The Newcastle smokehouse team are back, with a new home for 2 Knives Kitchen and a brand new beer range, too!
It’s always great to see independent pop-ups find a permanent home within the North East, so when we heard last year that 2 Knives Kitchen was Crowdfunding to open a new place, we were over the moon! Starting life as Rib & Rub back in 2018, David Crann and Sophie Forster have become well-loved in the North East beer industry with “the best burgers in Newcastle” (words stolen from many social media posts from customers). From being responsible for a fantastic taproom atmosphere in a local brewery to now opening their new smokehouse home in Hoults Yard, the pair has had a hell of a lockdown.
2 Knives Kitchen are well-known for not only great food but for creating a warm, welcoming space, which has seen the business go from strength to strength. COVID-19 brought many challenges for food businesses, and with a baby on the way, many would have thought twice about opening a new venture over the past year. But real determination, hard graft, and community are what Sophie and David have built their business on, so a few setbacks weren’t going to stop them.
With baby William now a firm favourite in the taprooms of the North East (seriously, we’ve never met a happier or more chilled-out child), the team has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, doing all of the work to build the kitchen, bar, and outside space over the past year. The decor has rustic vibes, with the interior fit-out work all done by David (who is an electrician by trade).
The Burgers
The core burger range that Sophie and David have perfected over the past few years take pride of place on the menu – it’s a welcome return for favourites such as the Haggis Hunter (a beef patty with grilled haggis, crispy bacon, double cheese, tomato, lettuce, gherkin, red onion + mushroom dill mayo).
For vegetarians and vegans, the flatbread wraps are a great choice (a grilled pepper + squash mix with hickory hop sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion, gherkin, and vegan garlic mayo). There are also fries with your choice of seasoning, plus burger options for kids, and dessert pies if you’ve got any room left! Coming up, expect rolling specials such as pastrami sandwiches, turkey subs, and more treats straight off the smoker and ready to go (with no waste, which is important to the team).
The Beers
With Sophie’s cousin, Kay Masson, looking after the bar side of things, it was always going to play to her passion: Belgian beer. Kay has a wealth of experience in both hospitality and brewing, having previously run the brewery at Hop & Cleaver alongside her husband Tony. She has created a drinks menu with a great balance of accessible, local, national, and lots of Belgian beers, too. There are even two cask lines (one for beer, one for cider) plus a great set of wines, spirits, soft drinks, and more. Westmalle Dubbel on keg and your favourite burger? Heaven.
There is a rotating world beer line, so expect something different on keg curated by Kay every week, alongside the Belgian and local beer lines. The bottle fridge is packed with Westvleteren, Kasteel, Weihenstephaner, Orval (pictured), The Kernel, and much more – check out @arcanebridge on Twitter for updates.
The Future
With neighbours such as Full Circle Brew Co., Cake Stories, Studio 28, Proven Goods Co., and Rascals Barbershop they’re already in great company, and their addition to Hoults Yard further cements its place as a hub for great businesses (and a great day out).
Opening a brand new venue during a pandemic means that the team is focused on building a great place for food and drink before expanding into events, but there are plans for local artists to come in for exhibitions and to make their mark on the interior, and something special coming up in January 2022.
Sophie says – “It’s been a difficult year but we can’t wait to see all of our regulars from our taproom days and to meet new ones!”.
2 Knives Kitchen opens to the public on Friday 27th August 2021 from 3pm.
Find them at Unit 43 in Hoults Yard (next to the jelly bean mural), and give them a follow on social media for more updates: