The Hustle is the coolest Newcastle cocktail bar, restaurant and disco lounge
Fast becoming one of the best cocktail bars in Newcastle, at The Hustle you can kiss your FOMO goodbye…
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Drinks then dinner, or dinner then drinks?
Whichever way you do it, you normally have to settle for a walk between venues to hit the right note for each.
But not anymore, thanks to Newcastle cocktail bar, restaurant and disco lounge: The Hustle.
For those of us who can remember The Gate in Newcastle being built, the area seems to have always been synonymous with a good time. Whether that’s drinking and dancing the night away, or a cheeky Nandos before catching a film on the big screen, it’s a section of the city that revolves around fun.
So, why leave the hustle and bustle to continue any part of your day or night out?
At The Hustle, you don’t have to. The venue – which combines a bar, dancefloor, disco and à la carterestaurant – promises to give you the best of both worlds. Without compromising on either.
THE HUSTLE, NEWCASTLE
When it comes to cocktail bars in Newcastle, the best are those where you can soak up the unrivalled local ambience. At The Hustle, you’re always at the centre of the action – so you can kiss your FOMO goodbye.
When the HLN team visited, we stretched out in their spacious outside terrace to make the most of the fresh air and sunshine. A perfect people-watching spot, we found it easy to while away the afternoon chatting over great food and drinks, with the gentle buzz of city life as our backdrop.
But should the clouds gather when you visit, simply make your way through the terrace, step inside and you’ll immediately find yourself at the heart of The Hustle’s bar area.
You’ll be greeted by indoor foliage and neon signs, art deco-themed furniture and dazzling chandeliers, TV screens and giant DJ decks… in other words, an Instagrammer’s paradise.
If you’re here for a drink, then let the fun begin. And don’t worry if you get peckish – their bar menu has a great range of snacks and sharing platters to keep the munchies at bay.
Have a table booked for their restaurant? You’ll be led by one of The Hustle team through the bar to the partially segregated restaurant area at the back of the building. This way, you can enjoy your meal in a little more peace and privacy, with the sound of revellers muted and mingling with music for a relaxed dining experience.
FOOD AT THE HUSTLE, NEWCASTLE
There’s always time to wine and dine at The Hustle. And with such an impressive array of hand-chosen dishes at your fingertips, you’re really going to want to take your time here.
The Taste of Summer Menu
Let’s start with the main event: The Taste of Summer à la carte menu, which will be running in their main restaurant until mid-autumn.
As the name suggests, this summer-inspired menu aims to bring a little sunshine to your plate. Or glass, if you go for one of their warm-weather cocktail specials.
A fusion of flavours – bringing everything from hoisin pork belly together with Mediterranean veggie pizza, seafood linguine and spiced beef ragu – the variety of the Taste of Summer menu means finding a dish for every palette is a guarantee. So, you can enjoy a relaxed dining experience straight out of the holiday brochures.
Veggies and vegans, don’t despair – you have way more to choose from here than your standard halloumi mushroom burger. And if anyone is on a health kick, The Hustle’s range of superfood rice bowls are a great way to join in and have fun, without sacrificing your diet.
Don’t be fooled into thinking the portion sizes are as light as the flavour combos, though – you really get what you pay for here. Hearty portions of good, honest food full of zest and creativity. What’s not to love?
What HLN ordered:
- Starters: creamy garlic mushrooms on toasted focaccia, mozzarella and peach salad, hoisin style belly pork, duck and pomegranate salad
- Mains: Nyonya spiced chicken burger (bar menu), summertime chicken pizza, caprese style pasta
- Desserts: summer berry Eton mess, dark chocolate & caramel mousse
The Taste of Summer menu runs every Sunday – Friday at The Hustle, where you can order 2 courses for £15 and 3 courses for £20
FIND OUT MOREThe Kids Menu
Just because The Hustle is one of Newcastle’s coolest hotspots on the hospitality scene doesn’t mean it’s not child-friendly.
With any starter, main and a kids’ drink coming in at only £7.50, bringing your mini-me out on the town has never seemed so reasonable. And with dishes like potato skins, cheesy garlic bread, tomato pasta and fish fingers on the menu, you know they’ll be able to find something they like, too.
Many of the dishes can be made gluten-free on request and there’s also a child’s vegan menu to peruse. Plus, you can add desserts like cookie dough, chocolate fudge brownie or ice cream for just £1.
Mams’ cocktail day out, anyone?
