Michelin-Starred Pine Team to Launch PYR - a Live-Fire Culinary Destination at Freight Island Newcastle
Freight Island Newcastle is proud to announce a landmark partnership with the visionary team behind the Michelin-starred Restaurant PINE. Launching on 6th August 2026, named for the meeting point between PINE and fire, PYR will bring live-fire cooking to the heart of Freight Island Newcastle, the city’s new 60,000 sq ft rooftop destination. Born from the same ethos that earned PINE both a Michelin Star and a Green Star for sustainability, PYR brings PINE’s precision into a louder, faster city setting. The restaurant is built around a custom live-fire kitchen, where smoke, char and heat shape a seasonal menu of instinctive British cooking.
Led by Chef-Owner Cal Byerley and Head Chef Ian Waller, PYR transitions their celebrated sourcing philosophy into a communal, fire-led format. The menu is a celebration of Northeast provenance, featuring: Day-boat seafood from the local coast. Prime cuts from trusted regional heritage farms and seasonal vegetables sourced from long-term small-scale growers.
The dining experience is designed for flexibility and atmosphere, ranging from snacks (from £5) and small plates (from £10) to substantial cuts cooked over the flame (from £30) and fire-influenced desserts (from £8).
Cal & Siân Byerley, owners of Restaurant Pine, said: “Our new concept, PYR, will open on 6th August, alongside the rest of the Freight Island space opening in June. Rooted in the same DNA as Pine but with a completely different energy, PYR's stoves will be overseen by Cal and Pine's head chef, Ian Waller.
“Everything we do there will revolve around fire. It’s fast-moving, open, and built around the very best produce the Northeast has to offer. This isn’t a scaled-down version of Pine; it’s something entirely new, and something we’ve wanted to create for a long time.
“Freight Island is a serious development, the kind of space Newcastle deserves. When the opportunity came to be part of it from the start, it felt right. PYR belongs in the centre of the city: coal, smoke, char, incredible ingredients, and a room built on energy and atmosphere.”
“Expect fire at the heart of everything, whole animals, day-boat fish, vegetables off the grill, and big cuts cooked over coals. Dishes with real clarity, in a room that feels alive. The team is going to do something really special here, and we can’t wait to open the doors.”
The arrival of PYR marks a defining moment for Freight Island Newcastle. Set within the transformed former Debenhams rooftop site, the venue is set to become the UK’s largest hospitality space with a retractable roof.
PYR will lead Freight Island’s wider food programme, sitting alongside 12 independent kitchens, four bars and a year-round programme of music and screenings. Together, the offer creates a full food ecosystem for the city, from Michelin-starred cooking and live-fire dining to independent traders, local producers and emerging hospitality talent.
Through partnerships with Newcastle College and training providers, Freight Island Newcastle will also create new routes into the industry, giving the next generation of chefs, front-of-house teams, and food businesses a platform in the heart of the city.
Image: (L-R) Ian Waller and Cal Byerley / Photo by Linda Hermans Photography
