Café Mercy

You'll find this place tucked into one of those stunning Georgian buildings that makes Grey Street so bloody photogenic. The bones of the building are spectacular – high ceilings, original features, the works – but they've turned it into something properly contemporary without losing the soul of the place. The cocktail list here is where they really show off. These aren't your bog-standard gin and tonics; they're doing proper craft cocktails that actually taste like someone's put thought into them. The crowd skews slightly older than your typical Newcastle night out, which means you can actually have a conversation without shouting. It's the kind of place that works whether you're on a date or catching up with mates who've got their act together.