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 June 2022.
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
- Starters and Puds (2008-2010), Krakow (2011-2013) is now The Fat Hippo Underground
- Two Fifths (2014-2015) is now The Continental
- Treacle Moon (?-2007), and Prickly Pear (2007-) is now home of ?
- The Waterline (?-2014), then The Jolly Fisherman is now Tomahawk Steak House
- Rasa Nusantara is now Chili Padi
- Mandarin Restaurant now Mantra Thai
- Cabana Brasilian Barbecue still unoccupied
- The Laundrette lasted less than. year, and is now home to a Nando’s below student flats
- Les Petits Choux give up the business at the end of 2023.
- Luigikhans had a good stint, from 2013(?) right through to being a casualty of the end of the pandemic in 2022
- La Viña, La Tasca, then Viva Brazil and Graze is still unoccupied
- Caffe Vivo is now St. Vincent
- Beeronomy lasted a few years before becoming Castros (2021-)
- Al Buco (2016-2017), and Mr. Petit (2017-2018) became microbar The Wobbly Duck (2021-)
- La Riviera (?-2009), O de V (2009-2012), Southbank Grill (2013-2015) is home of River Beat
- Good one this, the shipping containers on the Quayside housed Barrio Comida, The Little Fishy and firstly Riley’s Fish Shack. Now gone and never coming back.
- Al Volo site is now a convenience store
- Cafe Rouge on Grey Street is now Pizza Punks
- Burger Stop housed Michelin-rated ROUTE for a long time, but sadly they gave up on that restaurant in April 2023.
- The Salsa Cafe is now St. Sushi after that moved from Westgate Road
- Azzuri is now Anneesa’s Buffet
- Big Mussel was a Quayside mainstays for years, but as of 2022 is Hugos. Which has now closed (July 2023) after just less than a year…
- Byron closed its Newcastle site and is now the END flagship at Monument
- The Godfather is now Lola Jeans
- One-Eyed Jacks is now Hoochie Coochie
- The Lodge (2003-2014) is now steak chain Miller & Carter
- Oldfields Newcastle, OAK, Canteen & Cocktails (2015-2016) now sits Colonel Porters
- Rumpoli, The Shilling, and The Victoria Shilling is still empty
- The popular Garage cafe closed sometime post-lockdown and never opened up again.
- Olivianas was taken over by Violets Cafe which closed in 2020 to become the similar Solstice
- Strada and Prezzo Eldon Square sites both went to admin, and are now Big Luke’s
- Solanos (201?-2016), Escobars, Noosh, Rockafella is still unoccupied after A Bit on the Side never seemed to happen
- Good Times Sandwich Co. still unoccupied. Miss you, nice sandwiches
- Cafe Bistro Buee (2010-2012) is now the below
- The Old Siam (2013-?) is now Bangrak Thai
- Osaka (?- July 2017) is now The Muddler
- Popolo, then Bierrex is now confusingly, Intermezzo. And where that used to be, is now Vicolo
- The Living Room is now The Grey Street Hotel
- Barn Asia, Electric East, The Bottle Shop Bar & Kitchen, finally Giraffe Lounge is still unoccupied
- Pasqualinos rebranded to DatBar
- Garden Shed and Garden Kitchen are now The Brownie Bar and Sambucas, respectively
- Flavours Buffet & Al-Rashid Grill now sits My Delhi Newcastle
- Love’s Thai is now Nadon Thai
- Victoria 22, Casa, Hanrahans, Pearl Bar, Charlies and Foodie Burger have all been at the site now occupied by Sambucas Benbenuto
Special mention for The Gate, which has lost over the years (among others I can’t remember):
- Spice Cube
- Ninos
- Est. Est. Est.
- Coast2Coast
- Rub Smokehouse
- BURGER.
Miscellaneous
- Mamak Corner
- Rasoi
- Tenji
- Hei Hei
- Solid beer shop Centrale gave up in May 2023 after a good stint for train tinnies.
- Long Play Coffee
- The Herb Garden (-2019)
- Red’s True BBQ (-2019)
- Paradiso
- Gospoda
- Geisha closed from its spot in Sandyford in 2023 citing a dispute with the council
- Nova Seafood & Grill (-2018)
- Hop & Cleaver (-2018)
- The Gentleman
- Rupali
- Mannys Pizzeria
- Elder & Wolf had a good stint in Whitley Bay but closed for good in September 2023.
- Tapas Revolution tried again in the Metrocentre following its Eldon Square incarnation but couldn’t make that work either
- Ticino’s
- Cal’s Own is set to open as Kennedy & Rhind
- Kracklin’ closed forever during the Covid-19 pandemic, came back as Square
- Patisserie Valerie (-2019)
- Jamie’s Italian (-2019) is now bar Banyan
- Kingdom World Buffet
- The Grainger Rooms
- The Split Chimp micro-pub closed quickly in September 2023, citing rising costs.
- The Comfort Food Company (?-2008)
- Ninja Burger @ No. 28
- Scrump Willow & Singing Kettle
- Pizza al Taglio
- Humpit Hummus couldn’t make their Newcastle Uni site work
- Some Like it Hot
Outside of Newcastle
- Baba Yaga
- BLK Coffee
- Good Food Guide appearing DH1 and Bistro 21, Durham
- Caffe Zonzo
- Byron at Metrocentre
- Baobab Bakery and Dirt Health (Chilingham Road)
- Lost & Found (Heaton Road)
- McCoys at The Baltic
- Black Door Brasserie / NE2 Food Social / Artisan
- The Tower Cafe (moved!) & Mustang S’ally (Ouseburn)
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.