19 Great Restaurants for Graduation Meals in Newcastle

Flat Iron, Grey Street

With exposed brickwork, gloriously high ceilings and vintage furniture, the newly-opened Flat Iron on Grey Street is definitely one that graduates will want to check out. This lovely lot keep things simple whilst doing everything very well, serving up their signature flat iron steak and sides, alongside blackboard specials like the Wagyu steak of the day. There’s no dessert menu as such, but if you trade in the little steak knife charm you’ll receive after dinner, you’ll get a delicious soft serve ice-cream to enjoy on the way out. 

Pitcher & Piano, Quayside

Why not celebrate the big day with a meal at Pitcher & Piano alongside some of the most scenic views of River Tyne you’ll ever see in the city? Nestled on Newcastle’s iconic Quayside, Pitcher & Piano boasts both a beautiful riverside patio and a gorgeous rooftop terrace perfect for an al fresco graduation meal. Chow down on delicious small plates, mouthwatering mains, burgers, pizzas and the like or head there on weekends for some boozy celebratory fun with their bottomless brunches.

21, Trinity Gardens

As one of the city’s most popular and acclaimed restaurants, 21 is the perfect place for celebrating all those years of hard work at university. Fine British dining is the focus at 21 - the brainchild of celebrated local chef Terry Laybourne - with menus offering dishes packed with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. It’s also home to a gorgeous private dining room, perfect for big graduation dining groups looking for a space to hire.

3SIXTY, Rutherford Street 

Nestled atop one of Newcastle’s tallest buildings, 3SIXTY offers a sky-high graduation dining experience with unbeatable views of the city you’ve called home the past few years. Take in panoramic views of Newcastle as you dine on carefully curated menus featuring some of the finest fare in town. Head there for a delicious lunch, a fancy afternoon tea, a sumptuous Sunday roast or some amazing a la carte dining against the beautiful backdrop of Newcastle’s famous skyline. What’s more, they’re offering well-deserved graduates a complimentary glass of prosecco to sip on as they sup! And if you’re celebrating with a larger group of six or more, the graduate will even receive a complimentary £20 dining voucher to use on the day of the booking.

The Maven @ The Vermont Hotel, Castle Garth

Sumptuous surrounds and a range of dining options make The Maven perfect for celebrating your graduation with a delicious meal – especially for visiting families staying overnight at The Vermont Hotel. The Maven is ideal for post-graduation lunches, Sunday roasts or evening meals out and their vegan and kid-friendly menus mean that everybody is catered for. Their Stay & Dine package is perfect for visiting parents too.

Cafe Andaluz, Grey Street

For a great graduation meal on Newcastle’s iconic Grey Street, look no further than Spanish restaurant Cafe Andaluz. Vibey, colourful and family friendly, it’s perfect for a celebratory meal with the whole clan in tow and its extensive tapas menu is bound to have a dish to suit everybody. Plus, their graduation offer means you can dig into three tapas and a dessert for just £24.95 each!

Pleased To Meet You, High Bridge

High Bridge hotspot Pleased To Meet You is home to a gorgeous bar and restaurant serving up delicious drinks and amazing food that’ll make any graduation celebration a memorable one. Head there for midweek lunches, a la carte dining and some totally tempting afternoon tea options or enquire about hiring their beautiful Viceroy Room for celebrating en masse. The bar at Pleased To Meet You boasts one of the most extensive gin menus in town too, and who wouldn’t need a G&T or two after all that hard uni work?

The Botanist, Monument Mall 

Home to one of the best rooftop terraces in Newcastle, The Botanist makes for an ideal spot to enjoy some post-graduation al fresco dining. Offering great views of the city centre and some seriously delicious food – including their legendary hanging kebabs – it’s perfect for treating graduates for all their hard work. Make sure you try a cocktail or two: brimming with rich and carefully curated botanical flavours, they’re perfect for celebrating. Plus, if you book in for their mouth-watering Graduation Celebration Menu, everyone on the table will receive a complimentary glass of prosecco – perfect for toasting the graduate with!

Chaophraya, Eldon Square 

Spice up your graduation celebrations with a tantalising Thai meal at Chaophraya in Eldon Square’s Grey Quarter. With a swanky dining room and a rooftop terrace boasting fantastic views out over the city centre, Chaophraya will make your graduation meal one to remember. Book up for a post-ceremony lunch or opt for a la carte dining – it’s up to you. Larger groups celebrating together can also enjoy a complimentary bottle of champagne when you reserve a table in advance!

