Grab a Tasty Lunch at Newcastle's Grainger Market
On the hunt for a tasty lunch? Look no further than Grainger Market!
Newcastle’s iconic Grainger Market has always been a haven for foodies and an iconic venue in the city. With more outlets than ever before, it’s also fast becoming the best place to discover what’s new on the Toon’s culinary scene.
It’s the perfect place for a lunchtime treat too, with cuisines from around the world and all budgets catered for down its myriad of alleyways. Here are a few of our top tips on where you can grab lunch at the Grainger Market and the tasty treats on offer.
Alley 1
Grainger Market’s Alley 1 is home to a tonne of traders offering all kinds of tempting lunchtime options and cuisines from across the globe.
King Baby Bagels has been a Grainger Market staple since 2021 and its delicious, filled bagels are perfect for a lunchtime treat. Customers go wild for the Baby Ru – a bagel-based take on a classic Reuben sandwich – but don’t sleep on the 0191, a bagel packed with local flavour featuring salted ham, pease pudding, dill pickle and mustard.
Authentic Greek street food is the order of the day at award-winning eatery Acropolis. Choose from the likes of chicken gyros and halloumi wraps teamed with sides including dolmadaki and Greek olives. Celebrity foodie Adam Richman is even a fan, so you know you’re in for some tasty grub!
There’s even more mouth-watering Mediterranean food to be had at La Gamba, a gorgeous little spot serving tasty Spanish tapas. Dine on dishes like padron peppers, patatas bravas, chorizo and croquetas and add a little Spanish flair to your next lunchtime sojourn.
Caffeine connoisseurs will probably already know of North Shore Coffee but there’s more than just a hot cup of joe on offer here. They serve some of the tastiest toasties in the Toon, plus plenty of sweet treats too including croissants, brownies and banana bread.
Over at Soju & Goji, there are plenty of Korean street food delights to keep your belly full at lunchtime. There’s everything from Korean ramen, tteokbokki and bulgogi beef to feast on but don’t miss out on their Korean-style corn dogs – all customisable with a range of fillings, coatings and sauces.
Their neighbours Dumpling & Bun also specialise in Asian cuisine, serving up – as their name suggests – traditional handmade Chinese dumplings and buns. Snack on dumplings filled with everything from pork and cabbage to tofu and veg and buns filled with the likes of roasted duck and char sui.
Hankering after some delicious seafood? Make Lindsay Bros your next lunchtime destination. The long-running fishmonger has been servicing the people of Newcastle for almost a century and recently opened a new seafood bar next to its fishmonger stall selling stotties crammed with the likes of Craster kippers, hake fish fingers and Northumbrian crab.
Grainger Delicatessen, meanwhile, does exactly the kind of wholesome comfort food you need to fuel you through the rest of the day. Here, you’ll find lots of fairly priced hot and cold sandwiches plus their famous saveloy dips – and who could resist that?
If you’re after some fabulous food from the Indian subcontinent, Alley 1 has you sorted too! Snackwallah cooks up authentic vegan Indian street food from a colourful and cosy Alley 1 spot and does a fantastic ‘Curry of the Day’ deal served with daal, rice and naan – wash down a cup of chai or fresh fruit lassi for the ultimate treat.
Street food gets a Sri Lankan twist at Street Food Sri Lanka (the clue’s in the name!). Traditional dishes like lamb lamprais, seafood koththu and vegetable roti are cooked up by a team of talented Sri Lankan chefs, and perfect paired with a cup of authentic Ceylon tea.
If you’ve still got room for dessert after your lunchtime feast, swing by Yummie Yogurts for sweet treats including frozen yogurt and Belgian waffles, both customisable with a range of toppings.
Alley 2
Over to Alley 2 now, where you’ll find Redheads Mac ‘N’ Cheese who do exactly what it says on the tin, serving up deliciously indulgent mac ‘n’ cheese topped with treats like sticky pulled pork and fajita chicken. Vegan and veggie varieties are available too, as are sides like wings and waffle fries.
For a lunchtime bite that won’t break the bank, look no further than Dennis & June’s Sandwich Fayre. Their food rarely sets you back more than a fiver and their fresh cuts of sandwich meat couldn’t be more locally sourced, coming from Grainger Market’s resident butchers. Try their bacon sandwich – it’s rumoured to be the best in Newcastle!
Serving up some of the tastiest chicken in the Toon, you’re in for some clucking good grub with a visit to Alley 2 favourite FED’s Fried Chicken Shop. Choose from chicken wings, tenders and sandwiches and team with sides like loaded fries, slaw and sausage gravy for a belly-filling lunchtime treat.
