11 Amazing Latin American Restaurants In Newcastle
Where to go in Newcastle for some Latin American sensations
Latin American food has been popular in the UK for years now, mostly via Mexican and Tex-Mex takeaways and restaurants, but these days exciting cuisines like Brazilian and Cuban are getting in on the act.
Newcastle is well served with excellent restaurants serving up some Latin American flavour, so we thought we’d run down some of the best for you to try.
Chiquito, Eldon Square
With more than twenty branches nationwide, Chiquito is a firm family favourite when it comes to Mexican food. Mostly serving variations of Tex-Mex – burritos, tacos, quesadillas and the rest – they also offer burgers, plenty of grilled meat and fish and a Mexican spin on paella, plus there’s an inventive selection of sides too (the garlic jalapeno corn bread sounds delicious). There are plenty of cocktails available, with some fine-looking margaritas on the list too.
Las Iguanas, Grey Street
Las Iguanas are to be celebrated for trying to capture an entire continent in one restaurant. In this vibey Grey Street joint - part of a very popular chain - you’ll find plenty of Mexican favourites of course, but also Argentinian beef (steaks, burgers and grills), Brazilian curries, Cuban sandwiches and more from all over the continent, including dishes like Copacabana Cauliflower Bites, Ensalada Asada and Fish Moqueca. The menu is lengthy and mouth-watering, plus there’s always a two-for-one cocktail offer to be had alongside bottomless brunches and various party options.
Zapatista, Grainger Street & Ridley Place
Zapatista is a pair of revolutionary-themed burrito bars that serve excellent Mexican food in a fun, unfussy environment. They’ll build your burrito however you like and alongside your foil-wrapped behemoth you can also get tacos, quesadillas, sides and salads. They’re also one of the only stockists in Newcastle of the delicious Jarritos sodas - a reason to visit in itself.
Tortilla, Eldon Square
One of the biggest restaurant chains in the UK, expanding to around 80 branches in less than 20 years, Tortilla offers the range of Tex-Mex dishes you’d expect, served with real flair and plenty of variations. From burritos and nachos to quesadillas and salads, Tortilla will make things to your specifications (and dietary needs).
Taco Bell, Grainger Street
Taco Bell is intrinsically linked with Tex-Mex food, a US chain familiar from countless movies and sitcoms. For years the only outlets in the UK were on US air force bases but now there’s branches all over the UK, including one right in the middle of Grainger Street. Taco Bell is unashamedly a fast-food joint in the vein of McDonalds, but with a Mexican twist, so you can grab a volcano burrito, crunchy taco supreme or cheesy gordita crunch in a flash and get on with your day! Plus they have churros!
Castro’s, Hood Street
Tucked away just yards from Grey's Monument, Castro’s offers a slice of Havana life in the heart of the city. It's a large, lively and vibey bar where rum is king: they have more than 90 varieties on offer! Most of the food is served with sharing in mind – it’s that kind of place – so there’s a selection of Cuban-themed tapas and small plates (dishes like Port Of Prince Stew and Rum Soaked Chicken) and as well as the endless rums, there’s two-for-one cocktails all day.
Gaucho, Market Street
Standing out on the corner of Market and Pilgrim Street, Gaucho is the Newcastle outpost of the 20-strong chain bringing high quality Argentinian beef into our lives. The focus is on steak, of course, available in around a dozen cuts and presentations (including wagyu and chateaubriand) and with plenty of sauce and side options, but there’s a full supporting cast of burgers, chicken, salads and veggie options too. The drinks list is well-curated (the cocktails are of the serious variety!) and there are plenty of menus too – brunches, roasts, lunches, kids and the rest.
Revolución de Cuba, Cloth Market
Another restaurant bringing a little Cuban pizzazz into the city is Revolución de Cuba, one of those places that always feels like a bit of a party! The food is inventive and appealing, with dishes like ginger beer chicken quesadilla and beef ropa vieja, and the drinks menu is similarly creative and energetic, with rum-based cocktails obviously to the fore. The sun terrace is an excellent place to hang out on a sunny day or a warm evening too!
Motel Mexicana, Mosley Street
Our recent feature on Motel Mexicana hopefully gave you a flavour of this magnificent Mexican addition to the Newcastle bar scene. The whole place is a riot of Latin American colours, tastes and atmosphere – with quesadillas and tacos on the menu, tequila for days and everything you need for a Tijuana-style party.
Deli Churros, Ridley Place
Deli Churros is a fairly new face on Newcastle's Latin American food scene, and Venezuelan cuisine is unfamiliar to most of us, which is reason enough to check them out. Arepas are the staple here, a corn-based doughy sandwich with a selection of delicious fillings. You can also get pabellons, empanadas and of course, churros in all sorts of variations. This is tasty stuff!
El Guapo, Pilgrim Street
Another recent arrival on the Newcastle bar scene that's drenched in Mexican sunshine El Guapo on Pilgrim Street. The bar boasts a vast selection of tequilas, mescals and margaritas and the food menu offers a feast of tacos and the like that are bound to make this new joint a firm favourite.
That’s just a few of the excellent bars and restaurants in Newcastle city centre that bring some Latin American flavour into our life. So whether you want a burrito to go, a plate groaning beneath a sizzling pampas steak or a shot of mezcal, Newcastle has it all. Ay caramba!
