Set to launch in August, PYR will bring Pine’s trademark precision “into a louder, faster city setting”.
The restaurant is built around a custom live-fire kitchen, where smoke, char and heat shape a seasonal menu of instinctive British cooking.
The venue will be led by Pine chef-owner Cal Byerley and head chef Ian Waller.
The menu is being billed as a celebration of North East provenance, featuring day-boat seafood from the local coast, meat from regional heritage farms, and seasonal vegetables sourced from small-scale growers.
The dining experience is designed for flexibility and atmosphere, ranging from snacks (from £5) and small plates (from £10) to substantial cuts cooked over flame (from £30) and fire-influenced desserts (from £8).
“Our new concept, PYR, will open on 6 August alongside the rest of the Freight Island space opening in June. Rooted in the same DNA as Pine but with a completely different energy,” says Byerley, who co-owns Pine with his wife Siân.
“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.”
“Expect fire at the heart of everything: whole animals, day-boat fish, vegetables off the grill, and big cuts cooked over coals. Dishes with real clarity, in a room that feels alive. The team is going to do something really special here, and we can’t wait to open the doors.”
Set within the transformed former Debenhams rooftop site, Freight Island Newcastle is set to become one of the UK’s largest hospitality spaces, with a 60,000 sq ft footprint and a retractable roof.
PYR will lead Freight Island’s wider food programme, sitting alongside 12 independent kitchens, four bars, and a year-round programme of music and screenings.
Pine launched in 2021 in East Wallhouses and is currently ranked 26 on Restaurant’s list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK.