18 Independent Coffee Shops in Newcastle Locals Almost Don’t Want Tourists to Discover

I am so excited to share this list of independent coffee shops in Newcastle Upon Tyne (not Australia, sorry). Love coffee and sometimes it’s great to have a variety, to chill on your own, to work in, and definitely one you can mooch and vibe with friends.

So I have lived in Newcastle Upon Tyne for over ten years (essentially a local now *adopted as they say*). These are the independent coffee shops in Newcastle Upon Tyne city centre that I have personally been and spent sadly quite a bit on.

The great news is Newcastle’s independent coffee scene is stronger than most people outside the city realise.

There are speciality roasters, a new matcha bar inside Fenwick, a bakery on Dean Street doing coffee flights (yep a new concept for me too), a tea house in a listed building near Newcastle University, and a new opening near the Civic Centre that most people walking past it have no idea is there (there’s 2 actually). and the best part is none of them are chains (that I am aware of anyway).

Additionally, I have a list of suggestions on where to eat in Newcastle City Centre if you fancy having food.

I will put a note if the coffee place is great for working or studying if you are looking for this.

Quick picks: Best for speciality coffee: Lagom and Pumphreys Best for coffee and a proper brunch: Laneway and Co, High Bridge Street. Best cakes with your coffee: Olive and Bean, Clayton Street. Nearly 20 years and still the one. Best for matcha: Filto at Fenwick, Northumberland Street, or Sunday Coffee, Pudding Chare. Best coffee place for working: Tiny Tiny, Carliol Square. Best coffee spots if you are near Central Station: Pink Lane Coffee, 1 Pink Lane. Most interesting combination: Assemble, Old Eldon Square. Coffee, Vietnamese egg coffee, natural wine, and small plates. Best hidden find: The Whale Coffee Company inside the Civic Centre. Best for coffee history and buying: Pumphreys, Grainger Market. Roasting since 1750.

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Independent Coffee shops in Newcastle Upon Tyne:

These are in no particular order, you can do a coffee trail if you like but please be careful of your coffee consumption though.

1. Lagom Coffee

This is a lovely coffee spot, and the location might be tricky but easy to find once you know. Lagom won best coffee shop in Newcastle for 2025 and very deserving. Lagom is at Monk Street near Chinatown, find the Gate and walk through the road in between the Gate and Lane 7, and its on the second right pass through a short tunnel. You cannot miss it. Or find Mananzza korean bbq and its around the corner.

The name Lagom, is Swedish for just the right amount. The cafe reflects that, its stripped back, calm, with great coffee. Four rotating single origin beans from the Americas and Africa, friendly baristas, and dog-friendly that feels genuinely welcoming rather than performatively so. It’s a small space but welcoming and has an outdoor space too.

Address: 8 Monk Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5XD (near Chinatown) Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/lagomcoffee Food: pastries and light snacks

2. Laneway and Co

This is the one I go to most when I want good coffee and something to eat in the city centre. Their cappucino and espresso is so nice, strong and a lovely taste. Personally it’s one of my favs.

The coffee comes from Square Mile in London and Allpress Redchurch. Pour-overs and Aeropress options alongside the standard espresso menu. The brunch menu changes every couple of months: deep-filled sourdough sandwiches, egg dishes, breakfast plates done properly. Walk-ins only for tables under four.

Lovely clean vibe inside, and great for working or studying as there’s plenty of space and people there are super chill.

There is a second branch at 69a Front Street in Tynemouth if you are heading to the coast.

Address: 17-21 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1EW Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LanewayHighBridge Hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm. Sat 9am to 5pm. Sun 9am to 4pm. Food: full brunch and lunch menu. Sourdough sandwiches, breakfast plates, cakes and pastries. Walk-ins only.

3. Olive and Bean

Olive and Bean is basically an institution here in Newcastle, they have been on Clayton Street near Grey’s Monument for nearly twenty years. It is a coffee shop, sandwich bar, and bakery combined, and everything is made on site.

