The Bodega joins national list of best pubs for 2026
One of Newcastle’s most storied watering holes, The Bodega on Westgate Road, has secured a place in The Telegraph’s latest list of the best pubs across the UK — the first time it has featured in the guide. The recognition places the city-centre venue among 650 recommended pubs nationwide and highlights the depth of pub heritage in the North East.
The Bodega, a favourite for generations and a short walk from the Tyne Theatre, has long been part of the city’s social fabric. The current building is understood to be an 1872 re‑build of an earlier house on the site. Its distinctive domes arrived in two phases, the first in 1906 and the second in 1937. Known as The Black Bull for much of its life — with references traced back to 1822 — the pub took on its present name following a revamp in 1995.
Part of a well-known local group
The Bodega forms part of the Sir John Fitzgerald collection of venues, which also includes some of Newcastle and Gateshead’s best-known bars: The Crown Posada, Bacchus, The Bridge Hotel and Fitzgerald’s (formerly The Green in Wardley). Within the group, The Bodega has a reputation as a pub industry insiders admire. As the company’s teams like to say:
“The Bodega is the place staff from other pubs go to.”
The Telegraph’s 2026 guide spotlights a spread of venues across England, Scotland and Wales. In the North East, the new entry for The Bodega sits alongside 29 regional selections this year. From Tyne & Wear, the list features other familiar names including the Free Trade Inn, Crown Posada, Central Bar, Cumberland Arms and The Tyne Bar.
Why this matters locally
For Newcastle’s hospitality scene, national acknowledgement of a long-standing city pub underlines the strength of the traditional, characterful venues that help define the local offer. While new openings regularly grab attention, The Bodega’s inclusion demonstrates the continued pull of historic pubs that have evolved without losing their core identity.
Visitors drawn to the city for gigs, theatre and football frequently look for distinctive pub experiences near the centre. The Bodega’s location on Westgate Road — steps from cultural venues and close to major transport links — makes it a practical choice for pre-show and post-event crowds. For regulars, the guide listing is a nod to what has kept the doors swinging for decades: a consistent approach and a setting that wears its history openly.
At a glance: The Bodega’s timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1822 | First recorded reference to the pub as The Black Bull |
| 1872 | Re-build of the earlier pub on the site |
| 1906 | Construction of the first dome |
| 1937 | Second dome added |
| 1995 | Renamed The Bodega following a revamp |
What the 2026 guide says about the region
The Telegraph’s latest compilation highlights a cross-section of styles and settings around Tyne & Wear and the wider North East, from riverside favourites to heritage interiors. The Bodega’s status as a new entry for 2026 reflects the breadth of the area’s pub culture and the continued relevance of independent, locally rooted operators such as Sir John Fitzgerald.
Planning a visit
- Where: Westgate Road, a short walk from the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle city centre.
- What’s notable: Heritage features, distinctive domes, and longstanding local following.
- Also in the guide nearby: Free Trade Inn, Crown Posada, Central Bar, Cumberland Arms, The Tyne Bar.
As the summer season brings more footfall into the city, inclusion in a national best pubs list is likely to put The Bodega on the radar of visitors who typically plan trips around food and drink stops. For long-time patrons, it is simply public confirmation of what many in Newcastle already know: some of the city’s most enduring pubs continue to set the standard.