A hop, skip and a jump away you’ll find Cubanos where Cuban street food is the order of the day. Burritos, empanadas and rice bowls are available but it would be rude not to try its namesake, the Cubano – a hearty hot-pressed sandwich filled with mojo marinate pulled pork, chorizo, cheese, dill pickle, mustard and tomato chipotle ketchup.
On a health kick? The Forest Boost is the one for you! Bringing a taste of Brazil to the Grainger Market, the superfood specialists serve authentic Brazilian acai bowls crammed with fresh fruit and perfect enjoyed with one of their smoothies or pressed juices.
Alley 3
Alley 3 might not be as lined with food traders as other areas of Grainger Market, but it still packs a delicious punch!
Haven’t tried the delicious food at Bao Down yet? Well, it’s a-bao-ut time you did! Go for their signature bao buns crammed with tasty fillings like crispy Peking duck, sticky sesame chicken and barbecue jackfruit or opt for a mouth-watering katsu curry with rice. Might as well throw in some of their loaded fries or gyozas while you’re there!
For proper British comfort food, Café One 2 One has to be on your list. Fill up on their generously proportioned full English breakfasts and dishes like fish, chips and mushy peas or roast beef dinner with all the trimmings – it’s all hearty, homemade and served up with a bit of Geordie banter.
Pick Thai, meanwhile, is one of Grainger Market’s newest additions and cooks up Thai street food favourites like massaman curry, pad Thai and tom yum noodle soup. Vegan options are available and they’ve got a great meal deal offer that includes a main dish, crackers and a drink.
Alley 4
Like Alley 3, Grainger Market’s Alley 4 is more of a shopping destination than an eating destination but don’t swerve it completely because there are a trio of traders waiting to tempt you for lunch!
Grab a pizza heaven at Slice. Available with toppings including sausage and onion, ham and mushroom and salamino, their massive pizza slices won’t set you back more than a fiver and are more than enough to keep you fuelled for the rest of the day.
Sometimes it’s only a sausage sandwich that will satisfy those lunchtime belly rumbles, and Geordie Bangers just does that. Their gourmet bangers are simply delicious – served in a bun or even on a stick! – but don’t miss out on their sausage rolls or pork pies either.
Or, if you’ve got a craving for a crepe, look no further than Crepes Gourmet. Opt for sweet fillings like Belgian chocolate with fresh banana and strawberries or try out their savoury flavours like the Spicy Diavola loaded with salami, mushrooms, mozzarella, cheddar and fiery chilli mayo and jam.
Arcade
And finally, let’s take a wander over to Grainger Market’s Arcade to see what lunchtime treats its traders have to tempt us with.
Take a journey into the reaches of northern China at Noodle Box & Chinese Burger who specialise in street food dishes from the Shaanxi province – think hand-pulled noodles, hearty noodle soups and roujiamo, a delicacy hailed as “the world’s oldest hamburger” filled with shredded pork.
If it’s unfussy but tasty homemade food you’re hankering after, Olivers Café Bistro is the place to head. Take a seat on its patio area and tuck into toasties, paninis, sandwiches and freshly baked pies and treat yourself to a scone or slice of cake for afters. They do a mean breakfast too!
Across the way, there’s The French Oven – an artisan bakery that’s been a Grainger Market favourite for almost twenty years thanks to its mix of French and Geordie staples. Pick up everything from pies and pasties to baguette sandwiches and paninis alongside sweet treats including macarons and sly cake and make sure you try their legendary sausage rolls. They’ve sold over 142,500 over their two decades in business, so they must be good!
Over at The Coffee Lounge, simple home-cooked grub is the name of the game. Its loyal customers rave about their hearty pies and bacon stotties, but don’t miss out on their scones either – they’re delicious and about the size of a door stop!
Hunters Deli is another long-running Grainger Market mainstay, first opening almost 70 years ago. Here, you can stock up your cupboards and fridge with everything from locally sourced meat and homemade bread to pies and preserves, but for a lunch on the go it has to be their legendary ham and pease pudding stotties – a Geordie classic.
The folk over at Eats Café keep it simple and tasty with menu full of wholesome food at great prices – from hot and cold sandwiches and homemade soup to pies, pasties and jacket potatoes. If you’re after something a bit heartier, they do full hot dinners too with options like shepherd’s pie and sausage and mash.
If you’re after a sweet treat to enjoy with your lunch (or to take home!), then Pet Lamb Patisserie is a must. Serving up freshly baked goodness in Grainger Market since 2012, their range of cupcakes, brownies and blondies are to die for.
Whether you fancy a classic sandwich, authentic international street food or something sweet, there’s a midday meal perfect for you at Grainger Market – so go forth and lunch!
Main image: Street Food Sri Lanka
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