Crown Posada

I started in Newcastle at Crown Posada, a lovely old pub tucked into a narrow three-storey building. The pub was rebuilt in 1880, although its story goes back further. Its unusual name has links to an early owner, a sea captain with connections to Spain and Newcastle. ‘Posada’ is a Spanish word meaning an inn or a place to rest, which feels quite fitting here. It’s one of the city’s long-standing pubs and a wonderful place to begin a day exploring the older buildings and drinking spots around the Tyne.

Inside, Crown Posada has plenty of character, spread across three different drinking areas. The first thing that caught my eye was the pair of beautiful Pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows. They are a real highlight and give the pub something quite special. There is also some lovely detail overhead, so it’s worth taking a moment to look up at the ceiling. Despite the narrow building, the different spaces make it a comfortable place to settle down. It has that warm, cosy feel I enjoy in an old-fashioned pub, with plenty to look at while enjoying a pint.

The bar boasts a fantastic selection of cask and keg beers, so there’s definitely something for everyone! I opted to go with “Astral Voyage” from Knaresborough based Turning Point Brew Co, a fantastic New England IPA brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy hops.

Microbus

After crossing the Swing Bridge into Gateshead, my first stop was Microbus. Gary and Suzy opened this micropub in 2022, making good use of one of the railway arches. Both are big campervan fans, and that interest runs right through the place. Rather than trying to hide the setting, the railway arch is part of its character, while the name gives a clue to what you’ll find inside. It’s a very different setting from the traditional pubs across the river and made for an enjoyable first visit on the Gateshead side of the Tyne.

Inside, the campervan theme is everywhere. The front of a VW campervan forms part of the bar, with plenty of Volkswagen and campervan memorabilia around the walls. There’s even a bus stop inside and a live departure board showing information for the stop outside, which is a lovely little touch. The railway arch adds plenty of character to the room, while the colourful decorations give you lots to look at. There is also outdoor seating at the front. It’s a friendly, unusual micropub that makes the most of its railway setting and its owners’ interests.

At the bar, you’ll find an impressive setup with 10 keg lines, 6 cask lines, and a fantastic selection of ciders. There’s also a fridge packed with various craft cans and bottles. I went with Glider from The Gipsy Hill Brewing Co. It’s a tangy Blackcurrant Sour that they made together with North Brew Co. They use Wildfarmed barley and recycled hops in the brewing process.

The Central Bar

The Central Bar was next, with its unusual wedge-shaped building standing close to Gateshead’s transport links. It was built in 1856 to a design by local architect M. Thompson and was first used by wine merchant Alderman Potts. The narrow shape gave it the nickname the ‘coffin bar’, which has stayed with it over the years. By around 1890, the building had become a hotel, at a time when this part of Gateshead had plenty of busy pubs and bars serving people using the nearby railway station and trams. It’s a striking building with a long history.

Inside, there is much more room than the shape of the building might suggest. The pub spreads across three floors, with a number of different areas. One of the highlights is the wonderful curved, U-shaped counter in the buffet bar, dating from around 1900. There is also a snug, while the main bar has a cosy, traditional appearance. Upstairs you’ll find another room and, at the top, a bar and terrace overlooking the railway. All these different spaces give the Central plenty of character, and there are some lovely older details to look at as you wander around.

When it comes to food, they serve up tasty Pork Pies, Sausage Rolls, and Scotch Eggs from Block and Bottle, all paired with a variety of relishes and sauces.

On tap, you can choose from five cask ales, plus a solid selection of keg beers and ciders. Today, I went with “Autumn Ale” from Alnwick Brewing Co. It’s a tasty red ale with a unique twist from the gingerbread malt. Definitely a different but enjoyable flavour!

Station East

My final stop in Gateshead was Station East. The building stands on the former Gateshead East railway station and Railway Hotel site, giving it a strong connection with the area’s railway past. The substantial stonework and railway arches are a reminder of what once stood here, and they make the building stand out. I had planned to visit Axis as well, but the opening times didn’t match what I had seen on Facebook, so Station East became my final Gateshead stop before heading back over the river into Newcastle.

