Despite only discovering my love for coffee relatively recently, I now spend a lot of time searching for the best flat white, the best iced latte and the strongest pot of tea for my wife. With weekends often spent cafe-hopping (with a baby in tow), I’ve finally been able to pull together a guide to the best cafes in Newcastle.
Up until about 2022 I was not a fan of coffee. I desperately wanted to be but no matter what variation of coffee I tried, it just wasn’t for me. If a hot drink was to be ordered it was green tea or peppermint tea. I just could not do it. Whilst waiting patiently for the arrival of our baby girl, I thought if I’m going to be tired all the time, could I not at least learn to love coffee as a little pick-me-up. Tired but wired.
On my first trip to Horticulture in Newcastle, I’m not sure what came over me (it must have been the smell of freshly made espresso) but I randomly ordered a flat white and fell in love immediately. How on earth could I not have loved coffee? I’ve no idea what happened, maybe your taste buds change as you get older (the thirties are good for some things), but suddenly I’d found my drink. No more ordering green tea.
With a newborn baby, times have certainly changed and you’re much more likely to find me hunting out the next best café than the best bar or pub! Don’t get me wrong I will always love a day out on the beers but the last few months have been spent in cafes, drinking coffee and eating brunch, with a baby in tow. I found myself today rating baby changing facilities; Jesus Jamie, times have definitely changed.
Anyway, enough about me. This article is the culmination of exploring Newcastle’s quieter side and checking out as many cafes as possible. This isn’t just a hunt for the best coffee but also the best places for brunch or something light to eat; my experience of the best cafes in Newcastle.
A GUIDE TO THE BEST CAFES IN NEWCASTLE
Burds
We start this guide by heading out to Jesmond and this beautiful little cafe, Burds, housed in a unique Gatehouse building. We drove up to Burds especially with our (now two) little girls and Chester the cockapoo for some brunch and much needed coffee. We didn’t want to walk too far so we parked on the street outside for a couple of quid, which was a little strange, but I soon forgot about that cost once we were sat down.
Emma and I shared two meals; one savoury and one sweet to get the best of both worlds. ‘The Muff’ first where a fresh muffin is filled with sausage patty, bacon, fried egg, hash brown, cheese and ketchup. Unreal. Next we went for the Strawberry French Toast with sourdough, vanilla mascarpone, macerated strawberry, hibiscus syrup and basil. Also, unreal.
I highly recommend Burds, it’s definitely an iconic spot and one of the best cafes in Newcastle.
Pumphrey’s Coffee
Deep in Newcastle’s Grainger Market lies Pumphreys Coffee which has been roasting its own coffee since 1750. If you ask anyone where to find the best coffee in Newcastle, they’ll very likely say here. You can purchase freshly ground coffee beans here as well as grabbing your favourite coffee to take away. The recently completed renovation of the Grainger Market has allowed Pumphrey’s to move to a new, much larger, location though rest assured, it still retains all of its charm and continues to deliver the best coffee in Newcastle and perhaps even the North East.
Neighbourhood Coffee
A relatively new addition to the café scene in Newcastle, you’ll find Neighbourhood Coffee opposite the Great North Museum: Hancock (now one of my favourite things to do in Newcastle) around a 15 minute walk from the Grey’s Monument/five minutes from the Haymarket metro station. It’s part of North Shore Coffee brand and adds a more central location (the other Neighbourhood Coffee being out in Heaton). This is an extremely popular place with students from both universities – there’s amphitheatre style seating around two edges of the main room (don’t worry there are tables too) which does bring a relaxed, community vibe to the space.
In terms of the drinks, it’s pretty simple with hot and cold coffees, not coffees and matcha lattes. I was really interested in the iced oat matcha that you serve yourself from a tap – pretty cool and it tasted incredible too. The pastries are excellent, the pain au chocolat in particular, and I’ve heard great things about the toasties. I really like this café, one of my favourites and I really hope it continues to thrive over the coming years.
Tiny Tiny (formerly Flat Caps Coffee)
Kicking us off is probably my favourite cafe in Newcastle; Tiny Tiny. It’s been around since 2010 in its guise as Flat Caps Coffee and almost certainly is one of the founders of the coffee scene in the city. In 2019, it was ranked within England’s top 50 independent cafes! You’ll find Tiny Tiny a 5 minute walk from Pilgrim Street and the Swan House Roundabout. I think if it was right on the main streets of Newcastle it might have lost its relaxed and welcoming vibe. This is a place where the coffee is incredible, the food is somehow even better and, on top of that, they are happy for dogs and kids to come along too. You can even bring a laptop and get some work done for a few hours. It is really chilled here.
A special mention to the food too, I promise you won’t be disappointed. My favourites so far have been the Celeriac Shwarma Flatbread and then the Maple Pork Belly, Black Pudding, Fried Egg and Potato Cake.
Vicolo by Tyneside Cinema
Within the 1930’s Art Deco Tyneside Cinema you’ll find Vicolo, a cosy café and cocktail bar perfect for a pre-screening drink or a quiet place to escape the crowds during the week. The coffee is absolutely beautiful and I could easily see myself spending more time here over the colder months. There’s a bigger bar/cafe next door, also part of Tyneside Cinema, but I’ve only been to Vicolo so far.
Lagom Speciality Coffee Bar
Hidden down a small alley off a non-descript Newcastle backstreet, Lagom Speciality Coffee Bar is a scandi haven for for top quality coffee (brought to you by Fika in Durham). ‘Lagom’ means “not too little, not too much, just right” in Swedish and “fika” represents a coffee break. This is the perfect place to chill out whether you’re a student looking to catch up on some uni work, interview potential job candidates (yes, we saw this) or try and navigate the mornings with a newborn baby (us…). You can guarantee that you’ll have great coffee here as well as fresh sweet treats. The coffee was that good I had a latte followed by a flat white and felt jittery the entire day. I just need to stock up on Fika’s coffee beans now to bring the joy back home.
