Newcastle upon Tyne has quietly become one of the best cities in England for eating and drinking. The combination of fiercely loyal independents, a compact and walkable centre, and a population that genuinely loves going out means you can eat brilliantly here without the London prices. This guide covers the places that are actually worth your time and money, from proper Sunday lunches to late-night tacos.
Fine Dining and Special Occasions
If you are marking an occasion, House of Tides (54.9698, -1.6078) on the Quayside is the city's only Michelin-starred restaurant. Chef Kenny Atkinson runs a tasting menu format from a Grade I listed 16th-century merchant's house overlooking the Tyne. Expect around eight courses using North East ingredients — Lindisfarne oysters, Northumbrian lamb, vegetables from their own kitchen garden. The lunch menu offers slightly better value than dinner, and booking at least three weeks ahead is wise. Mains on the tasting menu sit around the 95-115 pound mark per person before wine.
For something a step below Michelin but still excellent, Dobson and Parnell (54.9693, -1.6095) on Queen Street serves modern British food in a handsome dining room. Named after the two architects who shaped much of Newcastle's centre, the restaurant does a particularly good pre-theatre menu if you are heading to Theatre Royal afterwards. Their Sunday roast is among the best in the city.
Peace and Loaf (54.9833, -1.5985) in Jesmond, on Jesmond Road, has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand for years. Chef Dave Coulson produces inventive dishes that manage to be clever without being pretentious. The tasting menu changes regularly and runs to around 70 pounds. The restaurant is small, so book ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings.
The Quayside
The stretch along the river between the Tyne Bridge and the Millennium Bridge is where many visitors gravitate, and for good reason. Beyond House of Tides, The Broad Chare (54.9694, -1.6048) is a proper pub with serious food, run by Terry Laybourne's 21 Hospitality group. Downstairs is a real ale pub with well-kept cask beer; upstairs is a dining room serving dishes like potted brown shrimps, smoked haddock with leeks, and Northumbrian cheese boards. It is one of those places that works equally well for a quick pint or a full meal.
On Sunday mornings, the Quayside Market (54.9690, -1.6060) runs along the river between the Tyne and Swing bridges. It has been going since the 1990s and sells everything from second-hand books to fresh produce, but the food stalls are the real draw. Look for the Dutch pancakes, locally made pies, and whoever is doing the hog roast that week. The market runs from around 9am to 4pm every Sunday.
Grainger Market and the City Centre
Grainger Market (54.9730, -1.6148) is a covered Victorian market that opened in 1835 and remains one of the best places to eat cheaply in Newcastle. The market is open Monday to Saturday, roughly 9am to 5pm, though individual stalls keep their own hours.
Inside, Nan Bei (54.9730, -1.6150) does exceptional hand-pulled noodles and Chinese dumplings at prices that feel almost unreasonable — a bowl of beef brisket noodle soup for around seven pounds. The queue at lunchtime tells you everything. Nearby, Pet Lamb Patisserie (54.9731, -1.6146) produces some of the best bakes in the North East, from cupcakes to brownies, blondies, and cookie pies. They open early and sell out fast, so get there before 11am if you want the full selection.
The Grainger Market Marks and Spencer Original Penny Bazaar stall is historically interesting but for eating, seek out the Mediterranean deli counters, the French Oven bakery, and the various Indian and Middle Eastern stalls that have made the market a genuine destination for lunch.
Elsewhere in the centre, Kaltur (54.9742, -1.6127) on High Bridge Street is a Spanish wine bar and restaurant that does excellent small plates and imported Spanish ingredients. The wine list is particularly strong. On the same stretch, The Mean Eyed Cat (54.9741, -1.6125) is a Tex-Mex joint that gets predictably rammed on weekend evenings but serves proper breakfast burritos and some of the best margaritas in town.
Jesmond
Jesmond, about a mile north of the centre, is Newcastle's leafy suburb with a high concentration of restaurants along Brentwood Avenue and St George's Terrace.
Beyond Peace and Loaf, Branches (54.9841, -1.5963) on Brentwood Avenue is a small neighbourhood restaurant doing seasonal, ingredient-led cooking. It is unpretentious, reasonably priced, and the sort of place where you will want to become a regular. Book ahead for dinner; lunch is usually easier.
Kiln (54.9838, -1.5970) on Brentwood Avenue is relatively new and is a ceramics-cafe-turned-restaurant with Middle Eastern-influenced cuisine. Expect charred meats, seasonal vegetables cooked over flame, and a short but well-chosen wine list. The stripped-back dining room suits the food — nothing fussy, just good ingredients cooked well.
