Cafe Rouge - Metro Centre

The North East is lucky enough to boast two of these chic Parisian-style restaurants. In the busy Metrocentre, Café Rouge is an open-plan restaurant with concertina doors that open onto a covered alfresco area - perfect for sunny afternoons. Shoppers with tired feet pop in throughout the day to enjoy coffee and a cake, or something from the selection of petit plats - a selection of small dishes like blue cheese, walnuts and French bread, to be taken with a glass of wine perhaps. The staggering range of quality wine listed at Café Rouge is something of an oenophile's dream.

Alternatively, diners can relax with the papers over a breakfast of smoked ham and Gruyère cheese croque, topped with a fried egg, accompanied by a fresh juice or fine French coffee. The core menu features everything from the lightest of snacks to hearty rustic French staples. The great-value prix-fixe lunch menu is available from noon until 5pm every day, at £6.50 for one course or £8.50 for two. If opting for a three-course French feast, start with classic moules marinières, continue with boeuf bourguignon and finish with a tangy tarte au citron. Of course there are also sandwiches, salads and nibbles aplenty, and the range of succulent steaks is particularly popular. And with Sunday roasts recently added to the menu, Café Rouge is as perfect for a family meal as it is for dinner à deux.