9 Must-Visit New Venues in Newcastle

Dakwala, Grainger Street

This brilliantly original take on Mumbai street food is full of surprises – from the genuinely original and cleverly structured menus to the themed cocktails – and is all part of Rajiv Tiwari’s homage to his home town. As our recent interview showed, Rajiv is full of ideas and enthusiasm and you can literally taste it in some of the quirky dishes offered alongside more trad options. The décor is great, the vibe is low-key, the food is delicious and surprisingly great value. Dakwala is a winner.

Hula Co, Side

The latest addition to the Side bar scene is Hula Co, which we think is also Newcastle’s first Hawaiian themed venue. Opened by the team behind Twenty Twenty, Hula Co offers Hawaiian street food (think poke bowls, chicken marinated in pineapple and a variety of Asian influences from Korea to Japan) and a long and impressive cocktail list (big on citrus, daiquiris and strong fruity flavours). There’s a range of bottomless brunches available and the whole venture is a novel addition to the city's dining scene.

Tortuga, Sandhill

Another new themed bar has gone full pirate – Tortuga is a recent Quayside arrival with a deep commitment to the skull’n’crossbones and seafarin’ end of things, including lots and lots of rum! There are fishbowl cocktails and literal treasure chests of shots, and as well as live entertainment at weekends and all sorts of drinks offers, you can learn all about Edward Robinson the Geordie Pirate. Wey-aaaarrrrr!

Motel Mexicana, Mosley Street

As we described in our recent feature, Motel Mexicana is riding the wave of interest in all things Mexican / Latin American and has turned the former site of Bijoux into a vibey, tequila-drenched party in a bar.  There are tacos and quesadillas, margaritas and an array of tequilas, DJs and Latin bottle shows, with plans for a motel and rooftop bar by next summer.

Street Food Sri Lanka, Grainger Market

A fine and novel addition to the Grainger Market scene is Street Food Sri Lanka, a new venture from the team behind the magnificent URY on Queen Street. This new café serves up authentic and tasty Sri Lankan food – an under-represented cuisine in Newcastle and indeed most of the UK – and although it’s only been open a couple of weeks, it’s already gaining acclaim for the vivid, fresh, tasty dishes on offer, from vegetable roti to lamb lamprais.

Social Bird, Fenkle Street

Another new venue we featured recently is Social Bird, a new take on the hotel bar and workspace. Housed in Hotel Indigo on Fenkle Street, the place is a relaxing, tasteful mix of chicken-focused restaurant, coffee shop and deli and co-working space. So you can feast on some chicken tenders or burgers, grab some fine coffee and cake and work on a new presentation, all without leaving the premises.

Bird & Blend, Grainger Street

Moving away from bars and restaurants, a new shop recently opened in town is Bird & Blend, an independently owned temple to all things tea. Run along determinedly ethical and community-minded lines, the store boasts more than 100 blends of loose leaf tea blends, often full of fruit and flavour. They also sell matcha, gift sets, accessories, syrups and more. 

The Pattern Shop, Sussex Street

A key element of the impressive Founders Place Regeneration Scheme, The Pattern Shop is a brand new development offering office and creative space to a range of SMEs, provided with eco-conscious cutting edge tech throughout to make it a distinctly modern workplace contained within one of Stevenson’s former industrial workshops: a perfect blend of industry and innovation. The Pattern Shop is just an example of the kind of developments taking place in that part of the city, with some very exciting projects on the way.

Mr Bao, Pilgrim Street

Bao buns seem to be all the rage at the moment, and if you're a fan you'll want to check out Mr Bao on Pilgrim Street. The Hong Kong-style cafe is a haven of all things bao (as its name suggests!) and offers an array of delicious fillings including spicy chicken, roast pork char sui and black salted egg custard. They serve dim sum, dumplings and rice bowls too and their bubble tea is a perfectly refreshing accompaniment to their food.

Newcastle is constantly changing, and there’ll probably be something new popping up as you read this, perhaps just as innovative as a Hawaiian bar, a Sri Lankan street food joint or a remarkable tea shop. So watch this space…