Ultimate Guide: The coolest places to eat and drink in Newcastle

Newcastle's never been tastier, with a new wave of outstanding eateries and chefs stirring up the city's dining scene. If you're heading there for Food Month in April, or anytime, be sure to savour these stars.

Chef and co-owner Josh Gregory honed his craft at London's The Ledbury under fellow Novocastrian Brett Graham - who's just become the first Aussie to score three Michelin stars. Now Gregory and wife Jess are bringing it home in a waterfront love song to classic brasserie fare, combining fine dining finesse with Newcastle's come-as-you-are informality. Grilled lobster thermidor on a lush bed of pasta amatriciana is the showstopper, but each dish is a pitch-perfect expression of Gregory's produce-first approach and light, refined touch. Those harbour views call for local Stella Maris oysters, paired with a young Hunter Valley semillon. thermidor.com.au

When sunlight drenches Blanca's whitewashed walls, this Mediterranean newcomer on the Honeysuckle waterfront is pure Mykonos - and similarly sociable, with al fresco lounges and a cocktail shaker soundtrack. The menu tips its party hat at Sicily, Cyprus, Turkey and the Macedonian heritage of owners Garry and Melissa Risteski; more-ish mezze easily amass to a feast of delicious crowd-pleasers like baked saganaki cheese with spicy harissa, and the menu's stealth star: Balkan burek, pillowy soft and soaked in spiced brown butter. Med spirits hang out with local wines on the drinks list, and sunset completes the spell. blancahoneysuckle.com.au

Two years in, this Italian-inflected one-hatter continues to surprise and delight with an ever-shifting menu reflecting the region's best bounty at any given moment. Co-owner Mike Portley creates new dishes whenever something grown or reared locally captures his imagination, while out front his business and life partner Stephanie Wells shares her passion for sustainable and under-the-radar wine stars. You'll discover new favourites while your tabletop disappears beneath pasta bowls - the lamb ragu is stunning - and charcoal dishes served with banchan, little flavour-crammed serves of house-made pickles, ferments and condiments. humbugnewcastle.com.au

Just opened beside one-hatted big sister Flotilla in Wickham, this wedge-shaped wine bar is your gateway to chef Jake Deluca's handiwork without the need to commit to his degustation-only menu next door. Here, you can sample beguiling little plates of fish rillettes, Manchego croquettes and all kinds of Spanish-hued treats matched to co-owner Eduardo Molina's dazzling wine list - 400-plus bottles wander the globe via intriguing grapes and small-scale makers. An ever-changing cocktail list is impeccably executed, and if all that wasn't cool enough, there's even a whiff of rock n' roll - Silverchair bassist Chris Joannu is a co-owner. barvecina.com.au

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A perch by the open kitchen in this new yakitori bar on the Honeysuckle waterfront puts you close enough to feel the heat as chef Nicolas Pedemonte, framed by leaping flames, grills handpicked Hunter Valley produce over charcoal. Meats and vegies reveal hidden nuances and intensity, and Chilean-born Pedemonte finesses the fuego with dashes of south American flavour. Âpé (a Japanese word for fire) is the third in Taiyo Namba's over-achieving family of contemporary Japanese restaurants and brings cocktails centre stage. A Japanese Negroni or a gin and saké-based Sakura is your perfect companion for a parade of small plates and stellar skewers. apeyakitoribar.com.au

Elementa's tranquil perch on the banks of Throsby Creek Foreshore in Maryville is reason enough to linger over breakfast, lunch or dinner. But fans also flock here for chef Jess Brooks' beguiling dishes. In Elementa's first year, she's won a devoted following for share plates of deftly handled fresh produce enriched with Asian and Middle Eastern influences - plus a judicious touch of char. Small, deceptively simple dishes such as heirloom tomatoes with whipped tofu yield bold, vibrant flavours. Breakfasts with Bloody Marys are Newcastle's hottest weekend date. theelementa.com.au

Newcastle's neighbourhoods are the new frontier of the city's food scene thanks to gems like Alfie's, tucked away in cool upcoming inner-west suburb New Lambton. This wildly popular neighbourhood wine bar flexes easily from snack and a glass to a full spread and a couple of bottles from the wine wall's floor-to-ceiling international cast. Whether you stack up little antipasto flavour bombs - think smoked mussels escabeche, Ortiz anchovies or truffle salami - or gather round heartier serves of mafaldini (the curly pasta) with beef cheek ragu, scallop spaghetti, pork cotoletta and more, you'll wish this was your local. alfiesitalian.com

Be sure to check out the deep sea-green walls at this lovingly designed corner spot in Hamilton. The blackboard lists keenly priced delights such as $5 olive and anchovy Gildas - the tasty Basque skewer snack of guindilla peppers, green olives and white anchovies. All around, co-owner Melisah May's seafood and ocean-inspired paintings echo the goodies on the table. She and husband Tony Harrison focus their menu on European and North African flavours, applied to local produce, offered in share dishes and paired with a wine list hero-ing Hunter talent as well as small producers from farther afield. harrisonsfoodandwine.com

Newcastle Food Month: Throughout April, almost 50 venues celebrate Newcastle's thriving dining scene. Restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars offer daily $30 Plate Date specials alongside a line-up of 75 foodie events.

Where to stay: Five-star Crystalbrook Kingsley is a food force as well as a sumptuous headquarters for your Newcastle sojourn. Roundhouse, atop the striking circular building, champions the region's best and sustainable producers. From $257 a night, with a special Foodie Sleepover package for Newcastle Food Month from $325 a night. crystalbrookcollection.com/kingsley

The Lucky Hotel has 30 individually decorated rooms in a lovely 1800s building. The pub has a leafy central courtyard channelling a Palm Springs vibe, with a delicious Cali-inspired menu to match. theluckyhotel.com.au

The writer was a guest of Newcastle Food Month and Crystalbrook Kingsley.