37 years on Sandhill: why Uno's Trattoria hasn't changed a thing

Some places stay good by staying the same. Uno's Trattoria opened on Sandhill on the Quayside in 1989, and it has barely changed since, ChronicleLive reports. You go down a few steps from the street into a bar, with the dining room beyond.

The current owners took over in 2000, and general manager Antonio Mauriello has been there since 2015. He says they've deliberately kept the look and feel, because regulars tell them it feels authentic and a bit nostalgic.

What to order: the pizzas and pastas are the big sellers, along with the blackboard specials. The dish people remember is the calzone, the folded pizza that arrives at the table with a bit of a wow.

Look up on your way in: the autograph walls started with Newcastle United players, who were regulars, and now feature everyone from Ant McPartlin to Jacqueline Wilson. Blondie ate there back in the day.

Antonio says the loyalty of regulars, who keep bringing new family and friends, is what has kept it going through rising bills and the cost of living.

Good to know: Uno's is at 18 Sandhill and takes bookings by phone. Its site lists noon to 10pm Monday to Thursday, to 10.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 9pm on Sundays.