They do lovely breakfast, a deal of half sandwich and half soup of the day which is so nice, the soup changes everyday, and other than coffee, they also do smoothies and their cakes, ahhh their cakes are so nice especially their array of brownies and tiffins!

The coffee is a full-bodied organic South American blend, served with organic milk as standard with oat and soy available. They only do Walk-ins, no reservations. It fills up because the food is good, and a lovely environment, they have and upstairs area and an outdoor seating area as well.

You can do work and study here but I don’t recommend during weekends as it gets very busy with queues outside, so it’s not so nice to hold up a table for a long time working/studying as you can understand.

For more bakeries in Newcastle Upon Tyne, I have a whole list of bakeries in Newcastle City Centre.

Address: 17-19 Clayton Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5PN Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/OliveAndBean Hours: Mon to Sat 8am to 6pm. Sun 8:30am to 5pm. Walk-ins only. Food: full breakfast and lunch menu daily. Homemade cakes, brownies and tiffins baked on site.

4. Cafe Filto

Filto opened its original cafe on Goldspink Lane in Sandyford in August 2024, with a living olive tree at the centre of the room and an aesthetic that is more considered than most places of this type. In January 2026 it opened a second location inside Fenwick on Northumberland Street, which is the easier option if you are already in the city centre.

Their matcha menu is what most people talk about, they have blueberry, banana bread, white chocolate and raspberry, tiramisu, dulce de leche, made to order with quality ingredients. The coffee is taken equally seriously. The Fenwick branch does breakfast until midday, lunch, and cocktails in the evenings. The Sandyford original stays open later on Fridays and Saturdays and has a slightly more relaxed atmosphere for a longer visit.

The food at Sandyford if what people go for, and it is very nice for brunch especially. In the city centre, definitely get their Matcha!

Sandyford: 85 Goldspink Lane, Newcastle NE2 1NQ Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FiltoSandyford Hours Sandyford: Sun to Thu 8am to 6pm. Fri and Sat 8am to 9pm. Food: full brunch and lunch. Evening tapas Fri and Sat. Coffee, matcha, cocktails.

Fenwick branch: 39 Northumberland Street (lower ground floor), Newcastle NE1 7AS Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FiltoFenwick Hours Fenwick: Mon to Wed 9am to 7pm. Thu 9am to 8pm. Fri to Sat 9am to 7pm. Sun 10:30am to 5pm. Food: breakfast until midday. Light bites and lunch all day. Matcha, coffee, cocktails.

5. PureKnead Bakery

PureKnead is a sourdough bakery on Dean Street that does coffee alongside its bread and pastry, and the coffee flight is the thing worth knowing about. It’s a new concept which I only just found out, they serve Three to four coffees from the menu in small cups with tasting notes, which is a good way to understand the difference between brewing methods if you want to go beyond just ordering a flat white. Personally it’s great for sharing if you are with a partner, and happy to share or get 2!

The bakery side is my favourite part, they have delicious sourdough loaves, pastries, and lunch items. A good stop if you are walking through Dean Street toward the Quayside and want something more interesting than a chain. Get their croissants and cakes, so so good!

Address: Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne (down Grey street) Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PureKneadNewcastle Hours: Mon to Sat from 8am. Food: sourdough bread, pastries, sandwiches, lunch plates. Coffee flight available.

6. Sunday Coffee

Sunday Coffee is on Pudding Chare near the Bigg Market, and it is the place on this list that takes matcha as seriously as the speciality roasters take espresso. The menu is plant-based throughout, with oat, soy, and almond milk across everything. The room is calm and minimal, which makes it a good option for a quiet twenty minutes when the city centre feels too busy.

They have sweet treats, and delicious pancakes as well, great for brunch.

You can work/study here but it can get quite busy so maybe choose a time when it’s not. You can order food through QR code on the vase on the table.

