The Best Pizza & Italian in Heaton & Ouseburn

East Newcastle takes its pizza seriously. From the wood-fired ovens of Chillingham Road to the stonebaked kitchens of the Ouseburn valley, the NE6 postcode has quietly built up one of the strongest concentrations of pizza and Italian cooking in the city. Whether you want a proper leopard-spotted Neapolitan base to eat in, a family-sized takeaway box for a night on the sofa, or a scoop of gelato by the river, here is our guide to eating Italian in Heaton and Ouseburn.

Wood-fired and Neapolitan pizza

If you only try one place, make it Flint Pizza on Chillingham Road. This independent restaurant and takeaway cooks authentic Neapolitan pizza in a wood-fired oven, with each base blistering in around 90 seconds at fierce heat. The result is exactly what the style should be: a soft, pillowy, slightly charred crust, a light hand with the San Marzano-style tomato, and quality toppings that let the dough do the talking. You can eat in or take away, and there are vegetarian and vegan options too. It is a firm neighbourhood favourite, and deservedly so.

Down in the Ouseburn valley, Gingerino's Kitchen on Stepney Bank takes a slightly different approach. Its speciality is thin and crispy stonebaked pizza, with the dough proved for well over 48 hours before it goes anywhere near the oven. The kitchen leans on proper Italian ingredients — 00 flour, San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes and fior di latte — so even the humble margherita has real depth. The bright orange building is easy to spot as you wander the valley, and it makes a good stop before or after a gig at one of the nearby music venues.

Italian restaurants and gelato

For a broader Italian menu, Peccati Italiani on Heaton Road is worth knowing about. As well as pizza it does a proper spread of pasta dishes, and it has built a strong reputation for its gluten-free and vegan cooking — a rare thing to find done well, and a genuine relief if you or a guest can't eat wheat. It is set up mainly for collection and delivery, which makes it a dependable choice for feeding a crowd at home.

No Ouseburn food guide is complete without Di Meo's Riverside Ouseburn on Riverside Walk. The Di Meo name has been a North East institution for generations, and the riverside site pairs fresh pizza with the award-winning, small-batch gelato the family is famous for. On a warm afternoon, a slice by the water followed by a scoop of Italian ice cream is one of the simplest pleasures the valley has to offer, and it is very much a family-friendly spot.

Pizza takeaway and delivery

Sometimes you just want a big box delivered to the door, and Heaton has that covered. On Chillingham Road, Pizza Daddy is a busy, well-liked takeaway turning out generous pizzas alongside gourmet burgers, kebabs and wraps, with a build-your-own option if you are feeling particular. Locals rate it highly, and it delivers across the area.

A short walk away on Heaton Road, Uno Pizzeria is another solid takeaway choice, doing pizzas, kebabs and wraps for collection and delivery. Between them, these two cover the classic late-night and family-night territory without any fuss.

Making a night of it

The beauty of eating Italian in east Newcastle is how easily it slots into a wider night out. Grab a Neapolitan pizza on Chillingham Road, then head down the hill to the Ouseburn for a pint of real ale at one of the valley's pubs and some live music. Or keep it simple: order in from a Heaton Road takeaway and settle in. Either way, the NE6 pizza scene has more genuine quality — and more choice — than most people outside the neighbourhood realise.

Prices, opening hours and menus change, so it is always worth checking directly before you set out, especially for the smaller independents. And if we have missed your favourite Heaton or Ouseburn pizzeria, do let us know — we are always keen to hear where the locals really go.