Father and son duo Tim and Tom Monkhouse are opening a branch of their Mediterranean Papa Ganoush restaurant at the end of Shortridge Terrace, and in time for Christmas. The restaurant will have an outdoor seating area covered by a pergola and equipped with heaters and blankets to help diners withstand most weather conditions.

And unlike their Whitley Bay evenings-only restaurant, the Jesmond version will be serving daytime mezze. “The restaurant embodies everything that we are as a family,” Tim Monkhouse told JesmondLocal. “People walk in and say, ‘It’s like walking into your living room’.”

After seeing the surge of interest in Mediterranean food in London, the Monkhouses decided to bring it to the north east, first through street-food stands.  Originally wishing to create a falafel bar, the Monkhouses decided upon mezze which they found was more popular among north east customers, although, falafel is one of their most sold dishes.

The decision to start a restaurant in 2011 was prompted by wanting to be more than a “one-trick pony,” as Monkhouse explains and the Whitley Bay restaurant has built a loyal following, with regular customers driving up from as far away as Darlington.

Already home to a rich mix of cuisines and international communities, Jesmond seemed a logical home for a  Papa Ganoush branch – as was the building on Shortridge Terrace.

“Ever since we started the business, I’ve had this building in my sights, but it was always let. I saw it become available two months ago, and just went for it.” The restaurant is scheduled to open in the first week of December, but that is subject to change: “I’ve had to do a bit of work on it, but it’s worth doing,” explains Monkhouse.

Though they will not be offering loyalty cards, Papa Ganoush will have “random acts of kindness” that extend certain discounts as they are conscious of their market in Jesmond. Further details about the plans for the restaurant will be released on social media. One of these plans is to make the restaurant as environmentally-friendly as possible, including the use of disposable bamboo plates to minimise water and plastic usage. Another is to encourage local organisations, such as the Alzheimer’s Society, to host their meetings and special events at Papa Ganoush, in order to embed it as a part of the community.

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