A new steakhouse restaurant has opened in Seaham with a well-known Sunderland family behind the venture and an acclaimed head chef leading the kitchen.

The new restaurant, Stirks Italian Steakhouse, has opened at the former Martinos venue on North Railway Street.

The Northern Echo: Stirks Italian Steakhouse has opened at the former Martinos venue on North Railway Street in Seaham Picture: GoogleStirks Italian Steakhouse has opened at the former Martinos venue on North Railway Street in Seaham Picture: Google (Image: Google)

A Facebook post on the Langham by Stirks page says the team are 'absolutely buzzing to be opening in Seaham'.

They go on to say that the venue's head chef is Tony Hall who was head chef at the Seaton Lane Inn for 14 years until leaving to join the Stirks family business in 2018.

The Stirks, a well-known Sunderland family butchers and restaurant firm, are also set to open their Sunderland venue The Langham By Stirks in mid-October once renovations to their Wavendon Crescent site are complete.

The Northern Echo: Former Beehive landlords Jimmy Foley, left, Linda Foley and new publican John Stirk pictured at The Beehive in February Picture: JIM SCOTTFormer Beehive landlords Jimmy Foley, left, Linda Foley and new publican John Stirk pictured at The Beehive in February Picture: JIM SCOTT (Image: Jim Scott)

And the refurbishment of the Stirks' Beehive Inn near Houghton le Spring - which Sunderland entrepreneur John Stirk took on a ten year lease at the start of the year- is due to be fully complete by March 2023.

Announcing the opening of Stirks Italian Steakhouse in Seaham on Thursday, they said: "We are pleased to announce tomorrow we open our doors to our brand new Restaurant in North Railway Street (the old Martinos Site).

"We are absolutely buzzing to be opening in Seaham and can’t wait to serve our produce daily in our newly refurbished restaurant.

"Our head Chef in this venue will be a lad who is very well-known locally, Tony Hall, he was head chef at the Seaton Lane Inn for 14 years until leaving to join the Stirks family business in 2018, so after a 4-year absence from Seaham, Tony returns with his fantastic new menu designed by him and our exec chef Paul Rowntree.

"See you all Soon."

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