The East End of Newcastle Part 2: Sunset and beyond

by Matthew Endacott on February 5, 2011

Last week Matthew Endacott rediscovered the “Top End” of town by day. This week he looks at the hidden gems that this area has to offer after sunset…

Sandbar Café (Cnr Shortland Esplanade & Moroney Ave, Newcastle)

Sandbar is striving to be in a league of it’s own. The view is, in my opinion, unparalleled. The coffee (Campos) has nothing short of a cult following in Sydney and the combination is divine. Recent changes to their liquor license have enabled the Sandbar to offer alcohol on it’s own, making this literally the best spot in Newcastle to share an afternoon drink with friends.

Bar Petite (5 King Street, Newcastle)

The tapas revolution seems to be reinvigorating Newcastle all by itself, with Bar Petite reinforcing the calibre of the East End’s “small bites”. Perched next to the Sebel, Bar Petite offers a different ambiance to Longworth House & Bacchus. More informal yet still incredibly stylish, Bar Petite is the most “Newcastle” of the tapas restaurants and a great place to start your night.

Longworth House (129 Scott Street, Newcastle)

One can’t help but feel like they are being let in on some big secret when visiting Longworth House. Behind the unassuming front door is a remarkable venue with décor as distinctive as the menu on offer. The polenta bites have to be on of my favourites and the wine is worth deliberating over. The only downside is this place is far more charming when it’s quiet. Given the appeal of Longworth House, you’ll be lucky to score a quiet night here anytime before ten o’clock. If you can hold out until eleven, do. Besides enabling you to soak up the character of the building, Longworth House makes for a fashionable alternative to the Moneysuckle Hotel (oh, I mean Honeysuckle).

Bacchus (141 King Street, Newcastle)

Once the heart of the theatre district, Dame Bacchus is something altogether different. The menu and lavish interior make for a very special night. If you’re looking to go all-out, book a table (and don’t go past the gnocchi with Binnorie Dairy goats cheese). If you’re coming for small bites, ask to be seated in the cocktail lounge. This is definitely a great place to finish up a classy night and the best way to do exactly that is to order a bottle of botrytis and the cheese plate. Bacchus is, understandably, difficult to get into sometimes. Even if you plan to sit in the cocktail lounge, I recommend booking a table in advance.

Sprout Dining (2 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle)

Okay, so it’s not tapas but it’s so good it doesn’t even matter. Sprout is, without a doubt, one of the best restaurants in this city. Located opposite the Maritime Museum on Honeysuckle Drive, Sprout is a must for anyone who takes food seriously (or loves amazing quality for money). This isn’t somewhere you’ll be able to fit into you tapas crawl, so save it for another night (you’ll want to, this is definitely a place where you’ll have to make room for all three courses). It’s hard to go past the zucchini flowers for entrée, the crispy skin salmon for your main and the fritters for dessert. Bookings are absolutely essential (also lunch Thursday-Sunday).