You can order any starter, main and child’s drink from the Kids Menu for £7.50 and can add a dessert for an extra £1.00
FIND OUT MOREThe Bar Menu
Fancy something snappier than a three-course meal? Or need something to tear and share with the squad? Either way, The Hustle’s range of New York Fusion Tapas has got you covered.
Inspired by the Big Apple, the menu in The Hustle bar has a tantalising selection of small plates, sharers, artisan pizzas and burgers to tuck into day or night. Think Little Italy meets Chinatown, with a sprinkling of all-American burgers and fries – right here in Newcastle.
But what it’s not is basic. When was the last time you were served wild mushroom arancini with a little truffle oil mayo as a bar snack? Or mac ‘n’ cheese bon bons with chipotle mayo? Tucked into a chicken burger with a blend of more than 12 Asian spices or had any Singapore cod bao buns in your local recently? Yeah, thought not.
See, wherever they’re serving their food to you, The Hustle’s kitchen team are committed to creating the very best. So, while it may be a little unusual to intermingle your dining destination with your dancing spot, it doesn’t mean the quality of either has to suffer.
HLN Top Tip: The Hustle are famous for their dirty fries – rustic fries in a seasoned spice with sour cream and cheese, with the option of adding tomato salsa, avocado and jalapeños or spiced beef ragu. So indulge, why don’t cha.
The Bar Menu at The Hustle is available every day until 9pm (7pm on Sundays)
FIND OUT MOREMEET THE CHEF
When Team HLN popped our heads into The Hustle, we were lucky enough to nab Head Chef Mark Charlton for a chat.
Having built up an impressive résumé – not least running the kitchen at the luxurious The Vermont Hotel for three years, where he also created menus for weddings and prestigious gatherings – Mark’s appointment at The Hustle is testament to the venue’s dedication to serving only the finest food.
It’s just the surroundings which have changed for Mark.
‘I’m excited for what I can create here,’ Mark told us. ‘There’s so much potential. Before The Hustle, I ran the kitchen in The Vermont Hotel, which was a great experience. And I’m bringing all that experience and those influences into this venue.
‘What I really love about The Hustle is that it gives me a chance to work somewhere contemporary and to give back to the people of Newcastle. I can get creative working on a foundation of good, honest food, and I can see our diners enjoying their meals here – which, as a chef, is as good as it gets.’
Chef’s Choice:
We thought it would be rude to drag Mark out of the kitchen and not ask him about his favourites on the menus he’s created. And we thought it would be even ruder not to share them with you guys…
- Starter – Hoisin style belly pork
‘I’ve got a real weakness for the Hoisin style belly pork on the Taste of Summer menu,’ said Mark. ‘We serve it with a peanut chilli caramel that means ever bite has a new flavour.’
- Main – Caprese style pasta
‘I just made this up!’ Mark laughs. ‘Mozzarella, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes, finished with fresh parmesan and balsamic dressing. It’s simple but really tastes like summer on a plate.’
- Dessert – Dark Chocolate & Caramel Mousse
‘If they ever made Rolo yoghurts into a proper dessert, this would be it!’
DRINKING AND DANCING AT THE HUSTLE, NEWCASTLE
Whether it’s before your meal or after, The Hustle really know how to get the party started when the sun goes down.
Open until 1am, there’s forever a fun-loving atmosphere in The Hustle bar, which boasts a mezzanine lounge area and a DJ booth where live DJs spin every weekend.
Sports fans – you can get here a little earlier and nestle in for the night, with The Hustle’s three large TV screens right above the bar for easiest access to those match-day margaritas.
Speaking of margaritas, when it comes to cocktails Newcastle runs the gamut – and the real name of the drinks game at The Hustle are their signature serves. Every day, indulge with two cocktails for £12 from 5pm until 9pm, which have all been created by expert mixologists for flavours you won’t find anywhere else.
Cocktails not your thing? Explore The Hustle’s well-travelled wine list or sample beers from the best breweries in the world and embark on a globe-trotting adventure from your glass.
HLN’s top serves at The Hustle:
- Watermelon Sugar
A summer cocktail special, take Beefeater, Old J Cherry, lemon, watermelon syrup, cranberry and watermelon Red Bull for a serve even Harry couldn’t go without.
- Cola Cola
Disaronno, strawberry sours, lime and grenadine just hits different.
- Bubblegum Zombie
Old J Spiced, Old J Tiki Fire, pineapple juice, lime juice, Old J Gold, Gomme syrup and Blue Curaçao combine in epic style.
- Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
Like an espresso martini. But with salted caramel.