Mediterranean restaurant Lovage on St George’s Terrace has won a 2024 Travellers’ Choice Award from Tripadvisor, having been listed among the top 10% of restaurants worldwide.

Lovage is just one of three in the region to receive the award and it’s the third accolade given to the restaurant in recent months. In the summer Lovage received an AA Rosette award and has also been listed in the Michelin guide.

Lovage opened in late 2022 on the site of an old Italian restaurant just off Osborne Road and Kleo Tabaku, Albainian head chef and co-owner of Lovage, told JesmondLocal of his delight at receiving these awards. “From where we were then to where we are now, there’s been a massive difference,” he said.

Tabaku, who was previously head chef at Wynyard Hall in Stockton-on-Tees, described his childhood and how he used to fish, forage and grow vegetables on his own as many ingredients were not available to buy in Albania. Now that he has two restaurants – he and his business partners opened Osters on Gosforth high street in November 2023 – he said his life could not be more different.

“Lovage is home, Osters is work,” said Tabaku. The cuisine at each restaurant is different too. Lovage is all about Mediterranean cuisine inspired from his home and named after the favourite herb he used in his childhood. Osters is an exploration of cuisines beyond the one he grew up with and has a special focus on seafood – oster is oyster in Danish.

Tabaku continues to grow his own produce and he said his focus on sustainability is appreciated by Lovage’s customers. One customer, Alice Pope, who visited Lovage with her boyfriend’s family, said: “My favourite thing about Lovage is their attention to detail with local ingredients. The way they source and showcase the best of the region really elevates the dining experience. It’s this focus on quality and sustainability that truly sets them apart.”

Tabaku’s passion for sourcing his own ingredients extends beyond vegetables. The flowers decorating the window seats of his restaurant are grown in his garden, while other décor in Lovage is inspired by the beach and in some cases handmade by his fiancée, Lisa Hide. To top it all off, the picture of a lime on the restaurant wall was drawn by his daughter.

Another customer, Charlotte Chen, said: “My experience at Lovage was truly exceptional. Every detail was carefully chosen, creating a luxurious and elegant ambiance that added to the overall charm of the restaurant. The staff were also incredibly polite and attentive, ensuring that every detail was taken care of throughout the meal.”

Tabaku said that that it’s not him that makes the restaurant, but the staff. He said he loves teaching everything he knows and tries his best to look after them. Last year for International Women’s Day (IWD), he passed the restaurant completely into the hands of his female employees. For the day, sous chef Paulina Gorczewska was in charge of the restaurant, accompanied by other female staff from Lovage and Osters.

Tabaku said: “People sometimes take [food] as something you have to do but it’s not. It’s art. If you eat well, you’re going to be happy with yourself, you’re going to be active. If you eat unwell, you’re going to see yourself gradually going down.”