Address: Pudding Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1UE Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SundayCoffeeNewcastle Food: cakes and sweet treats. Plant-based menu throughout. Matcha and coffee.

7. Tiny Tiny

Love Tiny Tiny! Tiny Tiny is on Carliol Square, from the bottom of Northumberland st, walk down, pass the new HMRC building, and it’s sort of behind the building.

This is the one I would send someone to if they needed a good table for a morning of work or a long unhurried brunch. It’s very big inside, lots of tables, and a lovely vibe as well.

Good coffee, a full brunch menu which I highly recommend their Mexican bean Rancheros, and a calm well-lit interior that makes two hours disappear without noticing.

Address: Carliol Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6UF Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TinyTinyNewcastle Hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm. Sat and Sun 9am to 4pm. Food: full brunch menu. Eggs, granola, sourdough, smoothies, cakes. Laptop-friendly.

8. Tommy’s Cafe at St Mary’s Cathedral

Tommy’s is inside the grounds of St Mary’s Cathedral on Clayton Street West near the Haymarket, with a small outdoor area liteally in front of the catherdal. The cafe sits within the cathedral complex and has a quieter atmosphere than anywhere else on this list.

It’s a one man business and they have good coffee, homemade cakes, a setting that is genuinely unlike anywhere else in the city centre. Worth knowing about.

Address: St Mary’s Cathedral, Clayton Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5HH Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TommysCafeNewcastle Hours: weekdays during cathedral opening hours. Food: homemade cakes and light bites. Coffee and tea

9. Claremont Teahouse

Most people who have lived in Newcastle for any length of time knew this place as Quilliam Brothers, and became a local institution on the strength of its tea selection and its reading room atmosphere near Newcastle University. It has since rebranded as Claremont Teahouse, but the space is broadly the same.

It in a Grade II listed building and on the corner opposite from the hancock museum. They do an immense selection of Tea and it is their main thing consisting of a long menu of loose-leaf options. Coffee is available and good. And they serve a variety of Bagels on their menu.

Address: 1 Eldon Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RD Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ClaremontTeahouseNewcastle Food: Bagels, cakes, and light bites. Full tea menu. Coffee available.

10. The Whale Coffee Company (Civic Centre)

This is such a lovely spot for coffee shop. The Whale Coffee Company is actually inside the Newcastle Civic Centre on Sandyhill near the Haymarket, which is why most people have never heard of it. It is run by Adam and Xiangjie, who also have The Whale’s Head on Chillingham Road. Good speciality coffee in a setting most visitors to Newcastle would never think to look for it.

Love love their brownies, it’s personally my favourite, so delectable. Probably the best in own, gooey and chocolatey. Worth making a detour for if you are near Haymarket, and worth knowing about as the kind of place that makes a city feel like more than its obvious landmarks.

Lovely inside with windows overlooking the green infront of the Civic centre, no outdoor area but feels like you are outside with the floor to ceiling windows. You can easily have a laptop and study or work here, but they are not open during weekends.

Address: Newcastle Civic Centre, Sandyhill, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WhaleCoffeeCivicCentre Hours: weekdays only during Civic Centre office hours. Best to go before 4pm weekdays Food: homemade brownies and cakes. Coffee and speciality drinks.

11. The Rice Kitchen (Grainger Market) for the Matcha!

The Rice Kitchen is in Alley 4 of the Grainger Market and is not strictly a coffee shop, but it does matcha made properly and it belongs on this list. Jade Gu opened the stall in February 2026 after moving to Newcastle from China to study at the University.

The matcha is made from real matcha powder with traditional preparation. The onigiri and inari sushi are worth ordering while you are there. And prices are very reasonable.

I have a list of vendors and places to eat in Grainger Market you can check out further.

Address: Alley 4, Grainger Market, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5QF Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GraingerMarket Hours: market hours, Mon to Sat from 9am. Closed Sundays. Food: onigiri, inari sushi. Matcha and speciality drinks.