Inside, Station East makes good use of its historic railway setting. The stone walls and arches give the place plenty of character, and the different rooms provide several spots to settle down with a drink. There is also a mezzanine level with extra seating, looking back over the main space below. That combination of older railway features and a more modern layout works nicely together. The rooms all look slightly different, but the exposed stone helps tie everything together. It’s an interesting building to explore, especially if you enjoy railway history as much as I do.

Today at the bar, they’ve got 5 cask beers on tap, along with a solid selection of keg beers and plenty of bottles and cans for you to enjoy on-site or take away. I went with “Green” from Almasty Brewery in Newcastle today. It’s a single hopped pale ale featuring Mosaic hops, and it really delivers some lovely mango and passionfruit notes. Definitely a beer you can keep coming back to!

The Bridge Hotel

Back across the High Level Bridge, I arrived at The Bridge Hotel. Originally known as the Bridge Inn, this Grade II listed pub dates back to the 1870s. It has some beautiful Art Nouveau touches, including decorative details and stained glass that make it stand out. The pub also has a long connection with Newcastle’s folk music scene: the Bridge Folk Club has met here since 1958. It even appeared in the television drama Vera, with a scene set in the alley beside the building. There is plenty of history packed into this lovely old pub.

The Bridge Hotel has the sort of traditional interior I enjoy finding in a historic pub. The stained glass is particularly attractive, while the decorative features around the building give you plenty to stop and admire. It feels like a place that has held on to its older character, rather than trying to look like somewhere new. I particularly liked how much detail there was to take in after walking over the bridge. With its history, older fittings and familiar pub appearance, it makes a lovely stop when exploring this part of Newcastle.

At the bar, you’ll find an impressive selection of 9 cask ales, with several coming from Yorkshire breweries. I decided to try “Crafted Pale” from the local Two by Two Brewery today. It’s a fantastic light and refreshing pale ale that’s super easy to drink.

Newcastle Tap

Next I headed towards Newcastle railway station for a visit to Newcastle Tap. The pub opened in August 2017 in a building that had previously been used as offices. Its location makes it a handy stop for anyone travelling through Newcastle by train. The former office space has been opened up to create a modern bar, quite different from the smaller traditional pubs elsewhere on this trip. One of its more unusual features is the way the beer casks and kegs are displayed behind glass on a mezzanine above the bar. They also serve freshly made pizzas here.

There’s an extensive selection of cask, keg, bottles, and cans that keeps changing, highlighting breweries from all over the country. I went with the “Forest Fruit Sour” from Neepsend Brew Co. in Sheffield. It’s a deliciously fruity and tangy brew packed with flavours of blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry.

Mosaic Tap

Mosaic Tap was next, tucked away in one of the former railway arches at Forth Goods Yard. It opened towards the end of 2021 and brought another independent craft beer stop to this part of Newcastle. The railway setting is a big part of its appeal, with the arch giving the bar a shape and character you wouldn’t find in an ordinary shop unit. It’s a relatively recent addition to Newcastle’s pub scene, but already offers a very different sort of building to explore compared with the older city-centre pubs.

Inside, the curved railway arch makes a lovely backdrop to the bar. The space has a smart, modern appearance, while the lighting towards the back really shows off the shape of the old brickwork. It is a fairly straightforward layout, but the building itself gives it plenty of character. There is a welcoming feel as soon as you step inside, and it’s a comfortable place to stop for a drink. I’ve always enjoyed finding bars in converted railway spaces, and this is another good example of an older structure being given a new use.

They’ve got an lovely lineup of 10 keg beers on tap, plus a couple of ciders and a fantastic range of cans and bottles from various breweries across the country. Spotted an American sour beer from Hudson Valley Brewery called “Syzygy.” It’s a sour IPA packed with Citra hops, and you can really taste the yummy blackberry, hibiscus, and vanilla notes.

Beer Street

A short walk brought me to Beer Street, which opened in 2018. The name takes its inspiration from William Hogarth’s famous eighteenth-century prints Beer Street and Gin Lane, which showed two very different views of drinking and everyday life. When Beer Street first opened, nearby businesses included Split Chimp and Box Social, although both of those have since closed. It’s a nice little link between the bar and a much older piece of British history, and it was another interesting stop while making my way through Newcastle.

