9 Must-Visit New Venues in Newcastle

Newcastle city centre is constantly changing - particularly when it comes to bars, restaurants and shops - and we see it as our duty to keep you informed about all the hottest new places setting up shop in town. So, here’s our latest round-up of must-visit destinations.

Image: Aruna

Aruna, Sandhill

Newcastle has most corners of the globe covered with its dazzling array of restaurants but what we definitely needed was a Creole and soul food restaurant, so praise be for Quayside newcomer Aruna. This stylish new joint – equal parts industrial chic and New Orleans speakeasy – is matched by a stunning menu, interesting cocktails and New Orleans jazz. Where else in Newcastle city centre can you try Cajun salmon, Louisiana crab cakes or shrimp po'boys?

Image: Gaucho

Gaucho, Market Street 

Gaucho is the latest addition to Market Street’s thriving restaurant scene and brings some Argentine vibes to the city. The Newcastle branch is one of nearly 20 Gaucho restaurants, and the result of a lush refurb of the former Virgin Money building, with a cocktail bar and private dining room alongside a gorgeous main dining area. As you’d expect, steaks are the star of the show at Gaucho, but there are also burgers, empanadas, veggie options and more from its varied menus. There’s plenty of fine cocktails too, including a very tempting Truffle Old Fashioned.

Image: The Lost Wanderer

The Lost Wanderer, Leazes Park Road

When Richard Foster decided he needed a change, he didn’t do it by halves. In collaboration with his wife Charlotte, he turned his former home and business base into The Lost Wanderer, a really charming new café-bar in the shadow of St James Park. Full of quirks and personal touches, The Lost Wanderer dishes up great coffee and delicious pizzas and pastries - all served with a warm and friendly vibe. There’s live music at weekends too and even a resident dachshund!

Image: Claremont Teahouse

Claremont Teahouse, Eldon Place

Claremont Teahouse opened in March on the site of the former Quilliams Brothers venue and offers a large range of loose-leaf teas curated by Love Leaf Tea – dozens of types, from Rhubarb Spritzer to Orange Pekoe and all points in between. They also offer great coffee, breakfast and lunch snacks (including Dot Bagels) and plans to use the downstairs space for exhibitions, event hire and even a micro-cinema.

Loose Threads, Grainger Market

This recent addition to Grainger Market specialises in vintage sportswear and high-end fashion from the eighties and nineties – think Stone Island, Prada and Burberry. So whether you’re after a Nike ACG puffer jacket, a Dior polo shirt or a 97/98 season Italy away football shirt, you know where to look!

Image: MOJO

MOJO, The Gate 

Opening just in time for Easter, MOJO is billing itself as a ‘rock ’n’ roll cocktail bar’ and with around 100 cocktails on the menu, they’re clearly not kidding. Taking over the site of the old TGI Fridays, MOJO is offering American diner staples – think wings, burgers, pizzas and shakes, live sport and even bar games (shuffleboard, beer pong) as well as the obligatory bottomless brunch.  But it’s all about the cocktails – from daiquiris to picklebacks and everything in between.

Image: Black Sheeo Coffee

Black Sheep Coffee, Grainger Street

This very central branch of the big coffee shop chain takes the black stuff very seriously. From their big range of specialist coffees to signature drinks like turmeric lattes and a range smoothies and shakes, they’ve got every kind of pick-me-up for that tiring shopping trip or day about town. There’s even a selection of Norwegian Waffles too. And they’ve got a range of merch and branded coffees for you to take away.

Be At One, Westgate Road

The latest place to see and be seen on Westgate Road is Be At One, a new branch of the huge cocktail bar chain which boasts around 40 locations nationwide so far. More than 100 cocktails await you (I’ll have a Last Flight To Osaka, please - Roku Gin, Aperol, and Passoã passion fruit liqueur!) and there are Happy Hours every day (more like 3 hours, check the website) when you can get 2-4-1 drinks.

Image: Island Poke

Island Poke, Grainger Street

The first Island Poke opened in Soho in 2016, expanding to its current 16 locations with a Newcastle branch on Grainger Street - its first restaurant outside London. In short, poke bowls (pronounced poh-KAY) are a Californian development of a Hawaiian idea, a pan-Asian/Pacific bowl of zingy freshness – protein, salads and dressings – that are super-healthy and very tasty. At Island Poke, you can even ‘build your own bowl’, with a possible 50,000 permutations!

It can be hard to keep track all the changes happening on Newcastle's streets, with great new restaurants, bars and shops opening all the time. These are a few of the new arrivals that caught our attention and are definitely worth investigating! Go forth and explore!

Main Image: MOJO