12. North Shore Coffee (Grainger Market)

North Shore Coffee has a stall inside the Grainger Market on the same stretch as the Rice Kitchen. North Shore roasts its own beans and the market stall is a solid quick option if you are already inside for breakfast or lunch. Worth knowing about alongside the Rice Kitchen as the market has quietly become one of the better spots for a coffee stop in the city centre.

Address: Grainger Market, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5QF Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GraingerMarket Hours: market hours, Mon to Sat from 9am to about 4pm . Closed on Sundays. Food: cakes and light snacks. Coffee.

13. Neighbourhood 2.0 (North Shore Coffee)

Speaking of North Shore Coffee, they opened Neighbourhood 2.0 which is North Shore Coffee’s city centre cafe, which opened on St Mary’s Terrace near Victoria Square in late 2025. It is close to the Robinson Library and both Universities.

The interior is more considered than the standard coffee shop format, with distinctive seating that people mention when they describe the place, like a cascading waterfall. Batch brew on tap, self-serve matcha, cinnamon buns, and outdoor seating. Dog friendly. The kind of neighbourhood cafe that takes a while to find and then becomes the one you go back to.

Definitely a nice spot for work or study.

Address: 4 St Mary’s Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4PS Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NeighbourhoodNorthShore Hours: market hours, Mon to Sat from 9am to about 4pm . Closed on Sundays. Food: cinnamon buns and baked goods. Batch brew, self-serve matcha, coffee.

14. Pink Lane Coffee

Pink Lane is the closest speciality coffee shop to Newcastle Central Station, about three minutes walk away on Pink Lane, and it has been there for over twelve years. It is easy to overlook because it sits slightly off the main area, tucked between a Greggs and a side street.

Pink Lane roasts its own beans at a roastery in Sandyford and supplies coffee to cafes and restaurants across the city. The cafe itself is small, well lit, and does sandwiches and cakes made on site alongside the coffee. The right stop if you are arriving at or leaving from Central Station and want something genuinely good rather than whatever is directly in front of you at the concourse.

Address: 1 Pink Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5DW Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PinkLaneCoffeeNewcastle Hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm. Sat 9am to 5pm. Sun 10am to 4pm. Food: sandwiches and cakes made on site. Vegan and gluten-free options available.

15. Pumphreys Coffee Centre and Brewing Emporium

Pumphreys is reliable, great coffee and you can buy them too and they will grind them for you or buy the beans and grind yourself.

Pumphreys has been roasting coffee in Newcastle since 1750. The business started in the Cloth Market and has had a stall in the Grainger Market since 1983, which means it was there before most of the other entries on this list were opened.

The stall has grown into a full Coffee Centre and Brewing Emporium across several units inside the market, with over 80 coffees and teas available, their beans are sold by weight to take home, and they have a sitting area where you can try what you are about to buy.

It won Best Espresso and Best Cappuccino in the UK from the Beverage Standards Association multiple times. The coffee is roasted to order at their roastery in Blaydon. If you want a serious cup of coffee and the option to take a bag of something home, this is the one.

Address: 50-53 Grainger Arcade, Grainger Market, Newcastle NE1 5QF Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PumphreysGraingerMarket Hours: Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm. Closed Sundays. Food: sweet treats and light snacks. Over 80 coffee and tea varieties. Beans to take home, roasted to order.

16. The Camera Shop

The Camera Shop on Collingwood Street is a former camera shop dating to 1907 that now runs as a cafe with a loyal following among people who work nearby. Weekday mornings it regularly has a queue outside, which tells you something without requiring much analysis.

The coffee is good. The food is the main draw, sausage sandwiches on soda bread, wraps, salad boxes, toasties. Generous portions and quick service. The Peanut Latte gets mentioned in reviews more than anything else on the menu. The interior is small, distinctive, and reflects the original shop premises.

They are open weekday mornings and lunchtimes only. If you are heading to or from the Quayside, Collingwood Street is on the route and worth the stop.

