12 Amazing Asian Restaurants in Newcastle

Chilli Padi, Leazes Park Road 

Authentic Malaysian cuisine is still fairly hard to find on our high streets but it’s worth seeking out - its blend of Indonesian, Sri Lankan and Chinese cuisines is a taste sensation. Chilli Padi has a deservedly excellent reputation and their menu is packed with things you probably haven’t eaten before. There’s plenty of fish and veggie options alongside classic Malaysian dishes like nasi lemak.

Soju & Goji, Dean Street

Newcastle now boasts a couple of Korean BBQ joints and Soju & Goji is pretty special. The set-up is unusual and appealing: each table has a gas stove built in and once you’ve selected your protein and veggies, you get cooking! It’s fun and it tastes great (although there are lots of dishes served cooked if you’d rather). There’s an express branch in the Grainger Market too, if you fancy something different for lunch.

Umai Mi, Eldon Square 

An Eldon Square staple with a pan-Asian menu that’s bound to appeal, Umai Mi offers a mixture of traditional and contemporary dishes from across the whole of south-east Asia and particularly Japan. From gyoza and ramen to Korean chicken and bao buns, there's a wide range of full meals, small plates and snacks to choose from as Umai Mi lets you traverse a whole continent without leaving your seat.

The Muddler, Grey Street 

The Muddler is another temple to pan-Asian food that perhaps goes further than most – to the Philippines and Malaysia as well as cuisine from Thailand, Japan and China. There are some really exciting and unusual dishes to try – the adobo belly pork or the mapo tofu, for example – and the bespoke cocktails are pretty intriguing too (like the Dragon Fruit Mojito, the Szechuan Collins and the Mekong Mojito!).

Mannaza, Monk Street 

Mannaza is another Korean BBQ place – perhaps the city’s first – and you’ll find it tucked away on Monk Street. The concept is the same – you pick the protein and cook it – and the selection is incredible, from octopus and pork belly to sweet potato and beef tongue. There’s a wide range of noodles, rices, veggies and sides and it all adds up to something really tasty and kinda fun.

Ngon, Low Friar Street 

Ngon only opened in January but already has a reputation for fine Vietnamese food, an under-represented cuisine in the city. A hit with students, it's known for a cool, laidback atmosphere and cheap, tasty food. Look out for the pho and the stews especially - warming and spicy, they're the ideal Vietnamese comfort food.

Aveika, Sandhill 

Many of the restaurants we’ve mentioned so far have been intimate, low-key affairs. Aveika is neither of those things: it’s loud, flamboyant and offers drinking, dancing and hedonism alongside its restaurant and sushi bar. Which isn’t to say the food is an afterthought: Aveika’s philosophy of ’authentic yet not traditional’ means there’s a range of lengthy menus offering all the pan-Asian dishes you’d expect – from teriyaki and Thai curries to gyoza and poke bowls – in twists you may not.  Chicken katsu taco, anyone?

Amaysia, Stowell Street 

Amaysia has been flying the flag for Asian-fusion food for almost a quarter of a century and its large and vibrant Chinatown restaurant is an established favourite. The vast menu (circa 700 items!) is largely variations on Chinese food but with diversions into sambals, curries and the like. Even the drinks menu is full of novelty – red bean with coconut milk and sour plum with lime crushed ice are among the unusual options. There’s pool and karaoke too!

Teayempo, Westgate Road 

Open for around 18 months, this small and friendly Westgate Road café is pan-Asian but largely based around sushi and donburi with forays into Chinese and Filipino cuisine too. There’s some intriguing and tempting specials – Orange Duck Sakeyaki, Misoyaki Seabass and more – and a sushi menu with a few surprises (Philadelphia Cheese rolls, for example!). The short but inviting cocktail menu is tempting too.

KC Square, Leazes Lane 

We recently introduced you to KC Square, a lovely new Korean café run by some friends that grew out of a kimchi market stall. The menu is exciting and probably unfamiliar – lots of rice bowls, kimbap, Korean fried chicken and fish cake soup dominate – and the café is small and intimate and inviting. A welcome arrival on the Newcastle food scene.

Soho, Leazes Park Road 

Soho – just in the shadow of St James' Park – is a Korean and Japanese street food restaurant that focuses on small plates, many from its robata grill, with lots of sushi and seafood options. There are platters too alongside large plates including hotpots and sizzling barbecue dishes. From chicken katsu donburi and tuna tacos to salmon teriyaki and kimchi fried rice, Soho's menu is tasty, varied and has plenty to satisfy both the cautious and the more adventurous.

Kato Pan Asian Cuisine, Saville Row

Kato is a small, bustling, friendly little café with a short but tasty menu that's just right for a quick and filling lunch or a meeting with friends. It’s good for people on a budget too – you could have a main and some dumplings and still barely spend a tenner. The service is efficient without feeling rushed and the food is delicious too.

With so many Asian restaurants, cafes and takeaways in Newcastle now, this guide barely scratches the surface of what’s available, but hopefully it’ll pique your interest and get your tastebuds tingling. Make sure to check out some of our other Asian dining guides - looking at some of the best Thai, Japanese, Indian and Chinese restaurants in the city - for even more places to indulge in delicious food.