The stage is set for the eagerly awaited arrival of a big name addition to Newcastle's new Freight Island. The huge £16m rooftop village venue is now open in the city centre, occupying the top floor of the former Debenhams store in Eldon Square.
Freight Island's New Culinary Star
With a central focal point bar, one of four, Freight Island boasts 12 food kitchens under its £1m retractable roof, including Newcastle favourites Scream for Pizza and Meat:Stack, as well as striking views across the city. Among that open space is one large area yet to be filled, promising something extra-special.
The team from Michelin star Restaurant Pine in Northumberland—which last week made the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 list for a fifth consecutive year, ranking at number 38—will open new venture PYR there in August. It will take advantage of some of the best rooftop views.
PYR: A New Concept
Cal Byerley, chef-owner of Pine, which also holds a Michelin green star, and his head chef Ian Waller, who has just won a national award, will fire up a seasonal menu focused on smoke, char, and heat. The new concept, summed up by Cal as 'same DNA as Pine but a different energy', will centre on communal dining with food cooked over flames.
In keeping with Pine's local and sustainable ethos, the 'live fire' cooking experience will offer prime cuts from nearby farms cooked over coals, fresh seafood from the North East coast, and grilled vegetables from small-scale growers. Small plate options will be available, and imaginative desserts will also receive fiery treatment.
Partnership with Freight Island
Freight's partnership with Cal and his wife Siân, Pine's co-owner, will see PYR launch on August 6. The couple said: "Everything we do there will revolve around fire. It's fast-moving, open, and built around the very best produce the North East has to offer. This isn't a scaled-down version of Pine; it's something entirely new and something we've wanted to create for a long time. Freight Island is a serious development—the kind of space Newcastle deserves. When the opportunity came to be part of it from the start, it felt right. PYR belongs in the centre of the city: coal, smoke, char, incredible ingredients, and a room built on energy and atmosphere."
Their message to customers is: "Expect fire at the heart of everything" in a room "that feels alive". They add: "The team is going to do something really special here."
Menu and Opening Times
Flexibility will be key for diners, with a menu ranging from snacks costing from £5 to small plates from £10 and flame-cooked substantial cuts from £30. Freight Island, which will also host music events and has 10 large HD screens currently showing World Cup games, opens Thursday to Sunday. Its hours are from 12 noon until 1am at weekends and 11pm on Thursdays and Sundays. Following PYR's launch, the new addition's opening times from August 7 will be from 5pm on Thursday and Friday, noon at weekends, until 11pm (8pm Sundays).
