Night on the Toon – restaurants, bars and culture in Newcastle

Whether you’re after craft beer or classy cocktails, Newcastle has some great drinking spots for partying or chilling out. We love…

• Pleased to Meet You calls itself ‘Newcastle’s famous gin palace’. The setting is elegant in a Great Gatsby way, the crowd sassy and dressed up and the gin cocktails incredibly showbiz. It’s perfectly positioned for a bar crawl too. Find Pleased to Meet You on High Bridge Quarter  

• The Bridge Tavern lets its beer do the talking. There’s a microbrewery on the premises – the giant copper brewing vats in plain sight. And aside from its own brews, there are some great guest ales to sample. Perfect for a quiet pint. Find The Bridge Tavern beneath the Tyne Bridge  

• The Town Wall is perfect for a cool drink by the station.  Loved by hipsters and arty types,it’s all quirky retro furniture and kitsch accessories. The beer is proper good – from Peroni and Liefmans Strawberry on draught to a smattering of choice real ales. Find The Town Wall on Pink Lane.

Whether you’re craving suave and sophisticated or a pub-crawl pit-stop, Newcastle has some great places to eat out. We love…

• Zapatista Burrito Bar is the place to go for spicy Mexican. Perhaps unsurprisingly it does Burritos, but these are not just any old burrito. Choose a soft tortilla or a crispy taco, then add your filling– spicy shredded beef, anyone? – then lather in your choice of salsa, roll up your sleeves and dig in. Find Zapatista on Ridley Place

• St Sushi is the place for (you guessed it) authentic Japanese sushi. Our resident Geordie tells us this place is ‘very Newcastle’ and loved by locals. It specialises in a dizzying array of sushi dishes but also plates up Japanese grub like curry and soup noodles. The signature soy sauce, made on site, is out of this world. Find St Sushi on Westgate Road
• Peace and Loaf is one for foodies. Local seasonal ingredients with modern cheffy touches abound. Head chef Dave Coulson worked alongside Michel Roux Jnr, and even competed on MasterChef: The Professionals, so he knows his onions. The duck breast with liver, peach, pistachio, eel and feta is a taste sensation. The Sunday lunch is OMG too… Find Peace & Loaf in leafy Jesmond

• Catch a gig at the O2 Academy

Get down and dirty with a gig at iconic Newcastle music venue, the Academy. Embrace the mosh-pit and rock out or stand at the back and nod your head to the eclectic mix of tribute acts, new bands and bona fide legends. With the likes of Chas and Dave and All Saints alongside the Arctic Monkeys, there’s something for everyone.

What’s on at the O2 Academy?

• Enjoy traditional music in the futuristic Glasshouse

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a magnificent building. It’s big and shiny and curvy, like a spaceship that’s landed on the banks of the Tyne. But step inside and you’ll hear mostly traditional music – it’s the base of the Royal Northern Sinfonia orchestra, which performs often. For something cooler and less highbrow check 

What's on at The Glasshouse?

• At Victoria Tunnel, you can walk beneath the streets of Newcastle following a 19^th century wagon-way. The wagons carried coal along the tunnel from a local colliery to the river in the 1800s. Why not take a stroll back in time with a guided tour?

One thing, though – they only do an evening tour on Thursdays at 6pm.

Book a tour of the Victoria Tunnel