12 Amazing Rooftop & Terrace Bars in Newcastle
Looking for an elevated, al fresco drinking spot? Check out our rundown of the city's best rooftop and terrace bars.
Newcastle is a really magnificent city, full of grand thoroughfares, castles, churches, bridges and landmarks. But as we move around it, you either can’t appreciate the views from ground level or you just don’t look up that much.
What could be better than taking in gorgeous views of the city from high up, in the sun, with a drink in your hand? Or keeping things at ground level on a terrace bar while people-watching the bustling streets? And that’s where our guide to some of the best rooftop and terraces in the city comes in!
ABOVE, Dean Street
Sitting proudly atop the already grand Vermont Hotel you’ll find ABOVE, a rooftop bar like no other. Stunning 360 ° views of the city are attraction enough, but ABOVE also offers a great menu of global small plates and tempting cocktails and often some live music and DJs, all in a great terrace setting or in the vibrant indoor bar.
Roof Thirty Nine, Fenwick, Northumberland Street
One of the flagship restaurants within the Fenwick store is Roof Thirty Nine, a rooftop venue that does everything to bring that summertime vibe – from seasonal ingredients to botanical cocktails (grown at the store). The food is cooked in a charcoal oven for that BBQ feel and everything is fresh and tasty, so from grilled asparagus to aubergine steak, pistachio romesco or flat iron steak it’ll be a sunny explosion in your mouth. There’s a retractable awning in case the weather is less than sunny too!
Revolución de Cuba, Cloth Market
Bringing a slice of Cuban life to the centre of the city, Revolución de Cuba excels at both food and drinks (Ginger Beer Chicken Quesadilla! Beef Ropa Vieja! Kingston Colada! Coconut Margarita!), which makes it an essential destination already. There’s also the chance of enjoying those on the Santiago Sun Terrace, where you can soak up the rays and feel like you’re in Havana rather than NE1.
The Botanist, Monument Mall
You don’t get more central in Newcastle than the Monument, and The Botanist is right there! Quietly quirky and understated already, the bar / restaurant moved up a notch with the opening last summer of their refurbished rooftop bar, a lush space with comfy seating, its own bar and a DJ booth. It’s a fun, lively place with a renowned cocktail menu just right for a summer evening. The recently reinvented food menu is definitely worth a look too.
Barluga, Grey Street
The terrace at Barluga – a Grey Street mainstay for many years now - is a really special location to enjoy a sunny evening with friends, tucking into some justifiably well-regarded contemporary global and British cooking and a range of fine wines and exceptional cocktails. Barluga is especially good on seafood – try the Barluga Mussels with a nice crisp white wine.
The Forth, Pink Lane
This Pink Lane institution has been offering great food and drink in a lively, cosy-but-urban atmosphere for years now and one of its finest features is the small but adorable rooftop courtyard, an oasis in the middle of the city centre. The menu is top notch bar grub (burgers, wings, sides) and some excellent Sunday roasts, and the beer selection is always on point.
Pitcher & Piano, Quayside
There aren’t many places to compete with the riverside bar of the Pitcher & Piano. Right next to the Tyne and by the splendid Millennium Bridge with fine views up and down the river, it’s a great place to people (and boat) watch of an evening, and there’s a good menu of bar snacks and more substantial meals. They also offer the obligatory bottomless brunch!
The Bridge Tavern, Akenside Hill
This acclaimed pub sits beneath the Tyne Bridge, built between its mighty stanchions, although there has been a pub on the site for a couple of centuries. The predecessors probably didn’t offer such great food though. The menu offers ‘locally sourced seasonal comfort food’ and the Sunday lunches are second to none. The roof terrace is a lovely place for a meal or a few drinks and is open whatever the weather because the bridge itself provides plenty of cover from the elements.
YOLO Townhouse, High Bridge
A classy bar for one of the city’s most distinctive streets, YOLO Townhouse offers gastro-pub food (pizzas, burgers, loaded fries and all the rest) and a strong drinks list in several themed areas, including a small but cosy rooftop terrace with an open roof to soak up any rays.
Alvinos, Pilgrim Street
Alvinos really does have TARDIS-like properties: deceptively small from the outside, it somehow packs in two bars across its three floors and has a roof terrace that is compact but a real sun-trap and a lovely place to drink some of Alvinos’ famously creative cocktails on a warm evening. The cocktail menu is always changing – right now the Fizzy Fang and the Poison Cherry look especially tempting. There are DJs at weekends too, mostly on a house / disco / funk tip.
As You Like It, Jesmond Three Sixty
Just on the northern edge of the city centre, As You Like It packs a lot into its Jesmond location – four bars over three floors, pan-Asian cuisine, karaoke and drag brunches, DJs and live music at weekends, a secret dining room and a 2am licence. But of particular interest is the lovely garden terrace, complete with firepits for those cooler summer evenings. It’s perfect for socialising as well as being a great location for events and parties.
Chaophraya, Eldon Square
If you like your Thai food served in a contemporary, often surprising but always delicious way, Chaophraya is a must-visit restaurant. And its position atop Eldon Square shopping centre means that you can enjoy some amazing food in magnificent surroundings. The views across the city are marvellous and the interior design is pretty great too. All this plus a selection of different menus and offers (bottomless brunch for one!).
That’s just a few of the fine rooftop and terrace bars that Newcastle has to offer, so whether you want to shake a booty on a summer evening, dine alfresco in the city or just have a few drinks in a cool summer breeze, you’re bound to find just the place.
Main image: Revolucion de Cuba
