Newcastle's closed Restaurants

Newcastle’s Closed Restaurants

It’s tough going opening a new restaurant in Newcastle…

Every year, many open up, all singing and dancing, and expensive PR launches, and are gone within a year. A lot of people are still looking for them, unaware that they’re gone, and I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for others, so here’s a record of some which I remember.

Last updated Sep 2025.

NE1 / Newcastle City Centre Restaurants that have closed

  • 21 Queen Street, then Pan Haggerty (2011-2014), and The Fish Market (2015-2016) is now Dobson & Parnell
  • Akbar’s was near Central Station for the longest time, but closed. You can now find it at the former home of Luigikhan’s, which had a good stint, from 2013(?) right through to being a casualty of the end of the pandemic in 2022
  • Al Buco (2016-2017), and Mr. Petit (2017-2018) became microbar The Wobbly Duck (2021-)
  • Al Volo site is now a convenience store
  • Azzuri is now Anneesa’s Buffet
  • Barn Asia, Electric East, The Bottle Shop Bar & Kitchen, finally Giraffe Lounge is still unoccupied
  • Beeronomy lasted a few years before becoming Castros (2021-)
  • Big Fat Donut Co couldn’t last the fourth year on the Gateshead arches and closed May 2025. Nearby The Rested Ghoul, was that ever gonna work?
  • Big Mussel was a Quayside mainstay for years, but as of 2022 is Hugos. Which has now closed (July 2023) after just less than a year…
  • Burger Eat Sleep Repeat (didn’t last two minutes, closed October 2022)
  • Burger Stop actually did a pretty damn good burger. It then housed Michelin-rated ROUTE for a long time, but sadly they gave up on that restaurant in April 2023. It’s now Greek restaurant Salparo.
  • Byron closed its Newcastle site and is now the END flagship at Monument
  • Cabana Brasilian Barbecue, is now The Gym
  • Cafe Bistro Buee (2010-2012) was a nice French cafe, now Solstice
  • Cafe Rouge on Grey Street is now Pizza Punks
  • Cafe Royal closed after a long stint in 2020, soon to be Mowgli
  • Cafe Rustico on Benfield Rd was highly regarded but closed late 2024.
  • Caffe Vivo is now St. Vincent
  • Cal’s Own Holly Ave. opened as Kennedy & Rhind (which then closed/pivoted a fair bit to wholesale sometime 2022-ish). Cal’s Own Acorn Road became a dodgy pizza takeaway.
  • Canaca
  • Chillipepper was one of my fave sandwich shops, closed in Covid and the team now runs a street food venture Truly Torta
  • Deli Churro’s gave progression from street food to a Ridley Place full-site a good go, but closed in Q2 2025.
  • Delta Lounge / the whole Alpha Delta Brewing Co closed with a tenancy dispute in Feb 2023, weird situation where the whole brewery closed later that year
  • Deep North is expanding fast but the Dean Street location was probably too pricey and shut December 2025.
  • Eat4Less lasted a long time on Northumberland Street, but closed unexpectedly in 2025.
  • Eden Juice Bar one of many, didn’t last long
  • Filmore & Union was a chain with an outlet in Central Station, disappeared
caffe vivo fish stew
Miss you Caffe Vivo! At least it’s replacement it’s a good ‘un
  • Flavours Buffet & Al-Rashid Grill now sits My Delhi Newcastle
  • Foda, the Papa Ganoush spin-off cafe in Whitley Bay, sadly give up in September 2025
  • Frankie & Benny’s off Northumberland Street, see ya
  • Garden Shed became The Brownie Bar (closed 2020) and Garden Kitchen ended up a Sambuca’s (until the whole thing was sold off)
  • George’s Kitchen closed (twice) before becoming Wingstop in Eldon Square
  • Glass House was a bar on Grey St, quite liked it but dodgy dealings closed it
  • The shipping containers on the Quayside housed Barrio Comida, The Little Fishy and firstly Riley’s Fish Shack. Now gone and never coming back.
  • The Earl of Pit Street closed suddenly in Q1 2025
  • Good Times Sandwich Co. still unoccupied. Miss you, nice sandwiches
  • Gospoda
  • Gusto had a long stint on the Quayside, is now gone. It’s now Victors.
  • Hei Hei – is now Soju & Gogi
  • Hop & Cleaver (-2018)
  • Horticulture had a good stint in town and then Whitley Bay, alongside El Guapo, but closed suddenly in April 2025.
  • Humpit Hummus couldn’t make their Newcastle Uni site work
  • Intermezzo, closed to make way for NQ64
  • Island Poke didn’t last long at the monument (sadly) and became Knoops
  • Jamie’s Italian (-2019) is now bar Banyan
  • Kingdom World Buffet at Haymarket, infamously took a bad food hygiene rating and never opened as a restaurant again
  • Ko Sai made way for Porterhouse
  • Kracklin’ closed forever during the Covid-19 pandemic, came back as Square
  • KC Square Cafe on Leazes Lane was a victim of 2025
  • La Riviera (?-2009), O de V (2009-2012), Southbank Grill (2013-2015) is home of River Beat (also now closed)
