Top 20 Bars in NewcastleGateshead

It is a well-known fact that NewcastleGateshead has a lively and vibrant nightlife. Whatever your preference, there is a bar to suit you. With new and exciting hotspots popping up all the time in Newcastle, you are never short of a new place to sip your cocktail, nurse a cold craft beer or pop open a bottle of prosecco. 

Whittling all the Newcastle and Gateshead bars down to a pithy top list is a challenge – but we have given it a go. We’ve created a list of 20 bars in Newcastle that we think you really must check out when you next visit Newcastle.

You can find a guide to our top 13 pubs in Newcastle and Gateshead here too.  

Located right in the heart of the city, Banyan is perfectly positioned right next to Grey's Monument and it is hard to pass by without being tempted to go into the bar. The unique and eye catching interior draws you in and the great deals and delicious cocktails mean you are bound to stay in the bar for maybe one too many! The bar oozes personality and captures the spirit of Newcastle perfectly. 

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Tickets is situated inside The Old Ticket Office building on Neville Street and is the perfect spot for a cocktail or two. The venue has been completely transformed into a space designed to be perfect for any occasion, from intimate drinks with a loved one, a catch up with family and friends or simply a cosy place to relax and enjoy a drink. The venue has maintained and restored original features from the historical Victorian building, including the period pattern 1920’S terrazzo floor. The bar is also very close to Central Station for anyone who is visiting Newcastle by train. 

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The Hooch is a bar and café on the picturesque Newcastle Quayside.  The venue offers a wide range of wines, spirits, signature cocktails and excellent coffee. They also have a menu consisting of delicious local food. Spend hours people watching from the large glass windows overlooking the bustling Quayside, all while listening to an array of jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop and Reggae music. 

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97 & Social is a Newcastle bar on leafy Osbourne Road on the edge of the city centre. It is one of the many popular bars situated on the go-to social hub in nearby suburb, Jesmond. 97 & Social has a creative cocktail menu, a friendly vibe and, if you feeling like spicing up an traditional Afternoon Tea – you can even indulge in a signature Tipsy Tea and sip your exotic cocktail from the finest of china! Choose from indoor or outdoor spaces and make sure to pop along for a Sunday Lunch one weekend as they are excellent! 

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Step into a whimsical world; a tavern, a botanical garden, a rhum bar just up from the iconic Quayside. Colonel Porter’s decor can only be described as eclectic… when you have a vintage cocktail firmly in your hand or a tipple of rum on your lips, the menagerie of stuffed animal heads and assortment of colour, fabrics, lights and ornaments will whirl into a maelstrom of good vibes! Colonel Porter’s is a delight for all the senses. Enjoy regular live music and DJ events throughout the year at Colonel Porter’s which is a great stopping point in the middle of the well-trodden path between the bustling Quayside bar and restaurant offering and the many city centre bars. If you're planning on hiking up Dean Street, you'll deserve a well-earned stop off at Colonel Porter's along the way!

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This swanky and sophisticated bar has transformed one of Newcastle’s most historic Grade II listed buildings into a contemporary bar with a difference. Pleased To Meet You is a popular choice situated on High Bridge; the cobbled street linking Grey Street with the Bigg Market is a well known stylish food and drink hub. Stunning décor, high-quality food, quieter booths and nooks for having a good catch up well as somewhere to get you ready for a night of dancing, Pleased To Meet You’s inviting atmosphere will see you return again and again. Be sure to visit for their two for £12 cocktail happy hour from 3pm-7pm Monday to Friday. 

Add The Botanist Newcastle to your bar-hopping schedule if only to soak up the vibrant atmosphere and take in the views. Under a vast domed ceiling, star-studded with thousands of twinkling lights, The Botanist is a popular venue. The central bar is beneath an elvish tree which looks like it belongs in an enchanted forest. Head out to the roof terrace and take in unrivalled views overlooking Newcastle’s famous Grey Street. The Botanist’s imaginative cocktails are served in creative ways – who doesn’t love drinking a cocktail from a watering can?! Regular acoustic nights and live performances ensure that The Botanist masters both the chilled atmosphere for early evening catch ups and a livelier soundtrack for the party-goer’s night in Newcastle.

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Alvino’s manages to be uber-trendy without being pretentious. Revellers can rock up in jeans and t-shirt or full on glad rags ready to go “out-out.” Offering a great range of craft beers as well as cocktails – Alvino’s caters for all tastes. Punters can enjoy their drinks across a number of floors, inside or out and stop off to play a game on the football table. Alvino’s promise the best music from local DJs to play you through your visit; lose yourself to every type of music genre from funk and soul to “minimal twinkling techno.” Intriguing!

