13 Brilliant Beer Haunts in Newcastle

BrewDog, Dean Street

BrewDog bars have in many ways been the popular face of the craft beer revolution, their spread across the UK since 2007 matching the increasing popularity of the new styles of ale. The Newcastle branch opened in 2012 and has around 25 draught beers at any one time, many of which are short-run guest beers.

Newcastle Tap, Neville Street 

Offering a similarly extensive range of beers and ciders, Newcastle Tap is a spacious but intimate bar opposite Central Station, popular with people supping a pint as they arrive in the city before heading off to gigs and clubs (or even more pints). They’re proud of their eight cask lines and even offer beer dough stone-baked pizzas.

Mosaic Tap, Forth Goods Yard

Nestled in a former railway arch in Forth Goods Yard, Mosaic Tap is a cosy craft beer lover's heaven with ten keg beer lines and a fridge jam-packed full of bottles and cans available to quaff in house or buy to take home. Alongside its amazing beer selection, Mosaic Tap also runs regular beer tasting sessions and music/art events, plus a weekly pub quiz that sees winning teams nab a free round of beers from the bar. 

Beer Street & The Wobbly Duck, Forth Street

Just a short walk away you’ll find Beer Street, another arch-housed micropub that’s as big on beer as it is small on space. The constantly changing blackboard offers beers for every taste, and the fridges are bursting with all manner of canned options too. And you can also pick up beers to take away from sister outlet The Wobbly Duck, which offers an ever-changing selection of ales, from the obvious to the outlandish.

The Bridge Tavern, Akenside Hill 

There’s been a pub on the site of The Bridge Tavern for a couple of hundred years, although the current incarnation was built after the Tyne Bridge and lies nestled between its stanchions. The pub has a fine reputation for great food – some claim its Sunday roast is the best in the city – but it’s equally committed to great beer: indeed, there’s a micro-brewery on the ground floor that produces bespoke ales in conjunction with Wylam Brewery.

The Town Mouse Ale House, St Mary’s Place 

One of the city’s most charming micro-pubs - and with a love of dogs that makes it a firm favourite with some - The Town Mouse is regularly voted Newcastle’s best pub by CAMRA and it’s easy to see why. Independent, innovative, inclusive and generally good in all the best ways, even their bar snacks are locally produced.

The Head of Steam, Neville Street & Quayside 

The Head of Steam chain has spread across the North East and Midlands in the 30 years since it started out in Hexham and has two branches in Newcastle – one opposite Central Station and the other down on the Quayside. They share a commitment to well-kept, well-served beer but while the Quayside branch is also a great place to eat, the more central outlet doubles up as a club / music venue in its basement and is a late-night haunt for gig-goers.

Firebrick Brewery Bottle Shop, Grainger Market

This bottle shop – the Grainger Market outlet of the very popular, award-winning Blaydon brewery and retailer – is stocked to the rafters with excellent beers. Almost 20 are from Firebrick itself but this little outlet caters to all tastes and offers a range of mixed selections or individual bottles and cans. There’s a thriving web shop too.

Mean-Eyed Cat, St Thomas’ Street 

Run by and for the city’s rock’n’roll community, Mean Eyed Cat is a Mexican-wrestling-and-Johnny-Cash-themed micropub that could make you believe you were in a Tex-Mex cantina (after a couple of pints, anyway). There’s an ever-changing cast of beers – six cask, eight keg and a fridge full of cans – as well as a jukebox full of country and garage rock, the occasional pop up canteen and an even more occasional Auld Rockers Pub Quiz. All this and a positively sarcastic A-Board outside the front door. This one’s a diamond.

The Broad Chare, Broad Chare 

In many ways a traditional ale house (dark wood and vintage atmosphere), the Broad Chare is actually anything but: it’s a shared venture between Terry Laybourne and its neighbour Live Theatre, offers some of the city’s best food in its upstairs dining room and has a surprisingly large and lovely garden. And its beers are great too – hand-pulled or on tap, including its own Writers Block brew among its long list of offerings.

Lady Greys, Shakespeare Street 

Lady Greys is something of a hidden gem and definitely an institution among those who know it’s still open at 3am every night. It has olde worlde charm, a vibrant atmosphere and can be packed at weekends, but it’s worth it. The range of beers is well-chosen and they cater for every kind of taste.

Wylam Brewery, Exhibition Park

Wylam is a bit of a veteran when it comes to craft beer, originally opening a brewery nearly 25 years ago in – you guessed it – Wylam, but now based at the magnificent Palace Of The Arts in Exhibition Park, where they host gigs and events (including the legendary food battles), private functions and much more. But beer is still at the heart of what Wylam does and it’s the region’s oldest independent brewery. Wylam’s own creations are available alongside a host of interesting independent beers.

The Victoria Comet, Neville Street

The building that houses The Victoria Comet has been used as a pub since the 1800s - so it's fair to say that pulling pints runs deep in its roots! Based over the road from Newcastle train station, this old haunt is definitely worth paying a visit too, whether you just want a pint of the usual, or to try something new - like their very own Nicholson’s Pale Ale, brewed by St Austell Brewery in Cornwall!

From micropubs to bottle shops, ancient ale houses to trendy craft brew bars, Newcastle is remarkably well-served with beer. Whether you want it hoppy, sour, smokey or just plain weird, all of these joints will be happy to help you find your particular poison.