Key Points
- New Dining Experience: The groundbreaking restaurant NIPO, which specializes in the blending of Japanese and Brazilian cuisine (Nipo-Brasileiro), marked its official opening at Newcastle Quayside Wednesday after a special preview event.
- The Idea Born by Professionals: The establishment has been created by two successful entrepreneurs Rodrigo Grassi Duarte and Howard Eggleston, who run the popular Rio Brazilian Steakhouse chain restaurants.
- Signature Courses and Cuisine Concept: The Chief of Cooking Connor Marley works on the menu that includes not only small and large dishes but sushi, high-quality steaks, as well as the exclusive “Fire & Feast” sharing dish called Costela NIPO (slow-cooked beef rib with mandioca mash).
- Unique Cocktail Menu: The dining venue features the long bar and nearby sushi bar, offering unique cocktails that have been developed by Area Manager Chris Barron, such as the Yuzu & Ginger Martini and the Japanese Old Fashioned.
- Plans for Expansion: After the initial stage of launching the restaurant, the proprietors plan to build the brand locally before any expansion plans.
Newcastle (Newcastle Times) September 28, 2026 – A unique culinary concept has arrived on Newcastle Quayside with the launch of NIPO, a new restaurant celebrating Japanese-Brazilian fusion cuisine. Created by the co-founders of Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, the venue offers an ambitious menu ranging from artisanal sushi to slow-cooked sharing plates and custom cocktails. Having completed its first full weekend of trading, the venture represents a novel addition to the North East’s vibrant dining scene, with its owners already contemplating future growth.
What Has Opened on the Newcastle Quayside?
As reported by Life Writer Barbara Hodgson of Chronicle Live, a brand-new restaurant named NIPO has officially opened on the Newcastle Quayside, celebrating its initial weekend of public business after launching on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The opening followed a special preview event hosted for invited guests on Tuesday evening.
The venue’s name directly honours the Nipo-Brasileiro community—the historic Japanese-Brazilian population centered predominantly around the São Paulo region of Brazil. According to reporting by Hodgson, the venue aims to introduce a totally fresh culinary style to the city by blending traditional Japanese methods with vibrant Brazilian ingredients and cooking techniques.
Visually, the interior has been designed to offer an atmospheric dining environment, featuring an inviting mix of distinct seating areas, floral installations, and decorative lighting.
What Features on NIPO’s Food and Drink Menu?
As detailed by Barbara Hodgson of Chronicle Live, the menu at NIPO is structured as a “journey of taste,” incorporating both small and large plates created under the direction of Head Chef Connor Marley.
Highlights of the Menu:
- The Highlight Sharing Dish: Featured within the menu’s “Fire & Feast” section, the signature Costela NIPO is designed as a comforting sharing meal. It comprises slow-cooked, fall-apart beef rib served alongside a rich gravy, pickled shallots, fresh leaf garnish, and mandioca mash—a traditional root vegetable puree made from cassava (yuca).
- Starters & Seared Plates: Among the featured appetizer options is a fillet tataki, consisting of lightly-seared beef fillet served with citrusy Japanese ponzu dressing, fresh chili, and toasted sesame seeds.
- Steaks and Sushi Bar: The menu extends to a dedicated sushi bar offering combinations such as a trio of salmon, black cod, and tuna paired with pickled daikon (Japanese radish). Meat selections also feature premium cuts, including filet mignon and Wagyu sirloin.
- Dietary Options & Desserts: Plant-based diners are accommodated through items like vegetarian nigiri and noodle dishes, while dessert offerings include a pavlova infused with Brazilian passion fruit.
The venue also houses a dedicated long drinks bar situated adjacent to the sushi bar. As reported by Hodgson, Area Manager Chris Barron highlighted several craft cocktail creations, including a Japanese Old Fashioned and a Yuzu & Ginger Martini rendered smooth through the addition of egg white. Hodgson noted that front-of-house staff act as knowledgeable guides to help customers navigate the extensive menu options.
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Who is Behind the New Restaurant Venture?
As reported by Barbara Hodgson of Chronicle Live, NIPO is the latest creation from business partners Rodrigo Grassi Duarte and Howard Eggleston.
The founding duo are already well-known across the region’s food and hospitality sector as the operators behind the successful Rio Brazilian Steakhouse brand. According to Hodgson, Duarte and Eggleston plan to monitor NIPO’s performance closely as it settles into regular trading on the Quayside, with long-term ambitions to evaluate expansion opportunities for the NIPO dining model in other locations.
Background of the Nipo-Brasileiro Culinary Fusion
The culinary partnership between Japan and Brazil is rooted in more than a century of shared demographic history. Brazil is home to the largest ethnic Japanese population outside of Japan, a lineage that began in 1908 when the ship Kasato Maru arrived at the Port of Santos carrying the first wave of Japanese immigrant farmworkers.
Over decades of integration, particularly in the state of São Paulo, traditional Japanese culinary fundamentals—such as precise knife skills, raw fish preparation, and soybean/rice fermentations—merged seamlessly with indigenous and Portuguese-influenced Brazilian ingredients. This cross-cultural dialogue introduced local elements like cassava (mandioca), passion fruit, tropical chili peppers, and charcoal-grilling techniques into Japanese dish formats.
In recent years, Nipo-Brasileiro dining has grown from a regional domestic staple in South America into a respected global gastronomic movement. The arrival of NIPO on Newcastle Quayside marks an expansion of this heritage into the North East of England, introducing local diners to authentic historic fusion techniques rather than modern commercial crossover trends.
Prediction: How This Development May Affect Newcastle’s Hospitality Sector and Local Diners
The establishment of NIPO on the Newcastle Quayside is positioned to influence both the local dining audience and the surrounding commercial ecosystem in several distinct ways:
- Diversification for North East Food Lovers: For local consumers and food enthusiasts, NIPO introduces a niche culinary concept that has previously had limited representation in Tyne and Wear. By combining accessible staple items (such as sushi and premium steaks) with unfamiliar regional delicacies (such as mandioca root mash and citrus-ponzu marinades), the venue broadens the scope of choice for experiential diners in Newcastle.
- Impact on Quayside Nighttime Economy: The Quayside has long served as a focal point for Newcastle’s leisure and hospitality trade. The addition of a high-end, dual-focused restaurant and cocktail venue strengthens footfall in the district, reinforcing the area’s reputation as a destination for premium evening dining rather than solely alcohol-led nightlife.
- Market Validation for Experiential Fusion Concepts: If Rodrigo Grassi Duarte and Howard Eggleston achieve commercial success with NIPO, it may encourage other hospitality operators across the North East to invest in specialized, cultural fusion concepts rather than traditional single-cuisine formats. Furthermore, a successful initial run could pave the way for brand rollout into neighboring northern cities, establishing Newcastle as a launching pad for new regional restaurant chains.