Ernest
Ernest is the first cafe on this list from Ouseburn; Newcastle’s coolest suburb. There aren’t many places where you can get away with a huge Darth Vader silhouette on the side of the building but Ouseburn is certainly one of them. Between 10am & 3pm, Ernest serves up brunch and I enjoyed the Local Hero Breakfast which includes sourdough from Pink Lane Bakery and sausage from the legendary Block ‘n’ Bottle. Things get a little more serious after 4pm with a different menu featuring a slow cooked lamb dish and falafel and smoked aubergine in a tomato sauce.
The coffee was good here and, for the tea lovers, Ernest offers Love Leaf Herbal Tea which is locally blended in Newcastle. There’s plenty of beer on draught, all of your usual alcoholic drinks as well as a few cocktails too if brunch gets a little rowdy.
Don’t miss Ernest’s younger brother Ernie which offers takeaway alongside the most amazing shop/deli you’ve ever seen. You’ll find fruit & veg, beers and wines and loads of other treats and gifts; mostly locally sourced, a lot handmade but the ethos here is ethical shopping! I like it.
North Shore Coffee
North Shore Coffee have set down roots in the city’s Grainger Market where it serves up great coffee all day long plus food perfect for a quick takeaway lunch such as toasties. The setup reminded me of the coffee shops across Melbourne; there were similar vibes to vendors in the famous Queen Victoria and Prahran Markets. I kept trying coffee whilst in Melbourne (I mean where better to try and get into coffee?) but whilst I didn’t enjoy the drinks, I enjoyed the cafes and the pop up coffee shops. I keep returning to North Shore Coffee and whether you’re after an iced latte or a smooth flat white, they’re all incredible.
Pink Lane Coffee
Opposite the train station, on (you guessed it) Pink Lane, is Pink Lane Coffee. The focus here is all about the coffee. Pink Lane Coffee source single origin coffee ethically and responsibly and then roast it themselves meaning that this is some of the best coffee that you will taste in Newcastle. Grab a coffee as soon as you arrive in the city and begin your day or take a seat and treat yourself to a bit of cake too.
Backyard Bike Shop / Knead & Favour
You’ll find Backyard Bike Shop within the By The River Brew complex between the Trakol restaurant and the HWKR Market. Technically it’s in Gateshead but you’ll not want to miss all that’s on offer here directly under the Tyne Bridge. The bike shop itself was rated in 2019 as the number one independent bike retailer in the country but you’re here for the café which is open 9-3pm everyday. Great coffee is a given but the sandwiches here are unreal and technically big enough to share. The Tribeca Breakfast sandwich was perfect for a birthday breakfast and I didn’t actually eat anything again all day – we’re talking bacon, sausage, fried egg and melted cheese (and brown sauce) on a freshly baked focaccia. There’s also a fish finger sarnie and a fried chicken/hash brown/chilli honey mayo offering which just means I have to return as soon as humanely possible!
BY THE RIVER BREW is currently closed due to the ongoing renovation of the Tyne Bridge – hopefully it won’t be too long now and everything can re-open to the delight of all of us!
Kiln
Kiln is probably the most unique of all the cafes on this list. Surprisingly, it’s not just a cafe; it also houses a ceramic studio with the works created available for sale. If you want to up your dinner party game at home, look no further than the kitchenwares on offer here. Anyway, Kiln is in Ouseburn which automatically gives this place a gold star. What you really come here for though are the middle eastern inspired small plates bringing the meze culture to Newcastle. The middle eastern theme runs through both the brunch and dinner menus but don’t worry there are also a few dishes for those a little less adventurous. Alongside the food, a wide range of drinks are available (obviously coffee) but loose leaf teas, soft drinks as well as alcohol beverages.
The Dispensary
Pancakes. You come to The Dispensary for pancakes. It’s as simple as that. Stacks of fluffy American pancakes with a variety of different toppings. Sometimes you can’t get away from the classic Strawberry and Nutella but the specials always looks incredible. The current menu on the website says that the special is Caramel Custard Pancakes and that sounds like something I would definitely enjoy.
The Dispensary is located in a modern building a little walk towards St James’ Park but it’s definitely worth it stretching your legs and working up an appetite.
Aidan’s Kitchen
Aidan’s Kitchen has been on my list for a long time but I just haven’t made it to this lovely looking cafe/restaurant on Starbeck Avenue up towards Jesmond. It reminds me of Flat White Kitchen in Durham with the bare wood tables, ratten lampshades and houseplants scattered all over. The food looks incredible again with the pancakes getting rave reviews. This is a hidden gem in Newcastle and I can’t wait to visit.
The Camera Shop
A former camera shop opened in 1907 has been repurposed as this small cafe on Collingwood Street. It’s a great little coffee, breakfast and lunch spot so popular with locals there’ll often be a queue outside. In terms of food, we’re talking wraps, toasties and jacket potatoes meaning that actually it’s a perfect option for those on a lunch break from work.
Sorcerer Coffee
Last on the list, but by no means least, is Sorcerer Coffee housed in the arches below the train tracks leading into Newcastle’s Central Station. A small café but off the beaten track so you are almost guaranteed a relaxing drink alongside a pastry. If you’re after something a little more substantial, the subs by Belly of the Beast are incredible! I’m just waiting now to be able to buy one of their diner mugs to bring the magic back home!
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