South Shields Food & Heritage Map
Experience South Shields like a local
Let us show you the incredible food and heritage history of South Shields — a coastal port town in South Tyneside that lies on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne.
This guided walking route will take you from the river to the sea, celebrating local businesses and places and giving you a true taste of the area.
To give you a true feel for the area, we have asked past and present local residents of South Shields to share with us their favourite memories from the area. Their stories are woven into this food and heritage trail and we hope that it will help you feel connected to this town and the people in it.
We also have visited lots of local businesses and captured their stories through film and photographs. Many of these are beloved businesses that have been in South Shields for generations.
We hope that by learning about the wonderful food and heritage history of South Shields, you will feel a connection to this town and learn to love it even more.
Guided Walking Route
Discover the Voices of South Shields
Walk, Taste & Explore South Shields
South Shields Ferry Terminal
You’ve just landed at the South Shields Ferry Terminal which is a great place to start your South Shields Food & Heritage Trail.
From historical documents, we know that there was a ferry service crossing the River Tyne between North Shields and South Shields from as early as 1377. So you have travelled to South Shields in the same way that people have done so for nearly 650 years!
Ferry View Coffee Shop
Start your trip with a coffee stop at Ferry View coffee shop. It opened in 2025 and serves up locally roasted coffee, Dutch-inspired street food and a menu ranging from loaded fries to craft beers. You will also find The Electric Bike Shed here where you can hire pedal-assist bikes if you want to explore the area and the North East coastline on two wheels.
The Word
Did you know that in South Shields there is a National Centre for the Written Word?
If you look carefully at the building, from the outside it looks like the fanning out of pages in a book.
Explore the exhibitions inside, read books in the library, visit the gift shop and make sure to check out the two Lens Platforms for stunning views of the River Tyne.
You’ll also find the Visitor Information Centre inside, and public toilets!
Marketplace
Your next stop is passing through South Shields Marketplace.
A market has run in this square since the Marketplace opened in 1770 and despite damage sustained to the area during World War Two when bombs were dropped in the Marketplace on 2nd October 1941 fracturing a gas main, it has continued to be the main hub for the town.
Today, a flea market runs every Friday, and a traditional market on Saturday.
“On a Saturday my grandma used to take me 'down town' on the bus, and we'd wander round the market. She'd get meat and whatever, and I'd look at the clothes, videos and toy stalls. My dad loved a wander round the flea market, which I think was a Friday, and he always saw someone he knew from the pit.” - Lauren Peacock
Metro Station & King Street
For those arriving into South Shields by Metro, this is where you can join the South Shields Food & Heritage Trail. Make your way from the Metro Station to King Street.
Initially created as a residential area in the 1700s for the middle class such as merchants, doctors and solicitors, during the nineteenth century King Street became more commercial and less residential until it was a thriving shopping area, before becoming pedestrianised in the 1980s.
“My Dad used to take me and my brother to Woolworths every Saturday, where we each would choose a bag of pick’n’mix.. with his gentle reminder of not too many and for me to leave the glacier fruits out, as we’d surely choke, ringing in our ears. We would then go with him to pay bills; utilities and a weekly payment at a furniture shop, before visiting the butchers for the Sunday brisket joint. The crowds of people and traffic were awesome to two young kids in the sixties and the shop displays felt like looking into Aladdin’s Cave” - Janice Jones
Saveloys
You can’t come to South Shields and not try a saveloy dip.
What is a saveloy dip?
It is a famous North East hot sandwich, that features a seasoned, boiled saveloy sausage, pease pudding, stuffing, and English mustard in a soft bread bun. The bun is traditionally then dipped into the cooking liquid before being wrapped up in paper for you to enjoy.
Head to Dicksons on Fowler Street to try this culinary delicacy. Ask for a Saveloy Dip with ‘everything on and dipped’ or customise it to your preferences. You can even get a hot, single saveloy to eat, or buy a multipack of them to boil at home.
“My main memory of King Street is being handed a saveloy as a child to remain occupied while bored following my mam on various errands. Years later I took my wife (not from South Shields) to Dicksons for a saveloy dip. She returned the next day, clearly converted to the humble saveloy. I was also attacked by a seagull once competing for my saveloy dip. They are that good.” - Craig
Ocean Road
The connector to bring the town to the coast, Ocean Road is a beloved part of South Shield’s identity and a great place to come for a bite to eat! Our next few stops are all along this lovely stretch of road, and as you go further down it you will see one side of the street full of B&Bs and the other side, full of restaurants, cafes and shops.
There is a lot of community spirit and activities in the area, from the Ocean Road Community Centre to the Sea Change CIC.
“When I was a kid, Ocean Road was always a treat. On payday for my Dad, we'd sometimes get a seafood pizza delivered from Chinchillas, or a curry from an Indian restaurant. If it had been a good week at work, we'd go and sit down at the Joy King Chinese restaurant - duck with pancakes and huge spare ribs. Ocean Road taught me that there was so much more to food and we were so lucky to have so many cuisines.” - Rob Sampson
Minchella & Co
Visit an ice cream parlour that has been serving up award-winning ice cream loved by South Shields locals since 1942!
Minchella & Co’s ice cream parlour on Ocean Road has stood the test of time and is now one of the oldest, if not the oldest, business in South Shields town centre.
With their factory at the back of the parlour, the ice cream is freshly made on site and has played a huge part in the local community’s upbringing.
