Looking for places to eat in Durham? In this small and historic city, you will find a vast list of dining options from local to Thai, Turkish, and Italian restaurants. To help you find out the best choices, we’ve compiled a list based on Time Out, TripAdvisor, The Fork, and local food blogs. If a place is loved by critics and locals, it deserves your attention. Come with us to dig out the top restaurants in Durham!
15 Top Restaurants in Durham
We compared several sources from Time Out, TripAdvisor, TheFork, and top local blogs to filter those frequently recommended Durham restaurants with stable reviews. In other words, this is not a personal list, but a compiled research based on cross-source consensus, which will better meet diverse tastes. Now, check with us to unveil the 15 best restaurants in Durham.
1. Coarse
- 💡Style: Modern British / Fine dining
- 💷Average Price: £55–£75
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.9
- ☎️Phone: 0191 380 5776
- 📍Address: Reform Pl, North Rd, Durham DH1 4RZ
Coarse is a Michelin restaurant in Durham city centre, based in a small courtyard in the centre of the city. It is famous for its affordable and fine 6-course tasting menu, which is creative and based on local seasonal ingredients. It also offers carefully selected wine pairing, together with a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for special occasions and fine dining experience seekers.
2. The Rabbit Hole
- 💡Style: Cantonese-Fusion / Asian Fusion
- 💷Average Price: £30–£35 for eary bird
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.6
- ☎️Phone: 0191 386 5556
- 📍Address: 17 Hallgarth St, Durham DH1 3AT
The Rabbit Hole is a top Chinese restaurant in Durham, with a unique Cantonese Fusion & Asia-inspired menu featuring specialities such as Peking Duck and Honey Glazed Char Siu. To match its Asian food, it has various cocktails, wines and non-alcoholic beverages. The inner decoration is vintage-chic, with an intimate and cosy atmosphere perfect for date night and celebrations.
3. Cellar Door
- 💡Style: Modern European, British
- 💷Average Price: £28–£35
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.5
- ☎️Phone: 0191 383 1856
- 📍Address: 41 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NU
The Cellar Door is one of the top restaurants in Durham if you want to try local British Food and enjoy great river views. It sits within a 13th-century riverside building, hidden on the main thoroughfare up to the cathedral, and is perfect for enjoying food on the outdoor terraces when the weather is good. The restuarant provides both classic Sunday Roast and seasonal & locally sourced menu, ideal for lunch and fine dinner.
4. Restaurant 17
- 💡Style: Fusion, Italian, European, International
- 💷Average Price: £30–40
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.3
- ☎️Phone: 0191 384 9050
- 📍Address: 17 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
Restaurant 17 offers world-inspired dining in Durham, combining British, local, and international flavours, with creativity and freshness in every dish. Its menu always includes selected appetisers, main courses and desserts like Gambas al ajillo, Roasted cauliflower, and Seafood Linguine. The restaurant sits in a Grade II listed Building, featuring boutique interior and cost atmosphere, suitable for dates, celebrations and family dinners.
5. La Spaghettata
- 💡Style: Italian (family-run)
- 💷Average Price: £12–£20
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.5
- ☎️Phone: 0191 383 9290
- 📍Address: First floor, 66 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NP
La Spaghettate is the longest-running Italian restaurant in Durham, with a history dating back to 1996. It offers traditional dishes you might find in a small town in Italy, featuring a simple menu, classic methods, and consistent flavour, with fresh pasta and traditional sauces. It is the perfect choice for a casual dining which you will find a good value for money.
6. 19TWENTY Bar and Grill
- 💡Style: Bar & Grill / Steakhouse
- 💷Average Price: £20–£40
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.3
- ☎️Phone: 0191 375 8682
- 📍Address: 19-20 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
19TWENTY is one of the most sought-after bar-restaurants in Durham among locals and students. Its menu mainly focuses on steak and BBQ, as well as delicious burgers and other classic staples, paired with craft beer or cocktails in a relaxed yet not casual atmosphere. If you’re looking for a place to eat, drink, gather, and watch games with friends, 19TWENTY will be a best-value to go at night.
