The Blind Monk

The city’s premier museum originated in an old brewery in 1988 before moving into the Honeysuckle Railway Workshops in 2011, bringing with it the story of one of Australia’s most historic cities. The perfectly preserved railway architecture leads visitors through the area’s Aboriginal past, Newcastle’s origins as a colonial coal port and development into the cosmopolitan city it is today. “It’s an amazing old building in the heart of Newcastle giving you the chance to read up on the history of the city and view the amazing permanent and specialised exhibitions,” says Gill.

Living a stones-throw away from this intimate Beaumont Street watering hole, this writer has on more than one occasion sampled the Blind Monk’s eclectic and ever-changing cocktail menu. I can humbly attest to the quality of the Monk’s lemon drop martini (the finest example of this flavour bomb tasted in quite some time) as well as their delicious take of the South American classic, the Pisco Sour. There was a lot of love for the Blind Monk in our poll, not least for their espresso martini, which many of you said was the best in Newcastle.

Sitting in the heart of trendy Beaumont Street and set among its cafes and restaurants is the area's only venue with quality beer on its 12 taps, as well as a nitro hand pump. This is a cracking joint to kick-start our tour, too, purely as there are no distractions, so make sure you pick a table that opens up onto the street where you can watch some proper characters in this neighbourhood pass by. You might also see Grainfed's brewer and owner Lachlan MacBean, who lives around the corner, sneaking in for a quiet one.

As the busiest coal export harbour in the world, there’s plenty to look at and learn about on this epic five-hour cruise, which includes a visit to the Hunter Wetlands and a Guided Museum Tour. The sunny skies and sparkling water immediately put you in relaxation mode and there’s enough space for the kids to roam in safety. Get a bird’s-eye view of the giant container ships in various stages of loading or unloading and learn all sorts of interesting facts from the running commentary.

Brought to you by the same team behind other crowd favourite venues including Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, The Whistler, and The Family Hotel in Maitland. John Elsley, Phil Elsley, and business partner Lukas Thodas (owner & publican) have done it once more refurbishing The Underground into your new favourite late-night watering hole.

The Blind Monk is the perfect date spot if you like your craft beers on tap, amongst a bustling yet intimate atmosphere. A Beaumont Street mainstay, The Blind Monk isn’t just about the beers — with an amazing selection of local ciders, wines and produce on offer too. It’s open seven days, so perfect for a mid-week rendezvous.

The Blind Monk have been displaying and offering their Australian craft beer. They have cider and local wines as well. They make sure that they are offering the newest craft to ensure its freshness and unique taste offered in the market.

Newcastle has become so well known for learning the cocktail making trade, that it’s now quite common to find Novocastrians shaking up a storm at some of the top bars in Sydney and Melbourne.