Newcastle Secrets

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Since starting to work for Studio Precept, I’m spending literally every day in Newcastle at the moment. So when the property letting agent, Walton Robinson got in touch and asked me to share some of my favourite places in Newcastle, as part of their latest facebook competition, Newcastle Secrets, I knew that I’d have no trouble. Like most of the entries they’re mostly badly kept secrets..

SIX: The best view of the quayside

Ok so this one is a little bit of a cheat since technically it’s in Gateshead.. I’m sure you’ll forgive me though since lately the two cities seem to have merged into the strangely conjoined location, NewcastleGateshead (probably at the hands of some clever PR). Situated right at the top of the iconic Baltic, Six offers fine dining with a fantastic view across the Tyne. Keep your eyes posted on the blog because I’m visiting next week for my birthday!

Alvinos: The best cocktails in the city

Kind of self-explanatory really but for those that aren’t natives, Alvinos is one of the best places to get cocktails on a weekend. It’s trendy without being pretentious and it isn’t inhabited by perma-tanned Geordie Shore wannabes. Always a bonus.

Tynemouth flea market: The best place for a rummage

I probably don’t need to tell you how much I love spending weekends raking around Tynemouth flea market. While there are plenty of old faces, new sellers pop up all the time and there is always a great mix of vintage and antique stalls as well as books, crafts and local food. It’s also a great place to run into the guys from Ouseburn Coffee Company and grab a coffee or one of the bags of their delicious roasts.

Grainger Arcade: The best place to wander aimlessly

I’ve posted on the Grainger Arcade before and it’s one of those places I could spend hours wandering around it. There aren’t many shops (although this has been greatly improved by the recent addition of Cath Kidston -a firm favourite of mine!), but the beautiful early 19th Century architecture makes it the perfect place to get lost in thought. Plus if you don’t fancy wandering, you can always sit in Starbucks and enjoy watching people pass you by.

Zapatista Burrito Bar: The best burritos this side of Tijuana

Zapatista is Newcastle’s first burrito bar and since there aren’t many places that sell Mexican food in the Toon, this latest addition to our eateries has gone down very well! Basically it’s like a Subway but for burritos: choose the meat, the salsa, the beans, salad, then pick from their extras toppings and you’re good to go!

So North East bloggers, what are your favourite places in Newcastle? Share yours and include the links to Walton Robinson’s facebook competition and tweet them the link to your post for the chance to win Sunday lunch for 2 at Firenze!

Keep up to date with Walton Robinson on twitter and facebook.