A Caffeine Fiend’s Guide to Newcastle Coffee Shops

Everytime I see the Tyne Bridge I get an overwhelming feeling of coming home. Whether it was driving across it every time I visited my Dad’s house growing up, or even now as I see it from the train on my way into the station. So as my time in Newcastle comes to an end (although not fully as my Dad and family still live up here), I wanted to create some more posts about my time here. Plus I want to be able to share some of my love with those who may not know much about Newcastle or know what to do if you were to visit, such as visit one of the many Newcastle Coffee Shops.

Newcastle is a city of many things, and there’s always something to do without it being too overcrowded like larger cities. Pretty much everywhere in Newcastle is walking distance, as in I worked on the opposite side of the city and simply walked in. But there’s buses, taxi’s and Ubers which are all affordable if you need. Plus the Metro can take you to the extended areas of Newcastle, all the way across to the coast. But this post is going to discuss some of my favourite Cafes in Newcastle, all walkable from Central Station or the centre of town.

Backyard Bike Shop

The first Cafe is Backyard Bike Shop which is part of the By The River Brew Co. It’s a lovely coffee shop/cycle shop that sits direcly on the Quayside where you can see all the bridges, and seconds as having a bike workshop in the back. This one is a little bit of a cheat as technically it’s on the Gateshead side of the river, but it’s one that I frequent so often as I live near the Quayside that I couldn’t not mention it! By crossing the Swing Bridge (the small red and white one next to the Tyne Brdige!), you just turn left straight away and you’re there.

Not only does it have a great community atmosphere (even though I am clearly not a cyclist!), it’s got an amazing outdoor seating area where you can look over the river. It’s also in a new build of the By The River Brew Co, and so feels safe, clean and friendly in general. This was definitely a revision kind of place for me, and as all the drinks were between £2-£3, I never felt like I was spending too much of my money. Whilst I mostly went here for a caffeine fix, they do also do a selection of brunch in the price range of £4-£10 which goes from oats and toast to salad bowls and salmon.

Opening times: Everyday 10am-5pm

Olive & Bean

I always feel that Olive & Bean are one of the more expensive cafes in the area, but they are in the dead centre of town (just round the corner from Monument and Eldon Square). The coffee served is Union Roasted Coffee, so it’s what I already drink at home – and yes it is good! But what you really go to Olive & Bean for is the cakes. Oh my gosh, the portions are huge and there’s such a wide selection of cakes available and they all taste so delicious. Fair warning, they’re often very sweet and you may need to share one between two.

The atmosphere in Olive & Bean is very classic cafe, except it’s much bigger. There’s plenty of space which is good because it’s also nearly always busy. The prices are a bit higher with some of the sandwiches reaching nearly £7, however nearly everything on the menu is under £10 still, which means it’s not quite breaking the bank. Hot drinks are less than £3, so it’s still a nice place if you just need that caffeine fix too.

Opening Times: Monday to Saturday 8am-6pm; Sunday 9am-5pm

The Dispensary Coffee House

Out of all the Newcastle coffee shops, I’d say The Dispensary is more on the unique side. Their gimmick is that they’re like a lab/dispensary and some of the drinks come in burettes, test tubes and the pancakes I had even had a syringe in it! Now that I’ve mentioned pancakes… they are brilliant! The portion size is huge, so you definitely get what you pay for. The coffee’s are again less that £3, with pancakes being around £8, which means breakfast comes to just over £10 if you visit.

Round the corner from St James and China Town, it’s a perfect haunt for myself and my fellow business school students. But don’t let that put you off tasting the best pancakes you’ve ever had. (Okay I think I’m drooling just thinking about them). The cafe itself has a lovely aesthetic to it, trying to ensure it’s bright and cheery for their customers.

Opening Times: Weekdays 8am-5pm; Weekends 9am-3pm

Flat Caps Coffee

Last but not least is Flat Caps Coffee who have been a Newcastle staple since 2010 in Carliol square. It’s in an odd location that’s for sure, in that it’s not got much directly around it and it’s a step down into a half basement styled room. However, large windows and plenty of lights and plants everywhere keeps it bright and airy. There’s a lot of room too – and when I went there seemed to be a lot of locals having business meetings, so it’s a quiet but still a low murmer style of atmosphere.

Everything on the menu is between £2 and £7 which makes it super affordable. My aunt mentioned when she’d visited previously it was much smaller, so I think they’ve done it up fairly recently to make it big enough for how popular it is. With it’s easy distance from town centre, without being in the bustle of town, and the prices, Flat Caps gives Newcastle Coffee a good name.

Opening Times: Weekdays 8am-8pm; Weekends 9am-6pm