Address: 27 Collingwood Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1JE Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CameraShopNewcastle Hours: Mon to Fri 7:30am to 2pm. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. Food: sausage sandwiches, wraps, salad boxes, toasties. Full breakfast and lunch menu. Vegan-friendly options.

17. Assemble

Assemble is below ground level on Old Eldon Square at the Green, and operates as two different places depending on when you arrive. Coffee shop by day, natural wine bar and small plates venue by night. The team behind it also runs House Bar in Heaton, and the same instinct for quality carries across.

The coffee comes from Resinn, a local Newcastle roaster. They have Vietnamese egg coffee which is almost unheard of in Newcastle, and worth ordering if you have not had one before.

Vietnamese egg coffee is a Hanoi preparation where whipped egg yolk and condensed milk are spooned over espresso, producing something closer to a dessert than a standard coffee. From Thursday to Saturday evenings Soku Kitchen runs the kitchen with Asian-inspired small plates. The room is relaxed, the interiors feel genuinely lived-in, and it is one of the few places in Newcastle city centre that does speciality coffee and food and natural wine all under the same roof.

Also have an outdoor space outside which is a nice sun spot during good sunny days.

Address: 3 Old Eldon Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7JG Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AssembleNewcastle Hours: Mon to Tue 8am to 4pm. Wed to Fri 8am to 11pm. Sat 10am to 11pm. Sun 10am to 4pm. Food: pastries and cakes daytime. Soku Kitchen Asian small plates Thu to Sat evenings. Vietnamese egg coffee. Natural wine by evening.

18. Sorcerer Coffee

Sorcerer Coffee is in Arch 4 on Forth Street, directly behind Newcastle Central Station, tucked under the railway arches in a spot that most people walk past without knowing it exists. Two minutes from the station exit. Turn right out of the main building, right again down Orchard Street, and you will find it.

The interior is 80s retro: VHS tapes, film posters, a soundtrack that people comment on in reviews more than they do in most cafes. There is a sun trap out front when the weather allows, and the place is dog friendly.

The coffee is the kind that gets described as rich and smooth by people who usually find it burnt elsewhere. The food looks great though I haven’t had some yet.

They do deli subs made to order, including a salt beef sandwich and a rotating Belly of the Beast special, alongside avocado toast, granola bowls, cheese toasties, and pastries. It appears in the European Coffee Trip guide to Newcastle, which is a selective list and not easy to get onto.

Address: Arch 4, Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3NZ
Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SorcererCoffeeNewcastle
Hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 3pm.
Food: deli subs, avocado toast, granola, cheese toasties, pastries and cakes. Dog friendly. Sun trap seating outside.

Questions About Coffee shops in Newcastle Upon Tyne

Hope you find this list useful, and let me know which one you have tried or if you have suggestions to add to the list in the comments. Appreciate you!

Courtney xx

Read more Newcastle Upon Tyne itineraries and food recommendations:

Want to explore Newcastle’s food scene further? Here are some guides that might help:

Complete Guide to Grainger Market : Deep dive into Britain’s Favourite Market with all the best food vendors

25 Things to Do in Newcastle Upon Tyne : My complete guide to the city including more food recommendations

Newcastle Match Day Guide : Where to eat and drink before NUFC matches (trust me, you need this)

9 Best Bakeries to try in Newcastle Upon Tyne : Find out the bakeries to get the best croissants, pastries, doughnuts, and sourdough

Things to Do in Tynemouth : Including Riley’s Fish Shack, one of the best seafood spots in the North East

Climbing up Grey’s Monument : Climbing Grey’s Monument: Is it worth it and the Costs?

Riley’s Fish Shack Review: The Famous Riley’s Fish Shack in Tynemouth: Is it worth it?

If you’re visiting from abroad, grab an eSIM before you arrive so you can easily look up bakery opening hours and directions while you’re exploring.