdoor eating experience and in winter, it's great fun to be in the bustling warmth of dining with friends. Sharing tapas was most definitely a lovely way to savour the various tastes of Spain, right here in Newcastle city centre!

My number 1 fav place to go and eat out in newcastle... most of the staff are spanish and the food is the same every time delicious... romantic meal an huge party im always there !!! I have my fav dishes that I order every time :)

lovely tapas and really reasonably priced, inside is kind of like any other restaurant - they could have given it a more spanish feel but still good!

I visited here for my birthday with a fairly large group of friends and, while tapas is not my preferred option, the food was excellent as was the service. It's a great place to come with friends, tapas really helps conversation flow, especially when the food is this good.

Brilliant tapas! The portions are huuuuge though so go easy. Have been a few times, with lots of friends and also for a romantic night out and it's been brill each time. really nice decoration with the garden.