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Just around the corner from the famous Bigg Market, Mother Mercy is an intimate and friendly bar beneath the city's most historic pub - the Old George. Descend the steps into this trendy, cellar bar and enjoy at seat service from knowledgeable staff who are passionate about their impressive wine list and upmarket cocktails.

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Café Mercy is Mother Mercy's fifth venue in the North East, a popular name on the cocktail scene which has been recently recognised as one of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK. Nestled in the heart of Grey Street, Café Mercy offers the laid-back allure of Ibiza and the timeless charm of Mediterranean chic.

Occupying an iconic location on one of the most beautiful streets in Europe, Café Mercy transports guests to a realm of sophisticated delights and impeccable aesthetics. Café Mercy boasts an enticing cocktail menu offering a range of their signature and new cocktails creations, including their famous and hugely popular Spritzes. Highlights from the menu include their Santorini Spritz; a Beefeater blood orange gin, with rose, almond, blood orange soda and Prosecco.

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By day, Ernest is a must-visit cafe for brunch and coffee catch ups but by night, the cafe bar takes it up a notch to set the mood for a night of music and cocktails. Ernest is found in Ouseburn which is often referred to as the creative quarter of Newcastle. Informal and inclusive, head down to Ernest for a cocktail, glass of wine or your pick of the bottled and draught beers. DJ sets create the atmosphere and there is space both inside and outside to while away the evening catching up with friends.  

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The Grove is a bar and live music venue in Byker. Offering delicious cocktails, a terrace and a space perfect to discover your next favourite band, the venue has quickly become the place to visit. The venue has a 400 person capacity music hall which is fitted with a L’Acoustics System, meaning you are in for a treat if you like a live soundtrack for your night out. Open until late, continue your evening well after the last chord is played as resident and guest DJs fill the venue with good vibes.

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Zerox brings a unique vibe to the Quayside. Located just near the Swing Bridge, the brightly coloured bar is perfect for those who want a boogie. The bar is open till late and has happy hour seven days a week, so is great for anyone who wants to go out on a budget. If you get peckish, head next door for some vegan Mexican scran at Cantina. 

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Good wine, good food and cosy vibes make St Vincent a must visit bar in Newcastle. Inspired by places in France and Italy, it is a great place for friends to hang out and enjoy food and drinks. The offering is carefully curated; a selection of small plates for sharing, wines from small producers, a few cocktail classics plus beautiful hand-crafted charcuterie and cheeses. Pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy one of Newcastle's more sophisticated watering holes. 

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Leila Lily's is a floral paradise at the bottom of Grey Street in the heart of Newcastle. The bar is an Instagrammer's dream and serves up a creative menu of cocktails against a slick backdrop of mid-century modern style and accompanied by live music.

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Want to visit a bar with a twist? Four Quarters is an arcade bar located on Dean Street. The bar is filled with a variety of original arcade machines and classic gaming consoles and a menu consisting of a wide range of cocktails and local craft beer. If you’re hungry, they also offer delicious pizza, with veggie and vegan options.

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Fancy a cocktail in a toilet? Hear us out... WC Newcastle is one of the city's hidden gems and certainly a quirky venue for a night out. WC is quite literally a bar in the historic site of Victorian public toilets underneath Newcastle's Bigg Market; one of the most bustling areas of Newcastle nightlife. Despite a rather 'functional' past, WC Newcastle has been transformed into a sophisticated wine and cocktail bar oozing class with dedicated evenings including Wine Wednesdays, live music events and more to add style to the intimate setting. Sip cocktails, survey an array of wines and enjoy live music with a select crowd.

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For a lively slice of something different, head to Blues Café beside Newcastle's Bigg Market. The bar recently opened in Newcastle and describes itself as a 'rough and ready Mississippi blues bar'. Situated over two floors, soak up the heat of Southern Soul, sip cold beer and cocktails while vibing to live Rhythm and Blues. Sports fans are invited to Blues Cafe to share the big matches with other supporters too.  

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No visit to the Ouseburn Valley is complete without a drink at The Tyne Bar. Located beneath the Glasshouse Bridge where the River Ouse meets the Tyne, it is one of Ouseburn’s more popular haunts. The pub boasts free live music events, craft beers, artisan coffee, food promos and a legendary beer garden beneath the bridge.

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Tucked away along a side street on the edge of Newcastle city centre is Horticulture - an excellent restaurant and bar that sparkles with fairy lights and disco balls. An informal space overflowing with plants and greenery, Horticulture is a great choice for anyone looking to have a chat after work or needs an intimate meeting point for a date. The small plates are fresh, flavour-filled and perfect accompaniments to the impressive cocktail menu. If Espresso Martinis are your thing then your mind will be a buzzing when you see their extensive choice of variations on the popular cocktail. As anyone in the know - Horticulture is a trendy, chilled and must-visit independent bar. 

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