Explore Grey Street With Us

Food

Grey Street boasts some of the finest and most varied restaurants in the city, with something to suit every palate, from chains to small independents.

Las Iguanas is a fine example of the former, an outpost of the successful Latin American chain. With bottomless brunches and cocktail offers - as well as dishes from all over the continent - this lively, vibey place is as suited to a big night out as a family meal.

One branch of a small independent chain, Café Andaluz is a fine tapas bar that’s perfect for fun gatherings or pre-theatre meals. It offers a dizzying array of small plates from the traditional to the unusual (chorizo y butifarra negra looks delicious) and there are some sharing platters to make it easy to choose!

Ayla is a fine independent Indian restaurant, offering some tempting options you won’t find on most curry house menus – dishes like Hyderabadi lamb shank and Kerala fish curry.

The Muddler has built itself a fine reputation for its pan-Asian food since opening in 2018. Focused on Japanese and Chinese dishes, with detours into Thailand and beyond, the food at The Muddler is as good as the relaxing, classy ambience.

Choosing to focus solely on Japan – and specifically sushi – Sushi Me Rollin’ is a relative newcomer but its fresh and tasty sushi is already a hit. There are dozens of uramakis, sashimis, nigiris and more, available individually or as platters, and there’s a great cocktail list to go with them.

If Italian food is more your thing, popular chain Zizzi is a reliable destination. The menu is long and impressive, taking in pasta, pizza, risottos, salads and some excellent desserts.

When it comes to pizzas, diners are positively spoilt for choice on Grey Street. Pizza Punks offers an avowedly anarchist take on this most proletarian favourite! The restaurant is lively and buzzing and the sourdough pizzas are excellent with a fine variety of toppings and the option to create your own with unlimited toppings. Over the road there’s Grey Street newcomer Rudy’s which has only been in business in Newcastle since late 2024 but is already taking the Toon by storm with its fresh and fluffy Neapolitan-style pies.

If you want something lighter, try Société Café Bar. Exuding European café vibes, it varies its offering throughout the day: coffee and pastries in the morning, sandwiches at lunchtime, pizzas and cocktails in the evening. A short walk away is Grey Owl, a café-cocktail bar from the same team behind Bigg Market restaurant Hibou Blanc. Alongside its extensive wine and cocktail lists, it offers a tasty bar nibbles and sweet treats, plus a selection of eats from its sister venue.

Abajo Bar & Grill is another recent arrival on Newcastle’s grandest street. Snuggled in a basement space, its menu features the likes of burgers, pizzas, tapas and loaded fries and there’s regular drink deals and live sports on screens throughout the bar.

If it’s a hearty breakfast you’re after, then look no further than Blakes  - a Grey Street veteran and popular destination for local diners. Its breakfast offering is brilliant – think breakfast stotties, smashed avo on toast, and American-style pancakes – and there’s great coffee and tea to wash it down with, plus lunch-friendly faire like salads, soups and sandwiches.

Drink

Grey Street is equally blessed when it comes to drinking haunts, from old school pubs to vibey bars.

Take The Vineyard, a hugely popular wine bar for thirty years, known for its prime location, excellent cocktails and lively weekends when DJs throw down everything from R&B to salsa.

Barluga is the city centre outpost of a small chain and provides a sophisticated and relaxing bar to have a drink. Choose from their large and carefully curated wine list or try some of their cocktails or gins.

100 Grey Street, is Newcastle Theatre Royal’s resident café-bar and an ideal place to pop in for a pre-show tipple or post-show nightcap. It’s open from 11am from Wednesday to Sunday too, so perfect for some for a cuppa and one of their sweet treats too.

Café Mercy, part of an award-winning group of local cocktail joints, is small and intimate and a must-do for cocktail connoisseurs with a long list of seasonal sips and spritzes and small plates to team them with.

If pubs are more your style, Grey Street has some good ones, starting with Fitzgeralds - the flagship of the Sir John Fitzgerald group that marries an excellent location and fine building to some equally fine drinks. Or there’s The Charles Grey, a gem of a pub right by the monument with which it shares its name. It’s big and lively and it has some excellent sofas!

It’s hard to believe All Bar One was a radical concept when the chain started nearly thirty years ago, aiming to make pubs that were more welcoming to women. There’s certainly a demand for them – there’s nearly 60 branches now – and the Grey Street location is always bright and lively, with people taking advantage of the friendly atmosphere and excellent cocktails list.

Arts & Culture

Of course, Grey Street is about more than just indulging: it can be edifying and enriching in other ways too, boasting as it does some fine cultural opportunities.

Foremost – and most obvious, given that its grand façade dominates the top end of Grey Street – is Theatre Royal. This beautiful Grade I-listed theatre plays a big role in the city’s cultural landscape, bringing us everything from touring musical productions to Shakespeare, opera and more.

Just over the road, Castle Fine Art is a branch of the country’s leading art dealer (more than 50 galleries across the nation), offering a bright and vibrant range of contemporary art from big names and local talent.

And right next door is Alexander Millar Fine Art, a relatively recent addition to the city and one of two galleries dedicated to the Scottish-born, North East residing artist - an immensely popular chronicler of nostalgic and romantic northern life.

And if you fancy catching a flick in style, the Newcastle branch of Everyman Cinema has you covered. The boutique cinema chain offers comfy sofa-style seating and food and drink delivered directly to your seat so you can watch all the latest releases in the lap of luxury.

Professional Services

Grey Street has a parallel life to that of eating, drinking and enjoying the arts. In the daytime it’s a thriving business district, with world-class professional services available – from law firms and property experts to banking, marketing companies and consulting.

Samuel Philips Law has been operating for over a century, a full-service law firm providing expert services to private clients, businesses and the public sector. For those seeking help with property, while Bradley Hall offer a one-stop shop property service - from estate agents and mortgages to surveyors and property management.

View from Grey's Monument, (C) NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Public Domain (CC0 1.0)

Similarly, Workman LLP offer a range of services to professional property concerns including property management, acquisitions, energy and sustainability and building technology. The Grey Street office of Bridgfords is one of several Newcastle branches of this near-two centuries old estate agency which offers agency services for renting or buying residential and commercial property.

Pegasus Group are a nationwide and independent development consultancy, offering expertise and advice on everything from infrastructure projects to environmental considerations, while Rathbone Investment Management offers investment and wealth management to private and commercial concerns.

Twist are an award-winning PR and marketing agency operating across a variety of sectors, and finally, Nigel Wright is the North’s leading recruitment consultancy, working to fill permanent and temporary roles in a wide range of specialist sectors.View from Grey's Monument

Grey Street is a much loved part of our city, offering some of the finest restaurants, bars and cultural opportunities in the city whilst also supporting a busy business district. Take some inspiration from our introduction to the Grey Street community and get out exploring this wonderful area of our city.

Main image: Grey's Monument, (C) NewcastleGateshead Initiative / Public Domain (CC0 1.0)