I did a mini bar crawl in Newcastle and here is what I thought of each venue

I love a night out in Newcastle. On a usual Saturday night, you can find me hitting the best bars and clubs the town has to offer, ending the night with a boogie on the dance floor of somewhere playing the best early noughties hits (usually Popworld).

However, last Saturday (April 6), myself and two friends decided to go for afternoon drinks along the Quayside.

The sun was shining, spring was in the air, and although it was blowing an absolute gale, I was craving a beer garden vibe.

We were on the search for classy, relaxed atmospheres, with a good selection of cocktails. Despite Newcastle having so much to offer, I can’t visit them all in one day, so here are the seven venues I visited, and here is what I thought.

We started the afternoon with a visit to Tiger Hornsby, a cocktail bar on Newcastle’s Quayside. I visited once before, where I sat outside, drank delicious cocktails and snacked on light bites. 

As we entered the venue, a talented singer was performing Sam Sparrow’s Black and Gold. Despite the bar being incredible and the vibes amazing, we were looking for somewhere a little quieter so we didn’t stay. 

We then decided to visit Aveika, where we sat outside. The bar queue was huge inside, but the fast-paced bar staff got us served and given our drinks fairly quickly. 

The bar service was incredible, the vibes were exactly right, and they had an amazing 2-4-1 deal on cocktails. I ordered two Pornstar Martinis, while my friends ordered Aperol Spritz’ and flavoured gin and tonic. 

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We thoroughly enjoyed our drinks in Aveika (despite my martini being served without its usual shot of Prosecco), but given the wind picking up and nearly blowing us off our chairs, we decided to move on to the next place.

We set one foot in the Slug and Lettuce and walked right back out. There is nothing wrong with the Slug and Lettuce, in fact I’m quite a big fan of it. But similar to Tiger Hornsby, it was just too packed for us.

We then stumbled upon Urban Garden, which I actually never visited before. It was still outdoor and quiet, with plenty of seating, and the way the place was designed meant that we were sheltered from the wind. 

I ordered a Pimms cup, which was absolutely delicious and definitely the perfect drink for a sunny day. I could have stayed here even longer, but my friends’ were cold, so we’ve moved on once again.

We originally had the idea of hitting Pitcher & Piano, a favourite and regular venue for me when I briefly lived on the Quayside in 2015. But as we approached, again it seemed very loud and it also looked as if they might be hosting a private party so we thought we would try another venue before maybe coming back to it later on. 

I then had the idea of visiting SIX Rooftop, which is located above the Baltic on the Gateshead side of the Millennium Bridge. I actually visited this venue ahead of its re-opening following its recent refurbishment, but had never spent time there enjoying a meal or having a drink. 

It was a great experience at Six Rooftop, and definitely one of our favourite venues we visited throughout the day. The vibes were elegant, the cocktails were divine and we also snacked on delicious small bites. I had Halloumi Fries with honey and sesame, and I’m still thinking about them.

We were sitting in the quieter section of the restaurant, which had an amazing view of the Quayside. It was quiet and comfortable and we were able to have a conversation with one another, while sipping on the delicious drinks. The service from the staff was also impeccable. 

Finally, we headed back towards the city centre and ended the night in a favourite bar of ours, The Alchemist.

The Alchemist is a place we frequently visit given its location, selection of alcoholic drinks and relaxed atmosphere. We chose to drink white wine, before calling it a night.

I couldn’t fault any of the venues (even the ones we chose not to grab a drink in - as that decision was made based on the vibes we wanted), and we had amazing day and night out in Newcastle’s great establishments.