"Call off the search. Close down the web browser and put away the guide books. I have found the eating experience of the year."
Jay Rayner - The Guardian

“Riley’s Fish Shack was born from our love of fresh, honest, healthy seafood from which there seemed a real shortage of in our hometown of Tynemouth. There’s so much seafood caught here, much of which people don’t know is available or which of it truly is local.”- Adam & Lucy Riley, founders and co-owners/ husband and wife.

Riley’s was born out of the existence of North Shields Fish Quay where we purchase our fish from the daily shout auction…

The auction is fed by local day boats, meaning a menu that is seasonal, sustainable and supports the local fishing community…

Sourcing and cooking this way means our offerings are always fresh, subject to change and once they’re gone they’re gone. 

Catch dependent specials are announced daily and served alongside regular chargrilled and wood roasted offerings of Monkfish, Turbot, Halibut, Squid, langoustines, Lobster, Oysters and Mackerel.

The sustainable fish list is forever changing, much of the market fish landed locally is a bycatch from the Scampi industry meaning the fish is not ‘targeted’ and therefore less demand is put onto the species landed locally…

Our venture began as a roving street food (bicycle) stall, debuting at the inaugural Tynemouth food festival, in May 2012, where along with private events and North East food events we traded for the summers of 2013/14.

We’ve challenged ourselves to minimise the environmental impact our business causes and aim to build sustainability into elements of our restaurant. From our shack, our packaging, and of course our food.

In 2021 we opened a small Restaurant and Fish Shop just up the road in Tynemouth village, we wanted to create a different offer than the shack on King Edwards Bay and a space we can work throughout the year without some of the seasonal challenges we face on the beach.

Lunch is a lighter menu which will be based ground floor only with no bookings taken for which we'll be serving some of our best selling small plates. Pop in for some Oysters, Ceviche and a drink or just a drink should you wish.

Dinner Service is served both upstairs and downstairs and is our ever changing restaurant menu designed by Head Chef Carlson Landles.

With an open kitchen behind our fish counter, we will be showcasing various cooking techniques of different seafoods served up as tasting plates, talking you through them as we cook.

We will be preparing various seasonal accompaniments to the fish that diners at the Fish Shack may already know such as the sauces and salads we serve alongside some new recipes of rubs, marinades, broths, and stocks to accompany the fish in our counter.

An extensive wine list will be available to drink on the premises from our ever changing ‘by the glass’ wine list or bottles to take home as an off license.

In 2021 we opened a small Restaurant and Fish Shop just up the road in Tynemouth village, we wanted to create a different offer than the shack on King Edwards Bay and a space we can work throughout the year without some of the seasonal challenges we face on the beach.

Lunch is a lighter menu which will be based ground floor only with no bookings taken for which we'll be serving some of our best selling small plates. Pop in for some Oysters, Ceviche and a drink or just a drink should you wish.

Dinner Service is served both upstairs and downstairs and is our ever changing restaurant menu designed by Head Chef Carlson Landles and Sous Chef James Hayter.

With an open kitchen behind our fish counter, we will be showcasing various cooking techniques of different seafoods served up as tasting plates, talking you through them as we cook.

In February 2023 we launched a series of weekly workshops, for food lovers to learn some intricate fish and shellfish preparation techniques followed by cooking demonstrations and of course, the eating.

We began with our 'Introduction to fish-skills and cookery workshop', and focussed on Shellfish for our second series and what better to accompany shellfish than hand made Pasta.

We also offer these courses to for corporate team building events too and can tailor them to suit your timeframe, number of guests and budget.