The underrated UK city with ‘the most beautiful street in Europe’ and Gordon Ramsay’s favourite curry house
AN UNDERRATED city in the UK is home to some of the most beautiful streets in Europe, amazing pubs and curries that rival those in India.
London and the south east often grab the headlines when it comes to tourism, but there are plenty of other spots worth visiting beyond the capital.
One of those is Newcastle, with stunning streets, fantastic culture and friendly locals too.
Grey Street is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful streets in Europe, with its Georgian architecture a favourite among visitors.
The road winds its way down from the ornate Theatre Royal down towards the city’s iconic quayside, where the famous Tyne and Millenium bridges are found crossing the River Tyne.
In 2002 it was named the most beautiful street in the UK by a BBC Radio 4 vote, and was the eighth “most instagrammed” street in England in 2021.
It still has its admirers today too, with one TripAdvisor review declaring: “Someone once called this the most beautiful street in Europe and I haven’t seen a nicer one.”
The buildings aren’t just nice to look at however, especially the bars and restaurants, with plenty of them great places to spend an hour or even an evening.
The pick of the pubs can be found at the Ouseburn, with the Free Trade, the Cumberland Arms, the Tyne Bar and the Ship all making up a wonderful little pub crawl that winds its way from the city’s outskirts back towards the quayside.
In the city centre the equally stunning Crown Posada and Bridge Hotel are also favourites among locals.
The food in Newcastle isn’t bad either, with Gordon Ramsay recently declaring that the curry he had at Khai Khai was as good as some that he had tried in India.
He said: “It was a beautiful Indian restaurant, Khai Khai. We turned up at 6pm thinking we could get an early table and it was packed.
“I went in the kitchen – the female brigade making the incredible rotis and naans, burns up their arms.
“I had one of the best curries in my entire life, that took me back to being in Mumbai and Rajasthan.”
Ramsay also visited the riverside street food market By The River Brew Co and was blown away by some of the food on offer there as well.
He continued: “The following day I went over to an area with all these little pop-up kitchens next to that beautiful bridge over the Tyne.
“I had this vegan sushi and I had to just stop and look at the Tyne and remember where I was! This is f***** unreal. I am in Newcastle!”
However, for those less interested by fine dining, Newcastle is also the birth place of British fast food staple Greggs, with the first branch opening in Gosforth more than 80 years ago.
Several branches can be found throughout the city, meaning a pasty or a sausage roll is never more than a few yards away.
One of those branches sits right along the quayside, opposite two of the city’s main cultural destinations.
The curvaceous Sage towers over the Tyne from the Gateshead side of the river and holds concerts and events throughout the year.
Next to it is the Baltic centre for contemporary art – a former flour mill turned gallery that hosts a frequently changing variety of exhibitions, events, and educational programmes.
Further into the city centre is the Stand comedy club, which hosts a range of talent from up and coming stars of tomorrow to established TV comics on UK tours.
Lucky punters might also catch A-list performers in the club trying out new material if they turn up on the right night.
Days at the beach are also on offer from Newcastle as well, with stunning seaside towns like Tynemouth just a short metro ride from the city centre, making it an ideal place for a family staycation.
Another way kids can be entertained in the Toon is at the largest funfair in Europe, with the Hoppings a real highlight in the Newcastle calendar.
The fair has been running in one form another since 1882 and now sees more than 400 of the country’s biggest and brightest attractions arrive at the town moor for a week of fun each year.
Newcastle is a city often overlooked by visitors to the UK, but it’s got more than enough to be a great destination for all the family.
What’s more, it was named the friendliest city in the UK back in 2019, so the locals are likely to go out of their way to make sure you end up having a great time whenever you visit.
Meanwhile, tourists are also guilty of missing out on this UK city too.
And this northern city in England looks so much like New York, it’s used instead of the Big Apple in films.