For coffee, Flat Caps Coffee (54.9728, -1.6193) has its original shop on Ridley Place in the city centre but also serves Jesmond well from their Pink Lane location. They roast their own beans and the standard is consistently high.
Ouseburn
The Ouseburn Valley, a ten-minute walk east of the centre, is Newcastle's creative quarter and one of the most interesting areas for drinking. Once a heavily industrialised valley of tanneries and potteries, it now houses artist studios, galleries, and some of the city's best bars.
The Free Trade Inn (54.9708, -1.5938) sits on a hillside above the valley and has what many consider the finest pub view in England — a panorama across the Tyne taking in all seven bridges. The beer selection favours local breweries, the atmosphere is unpretentious, and in summer the small terrace is one of the best places in Newcastle to spend an afternoon. It is a proper pub with no food beyond crisps, so eat before you go.
The Cluny (54.9729, -1.5902) in the old Cluny Warehouse is both a live music venue and a solid pub serving decent food. The bar area has a good range of ales and the attached music hall regularly hosts touring indie acts.
Ernest (54.9715, -1.5916) is a craft beer bar and kitchen in a converted workshop space. They rotate taps regularly, leaning towards local and Northern breweries, and the food — burgers, loaded fries, weekend brunch — is better than most bar food has any right to be.
Breakfast and Brunch
Newcastle does brunch well, though weekend queues at popular spots can test your patience.
Quay Ingredient (54.9695, -1.6065) on the Quayside is a long-standing favourite for a full English or eggs Benedict, using ingredients sourced largely from the Quayside Market suppliers. Expect a wait on Saturdays from about 10am onwards.
No. 28 (54.9731, -1.6100) on Nelson Street does solid all-day brunch with good vegetarian options. Their sourdough is baked in-house and the coffee, from local roasters Ouseburn Coffee Co., is excellent.
For something quicker, the various bakeries inside Grainger Market will sort you out with pastries, bacon stotties (the local bread roll — do not leave Newcastle without trying one), and strong tea.
Pubs and Drinking
Newcastle's reputation as a drinking city is well-earned, but it is more nuanced than the Bigg Market stereotypes suggest.
The Crown Posada (54.9708, -1.6105) on The Side is one of the most beautiful pubs in England. A narrow, Grade II listed building with stained glass windows, a coffered ceiling, and a curved bar, it serves well-kept cask ales in an atmosphere that has barely changed in decades. No music, no screens, no food beyond bar snacks — just beer and conversation.
The Bodega (54.9740, -1.6160) on Westgate Road occupies a beautifully ornate Victorian pub building with plasterwork domes and tiled floors and has ornate plasterwork that makes you look up mid-pint. It is a Samuel Smith's pub, which means very cheap beer but a limited range. Cash only, no phones at the bar — some find this charming, others find it irritating.
By The River Brew Co. (note: closed in late 2024 with redevelopment planned) (54.9577, -1.5752) in Gateshead, just across the river by the SAGE, is a taproom and street food hub underneath the Tyne Bridge's southern approach. Multiple food vendors rotate through the shipping container kitchens, and the brewery's own beers are consistently good. It is technically Gateshead rather than Newcastle, but the Tyneside food scene does not respect the river boundary.
Late-Night Eats
After the pubs close, Newcastle has more options than the usual kebab shop, though a Quayside kebab at 2am is its own kind of experience.
Meat:Stack (54.9734, -1.6143) started as a street food stall and now has a permanent spot in the Grainger Market area. Their smash burgers are the best in the city and they stay open late on weekends. Scream for Pizza (54.9743, -1.6090) on Heaton Road (with a city centre location too) does excellent Neapolitan-style pizza by the slice until late.
Practical Tips
- Booking: For any restaurant on a Friday or Saturday evening, book. Even casual places fill up fast.
- Budget: You can eat extremely well in Newcastle for 15-25 pounds per head. Fine dining will run 70-120 pounds per person.
- Getting around: The city centre is compact enough to walk between all the areas mentioned here. Ouseburn is a 10-15 minute walk from the Quayside.
- Tipping: 10-12.5 percent is standard at restaurants. Many now add an optional service charge. Pubs do not expect tips at the bar.
- Stotties: A stottie cake is Newcastle's indigenous bread — a large, flat, dense roll. Get one filled with ham and pease pudding from any bakery or Greggs (yes, the original Greggs was in Newcastle) for the authentic local experience.