7. Isla Restaurant
- 💡Style: British / Contemporary / Sharing plates
- 💷Average Price: £20–£35
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.9
- ☎️Phone: 0191 384 3378
- 📍Address: 53 North Rd, Durham DH1 4SF
Isla is one of the popular restaurants in Durham city centre, offering relaxed, fine sharing plates and a premium brunch. Created by the Coarse team, it continues its focus on seasonal ingredients and creative flavours, but is more suitable for daily and social gatherings. You can try its brunch like Giant Crumpet and French Toast during daytime, or small plates to share with frineds at night.
8. Notch
- 💡Style: BBQ / Smokehouse / Grill
- 💷Average Price: £18–£30
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.4
- ☎️Phone: 0191 380 6155
- 📍Address: 96 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG
Notch is a worth-trying American-Style BBQ & Smoke House in Durham. It highlights generous portions of richly smoked, grilled meats and classic BBQ dishes such as ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, complemented by burgers and a wide selection of sides, making it perfect for casual dining with friends. Unlike fine restaurants, Notch embraces a bar-and-grill vibe, where patrons often enjoy smoked fare alongside craft beer or cocktails.
9. Zen
- 💡Style: Thai & Pan-Asian
- 💷Average Price: £20–£40
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.5
- ☎️Phone: 0191 384 9588
- 📍Address: Court Ln, Durham DH1 3JS
Zen is one of the great restaurants in Durham for Thai & Asian fusion cuisine, popular for its signature curries, noodles, and rice dishes. With a relaxed but not casual atmosphere, it is suitable for brunch and dinner, dates and gatherings. Also, it is located near Durhan Cathedral and Court Lane, ideal for a walk after dining.
10. Veeno Durham
- 💡Style: Italian wine bar
- 💷Average Price: £25–£40
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.9
- ☎️Phone: 0191 367 0121
- 📍Address: Unit 12, The Gates The Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL
Veeno Durham is a casual social dining restaurant in Durham which focuses on Italian wines. You can order wine by the glass, paired with an array of cold cuts and small plates to share. It offers a relaxed style different from fine dining, ideal for gathering with friends, dates, or after-work drinks. If you want to drinkk fine wine and enjoy small plates with friends, Neeno is a great social spot and one of the top places to eat in Durham city centre.
11. Holi & Bhang Restaurnat & Bar
- 💡Style: Indian / Modern Indian
- 💷Average Price: £25–£40
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.3
- ☎️Phone: 0191 384 4455
- 📍Address: The Avenue, Durham DH1 4DX
Holi & Bhang is a very hot modern Indian restaurant in Durham, famous for its rich Indian flavours featuring layered spices in curries and grilled dishes. Its menu preserves the robust flavours of classic Indian cuisine while incorporating contemporary presentation in both plating and taste, making it suitable for both seasoned Indian food connoisseurs and first-time diners. The restaurant offers a warm yet stylish atmosphere, complemented by cocktails and bar elements, making it ideal for romantic dates or gatherings with friends.
12. The Three Bridges Durham
- 💡Style: Pub food / British
- 💷Average Price: £10–£20
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.1
- ☎️Phone: 0191 384 1775
- 📍Address: 80, 83 North Rd, Durham DH1 4SQ
The Three Bridges is a classic British pub in Durham, offering a relaxed, casual dining experience with local flavour. It is popular for not being fine dishes, but traditional pub food like Fish & Chios, Burgers, Fried Chicken, paired with hand-pulled ales. The restaurant boasts a warm and lively atmosphere, making it a popular social spot for after-work drinks, weekend sporting events, or gatherings with friends. If you wish to experience Durham’s most authentic British lifestyle rather than seeking out a “fine dining” experience, The Three Bridges is an excellent choice.
13. Askarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill
- 💡Style: Turkish / Mediterranean
- 💷Average Price: £20–£30
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.7
- ☎️Phone: 0191 250 8465
- 📍Address: Askarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill
Askarsu is the most famous Turkish grill restaurant in Durham, for its grilled kebabs and various mezze plates. The restaurant sits near Durham city centre and the river, featuring a cosy and Mediterranean vibe, ideal for both family gatherings and casual dates. If you want to enjoy authentic grilled meat, while enjoy a a lively yet not noisy atmosphere, Akarsu is a very safe choice.
