The best bars, restaurants, and cultural venues to enjoy rooftop views of Newcastle this summer.
If you’re looking for sky-high views of Newcastle and dreamy Geordie sunsets over the Tyne, you’ve come to the right place!
I’ve rounded up some of the best places to go if you’re looking to capture the most memorable pictures of Newcastle’s cityscape from up above.
Revolucion de Cuba
Revolucion de Cuba’s rooftop terrace is a little piece of Havana heaven in the heart of the Bigg Market. It boasts a retractable roof and is a guaranteed sun trap in the summer months, so don’t forget your sunnies! Fruity cocktails, tapas dishes, and feel-good Latin music make this the place to go to experience Cuban holiday vibes, Geordie style!
Chaophraya
Chaophraya is a stylish restaurant inside Eldon Square’s popular food quarter that pairs stunning Thai cuisine with fantastic views of Grey’s Monument and Newcastle’s bustling city centre. You can also drink and dine amidst the surroundings of its beautifully decked-out Monument Terrace – perfect for those sunshine-laden, balmy evenings.
The Botanist
The Botanist in Newcastle is renowned for its twinkling glass dome and stunning street views, but it also has a rooftop garden that’s ideal for a spot of sophisticated lounging outdoors. This open-air space boasts eye-catching wall art and tropical plants, with patio heaters and a DJ booth to boot. Best of all, you can catch sprawling scenes of the city centre below while drinking al fresco.
Altitude
Altitude is a Balearic style sky garden on the rooftop of music venue, NX (formerly the O2 Academy). Located seven storeys up, the bar promises to bring a taste of Ibiza to the Toon, with colourful wall murals, bamboo fencing, and festoon lighting setting the beachy sky-high scene. Head here for a blend of resident DJs, dancers, bottomless brunches, and pizzas from Gingerino’s – plus plenty of those sun drenched feels.
Roof Thirty Nine
Fenwick department store opened its rooftop bar and restaurant in 2021, adding to its stellar food and drink offering on the ground floor, which includes the likes of Porterhouse, Saltwater, and Fuego. This laid-back terrace is ideal for a post-shopping spree lull, serving up a range of botanical cocktails and charcoal-fired food, all set against panoramic views of Northumberland Street and the east of the city.
3Sixty
3Sixty is an elegant bar and restaurant housed inside Hadrian’s Tower, a 27-storey apartment building that’s currently the tallest in Newcastle. It’s an upmarket venue offering a unique perspective from this pocket of the city. Expect an assortment of dishes from its menu – think pan roasted duck, wagu steak, and charred octopus – alongside sharing boards and a lavish selection of champagnes, cocktails, spritzes, and gins.
Above
This glitzy rooftop bar sits atop the Vermont Hotel and it’s the sister venue to Quayside bars Livello and Aveika. It’s the place ‘to be seen’ and the go-to bar for admiring the city’s spectacular skyline while sipping on a cocktail and dancing to DJs and live music. You can also enjoy afternoon tea from its outdoor terrace or tuck into the venue’s menu of small plates, flatbreads, and sushi.
SIX
Dining out with a view to remember! BALTIC’s in-house restaurant SIX is a contemporary space located on, yep you guessed it, the sixth floor of the gallery, and it’s flanked by floor to ceiling windows on either side. It serves British bistro dishes and makes eating out feel like a special occasion, whether it’s brunch, lunch, dinner or afternoon tea. Top tip: take your phone to the loos to capture impressive photos of the surrounding cityscape!
Free Trade Inn
Situated on the fringes of the Ouseburn – the city’s cool cultural quarter, brimming with independent businesses – the Free Trade Inn is a traditional pub that stocks a variety of craft beers and ciders. It also happens to be one of the city’s best kept secrets for admiring views of the River Tyne, and the sunsets from here are something extra special.
Newcastle Castle
They say this castle, built in the 1100s, is where Newcastle’s story began! And from the roof of the Castle Keep, you can enjoy stunning views in every direction; up St Nicholas Street towards the Bigg Market, over the railway tracks to Central Station, and across the Tyne’s famous bridges. This historic attraction also hosts regular film nights, theatrical performances, and medieval taverns.
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art sits on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne and offers captivating views of the Millennium Bridge and Newcastle’s Quayside. The gallery, which hosted the iconic Turner Prize in 2011, has an outdoor viewing terrace and an indoor platform, both offering exceptional views. Top tip: film your trip up in the glass elevator – it makes a great boomerang on Insta!
Grey's Monument
Grey’s Monument dates back to 1838 and sits at the intersection between Grey, Grainger, and Blackett Street. And in case you didn’t know, you can climb to the very top and meet former Prime Minister, Earl Grey, face to face! Throughout the year, you can sign up to a guided tour on selected dates and scale the landmark’s 164 steps to enjoy terrific 360-degree views of the city.
St James' Park
The iconic St James’ Park is home to Newcastle United and doesn’t need much of an introduction! It runs regular rooftop tours along the football stadium’s walkway, perched 150-feet above the ground. Visitors are equipped with high-vis jackets, helmets, and binoculars so that they can stay safe while soaking up the sights!
High Level Bridge
True to its name, this is one very high bridge, standing at 112-feet above the Tyne’s high water mark! It’s the best one to walk across if you want a bird’s eye view of the Quayside, as well as the Tyne, Swing, and Millennium Bridges downstream, with the bright blue Queen Elizabeth Bridge in the opposite direction. Top tip: the bridge makes a great backdrop for arty, urban shots!
The Glasshouse
Live music venue The Glasshouse (formerly Sage Gateshead) hosts over 400 concerts every year across a mix of genres, not to mention numerous other events and conferences. Its curved glass roof – consisting of 3000 stainless steel panels and 250 panels of flat glass – is a structural masterpiece, and from inside the building you can gaze at Newcastle’s skyline across the water, come day or night.
For more inspiration on places to go to enjoy the best views in Newcastle, head over to @nclsparkles on Instagram!
