Ouseburn

Eating Out

There are many great eateries in Ouseburn so you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Albaik, a Lebanese restaurant at the top of Byker Bank is great value for money and popular with students and locals alike, there’s a bustling atmosphere at the weekends but booking is advised.

New additions to Ouseburn include Thali Tray, located @Arch2 underneath the Byker Bridge, Thali Tray serves Indian street food on a compartmented tray. Thali Tray has teamed up with Newcastle Brewing Limited so you can enjoy your Thali Tray with craft beers (brewed on site) in the bar or outside, sheltered by the bridge around two communal firepits.

Nearby is trendy hangout Kiln, which combines great food and drink with an active ceramic workshop, perfect for a night out with an artisanal twist.

In terms of cafés try the Ouseburn café which offers good value – the Ultimate burger comes highly recommended. Val’s Pantry has been operating for 14 years and sells a very good fried breakfast, hot and cold sandwiches and opens from 7.30am until 2.30pm.

The Bars

The Cluny is a renowned pub and much-loved live music venue where you can grab a pint, tuck into a burger and enjoy some fabulous entertainment. With a great range of cider and ales and a kitchen serving good old-fashioned quality pub grub, the Cluny is a great venue, well worth a visit day or night. Look out for their legendary block parties on certain bank holidays during the summer.

Known as The Cumbie to its legions of fans, The Cumberland Arms is a great traditional pub in the heart of the Ouseburn Valley. Housed in a former bottling plant, it is popular for its mix of live music gigs featuring established bands and up-and-coming local acts. Offering something for everyone – great beer and a fantastic place for live music, comedy and theatre – The Cumbie is one of the homes of folk sessions in Newcastle, with a wide range of traditional music and singing to be found in the back bar on most nights. There is also plenty of outdoor seating for hazy summer evenings and the bar is well-known for its huge selection of real ales and world beers.

Not far away is The Ship Inn, another popular pub situated in the heart of the Ouseburn and one of the must-visit pubs. The Ship Inn’s Sunday dinners are legendary, with gigantic Yorkshire puddings. It’s also worth heading to the Tyne Bar which has long been a popular boozer thanks to a regularly-changing array of good local beer and loads of live music. Visit the pub’s website for news of gigs coming up or just head down to sample the very best of locally-brewed real ales or enjoy a coffee.

Positioned at the top of the Ouseburn, The Tanner Arms is perfect for a visit whether you’re on your way in, or on your way home. The home of regular live bands and DJs and a whole host of locally brewed ales, the pub also serves hand-crafted burgers including vegetarian varieties. It also has a pool table.

Out and About

Ouseburn is home to numerous galleries and studios. Keep your eye out for regular open studios events which offer an opportunity to browse artwork and buy direct from the artists themselves. Pop into Northern Print for exhibitions and workshops at the cutting edge of contemporary printmaking, explore all five floors of 36 Lime Street (home to over 40 artists) and visit Seven Stories, a museum dedicated to children’s books.

Ouseburn might seem an unlikely place to find a horse-riding centre, but right at the heart of the valley is Stepney Bank Stables, where anyone from beginners to advanced riders can ride and of course there is also Ouseburn Farm, an inner-city charity farm with pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, lizards, tortoises, meadows, ponds and woodlands.

Be sure to check out The Biscuit Factory, home to the country’s largest independent art, craft and design gallery. Housed in a converted Victorian warehouse, The Biscuit Factory holds regular exhibitions and events and even has its own artisan-style restaurant; one of many great eateries in the Ouseburn.

And last, but not least, look out for exhibitions, gigs and other events at Hoults Yard, a vibrant business community housed in a former industrial yard just off Walker Road.

The Shops

As for shopping, there’s Raj convenience store for all your needs. For the weekly big shop there’s a large Morrisons in Byker.

Getting Involved With the Local Community

There are lots of  ways to get involved in the Ouseburn Valley. If you’re interested in local heritage, the Ouseburn Trust would be worth looking into.

Getting Around

Ouseburn is approximately a 20-minute walk to Newcastle city centre; the Tyne is on your doorstep. Buses are plentiful and frequent and can be caught from various locations in the city centre to Sandyford and back again. The nearest Metro stops are Manors and Byker.

Cycling is a great way to get around the city easily for free. There are bike sheds to park and lock your bike throughout the universities and city.

Taxis are another way of getting around Ouseburn and are located in specific areas of Newcastle, such as outside of the train and bus stations and there are also taxi ranks on Grey Street, Pilgrim Street and Collingwood Street near the bars and clubs.

Trains run from Newcastle Central Station to Edinburgh in the North, and York and London to the South.