Alfresco dining feels so continental! The bustle of diners chatting, glasses being raised and friends catching up always feels exciting and inviting as socialising spills out of the many excellent restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes onto the streets and terraces.
The rise in alfresco dining, pub garden catch ups and pavement cafe meet ups continues (even up here in the North East!) and we are ready to embrace the longer, lighter evenings in Newcastle and Gateshead with the return of spring and the hope of summer sun.
Whatever the weather, embrace NewcastleGateshead's great outdoors by dining alfresco and catching up with your friends in beer gardens, roof terraces and pavement cafes. If you're looking to go full 'out out deluxe' then check out our guide to rooftop bars in Newcastle here. It's not always Mediterranean (even in summer!) so rest assured if you want to eat outside, there are more restaurants, pubs and cafes than you think across NewcastleGateshead with outdoor seating covered by canopies and welcome patio heaters so you can still enjoy a delicious meal and your favourite tipple outside.
Read on for our guide to beer gardens, roof terraces and alfresco dining in NewcastleGateshead...
The award-winning and independent Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle city centre is a must-visit restaurant on any visit to the toon. Enjoy dining out with a touch of class and book a table in the Cloister Garden. Opened in 2023, the 13th century Cloister Garden is an exciting al fresco dining and drinking space in the city centre! With heated parasols, fire pits, ambient festoon lighting and beautiful planting harmonising with natural wood and stone, it really is the place to be in the sunshine. You can enjoy weekly BBQ or HOG roast events, a cold beer, glass of rose or home-made garden cocktail or two together with some summer tunes and live music.
Dine alfresco in the heart of Newcastle city centre at Fenwick Newcastle's Roof Thirty Nine. The stylish outdoor eating area is available for a refined breakfast of bacon and Gruyere cheese croissants or crushed avocado, lime and chilli on sourdough, lunch time catch ups or early evening drinks. There is a retractable awning and plenty of patio heaters so you will not feel the nip of the northern breeze! Roof Thirty Nine is open from 10am - 8pm Monday to Saturdays and 11am - 7pm on Sundays. Book online here
Gino's on Newcastle Quayside is a must-visit for those looking for stylish Mediterranean vibes - especially if you need somewhere to rest your legs after a Sunday stroll on the Quayside. Head along to Gino's restaurant for a cocktail, Italian coffee and bite to eat. The outdoor terrace area is expansive and feels truly continental!
Come rain or shine, Victors, a glamorous, Instagrammable restaurant on Newcastle's Quayside offers a picture-perfect outdoor area for diners. Its heated conservatory with a fully retractable roof and adaptable glass walls boosts stunning views of the Millennium Bridge and is decorated with hanging wisteria and sage green furnishings.
Stunning Thai restaurant Chaophraya in Eldon Square has a covered rooftop bar and restaurant area as well as bird's eye views of Newcastle city centre and Grey's Monument.
A firm favourite in Newcastle, Kafeneon serves up colourful plates of Greek mezze and some top notch cocktails! The city centre restaurant has expand its outdoor dining area so that even more of you can tuck into their flavour-filled Greek food, alfresco in Newcastle.
Situated on Grey Street, Barluga is a classy bar serving up food and cocktails seven days a week. The city centre bar and restaurant has an impressive (and importantly, covered!) alfresco terrace too. Book a table and sit outside at Barluga where you will be well looked after with electric heaters, blankets and protection from the elements.
The Muddler is a hot ticket in Newcastle and often fully booked. But with a menu inspired by South East Asian cuisine and its proximity to Newcastle Theatre Royal - its easy to see why. The popular restaurant has an outdoor pavement seating area which has some umbrellas as covering (but not in a heavy rain or if blowing a gale).
Ernest is an independent cafe bar in Ouseburn which has some great outdoor seating for dining or just drinks. Brunch is a popular choice at Ernest of a weekend - the versatile cafe bar starts the day serving wholesome hash bowls and huevos rancheros before evolving throughout the day to take in lunches and evening dinners of flatbreads, small plates and grazing platters and running late into the night for revelers who fancy a glass of wine, canned beers or a cocktail.
One of Newcastle and Gateshead's best restaurants, Cook House has a very Instagrammable outdoor roof terrace and dining area which is ideal for relaxed group catch ups. Find out more about Cook House here.
City centre bar, Banyan Newcastle has an outdoor seating area at the foot of Grey's Monument in the centre of Newcastle - right in the midst of all the action! Whatever your reason for being out and about in Newcastle, enjoy socialising with 2-4-1 cocktails seven-days a week! So gather your friends and make a weekend of it.
Livello is a top nightclub and late night bar tucked away on Newcastle Quayside. It's outdoor courtyard area is a great place to sip a cold beer or glass of fizz before taking to the dance floor inside.
There is a small but perfectly formed outdoor seating area at the front of glamourous bar Leila Lily's. Located at the bottom of Grey Street in the heart of Newcastle, the flower-adorned bar brought out patio heaters, parasols and blankets for its outdoor visitors in the winter so you can be sure you'll be looked after when you visit this spring.
If you've not been to Market Shaker for a slice of pizza and a cocktail then what have you been doing? Market Shaker is a popular and lively bar beside Newcastle's Bigg Market which has a great outdoor bar area and often has a big queue to get in. Their outdoor space has fire pits, obligatory twinkly lights and bags of atmosphere.
Horticulture serves brunch, drinks and small bites as well as lunch and main meals in the evening inside their fabulous restaurant. They also have a stylish outdoor terrace which has an abundance of flora and fauna and twinkling lights.
The Botanist in Newcastle is a great place to dine out or enjoy a drink in the centre of Newcastle. They have a covered roof garden and bar area with views of Newcastle city centre and the bustling streets below. Find a nook to cosy up or catch up under the twinkle of lights in The Botantist's atmospheric outdoor terrace.
You might not have realised but Revolucion de Cuba in Newcastle's Cloth Market has an excellent roof terrace complete with canopy so you can enjoy cocktails, Latin-inspired flavours and pretend you're on holiday, all year round! Turn up to find a space for cocktails on the terrace or enjoy a meal indoors (or alfresco) with friends. Tuck into tasty Spanish tapas, Bottomless Brunch, long lunches or learn a trick or two on a Cocktail Masterclass.
At the first whiff of sunshine and lighter evenings, Pitcher and Piano on Newcastle Quayside is flooded by those who want to soak up some vitamin D while enjoying the view of Newcastle's iconic bridges. There is ample outdoor seating, a bustling atmosphere and great views along Newcastle Quayside so expect Pitcher and Piano to be a popular choice.
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