The Beaumont
Hexham is a very handsome little market town with a lot of history and a splendid old abbey as a centrepiece. Just a stone’s throw from the abbey is
The Beaumont, the town’s grandest hotel (at least, as grand as a small market town could need). It’s an old Victorian building, very effectively modernised and a lovely stay. The staff couldn’t be more helpful, including at dinner. Hotel aside, The Beaumont also seems to be *the* place to eat in Hexham too and I’d be tempted to agree. Except, of course, that it’s the only place we ate in Hexham so I can’t fairly compare!
I started with a smoky beef tartare served with a vivid yellow egg yolk, charred fungi and crispy bits of… onion? Not sure. Nice crispy bits. More to the point, a generous portion of beautiful beef clearly very well prepared and given a spin with the smoky flavour. Maureen’s mussels were all plump specimens and served with a gently nduja-infused tomato sauce that worked extremely well with the shellfish.
Tartare
For main I went with the wild mushroom risotto. This was a really good specimen, from the plump grains with just the right bite and the gentle flavour of truffle running right through, to the nicely char-grilled porcini added to the plate along with softly caramelised onions and a tangy cheese. Across the table was a superbly cooked pork chop. Having had a few over the years, I’d say that a pork chop is one of the hardest things to cook well, so I’m always pleased to find one with a good amount of crispy caramelisation on the surface, fat seared enough to be delicious and still a faint rosy pinkness in the juicy interior. Very full-flavoured too (I can speak with experience, as we ate here again the following night and I had the chop!).
No room for pudding on the first night, so next evening I forced myself to try their sticky toffee pudding. Excellent specimen, for the record. When I say that two courses might be £30 and three courses under £40, it’s clear that The Beaumont is also ridiculously good value. If I’m up in Hexham again I really ought to try a couple of other places… but it will be very hard not to just return to The Beaumont!
At the Beaumont
1 comment
As a regular diner I feel disappointed and let down by the quality of food and service that we received on Thursday 16th July 2026 at The Beaumont Hexham. The menu misrepresented what was on our plate. A whole grilled plaice arrived as an wet mush, with no taste whatsoever. The grilled pork chop was dry, tough and could only be eaten by using our hands. The mussels were small, heavy and claggy. The custard tart with Tonka bean was made the previous week. It was dry, with an overbearing flavour of Tonka. The service was slow, indifferent and lacking of any personality. The drinks were fine, although we were not asked if we wanted coffee or after dinner drinks. If Grace Dent revisited, The Beaumont would be slated. We would have complained about the above issues, however we did not feel it was appropriate during a family birthday celebration. All in all for £305 we felt totally ripped off. We will not be returning. Beaumont, pull your finger out!