Sonny's - Newcastle

Ken and Deborah, of Sonny's Italia and Sonny's Locale, have a motto: 'a passion for food, an appetite for life.' In their eyes delicious, moreish food goes hand in hand with a life full of excitement and passion. After all, isn't that the Italian way?

This husband-and-wife team know that the best way to enjoy good food is with your loved ones, and they have created a warm family atmosphere at both of their restaurants, one in the coastal area of Tynemouth and the other in lively Whickham. There's a little something for everyone at Sonny's, even the smallest member of the family.

Ken and Deborah regularly holiday in Italy and the French Riviera, and over 25 years their love of Mediterranean cuisine has grown. Visitors to Sonny's can expect to dine on delicious modern and classical Italian cuisine. Traditional dishes are given an innovative twist, and everything is offered at extremely reasonable prices - good news for all you foodies out there.

The Riviera-inspired decor at both these restaurants creates a lovely relaxing environment in which to peruse the menu. And what a menu it is, with an impossible-to-choose-from selection of seafood, steak, game, pizza and pasta. The starter menu provides a dazzling array of delicate dishes, each one packed with colour and flavour; whichever you plump for, you'll be delighted with your choice. King prawns pan-fried in garlic butter with a white wine jus; smooth liver paté with aromatic fruit, port wine sauce and Melba toast; and a mushroom collage baked in Gorgonzola cream with basil in an open herb pancake are just a handful of the treats on offer. Fresh, fragrant salads and a range of hot garlic breads are available on the side.

The exceptionally high standards continue through to the main courses. When it comes to pizza, all the old favourites are on offer, but there are a handful of more unusual toppings for the adventurous diner - take for example the 'Oriental Med', which sees fresh mozzarella pizza dough scattered with shredded duck, prawns, scallions, sesame, soy and sweet pepper chilli relish, or the 'chorizo di piselli', topped with chorizo and minted petit pois. The risotto bianco, with smoked chicken, asparagus, ricotta, artichokes, light chilli and Parmesan is creamy and comforting - just the thing to banish winter chill. The fillet beef strips with mushrooms and capsicums, pan-flamed in vodka and Gorgonzola cream, really stands out; but the poached salmon supreme in pesto, grapes and lime juice, served on linguine, is a worthy rival for your attention.

These restaurants really are charming, and the food is quite simply stunning. Throw into the mix attentive, well-informed staff who are more than willing to give you a nudge in the right direction if you're struggling to make that all-important dessert choice, and you have two of the best Italian eateries for miles around.