There's a reassuring familiarity about Harry's. The Grey Street Bar & Brasserie has long been part of the fabric of the city.
It’s place much-loved place that doesn’t need to shout for attention but earns it with polished service, a menu balancing comfort and flair and a lively atmosphere that feels like Newcastle’s answer to West End sophistication.
Speaking of theatre, it’s also obviously very well located for a pre-show meal.
For my daughter Holly and I, it proved the perfect curtain-raiser for a night out at the Theatre Royal, where the Book of Mormon promised irreverence and belly laughs. Harry’s, by contrast, offered an easy elegance.
We arrived early evening, greeted by the hum of conversation and the clink of cocktail glasses the kind of ambient buzz that suggests a place well-loved by locals and those visiting the city for the first time.
Generational differences soon became apparent as Holly surveyed an extensive cocktail menu while yours truly kicked back with an excellent pint of Vitamin G. Fortunately, Harry’s is a place which caters to all tastes.
The full à la carte menu, places an emphasis on feel-good Italian American fayre with some global nods.
Think fresh pasta, bicycle-wheel pizzas hand-stretched to order and steaks, sourced locally that are reliably excellent. Chunky chips meanwhile deserve their own standing ovation.
Harry’s offers good value with a specials set menu; two courses are available for £18.50 with three for £21.95.
This caught Holly’s eye as she kicked off with a sumptuous bruschetta, enlivened with garlic, chilli and an artful slick of olive oil.
I also set sail for sunnier climes with the steamed mussels in a devilish arrabiata sauce – mobbed up with a fat hunk of ciabatta.
Following on, Holly picked another from the specials board; the lamb cutlet with seasonal vegetables, mashed potato and pan jus.
Star of the show was the King Prawn Francesco. Plump prawns, cooked in a rich Cognac cream sauce with shallots and Dijon mustard, sat atop a bed of wild rice. The sweetness of the prawns played beautifully against the warmth of the Cognac and the gentle heat of the mustard.
In other words, a real crowd-pleaser.
As we headed into the early evening air, the Theatre Royal just a few strides away, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for places like Harry’s – good food, a better mood, and an experience that lingers long after the plates are cleared.
Harry’s shines in the pre-theatre spotlight.
For more information, visit www.harrysbarnewcastle.com