  • La Viña, La Tasca, then Viva Brazil and Graze is now Abajo Bar & Grill (I don’t give it til then end of 2025)
  • La Yuan was a great Chinese restaurant, closed Nov 21
  • Lau’s 202 Buffet became very similar COSMO World Buffet, same shite
  • Les Petits Choux gave up the business at the end of 2023
  • Leila Lily’s suddenly closed in March 2025
  • Little Bao Boy tried a stint in a weird spot in town, didn’t work out
  • Long Play Coffee
  • Love’s Thai is now Nadon Thai
  • Magic Hat Cafe had a good run but was forced to close in November 2025.
  • Mamak Corner
  • Mandarin Restaurant now Mantra Thai
  • Manny’s Pizzeria, now The Little Dumpling House
  • Marios on Pudding Chare was there for yonks until 2022
  • Mmm… a former popular Grainger Market tenant
  • Ninja Burger was a short-lived No. 28 pop-up
  • Northern Juice Co. on High Bridge didn’t last ages
  • Nova Seafood & Grill (-2018)
  • Oldfields Newcastle, OAK, Canteen & Cocktails (2015-2016) now sits Colonel Porters
  • Olivianas was taken over by Violets Cafe which closed in 2020 to become Solstice
  • One-Eyed Jacks became Hoochie Coochie, now rebranded as PILGRIM
  • Ophelia couldn’t make its site on Gosforth work sadly, a real loss. See also Cafeteria, which is a shame and a big loss for the region
  • Osaka (?- July 2017) is now The Muddler
  • Paradiso
  • Pasqualinos rebranded to DatBar
  • Pasta Station lasted three years on NCL Central platform before closing mid-2025
  • Patisserie Valerie (-2019) became Cinnabon. Lasted less than two years and closed September 2025.
  • Peace & Loaf, one of my favouties, has closed in Sep 2025 after 12 years in its Jesmond spot.
  • Piccolino
  • Pizza al Taglio
  • Pizzastorm was a poor chain in Eldon Square for a while
  • Popolo, then Bierrex is now confusingly, Intermezzo. And where that used to be, is now Vicolo
  • Prohibition Bar moved to the city centre from its Gateshead arch home, but closed again in Summer 2025.
  • Pudding Parlour was a former Grainger Market tenant
  • Purple Bear – average burgers off Northumberland St
  • Quilliam Brothers — changed hands and is now Claremont Teahouse
  • Quiznos had a very short stint on Northumberland St.
  • Rasoi
  • Rasa Nusantara is now Chili Padi
  • Red’s True BBQ (-2019)
  • Rossopomodoro / The John Lewis restaurant has had many, many guises. Think it’s now a fully John Lewis owned and operated offering.
  • Rumpoli, The Shilling, and The Victoria Shilling is still empty
  • Rupali
  • Scrumpy Willow and The Singing Kettle was cute little cafe on Clayton St, then board game cafe Meeple Perk (victim of the pandemic), now Tonkin Cafe
  • Solid beer shop Centrale gave up in May 2023 after a good stint for train tinnies. Back as a Wobbly Duck venture in 2025.
  • Some Like it Hot
burger stop big cheese
Burger Stop actually did a pretty damn good burger
  • Solanos (201?-2016), Escobars, Noosh, Rockafella, is now Hula Co bar-cum-restaurant
  • Starters and Puds (2008-2010), Krakow (2011-2013) is now The Fat Hippo Underground
  • Talking Tides Brew Co. opened a taproom for about four days in Central Station with a pizza offering, weird.
  • Tapas Revolution tried again in the Metrocentre following its Eldon Square incarnation but couldn’t make that work either
  • Tenji
  • TGI Fridays closed when the whole thing exploded in September 2024
  • The Comfort Food Company (?-2008)
  • The Gentleman is now Hibou Blanc
  • The Godfather is now Lola Jeans
  • The Grainger Rooms
  • The Herb Garden (-2019)
  • The Laundrette lasted less than a year, and is now home to a Nando’s below student flats
  • The Living Room is now The Grey Street Hotel
  • The Old Siam (2013-?) is now Bangrak Thai
  • The Salsa Cafe is now St. Sushi after that moved from Westgate Road
  • The Split Chimp micro-pub closed quickly in September 2023, citing rising costs.
  • The Waterline (?-2014), then The Jolly Fisherman is now Tomahawk Steak House
  • Ticino’s
  • Trakol was a favourite, give up in early 2024 as part of the Tyne Brigade restoration. Sister sandwich & coffee shop Backyard Bike Shop followed not long after, both missed.
  • Treacle Moon (?-2007), and Prickly Pear (2007-) is now home of Solstice
  • Two Fifths (2014-2015) is now The Continental (closed 2024) and is The Vampire Rabbit
  • Ugot was a juice/healthy eating place
  • Victoria 22, Casa, Hanrahans, Pearl Bar, Charlies and Foodie Burger have all been at the site now occupied by Sambucas Benbenuto
  • Vietcafe on the corner of the Bigg Market, now Wendy’s
  • Waiting Rooms was alright, now Be at One
  • Yo! Sushi Grainger St closed in late 2024 to make way for Pho
  • You Are What You Eat was open for all of a few weeks before it was seemingly evicted
electric east (featured)
Is it impossible to make the Electric East site work?

