Low light, good drinks and somewhere to talk: the Newcastle NSW bars we would pick for a night for two.
Last checked 14 November 2026. No bar paid to be included.
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Speakeasy
Australia's Best Regional Bar 2016
A hard-to-find Prohibition-style speakeasy with no sign outside: text the code on the wall and wait for the door to open. Popular since 2014, it was named Australia's Best Regional Bar in 2016. The bartenders will make a drink to your taste. It also runs cocktail masterclasses.
📍 380 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
🕒 Daily 4pm to 11.55pm (OpenStreetMap; check before you go)
Rooftop cocktail bar
On level nine of Crystalbrook Kingsley, with panoramic views over the city. Cocktails lean on native Australian ingredients, with smart bar food to match.
📍 Level 9, 282 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Rooftop bar
On top of the heritage former David Jones building, with harbour views and lunar motifs. Japanese-inspired cocktails, plenty of gins and Japanese whiskies.
📍 QT Newcastle, 185 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Bar and restaurant
A 1920s-style bar and restaurant in a historic building, with a sophisticated cocktail list and an extensive whiskey collection.
📍 145 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Yakitori bar
From the team behind Nagisa and Susuru, with a cocktail list by Chris Wilson of The Koutetsu and yakitori from the grill.
📍 1 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle NSW 2300
Asian fusion cocktail bar
Asian fusion cocktails with kaffir lime, chilli and lychee. Cocktails are cheaper in the Gingertown Bar on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
📍 212 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Asian diner and bar
A tropical-inspired modern Asian diner in an art deco building, all greenery and pastel tones, with punchy share plates and inventive cocktails.
📍 5-7 Darby Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Cocktail bar
A cocktail bar with gluten-free food and a tasting paddle of four half cocktails of your choice.
📍 104 Beaumont Street, Hamilton NSW 2303
Wine bar and pasta
A wine and pasta bar on Hunter Street, a favourite for wine lovers and date nights.
📍 87-89 Hunter Street, Newcastle
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Start with Coal & Cedar, Romberg's, The Rooftop at QT, Bartholomew's and Âpé Yakitori Bar. Our full list has 9 bars.
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run Cocktail Week, the ten-day cocktail festival held town by town across the UK and Ireland. Now we're bringing it to Australia. Since 2022 we have taken it to more than 20 towns and cities and worked with hundreds of bars. We put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides, including Hunter and Hunter.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Cocktail Week in Australia
Run a bar in Newcastle NSW that should be here? Get in touch at hello@cocktail-week.com and tell us about it.
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