We don’t talk enough about Newcastle’s capacity for a terrific weekend of eating and drinking. Maybe it’s overshadowed by the nearby Hunter Valley vineyards as a tourist destination; perhaps Sydneysiders mostly associate the city with coal, rugby league and surf breaks. Newcastle is footy-obsessed, that’s true, but its bars and restaurants deserve as much attention as its beaches and Knights’ games. Here are our favourite ways to spend time in the region, in between ocean swims, scenic walks and gallery hopping.

For a seasonal set menu

Flotilla might be the closest Newcastle gets to fine dining – although we’re talking fine dining 2024 style. That means zero pomp, so you have a romping good time. A big part of that relaxed vibe comes from charismatic restaurant manager Eduardo Molina who expertly works the room and chats guests through a far-reaching wine list. The other component is chef Jake Deluca, whose five-course set menu changes monthly. Expect dishes such as raw bonito with green harissa and finger lime, and Bangalow pork with soft cipollini onions and burnt apple. The hatted restaurant has also just opened wine bar Vecina next door, with a snack menu featuring chicken liver parfait with madeira jelly, and lamb and olive empanadas.

9 Albert Street, Wickham, theflotilla.com.au

For seafood

Newcastle’s Honeysuckle precinct has long been the go-to for long lunches with a water view. The problem was, the bars and restaurants weren’t crash hot – the Steel City’s answer to Darling Harbour. Thank goodness, then, for Thermidor Oyster Bar and Brasserie, which recently took over an old Hog’s Breath site and swapped the curly fries for hot doughnuts stuffed with crab. Steak’s still on the menu, but now it might be a hulking bistecca grilled over ironbark.

Order big on the snacks, especially natural oysters with white pepper and finger lime, tuna tartare spiced up with gochujang, and chubby prawns wrapped in baby gem lettuce with Marie Rose sauce. And for post-swim takeaway fish and chips, you can’t get much closer to the ocean than The Kiosk Newcastle Beach. (The burgers and coffee here aren’t bad either.)

1/7 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle, thermidor.com.au

42 Shortland Esplanade, Newcastle East, thekiosknewcastlebeach.com.au

For a family-friendly lunch

Speaking of seafood near the water, last year Merewether’s Beach Hotel opened Larrie’s, a takeaway shop inspired by milk bars from a time when pinball was more popular than Pokemon. Old surf photographs line the walls, and the menu sports cornerstore classics such as battered snapper, pineapple fritters and prawn sangas, plus sashimi, tuna bowls and barbecued squid. Unlike the fancier section of the pub upstairs (recently relaunched as Peregrin restaurant), footwear is optional, and there’s a “little larrikins” menu spruiking chip butties and cocktail fish.

Napoli Centrale is our pick for puffy-crusted pizza, warm service and one of the best childrens’ menus in town, while local favourite Newy Fried Chicken has just moved to a larger site on the main road of Broadmeadow. The American diner-inspired joint offers fiery Nashville-style chook and seltzer for adults, plus chicken tenders for kids.

99 Frederick Street, Merewether, larries.com.au

173 King Street, Newcastle, napolicentrale.com.au

127-129 Lambton Road, Broadmeadow, newyfriedchicken.com

For cocktails

Speakeasy-inspired Coal and Cedar has been Newcastle’s No.1 destination for boozy, classic cocktails for the past decade. It can heave on Saturday nights, and patience may be required for a seat at the 14-metre-long bar, but such is the pulling power of expert-level Sazeracs, Fernet Branca and a huge range of whisky.

The Koutetsu is a couple of blocks down the road and is a reliable choice for classics and fun-time house creations such as the “Old Sam” featuring fig-infused tequila, sake, fino sherry and hazelnut syrup. Shout-outs, too, to the charming folk at Bar Mellow who can provide a cold and stiff martini, dive bar-channelling The Falcon for Bloody Marys and buffalo wings, and the tiki drinks at Blue Kahunas. If you’re more into cold beer than mixed spirits, check out Foghorn Brewery (try the kolsch-inspired Hunter Classic) and the Grain Store (expect 21 taps pouring independent lagers and ales).

