Three restaurants open in The Nook in South Shields

The Nook, a shopping area of South Shields, revealed the news over the weekend that it had welcomed three new restaurants in quick succession. 

The Olive Tree, The Old Bank Pizza Co and Mio’s are all bringing their own creative ways to South Shields.

The Olive Tree Italian restaurant (Image: SOUTH TYNESIDE)

The Olive Tree, a newly established Italian restaurant and bar situated on Sunderland Road, welcomed its first customers in July, presenting a diverse array of Italian flavours, from steaks to pizzas, pasta, burgers, risottos, and a fantastic selection of seafood.

The transformation of the venue by owner Ilhan Ekinci and partner Jeanette Amess has seen the building, which was previously an empty shell, transform into an inviting restaurant adorned with greenery décor, a new bar, tables and booths and authentic lighting.

It also boasts a well-stocked bar, serving classic cocktails like Mojitos, Aperol Spritz, Espresso Martini, Limencello Spritz, Negroni and more.

The Old Bank Pizza Company (Image: SOUTH TYNESIDE)

Ilhan Ekinci, owner of The Olive Tree said: “We opened our doors to the local community, and we were overwhelmed by the support and custom we received! We are still going strong, and we are loving every minute.”

The Old Bank Pizza Co. has transformed the former Barclays Bank site into a vibrant pizza parlour, with a menu comprising hand-stretched pizzas, starters, salads, desserts, and a curated selection of drinks.

With an emphasis on quality, the team at The Old Bank Pizza Co. make their own dough which is proofed for 24 hours and uses the highest quality ingredients such as San Marzano tomato and fior di latte cheese.

Mio's restaurant in South Shields (Image: SOUTH TYNESIDE)

Additionally, the restaurant’s open kitchen concept offers a glimpse for diners to see their pizzas being hand stretched and cooked in a fantastic wood-fire pizza oven that was imported from Italy.

Richard Bond, from The Old Bank Pizza Co, said: “We’re proud to have been the first restaurant at The Nook. It’s also great to see other restaurants have opened nearby, making it a new hub for the local area.

“We started with our traditional hand-stretched pizzas but have gradually grown our menu in keeping with what local diners would like to see. We expanded the menu to serve pasta and the feedback has been excellent. We also serve small plates and sandwiches until 3pm.

“We really appreciate the warm welcome from the local community, it's been really inspiring for us at The Old Bank Pizza. It's good to know that we have been viewed as a positive addition to the area."

Mio’s, formerly known as Café Mio, has evolved into a versatile coffee and tapas bar, with their slogan ‘Coffee by day, cocktails by night’.

The venue, owned by Kathryn and Kieran Savage, now offers a redesigned space with an evening menu featuring tapas, hanging kebabs, flatbreads, and an extensive selection of cocktails and wines.

Kieran Savage, co-owner of Mio’s said: “We opened in 2012 providing Italian coffee, pastries, and light bites. After the pandemic, we noticed a complete change in the market and people’s priorities had changed. So, we took the opportunity to refurbish and adapt with the times.

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“We applied for a late licence, extended our kitchen, refurbished the full shop, installed a bar with draught lager, cider and IPA and increased our function room size.

“We rebranded ourselves to Mio’s with the slogan coffee by day, cocktails by night. As we aren’t just a coffee shop anymore, we offer a lot of different things from a cup of coffee to a glass of wine, live music, and private functions.

“It was a big risk closing and refurbing with the current climate but thankfully we have a strong hard-working team. We put everything we can into making sure the business continues to grow, develop, and succeed.”