Stuart Forster looks inside Revolucion de Cuba Newcastle, the Cuban-style bar-restaurant at the Cloth Market in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Disclosure: Stuart Forster, the author of this article, was invited to participate in a cocktail mixing class at Revolucion de Cuba, which did not review or approve this article. Some of the links below and banners are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Revolucion de Cuba is part of Newcastle’s buzzing nightlife and party scene. The drinks menu features several rum-based cocktails while the food menu has several Cuban-inspired dishes.
Revolucion de Cuba Newcastle
Newcastle’s Revolucion de Cuba has bars on three levels, including a rooftop terrace. There’s also a patio area overlooking the Cloth Market.
An acoustic guitarist was strumming Latin tunes when I entered the spacious ground-floor bar. Revolucion de Cuba regularly hosts live music and salsa classes. I sipped a punchy strawberry daiquiri while taking in the bar’s vibe.
Cocktails served here do not come with straws as part of an environmentally conscious effort to minimise plastic waste. Drinks served at Revolucion de Cuba are, instead, accompanied by a wooden spatula, akin to a broad ice-lolly stick, for pushing back ice when sipping.
Salsa classes and dance evenings
The cellar holds the Havana Bar, which opens to the public on weekends. The Havana Bar hosts cocktail master classes and salsa dancing evenings. At other times, the room will be available to be hired for private and business events.
It’s a smartly furnished room. Framed black and white photographs show Fidel Castro and other figures of the 26 of July Movement at various stages during the Cuban revolution and its aftermath. Shutters, wood-clad walls and patterned tiles aim to recreate the atmosphere of a colonial era bungalow. Anyone sitting down to work their way through the 60 or so different types of rum stocked by Revolucion de Cuba can steady themselves utilising the leather padding on the bar and brass footrail.
Roof bar in Newcastle
The upper floor of Revolucion de Cuba has a retractable roof, its own bar and a fireplace. Heaters hang from the ceiling in readiness for use on chilly evenings. The Santiago Sun Terrace will be open during winter months too.
The walls of the stairwells bear artwork blending Cuban-style images with icons from North East England.
A print of Alfred Korda’s famous photograph of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara with tussled hair and a beret hangs on the wall next to the log fireplace.
The menu served on the rooftop terrace features dishes termed ‘epic sharers’, including paella for four people.
I sampled several of the dishes from a menu that includes burritos and burgers. Cream Cajun mushrooms, calamari and smoky chicken skewers count among the tapas-style dishes available.
Cocktail making masterclasses at Revolucion de Cuba
While up on the sun terrace I was invited to participate in cocktail making masterclass led by Barney and Ross, mixologists in town to train Revolucion de Cuba’s bar staff.
Barney revealed that the duo know how to make around 150 different cocktails and proceeded to show me how to mix a mojito, the classic Cuban drink. “It’s one of the world’s most balanced cocktails,” he said while placing empty glasses on the bar at the beginning of the session.
He mixed together two shots of rum, a half-measure of lime plus a wedge of the tangy citrus fruit with two teaspoons of sugar. I learnt that slapping together a handful of mint awakens their aroma. He then mixed the ingredients together with crushed ice before topping the glass with yet more ice and a spring of mint as a garnish. Within seconds a ready-to-drink mojito stood on the bar.
Barney then invited me to follow his lead, blindfolded. The masterclass proved a fun way of getting to know other people as we were asked to get into pairs and work together (one blindfolded, one not) to mix a mojito. We then made other cocktails from the menu, picking up tips on how to improve our mixing as we went.
A Cuban rum bar
So, does Revolucion de Cuba have the vibe of an authentic Cuban rum bar? Don’t look to me for an answer to that question. I’ve never visited Cuba and, so far, have read only the first five pages of Dervla Murphy’s The Island That Dared: Journeys in Cuba:
The mojito mixed by Barney hit the spot. To make your own at home you’ll need soda water, mint leaves, sugar, lime juice and white rum:
Location of Revolucion de Cuba
Are you asking where is Revolucion de Cuba in Newcastle? It’s at 1-3 Cloth Market, between Newcastle’s St Nicholas Cathedral and the Bigg Market. You can see its location here:
Google Map showing the location of Revolucion de Cuba in central Newcastle.
Are you the designated driver and thinking about parking in Newcastle? Dean Street Car Park is one of the parking options near to Revolucion de Cuba.
Hotels in Newcastle upon Tyne
Looking for accommodation in Newcastle? Search Booking.com to find hotels in Newcastle:
Further information
See the Revolucion de Cuba (tel. 0191 917 7076) website for details about opening times and to view menus. There’s a special brunch menu and vegan dishes are served.
Heading to Newcastle for a night out? View the NewcastleGateshead website for ideas about things to do in Newcastle and neighbouring Gateshead.
Did you enjoy the photos illustrating this post? They are by Why Eye Photography.
Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is an award-winning journalist who has had work published in the likes of Food and Travel magazine. He is based in North East England and is available for both travel- and food-related commissions.
Thanks for reading this post about Revolucion de Cuba in Newcastle. Looking for a cuisine other than Cuban? Take a look at this post for ideas about places to eat in Newcastle.
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A version of this post was originally published on Go Eat Do on 6 July 2018.
