Carabao Cup Celebration: Where to Eat & Drink in Newcastle

Grab a pint

Of course you’ll want to raise a pint to the Toon Army at some point during the day, and luckily Newcastle has a plethora of pubs to pick from! We’re starting at Percy Street, where a trio of venues will keep you sufficiently hydrated with your choice of tipple. The Crow’s Nest has a beer garden that you’ll want to take advantage of if the weather’s good, while The Hotspur has loads of beers, ales and ciders to explore. Down at the end of Percy Street, The Magpie will inevitably be a hotspot for supporters, boasting “great food, great beer and great Geordie people!” Back over the road for our last venue here to The Junction, which’ll be pouring pints for fellow fans so you can kick back and relax before heading to the main event.

Venture further into the city centre, and you’ll find longstanding Newcastle pub The Black Garter - a Clayton Street staple that has plenty of drinks deals to enjoy, hopefully in their beer garden too! Close by, cosy local haunt The Beehive is full of history, and decently priced drinks that won’t leave a sting! Towards Central Station now, where The Centurion offers up a slice of old-world luxury as the former first-class waiting lounge keeps footy fanatics refreshed with their wide menu. Alternatively, grab a booth over the road at Gunner’s Tavern, where their impressive selection of lagers, local craft and one off IPAs (and many more!) is sure to keep everyone happy.

The spiritual home of many Newcastle United fans – it’s a literal stones throw from St. James’ Park after all! – The Strawberry is an essential stop en route to the Town Moor. There’s a roof terrace if the sun shines, but there’s loads of footy memorabilia to check out inside if it’s chucking it down. The Trent House isn’t much further away, and has a laidback vibe that’s ideal if you’re after some peace and quiet before the impending storm on the Town Moor!

Get some good grub

With such a monumental day of celebrations, you’ll be in need of some good food to keep you fuelled up! Whether you’re after a quick bite to eat, proper pub grub, or a sit-down feast, there’s a venue for every football foodie. Take The Botanist for example, where a gastropub menu offers everything from kebabs and burgers, to salad and steak… And that’s not forgetting the impressive cocktail menu on offer too! Meanwhile, their downstairs neighbour Banyan serves up loads of sharing dishes, drinks and small plates that’re great to enjoy together with family or friends.

If Newcastle’s win still feels pretty magical, then a trip to The Alchemist is definitely in order. They’re famous for their theatrical cocktails, but their food menu isn’t to be missed out on either – boasting a wide range of worldwide influences and Alchemist twists on classic meals. Upstairs in Grey’s Quarter, you’ll find Chaophraya – a Thai restaurant where dishes are designed for family-style enjoyment. Their food is delicious enough as it is, but somehow taste even better when enjoyed with a spot of people watching thanks to the venue’s views over Grey’s Monument! But if it’s grab and go food you’re after inside Eldon Square, then head to Wing Stop. This Newcastle newbie doesn’t cluck about when it comes to chicken, with ten delicious flavours to get your hands on – ranging from the mild lemon pepper to the ultra-hot Atomic. You’ll be out the door before you can say Carabao Cup!

There’s loads of venues to enjoy inside The Gate, but we’d be remiss not to give The WonderBar a special shoutout. Food, drink and live sports come together under one roof here – so why not grab a pizza and try your hand at their interactive darts before heading over to Gallowgate to catch a glimpse of the parade? Nearby pub The Mayfair also has a crowd-pleasing menu, and pretty regularly runs offers too, so you won’t need to break the bank for some good grub. Regardless, it's worth coming back into the Toon after the main event, it’s going to be buzzing! You’ll be in the heart of the city centre itself with a table at beloved Greek restaurant Kafeneon – enjoying pitas, pastitsio, souvlaki, stifado and everything in-between! The same applies to the cocktails and carbs connoisseurs at Twenty Twenty, whose 20” pizzas have become somewhat legendary amongst footy fans and foodies alike. Just down the street, Hibou Blanc offers more of a formal dining experience, with a locally driven and flavour-led menu that you’ll definitely be looking forward to after the day’s excitement.