14. Turkish Kitchen Meze and Grill
- 💡Style: Turkish
- 💷Average Price: £20–£35
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.7
- ☎️Phone: 0191 372 7001
- 📍Address: ground floor, 66 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NP
Turkish Kitchen Meze and Grill is another highly-rated modern Turkish & Mediterranean dining in Durham, with a finer style than traditional grill restaurants. Also focusing on mezze-style sharing plates, this restaurant chooses more refined ingredients and presentation. Its mixed grill, dipping sauce platter and fresh bread are all popular, and the menu is relatively accommodating for vegetarians and various dietary requirements. If you enjoy Mediterranean flavours and fancy sharing a few dishes with friends over a leisurely meal, Turkish Kitchen is a restaurant well worth trying in Durham.
15. Tango
- 💡Style: Burgers / Casual
- 💷Average Price: £20–£30
- ⭐Google Reviews: 4.5
- ☎️Phone: 0191 303 9039
- 📍Address: 39 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NU
Tango is the most popular American bar & grill restaurant in Durham city centre, widely recognised for its gourmet burgers and relaxed social atmosphere. Its menu offers a wide selection, from handcrafted burgers and steaks to sharing platters perfect for casual dining with friends, complemented by cocktails or craft beers for a thoroughly relaxed experience.
Positioned somewhere between a pub and a restaurant, Tango is the kind of place perfect for catching up with friends, celebrating birthdays, or enjoying a weekend evening of food, drink and conversation. If you’re seeking a restaurant that’s not overly formal yet offers satisfying food and a lively atmosphere, Tango is a very reliable choice in Durham.
Other Places to Eat in Durham
If you’re seeking more great restaurants in Durham, we also prepared a continued list for you with more diversed chocies:
| Restaurant | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Flat White Kitchen | Brunch café | Weekend brunch / Coffee break |
| Tealicious | Afternoon tea | Tea & desserts / Relaxed catch-up |
| Rudy’s Pizza | Neapolitan pizza | Casual meal / Quick dinner |
| Fat Hippo | Burgers & casual dining | Budget-friendly / Friends hangout |
| Dingsway Sushi | Sushi & ramen | Asian comfort food / Quick lunch |
| Vennels Café | Café with views | Cathedral views / Cakes & coffee |
| The Curious Mr Fox | Wine bar & small plates | Date night / Wine lovers |
| Faru | Fine dining tasting menu | Foodies / Special occasion |
| Market Tavern | Traditional pub | Pub classics / Local vibes |
| Turtle Bay Durham | Caribbean restaurant | Casual dining / Group meals |
| Bottomless Brunch Durham | Bottomless brunch / casual dining | Brunch lovers / Group gatherings |
| 21c Restaurant Durham | Modern British / Fine dining | Special occasions / Fine dining |
| Food Pit Durham | Street food / Casual dining | Quick bites / Casual hangouts |
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Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a local, a visitor for short stays, or a student at Durham University, our list of top restaurants in Durham recommended by critics, locals, and diners alike will never let you down. If you’re short on time and want to eat well, start with our list to explore the best of Durham here.
FAQ
What are the best restaurants in Durham city centre?
The best restaurants in Durham include The Cellar Door, Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill, The Three Bridges, and Zen. These restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines from British to Turkish and Asian fusion.
Are there any places to eat in Durham with a view?
Yes, places like Vennels Café and Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill offer beautiful views, especially near the Durham Cathedral and riverside areas, perfect for enjoying a meal with a scenic backdrop.
Which restaurants in Durham are dog friendly?
Dog-friendly restaurants in Durham include Zen, Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill, and The Three Bridges. Many of these restaurants welcome dogs, particularly on outdoor terraces or patios.
Which restaurants in Durham are child friendly?
Child-friendly restaurants in Durham include The Three Bridges, Fat Hippo, and Rudy’s Pizza. These places offer relaxed atmospheres and child-friendly menus, making them ideal for family dining.
What are the cheap places to eat in Durham?
Affordable places to eat in Durham include Rudy’s Pizza, The Three Bridges, and Market Tavern. These restaurants provide great value for money, serving delicious food at budget-friendly prices.
Which restaurant offer the best pub food in Durham city centre?
The Three Bridges is known for offering the best pub food in Durham city centre. They serve classic dishes like Fish & Chips and hearty burgers in a traditional pub atmosphere.
What food is Durham famous for?
Durham is famous for its traditional British pub food, such as Fish & Chips, Sunday roasts, and steak pies. Local specialties also include fresh seafood and meats sourced from the region.