Special mention for The Gate, which has lost over the years (among others I can’t remember):

  • Spice Cube
  • Ninos
  • Gecko
  • ZaZa Bazaar
  • Est. Est. Est.
  • Coast2Coast
  • Rub Smokehouse
  • BURGER.

Outside of Newcastle

  • Allard’s on the Quay (closed 2018)
  • Baba Yaga
  • Barburrito, Metrocentre
  • Barrio Comida very, very sadly closed in November 2024 with its counterparts Wishbone and the fantastic La Mesa
  • Bear & Natural Kitchen, Heaton Road
  • Bistro Citron Vert was fairly highly regarded in Durham but closed in late 2023
  • Black Door Brasserie / NE2 Food Social / Artisan
  • Black’s Corner had a good spot for along time in Boldon, they’re focussing efforts elsewhere after expansion.
  • BLK Coffee
  • Bonded Warehouse (suppose Sheepfolds is a spiritual successor)
  • Byron at Metrocentre
  • Caffe Zonzo
  • Canny milkshakes went into administration, sadly
  • Catch Seafood became Tomahawk Ponteland for a bit, now also closed
  • Celebrus (Darlington) seemed alright, closed though
  • Cole Kitchen in Sunderland was a great cafe that had disputes with the council and closed 2024.
  • Doppio Malto (Metrocentre)
  • Dirt Health (Chillingham Road)
  • Ed’s Easy Diner, dire chain that didn’t last long in the Metrocentre
  • El Paso, piss poor tacos in Jesmond
  • Eli’s Bakery was really good, give up the ghost in 2026
  • Elder & Wolf had a good stint in Whitley Bay but closed for good in September 2023
  • Eleven became Bawn which then closed in 2024
  • Fitness Kitchen, Jesmond
  • Fork in the Rose had a good stint on Heaton Road before giving up in 2025
  • Funky Tapas Indian Sunderland
  • Geisha closed from its spot in Sandyford in 2023 citing a dispute with the council
  • Good Food Guide appearing DH1 and Bistro 21, Durham
  • Harissa, great CIC restaurant that closed in Jesmond, made way for Little Lobo
  • Heaton Ingredient
  • Hide has just gotten a place in the Michelin Guide, and shut soon after — the group opens and closes restaurants fast — currently working on the old Hjem site, I believe.
  • The Herb Garden (North Shields Marina) as well as the main Newcastle restaurant, both closed
  • Jack Sprats (veggie and vegan) in Heaton became Baobab Bakery in 2013/14 (also now closed)
  • Lost & Found (Heaton Road)
  • Mod Pizza, was another ‘all you can top’ Metrocentre chain
  • McCoys at The Baltic
  • Papa Ganoush Whitley Bay was also a late 2024 victim, though may be back in some shape or form
  • Patties has been on and off in Heaton for yonks, still off
  • The Patricia closed to shift focus on Ophelia
  • Postbox Ponteland
  • Ritrovo pizza joint in South Shields closed in March 2023
  • River Cafe North Shields, closed maybe in 2018
  • Ro didn’t work out for the Rebel team and closed sadly in 2025. Reopened mid-2025 as Mortal Wombat.
  • Sapori in Gateshead was well regarded but a crap location, shit in 2025.
  • Simplicity Cafe Gosforth
  • Sky Apple Cafe, Wild Trapeze, also Heaton cafes
  • Staith House was a real loss for North Shields and the Fish Quay
  • Sugar and Slice, a good pizza gaff in Whitley Bay. Now something very similar there.
  • The Tower Cafe (moved!) & Mustang S’ally (Ouseburn)
  • Thali Tray closed its Arch 2 site, before moving to Beam House, and in 2025, to Sandyford, but relaunching as Tadka, and a coffee shop Kaapi, couldn’t save the business, which is now closed

Any forgotten gems/horrors from the past? If this has ignited your nostalgia, send over any I’ve forgotten, send them over and I’ll add them to this list.