380 Hunter Street, Newcastle, coalandcedar.com

555 Hunter Street, Newcastle West, thekoutetsu.com

744 Hunter Street, Newcastle West, thebarmellow.com

10 Pacific Street, Newcastle East, thefalconnewcastle.com.au

3/146 Hunter Street, Newcastle, bluekahunasbar.com

218 King Street, Newcastle, foghornbrewery.com.au

64-66 Scott Street, Newcastle East, grainstore.beer

For a smart-casual dinner

You’ll hear the hubbub from diners leaning into warm hospitality and generous wine pours before you’re even inside intimate Humbug in Hunter Street Mall. It’s a comfortable space, commanded by cheery co-owners Stephanie Wells (on the floor) and Mike Portley (on the pans). Portley is all about familiar ingredients and dishes with flavour set to stun, so anchovy arrives on flaky Danish pastry piped with lemon zest-spiked parmesan custard. Brilliant stuff, just like the rigatoni bolognese, while Korea gets a nod through raw yellowfin tuna coated in spicy gochujang sauce and served on peppery perilla leaf. Further adventures in modern Italian can be found at handsome Alfie’s, a short drive west of the CBD.

87-89 Hunter Street, Newcastle, humbugnewcastle.com.au

2/52 Regent Street, New Lambton, alfiesitalian.com

For high-end steak and veg

QT joins the trickle of new hotels shaking up the Newcastle accommodation, adding much-needed energy to Hunter Street in the process. There’s a decent rooftop bar, while on the ground floor chef Shayne Mansfield’s menu branches beyond hotel standards at Jana. The buttermilk fish wings, reminiscent of fried chicken, are particularly excellent and smoked heritage carrot tartare is a clever, tasty idea starring pickled carrots mixed through romesco and sorrel oil, candied carrot tops and crackers made from the stem. For the most part, though, Mansfield lets his grill do the heavy lifting, sourcing top-notch NSW steaks such as Hungerford Meat Co dry-aged rib and Manning Valley sirloin.

185 Hunter Street, Newcastle, qthotels.com/newcastle/eat-drink/jana

For the morning

Newcastle punches hard with exceptional coffee and breakfast spots, so consider the following a snapshot rather than a definitive list of the best cafes. Paper Run Espresso Bar opened in a former backstreet newsagency in November and became an instant hit for its mood-lifting blond-on-white fit-out, flat whites, avo toast and matcha smoothies.

Bowie is another newcomer, launching last year in Newcastle’s cafe heartland of Beaumont Street, Hamilton, and rocking Ona Coffee (ask about the rotating filter roast), dippy eggs and genuinely friendly vibes. Our favourite breakfast spot, however, is Equium Social just near the train line in evolving Mayfield West. Novacastrians flock to the bright dining room every weekend for potato and rye waffles topped with roast trout, sourdough crumpets, and silky chilli oil-enhanced scrambled eggs.

59 Ridge Street, Merewether, paperrun.com.au

79-81 Beaumont Street, Hamilton, bowiecafe.com.au

1/5 Maitland Road, Mayfield East, equiumsocial.com.au

For picnic supplies

If you have a free afternoon and a blanket, and the weather is in a good mood, consider a makeshift picnic at King Edward Park. There are shady pines and ocean views, and plenty of space to throw the rug out and eat a delicious sandwich. Arno Deli can help with that sanger, or more specifically, mortadella, pistachio cream and stracciatella on fresh schiacciata bread. There’s also a fine selection of salumi plus top-notch cannoli.

More charcuterie can be found a few suburbs over at Pork Ewe Deli in Mayfield, which also stocks a formidable range of cheese. If you want a terrific crusty loaf for your picnic, or a smorgasbord of sweet treats, Baked Uprising is the go-to for sourdough, tarts and cinnamon scrolls, plus one of Newcastle’s best meat pies. For something chilled, red and park-appropriate, Vera Wine is a haven of natural pinots and fizzy lo-fi drops. There are worse ways to spend a Sunday than with gamay and a baguette from Big Banh Mi.

181 King Street, Newcastle, arnodeli.com.au

144 Maitland Road, Mayfield, porkewe.com.au

21/25 Downie Street, Maryville, bakeduprising.com.au

67 Beaumont Street, Hamilton, verawine.com.au

1/122 Hunter Street, Newcastle, thebigbanhmi.square.site

For a day trip

The Hunter Valley, of course, is Newcastle’s sprawling backyard but it deserves a guide all of its own. (Briefly, however, Bistro Molines, Margan, Muse Restaurant and Yellow Billy should be at the top of your Hunter restaurant list.) If you’re keen to get out of town while keeping things coastal, then Rick Stein at Bannisters in Soldiers Point is an easy one-hour drive. It’s the kind of food you want to eat on a getaway, such as golden mulloway fritters, grilled flathead with Cafe de Paris butter, sashimi platters, and excellent bread from nearby Two Bobs Bakery. Many dishes are also inspired by food that Stein has enjoyed on his travels, including Singapore-style mud crab and steamed pipis tumbled through a sauce of mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger and coconut.

147 Soldiers Point Road, Soldiers Point, bannisters.com.au