Foody Focus: Salparo

In the heart of the Quayside, Salparo is a charming Greek restaurant which offers a diverse array of vegetarian, meat and seafood sharing plates. Dining here allows you to indulge in authentic Greek food without having to leave Newcastle, as if the front door transports you to the streets of Greece. 

Arriving eagerly as the restaurant opened at 5pm, we were the first customers to be seated in the attractive interior, which filled up surprisingly quickly to create a lively atmosphere. We were excited to see bottles of Mythos on the drinks menu – the same lager that we drank lots of in Greece last summer. In fact, the majority of food and drinks served in Salparo are brought in directly from Greece, allowing authentic flavours to shine throughout your dining experience. Sipping on our Mythos, we pondered over what to choose from the extensive food menu. 

Starting off strong with the classic yoghurt-based dip tzatziki, we enjoyed dipping triangles of freshly baked pita bread into this flavourful side dish. Salparo’s take on tzatziki was simple with perfectly balanced flavours: a creamy texture with garlicky undertones and grated cucumbers stirred through, served with a drizzle of olive oil. 

Moving on to the vegetarian sharing dishes, we ordered zucchini balls: deep-fried balls of grated courgette mixed with spring onions and feta, served with a yogurt dill sauce. These topped the courgette balls we ate in Greece! We also ordered loukoumades feta: deep-fried dough balls which were crispy on the outside, complimented by the melted feta inside. These feta parcels were a stand-out dish for us, as the honey drizzled on top added the perfect amount of sweetness to counteract the tangy, salty feta.

The final two dishes were the showstoppers. The chicken souvlaki skewers were grilled to perfection, with the lemony acidity combining exquisitely with the charred taste of the grilled chicken. Finally, the prawn saganaki was delightful: prawns served in a rich tomato sauce, topped with peppers and feta.

These dishes confirmed Salparo as one of our favourite restaurants in Newcastle- once you have been, it will be one of your favourites too!

To truly celebrate Salparo's delicious cuisine, they are generously providing 25% off on all food from the 17th to the 22nd of February. Hurry down to the Quayside with your student ID to redeem this amazing offer!