Inside, Beer Street has a comfortable, cosy appearance and is spread across two floors. The downstairs space makes a welcoming place to call in for a drink, while upstairs there is another seating area that feels a little quieter and more tucked away. The layout gives you the choice of sitting nearer the activity downstairs or finding a spot above. It’s not a huge place, but making use of both floors gives it plenty of room to settle in. I liked the relaxed feel and how different it was from some of the larger pubs visited earlier.

They’ve got an lovely selection of 5 cask ales, 6 keg lines, and a range of fridges packed with bottles and cans from a wide range of breweries and styles. Sureshot Brewing from Manchester had my pick tonight with their “Your Favourite Restaurant.” It’s a fruited sour beer made with kiwi and guava, and the combo of flavours is pretty unique!

Donzoko Brewing Company

Donzoko Brewing Company was founded by Reece Hugill in 2018, after his studies at Newcastle University and a visit to Munich helped spark an interest in brewing. The early days were spent working on a small scale in a former school changing room in Hartlepool. Reece also used equipment at Cameron’s Brewery, taking the wort back to his own site to ferment. The brewery later moved as it grew, eventually making its home in Ouseburn, where I called in to visit the taproom. It was great to see another brewing business making use of a characterful city building.

He started small with just one fermentation tank in a quirky spot in Hartlepool, near Middlesbrough—specifically, the old changing rooms of a school. To make his brews, he often used pilot equipment at Cameron’s Brewery and then brought the wort back to his place for fermentation.

The Ouseburn taproom has an interesting look, with unusual doors, a long wooden bar and seating that reminded me of church pews. The mix of wood and older-looking features gives it a welcoming appearance without feeling too formal. There’s plenty of room to sit and enjoy a drink, and I liked some of the small details dotted around the building. Outside, a food truck was serving hake and triple-cooked chips during my visit. It was a pleasant place to spend a little time before carrying on with the rest of my Newcastle stops.

At the bar, you can choose from 7 different keg beers, and there’s a fridge stocked with even more canned options. I kicked things off with “Hedgerow,” a deliciously sour and fruity blackberry and blackcurrant beer. Then I moved on to “Train Beer,” crafted for the train company LUMO. It’s a super tasty and juicy hazy session ale, packed with Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops.

The Wobbly Duck

Back towards central Newcastle, I called in at The Wobbly Duck. This micropub opened in July 2021 in the basement of a row of Georgian terraced buildings on Eldon Square. The space had previously been home to Mr Petit restaurant, so it has had a different life before becoming a pub. Being below street level gives it a slightly tucked-away feel, and from the outside you might not expect quite what you find when you head downstairs. It’s another example of an older city-centre space being put to good use as a small independent pub.

Inside, The Wobbly Duck mixes rough stone walls with metal and wooden fittings. Beer barrels have been turned into tables and light fittings, giving the room some interesting touches without taking away from the older building. The different materials work nicely together and there’s a comfortable, relaxed feel throughout. I liked the contrast between the exposed stone and the more modern details. It’s quite a distinctive interior, with plenty to look at despite the pub being tucked away below street level.

The Wobbly Garden at the back gives the pub some extra space, with a covered seating area and heating for colder days. There is also seating at street level when the weather is better. It’s a nice bonus for a basement micropub in the middle of the city, and gives you another option if you fancy sitting outside for a while.

The bar boasts an impressive selection with 10 keg beers, 5 cask beers, and a still cider, offering a variety of styles and strengths to choose from. I tried another sour beer, this one from Yonder Brewing in Somerset. The “Fruits of the Forest Cheesecake” was incredibly tasty, bursting with flavors of blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and a hint of vanilla.

Mean Eyed Cat

Mean Eyed Cat opened in 2018 in a former newsagent’s shop opposite Newcastle’s Haymarket bus station. Its name comes from Johnny Cash’s 1958 song Mean Eyed Cat, and you don’t have to look far to spot the connection when you step inside. The small micropub makes good use of its former shop premises and brings another independent stop to this busy part of the city. It’s in a handy spot if you’re exploring central Newcastle on foot, and the Johnny Cash connection helps make it stand out from the pubs nearby.

Inside, Mean Eyed Cat has a colourful and characterful look, with Mexican-inspired decoration, bright colours and plenty of Johnny Cash portraits, posters and memorabilia around the walls. There is lots to catch your eye, and the former shop space has been turned into a cosy little place to settle down. The various pictures and decorations give the pub a distinctive appearance, quite different from the traditional interiors earlier in the day. There is also a small outdoor seating area to the rear. It’s a lively-looking little micropub with plenty of personality.

