Grazie Signor!

I recently heard on the grapevine (every pun intended) that Signor Prosecco is a new prosecco & Italian tapas bar situated on Newcastle's Quayside. Housed within the iconic Italian restaurant Sabatini, the venue takes advantage of the previously-underused front section of the property and serves quality food & drink to its swanky city centre clientele.

The venue is managed by Cristian Saba – son of Fabrizio a local restaurateur of Sabatini and Fratelli renown. Cristian has noted a real boom in UK prosecco drinking in recent years (probably in large part due to my wife) and has devised an offering to quench this thirst.

We thought this sounded like a wonderful concept, so I pitched up one evening with my son Jack and wife Lisa – Northern Insight’s chief fizz correspondent.

Visiting midweek, we noted a lovely after-hours ambience. The interior is very elegant with taupe leather seating, polished oakwood expanses and mood lighting. There’s some stunning views over the quayside whilst an easy-listening acoustic soundtrack provides a warm, cosy vibe which makes it a great place to loosen the tie or untangle the hair after a tough day at the office.

Of course sparkling conversation demands a sparkling drink and Cristian has curated an exciting prosecco menu which showcases the drink in all its varieties from the driest Brut to the sweeter Demi-Sec. The venue serves 9 different types in total with each sourced from the historic Bortolomiol winery, one of the Boot’s most esteemed producers. Unsurprisingly, Lisa was in her element yet others drinkers aren’t forgotten as there’s also a comprehensive range of beers, wines and spirits.

Jack and I fancied getting on the red and were sagely pointed in the direction of a silky Sicilian red named “Silenzi” which I must say, really hit the mark.

To accompany this, Signor Prosecco also do a fine selection of Italian tapas – or Cichetti to more enlightened folk. This is the perfect drinking food and -sharing a building with Sabatini- this is authentic Italian fayre at its very best.

We were advised to order 6/7 dishes in total which were all reasonably priced at around £5/£6 each. We settled on; the deep fried calamari with fresh lemon, pork & beef meatballs in a rich Napoli sauce, shaved mullet fish roe with celery and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, chicken fillets in a sassy paprika dressing, warmed artisan breads with butter and olives and finally the traditional antipasto featuring a mix of cured meats and cheeses.

This all arrived stylishly presented on small plates and sharing planks and we were free to pick and choose as we fancied. The meal was a great, social experience which unfolded at a leisurely pace whilst the friendly and attentive staff frequently swept over to recharge our glasses.

If all of this wasn’t enough, the Signor Prosecco team are also offering a superb range of deals and promotions. “Pizza & Prosecco Tuesdays” entitle guests to a free pizza for every bottle purchased whilst “Bottomless Fridays” mean unlimited fizz for just 20 pound per head. We’ll definitely be taking part and we can’t wait to see what else lies instore in the months ahead.

Not only is this a fantastic extension of the longestablished Sabatini site, but an exciting new venue in its own right. The perfect spot to grab a bite with friends, stage a date night or indeed enjoy a hard-earnt, post-work quaff. Salute!