A very well known restaurant in Newcastle is going to close its doors after the company
17:45, 29 Jul 2025Updated 18:01, 29 Jul 2025
Inside Gusto in Newcastle(Image: Gusto)
A top restaurant that has been popular with many people in Newcastle for years and years is going to shut down. And Gusto’s fate was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, following reports earlier on the day that the Italian chain was in financial trouble.
Hours before it was officially revealed that the Newcastle Quayside branch of Gusto would be closing, Sky News reported that Interpath Advisory was preparing a pre-pack insolvency for Gusto Italian, which currently operates from 13 locations across the UK. Founded in Cheshire in 2005 by Jeremy Roberts and the late Tim Bacon as a rebrand of Est Est Est, its Newcastle venue has occupied the same stunning building on the banks of the River Tyne, back from its days as Est Est Est and established itself as a real favourite of locals, visitors and celebrity diners, including several TV stars and cricketer Ben Stokes.
As rumours surrounding Gusto going into administration swirled, the chain’s bosses issued a statement on Tuesday lunchtime, announcing that six of its restaurants would indeed close, as part of an acquisition deal which will see Cherry Equity Partners, the owner of Latin American venues Cabana, take on the remaining Gusto restaurants.
Gusto, Quayside(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
And, shortly after 5pm, it was confirmed that Newcastle was sadly one of the six that will cease trading, along with the Gustos in Alderley Edge, Cookridge, Edinburgh, Heswall and Leeds. Ones in Liverpool (Albert Dock), Birmingham, Cheadle, Knutsford, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford will remain open.
As well as having an absolutely beautiful interior, the Gusto in Newcastle also became famous for its outdoor terrace, which proved particularly popular when Covid restrictions prevented customers eating inside the restaurant and has held events in both summer and winter, with the terrace getting an Aperol Spritz rebrand in the summer of 2022, as Geordies flocked to enjoy the famous tipple in the sun.
Gusto Newcastle has continued to earn great reviews on Trip Advisor in the weeks leading up to news of its shock closure, with one diner, who scored it 5/5 declaring they had an ‘exceptional evening’ there and adding: ‘Special night on the Quayside. This is a lovely place ate outside as weather great. Staff very helpful and the food was exceptional.’
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Dining and Cooking