We recently had the pleasure of dining at one of Newcastle’s one of a kind cocktail bar and restaurants, right in the heart of Newcastle’s city centre – and we had an absolute ball.
Located next to Newcastle’s iconic Grey’s Monument, The Alchemist has been in Eldon Square since 2017 and its wide variety of creative and innovative cocktails and food seem to keep people coming back for more of its distinctly theatrical offerings.
Our party was greeted by a collection of friendly and courteous staff that were attentive from start to finish. We were given a small table for two in the heart of the bar area, a space which was atmospheric and entertaining as cocktails were dramatically made regularly, making for entertaining viewing.
We were given an appropriate time to browse the food and drinks menu and were offered a gluten free menu which was appreciated by my guest who is gluten free – she noted later that it was lovely to feel included and have such an exciting selection of dishes available.
The Alchemist’s menu offers a range of dining options, from breakfast and brunch, to nibbles, to mains, lighter plates, and a selection of deserts. Upon visiting we were able to sample a wide variety of dishes including a sharing portion of crispy fried halloumi stix. These were the perfect introduction to our meal and were washed down nicely with a glass of one of the Alchemist’s many Pino Grigio wine options.
We visited and sampled a large selection of The Alchemist’s greatest dishes, from their small plates to wine and deserts.
For a more substantial main course we tried the crispy fried halloumi wrap and the crispy curried fish. The halloumi wrap was the perfect lighter main course, accompanied by a portion of slightly salted sweet potato fries, while the curried fish was accompanied with rice. The curried fish looked and smelt amazing and was favoured by my guest who said she couldn’t wait to come back and enjoy the meal again.
To conclude our wonderful dining experience, we enjoyed a flamboyant showcase of desserts. The chocolate cookie s’mores includes a warm bowl of soft cookies accompanied by vanilla gelato, torched marshmallow, freeze-dried raspberries, and is drizzled in a warm chocolate sauce. This dessert arrived in a particularly theatrical manner that involved catching a bubble on top of the dessert. This was done with a bubble gun containing e-liquid to create the bubble of smoke; it was a real spectacle and certainly attracted an audience. The yakitori caramelised pineapple was just as much of a showcase. Served on a hibachi grill, with dry ice beneath to create a smoking effect beneath the desert, we were blown away by this.
Although The Alchemist is part of a chain, the Eldon Square restaurant go above and beyond to ensure they are offering their customers fantastic food, service as if you were in an independent restaurant, and exciting happenings such as comedy nights, after dark – late night tables and gifting options.
The Alchemist in Eldon Square is great for business or colleague lunches and creates the perfect atmosphere and noise levels to meet new people. Similarly, in the evening it offers a more relaxed ambiance and is suitable for all occasions.
We had a fantastic time at The Alchemist and would strongly suggest popping in for a bite to eat some time soon to sample their fantastic hospitality.
