Hard Rock Cafe Newcastle will open its doors at the Quayside’s historic Guildhall later this month.
Along with memorabilia from some of the music industry’s biggest names, it will feature a US-inspired menu, cocktails and a culinary tribute to its new home city.
Set over two floors of the Grade I-listed building, the restaurant can take up to 180 covers. Hard Rock’s famous steak burgers are sure to be a highlight of the menu alongside salads with steak, grilled chicken or California-style cobb – chicken with roasted corn, black beans and Monterey Jack cheese, and sandwiches from barbecue pulled pork and grilled chicken to the Classic Club, all served with seasoned or cheese fries.
There will also be a black and white Whey Aye Burger, one of the Hard Rock local legendary burgers which has been designed specifically for its first North East restaurant. The burger comes with Northumberland cheese, Newcastle Brown Ale onion compote, horseradish cream with a spring onion, cheddar cheese and pease pudding beignet – served in a toasted charcoal and sesame seed bun.
Along with a selection of bottled beers and wines, there will be a range of boozy milkshakes and signature cocktails including Hurricane – a 1940s New Orleans classic comprised of Bacardi Superior Rum, a blend of orange, mango, pineapple juice and grenadine, finished with a float of Captain Morgan Dark Rum and Amaretto.
In true Hard Rock fashion, diners will be seated alongside glass cabinets filled with rock and roll memorabilia and the venue will also be home to a Hard Rock – Rock Shop selling themed merchandise.
The sought-after franchise has been secured by North East healthcare entrepreneurs David and Penny Tilly, with the support of NGI and NE1. Although the route to opening has been challenging, Penny said they are “delighted to be opening and can’t wait to see the reaction to it. It’s been quite a rocky road, but Hard Rock has been incredibly supportive. Now we just want to see people’s faces when they see it. I think they’ll be blown away. It’s a great coup for the city to have the first ever Hard Rock Cafe in the North East of England.”
