10 Must-Try Brunch Spots in Newcastle
Here's where to head for a delicious brunch in the city
We bet your gran was always telling you breakfast was the most important meal of the day, but that’s because they probably hadn’t heard about brunch yet.
Brunch has always been cool but with the rise of the ‘bottomless brunch’, it’s everywhere again, and Newcastle has some great brunch spots. Here are just a few that you should definitely try out.
Olive & Bean, Clayton Street
Olive & Bean keeps things simple – good coffee, good food – but its central location next to Grainger Market makes it a great place to meet friends and start your day well with delicious eats at friendly prices with bagels, topped toasts, breakfast burritos and brunch classics like waffles and eggs Benedict. A range of coffee, tea and smoothies add to the appeal.
Horticulture, Pilgrim Street
Bringing the same invention and attention to detail to their brunch menu as they do everything else, Horticulture is a definite must-visit brunch destination. Serving brunch from 10am 'til 3pm, they offer some seriously delicious dishes like eggs bao-nedict, chipotle chorizo hash and their ever-popular shloumi. They also offer a 'Brunchin' Bairns' menu with plenty of kid-friendly eats perfect for family brunches.
All Bar One, Grey Street
Boasting a prime position on Newcastle's gorgeous Grey Street, All Bar One certainly makes for a scenic spot to enjoy brunch. Choose from dishes like full English breakfasts (veggie and vegan options available), truffled scrambled eggs, French toast and more and wash down with a cup of tea or coffee or a healthy smoothie. Fancy some booze with your brunch? Go for All Bar One's sparkling brunch, offering one dish and four glasses of prosecco for £30 a head.
Café 21 at Fenwick, Northumberland Street
This classy restaurant in the heart of Fenwick offers breakfast or brunch from 9am to 11.30am, except Sundays when it starts at 11am. With nearly a dozen egg options - from eggs Florentine to omelettes and souffles - and "morning pick-me-ups" including Bloody Marys, mimosas and Bellinis, Cafe 21 is a fine place to enjoy brunch.
Quay Ingredient, Queen Street
One of the many highlights of the Quayside culinary scene, Quay Ingredient has some much-loved offerings that will take you right back to your childhood - like boiled eggs with soldiers and cornflakes with toast – alongside more grown-up choices like Craster kippers and scrambled eggs with truffle oil. They even offer an egg banjo (google it!) and they’re open from 9am weekdays and from 8am on Sundays.
The Dispensary, Heber Street
The Dispensary really has the whole brunch thing nailed. They offer plenty of appealing but more traditional meals like English breakfasts and eggs Benedict, but for many of us brunch equals pancakes and French toast, and that’s where they really come into their own. Their Lotus Biscoffi pancake stack is ridiculously tasty and they have a variety of French toast offerings with toppings like strawberry and Nutella or apple and cinnamon crumble. There’s plenty of good coffee and daily specials too, all of which is why we’d definitely recommend booking a table.
Cafe Andaluz, Grey Street
If brunch with a tapas twist gets your taste buds tingling, head to Cafe Andaluz on Grey Street. The Spanish restaurant serves up a mouthwatering range of tapas-style brunch options every day between 10am and 12:30pm with dishes like tortitas (pancakes with Greek yoghurt, mixed berries and honey) and a traditional huevos rotos (fried potatoes, chorizo, fried eggs, smoked paprika) - perfect teamed with brunch-friendly cocktails like Bloody Marys, mimosas and sangria.
Tiny Tiny, Carliol Square
Formerly known as Flat Caps, Tiny Tiny has a well-deserved reputation for excellent coffee (and doubles up as a supplier with sister company Roastsmith Coffee) but that shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow its very fine food options. All their dishes hint at quality and invention and plenty of brunch-friendly options are served like bacon and egg stotties, shakshuka and vegetarian huevos rancheros - all perfect washed down with one of their speciality coffees.
Slug & Lettuce, Grainger Street
With dozens of branches across the UK, Slug & Lettuce is well-known as a bar but it’s no slouch when it comes to brunch either. Served 'til 4pm every day, the menu is short but tasty – full English (available in veggie and vegan options), avocado on toast, pancakes – but there are some unusual offerings too like banoffee brioche, plus the option to add a choice of extras for just £1.
The Alchemist, Eldon Square
Known primarily as a purveyor of elaborate cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere, The Alchemist also offers plenty of good food, and its brunch menu is no exception. The Full Alchemist isn’t for the fainthearted but there are less daunting choices – chicken tenders with waffles, breakfast burritos and plenty of pancake stack varieties - and there's a cocktail-themed option offering a brunch dish and three of their creative cocktails for just £30 per person.
And so concludes our round-up of some of the best brunch spots in Newcastle, but remember - there are lots of other great brunch locations in the city and all of them offer a good reason to get up early, even on a Sunday.