Ask for a ‘99 with monkeys blood’ for a classic whippy-style ice cream cone with raspberry sauce. Enjoy sitting in the old-fashioned dining booths or eat your ice cream as you continue with the rest of the food & heritage trail!
“I don't have a specific food memory [of South Shields], but I would say my memories of Minchella's have all coalesced into one. Whether it's freezing and I'm sitting with a ham and cheese toasty indoors, or it's warm and I'm queuing up for an ice cream outside, it really feels like the heart of Shields.” - John
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
Celebrating the rich heritage of South Tyneside and the people who shaped it, you must stop and take a look around South Shields Museum and Art Gallery. Free to enter, the museum is spread over two floors and through exhibitions, displays and works of art tells the stories of the area’s maritime, industrial and social history from 4,000 years ago to the present day.
You’ll also find a creature corner with reptiles and insects, and a lovely tearoom.
For those interested in the building’s history — it was built in 1860 as a home for the South Shields Literary, Mechanical and Scientific Institution. Then in 1873 it became the town’s first free Public Library and Reading rooms before opening as a museum in 1876.
Curry Mile
Ocean Road is sometimes nicknamed the ‘Curry Mile’ because there is a long stretch of Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants next door to each other. For residents of South Shields, the restaurants here will have been firm favourites for many generations, with many a story to tell.
In the 1960s, there were only a handful of restaurants and cafes — including the Anglo Asian, Bengal Restaurant and Star of India (one of the longest established restaurants in South Shields).
But now you will find over a dozen Indian restaurants as you walk down the street — see how many you can count!
“The curry is unmatched! There is so much choice and it is always our family go-to, making eating out affordable and local. When we first moved to South Shields we couldn’t believe the amount of Indian restaurants!”
Colmans Fish & Chips
A staple of Ocean Road that has been serving up fish and chips from its site for 100 years, Colmans Fish & Chips is an award-winning restaurant with customers coming from all over the world to try their legendary fish and chips.
Still a family business to this day, this four-generation family restaurant prides itself on using the best, seasonal produce from its local fish quays, and is renowned and respected for its quality and service.
Sit in the restaurant, or pop next door to the takeaway to take some fish and chips to the beach!
“My friend and me used to go to Colmans on a pay day and get fish and chips, a pot of tea and bread and butter.” - Debra
Sanddancer Clothing Shop
People who are born in South Shields are known as ‘Sand dancers’. The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but being a sand dancer is a term of pride for South Shields residents.
Become an honorary sand dancer with some merch from this local clothing shop on Ocean Road with all the products locally designed in South Shields.
Pier Parade
As we leave the high street of shops, we step over to Pier Parade, where the street divides two parks — on the left is the North Marine Park, and on the right is the South Marine Park.
At the latter, you might hear the sound of a horn and chugging of a steam train as it loops around the boating lake. This miniature steam railway offers rides to visitors and has been a favourite since it opened in 1972, and it’s still going strong to this day!
Next to the North Marine Park you’ll also find Haven Point - a state-of-the-art, family-friendly leisure complex.
Lifeboat Memorial
South Shields has a long and proud tradition of seafaring, shipbuilding and lifesaving, and this is honored with a lifeboat memorial as you walk towards the coast.
The lifeboat is a replica of the ‘Tyne’ lifeboat which was built in South Shields by J Oliver in 1833 and served for over sixty years, saving 1,028 lives. The original 1833 lifeboat was destroyed by a World War 2 air raid in 1941, but this memorial recognises the service given.
Westovian Theatre
The old seaside shelter in Pier Parade was converted into a small community theatre in 1948, and today offers top class theatre in the heart of the community.
The 261-seat theatre is full of character with its plush red 1930s-style seats and original cast iron columns. Sir Ian McKellan has even performed here!
Sea Road
After your walk along Pier Parade, you have finally made it to the seafront!
Here you will find golden sandy beaches, a fun fair and amusements, and a scattering of cafes, restaurants and food vendors.
You can also see, just beyond the fairground, the historic South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade - a Grade 2 listed Watch House with a unique collection of shipwreck material, lifesaving equipment and local history. They were one of the very first voluntary life brigades, saving countless lives since 1866.
From here you can explore the beautiful coast line of South Shields before making your way back along the trail to travel home.
Just a note that South Pier lighthouse is closed due to the pier walk partially collapsing from recent storms.
“Always the coast, no matter the weather. Looking out to sea, feeling salt on my skin from just being near it, fills me with peace and wonder.” - Janice Jones
South Shields is not just a place to visit - it is a place people feel, remember, and return to.
The Stories From Shields - Neighbourhood Pilot has successfully captured and articulated a distinctive sense of place rooted in food, coastline, and community identity. Through storytelling, creative production, and placemaking, the project has developed a compelling narrative grounded in real voices and lived experience. At its core, the pilot demonstrates that South Shields’ greatest strength lies not only in its assets, but in its stories - stories that connect people to place through memory, culture, and emotion.
About Local Heroes
Local Heroes is regional storytelling platform that through live events, film, podcasts, documentaries, photography and creative projects shines a light on the people, places and stories that define, inspire and connect communities.
www.wearelocalheroes.com
www.youtube.com/@wearelocalheroes
Tell us your story from South Shields
Take our survey via the link below to share your favourite food memories and stories from South Shields:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/StoriesOfSouthShields
This project is part of the Destination Development Partnership (DDP) Pilot, a government- funded initiative for the North East of England, designed to boost the regional visitor economy and support sustainable growth.