At the bar, you can choose from 6 cask options, 8 kegs, and a variety of ciders. There’s definitely plenty to sip on here! I kicked things off with a tangy brew from Yonder called “Melon Boat.” It’s a deliciously juicy and sour melon-flavoured beer that really hits the spot. After that, I tried “Cramped” from Almmasty Brewing Co., which is a super hazy and juicy pale ale.

The Town Mouse

One of my final stops in central Newcastle was The Town Mouse. It opened in February 2017 in a basement that had previously been used as a coffee shop. The name suits this small, tucked-away micropub, with its cosy rooms and traditional alehouse influences. Although it is a fairly recent addition to the city’s pub scene, the interior takes its inspiration from much older European drinking places. It’s a lovely example of how a former commercial space can be turned into a welcoming little pub.

Inside, The Town Mouse takes inspiration from Belgian ale houses and Irish pubs, with a traditional, cosy appearance. It can accommodate around 50 people, so it feels like a proper little basement hideaway rather than a large city-centre bar. The décor gives it a comfortable, old-fashioned look and there are plenty of places to settle with a drink. It’s also dog-friendly, with even a special drink available for four-legged visitors. After walking around Newcastle for much of the day, it was a pleasant spot to spend some time before heading on.

At the bar, you’ll find an impressive lineup of 6 cask and 6 keg beers, along with a fantastic variety of cans in the fridge, so there’s plenty to choose from. I checked out a sour beer from Vault City in Edinburgh! It’s called “Damson Plum Cobbler,” and it was brewed alongside Inn Deep, The Town Mouse, and Jars Bar. This rich pastry sour strikes a great balance between the sweet and tart flavours of damson plum and blackberry, with just a touch of cinnamon to round it out.

The Carriage

My final Thursday stop was The Carriage in Jesmond, a pub with a wonderful railway history. The building began life as Jesmond Station in 1864, part of the Blyth and Tyne Railway connecting Newcastle with Blyth. Passenger services continued until 1978, when the station closed as part of the changes associated with the Tyne and Wear Metro. A new Metro station was built nearby, while the older station building was converted into The Carriage pub in 1981. It’s a lovely piece of railway history to find still being used and enjoyed today.

Inside, The Carriage has kept some features that remind you of its days as a station, including the old ticket office window. The pub has a cosy, traditional appearance, and it’s nice to see these reminders of its earlier use still part of the building. There is also a spacious beer garden outside, giving you somewhere to sit when the weather is good. On the way out, you can spot artwork connected with the North Eastern Railway. All these little railway touches make it a particularly enjoyable place to visit if you like historic buildings.

The bar has an lovely selection of cask ales, featuring a range of local breweries, which is really great to see! Kicked things off with “Wilde North Blonde” from the local Cullercoats Brewery. They use fresh wet hops from Wilde Farm in Northumberland, picked just a day before brewing, probably the northernmost hops in England. Then I switched to “Carriage Blonde” from Anarchy Brew Co. It’s a super smooth, light, and flavourful pale ale that’s perfect for easy sipping.

Talking Tides Brew Co / Copper Social

I’ve included Copper Social as an extra stop from the same trip, although I actually visited it on the Saturday after returning from Edinburgh. The bar had only just opened that Thursday, close to the entrance to Newcastle railway station. It was run by Talking Tides Brew Co, a brewery founded in 2021 and based in Marske-by-the-Sea. Its position by the station made it an easy place to call in after the train journey, and it was good to see another independent brewery bringing a new drinking spot to the city.

Inside, Copper Social has a modern, welcoming look with plenty of seating, as well as space to stand by the bar for a chat. The idea was to bring together craft beer and pizza, with Pico Pizza next door serving slices that could be enjoyed alongside a drink. It was still very new when I visited, but there was plenty of space to settle in and it made a nice finishing point for my time in the area. I was pleased to have the chance to call in during its opening week.

At the bar, there were 9 keg lines, with 3 from their own brewery and 6 guest taps. I chose their “Summer Beer,” which is a super hazy, deliciously juicy pale ale. It has some amazing flavours that really pop and is super refreshing.