Dobson & Parnell, Queen Street

Offering fine dining in a sophisticated space, Dobson & Parnell on Queen Street is perfect for a fancy graduation meal. British and European-inspired dishes crafted from local, seasonal fare dominate at Dobson & Parnell and with a range of dining options – set menus, a la carte menus, Sunday lunch and children’s menus – it’s perfect for whatever kind of group you’re eating out with. It’s open for lunch and dinner too and boasts one of the best wine lists in town… and lord knows graduates deserve a decent tipple or two.

Harry's, Grey Street

Celebrate your graduation with a deliciously authentic Italian meal at Harry's. The popular Grey Street restaurant and bar promise an unforgettable graduation meal with tasty pizzas and hearty pasta dishes washed down with a selection from their extensive wine or cocktail list. With burgers, steaks, fajitas and the like on the menu too, graduate diners will be spoilt for choice.

Dakwala, Grainger Street

Dakwala are ringing out the end of the academic season with a mouth-watering menu for the class of 2026! Dine on four delicious courses from £25 per person, and try everything from sweet chilli cauliflower to the classic Old Delhi butter chicken. Oh, and did we mention that it also includes a complimentary glass of prosecco too? Yeah, we’ll cheers to that!

Babucho, Lower Side 

Whether you’re dining with friends or family, Babucho’s graduation celebration menu has you covered. This New York-style brasserie will be serving something for everyone – from pizzas, pastas and risottos to more indulgent fare like slow cooked beef and steak frites. And with two courses from £22.95, or three from £26.95, there’ll be cash leftover for cocktails too…

All Bar One, Grey Street 

Nestled in the heart of Newcastle’s Grey Street, All Bar One’s stylish surroundings and vibrant atmosphere make this a great spot to keep the day’s celebrations going. Their menu is jam-packed with scrumptious small plates that’re perfect for sharing – and graduates will even enjoy a drink on the house! Whether that’s an Aperol Spritz or a pint of Madri well, we’ll leave that up to you.

DOOD, Newcastle Quayside

Or, if you fancy trying something a little different to celebrate your hard work, then head to DOOD on Newcastle Quayside. Every dish here is full of flavours from Persia and The Levant, from mouth-watering mazehs to delicious kababs. Just don’t forget to try the hummus while you’re there!

Victors, Newcastle Quayside 

With its gorgeously whimsical wisteria trees and show-stopping Asian-inspired dishes, it’s no wonder that Victors is one of Newcastle’s most instagrammable hotspots. And this graduation season, they’re offering hard-working students a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot when dining from their a la carte or graduation set menu. You’ll get some excellent content for the ‘gram and a great meal… that’s what we call a win-win!

Chez Mal @ Malmaison, Newcastle Quayside 

Also down on Newcastle’s glorious Quayside, you’ll find Chez Mal inside the Malmaison Hotel. A great option for anyone with family that’re staying overnight for the occasion, this eatery blends British brasserie vibes with a French twist, resulting in a rich and refined menu. Dine on three courses with a glass of prosecco for just £42.50 per person, and enjoy everything from beef tartare tacos, to a lamb mezze mixed grill. Anyone else feeling peckish now…?

Hibou Blanc, High Bridge Street

How does celebrating your graduation with a swanky meal at one of the Bigg Market’s best restaurants sound? Head to Hibou Blanc, which is open for lunch and dinner and serves a range of refined fare ideal for celebrating after the big graduation ceremony. Book a table on its gorgeous terrace and bask in the sun as you toast to your success.

The Alchemist, Grey's Quarter, Eldon Square

The Alchemist are already well-loved in the Toon for their uniquely creative cocktails that make mixology look like both an art form and a scientific endeavor! Their Cosmic Oysters are the perfect example of this – a blend of Bombay Pressé gin, limoncello, yuzu, citrus, disco blue and passionfruit pearls – that everyone on the table will enjoy on the house when graduates make a booking at The Alchemist. And their food menu is just as impressive, crammed with the likes of lobster mac & cheese, coconut tofu curry, French-dip steak sandwich and much more.

Graduating from university is no small feat and deserves a celebration, so why not get booked up at one of the restaurants above and mark the occasion in style in Newcastle city centre?

Main image: A young female graduate, Photo by Stanley Morales, Free to use under the Pexels License

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