Just a few minutes away lies Newcastle’s oldest pub, The Old George. Offering real ales and pub grub, their cosy cobbled courtyard is packed with seating, ideal for enjoying one of their five (!) mac’n’cheese options, or classic rated plates. If it’s just a quick bite with a pint you’re after, then BrewDog – just a five minute walk away from High Bridge! – is definitely worth checking out, with pizzas and hot dogs to enjoy with one of their iconic IPAs or craft lagers. Over the road from the Magpies nest now to St. James’ STACK, where ten street food vendors will be cooking up a storm for the fans. Whether you’re craving a burrito or a burger, you’ll be hard pressed not to find something to fuel up on here! The venue is also the official fanzone for Newcastle United, so the vibes are guaranteed to be off the charts. And last, but by no means least, you’ll find North Terrace on Claremont Road. This small but mighty pub is a little closer to the Town Moor and dishes up everything from burgers to wings – making it an ideal spot if you’re looking for a quick breather from the main event.

Family-friendly feasting

The Carabao Cup Celebration is welcome to everybody, so if the kids are joining in the fun, then why not come into town early and treat them to a meal out? Grey’s Quarter in Eldon Square is home to a whole host of family-friendly restaurants, including ASK Italian and Bella Italia. The former offers a starter, main, dessert and babyccino at just £7.95 for the little ones – while the latter has smaller and larger portion options on their kids menu, with prices starting at £6.49. Alternatively, grab a taste of the Big Apple together over at Frankie & Benny’s! There’s options for small eaters and big eaters here as well, and every meal is served with a veggie pot of carrot, cucumber and pepper sticks to balance out whatever delicious dessert the bairns get their mitts on. Chiquito is ideal for those troublemakers with slightly more adventurous tastebuds, offering flavoursome fajitas and chilli bowls as part of their family-friendly menu.

Just outside The Gate, you’ll find a slice of tropical paradise at Turtle Bay. Their Little Turtles menu is sure to have something for even the fussiest of eaters to enjoy, with plenty of different burger options, mac & cheese, and ice cream… of course! Over the road, Little COSMO really does have options for everyone, as the all-you-can-eat world buffet includes dishes across Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese sushi and traditional British cuisine. Kids can eat around the world for £10.99, making it ideal for families that don’t fancy the endless roundabout "what do we fancy for tea?" conversation! Back inside The Gate now, and there are lots of options to keep the kids well fed including the peri-peri professionals: Nando’s! They have a crackin’ set menu for little ones (or Nandinos as they call them) including a customisable main, two sides and a drink or dessert. That’s not forgetting Pizza Hut too, which has a lunchtime buffet, mega and mini monster deals, all of which start from around a tenner.

Meanwhile, nearer to Central Station, you’ll find curry connoisseur My Delhi. The award-winning restaurant group boasts an eclectic venue on Clayton Street, and a little boss menu for young’uns, with a range of mains and sweet things to keep ‘em satisfied! Just a couple of minutes around the corner, there’s also Meat: Stack flipping their real American cheeseburgers throughout the day. Their kids meal is under a fiver – including a beef burger or chicken sandwich, fries and a drink – and the main menu has shedloads of options for the grown-ups to enjoy too. But if the sun (annoyingly!) isn’t shining on the celebrations, then head to Café Andaluz for a slice of sun-kissed Spanish tapas with the family. Here, mini Magpies can dig into one main and one side before enjoying two scoops of delicious ice cream. Plus their city centre venue next to Grey’s Monument is the ideal location for any post-parade adventures you might have planned. There’s even more crowd-pleasing courses to be found down Grey Street, including Zizzi’s Bambini menu and Pizza Punks’ Little Punks meal deal, keeping everyone fuelled up for the big day.

We think we’ve proved that with all this Toon goodness to enjoy, it’s worth arriving early and staying late for the Carabao Cup Celebrations this weekend! But if you really want to make a weekend of it, why not book an overnight stay? Here’s our top picks of Newcastle’s best budget and luxury hotels.

Main image: St. James' STACK

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