County Durham restaurants with food menus

The Duke Of York

➤ Fir Tree, DL15 8DE, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pubs • Steak • Salads • Chicken

"We have just returned from an excellent afternoon at the Duke of York. The occasion was my mother's 80th birthday and we had circa 30 guests family and friends there for the afternoon in a private area. We have been planning this for a few months and talking to Imogen, who runs the pub, who has been excellent not only in listening to the detail and requirements of our event, but also giving advice and sharing her experience to help ensure that the quantities and timing of the food were right, and also being very patient and flexible when last minute changes were made from our side. On the day, everything was as it should be and the food was excellent. Again, seeing how the afternoon was flowing, she identified and suggested slight changes that really helped things run smoothly. Throughout, Imogen and the team were friendly and helpful, and we can't thank them enough for helping make my Mam's 80th a success. As I type this, I'm still getting messages from people saying how nice the venue and food was. And while it doesn't matter on an occasion like this, we were also very pleasantly surprised at the final bill! Thank you!"

The Blacksmiths Arms Low Pittington

➤ Station Road, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • Fish • Steak • British

"I went to the restaurant today for Mother's Day Sunday dinner and I couldn't fault the meal at all. The pork was tender, the loins were cooked perfectly, the crackling was spot on, the roast potatoes were delicious and fluffy, the vegetables were cooked perfectly, and the puddings were cooked to perfection. The gravy was delicious and there was plenty of vegetables such as mashed carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, and turnip. I really enjoyed it. My only complaint was the apple crumble, but this is just a personal preference, as the apples were too tart for my liking. That's the only issue I had, other than that, it was perfect. I am planning on taking my husband there on a Sunday to show him how nice it was."

The Conduit

➤ 2 Bridge Street, County Durham, United Kingdom

Cafe • Cakes • British • Breakfast

"Extremely rude staff. I was going for lunch and as I entered a woman cleaning a table did not even look up and simply said ' you will have to sit there ' pointing to another table! 'Actually, as a customer, I do not 'have ' to sit anywhere and so I left. As this was obviously a foretaste of the standard one would endure I am glad I did leave. I left a similar review on another site and their lame excuse was that they were 'busy '......really? This is their poor excuse for rudeness. Their staff should learn some manners and they should stop their paltry and pitiful excuses. AVOID......One just has to laugh at the nonsense of this poor deluded woman to say I would not be welcome back......No doubt this is how they treat people who do not care for their appalling food and service......as IF I would return!! I wont but environmental health will!!!"

Jolly Drovers

➤ Leadgate, Consett, DH8 6RR, County Durham, United Kingdom

Meat • Steak • British • Chicken

"We visited specifically to sample the parmo menu, but did not realise it’s reduced on a Sunday as they have their carvery. However they still had a couple of options available, so it didn’t really impact our visit I went for the classic parmo, and it was delicious! A really generous portion that came with a choice of fries or home made chips, I opted for the chips and they were amazing. The lemon cheesecake dessert was great too. Service was super fast and really friendly, walk-ins only on a Sunday but we were still seated and served quickly. I look forward to trying out the carvery next time as it looked really impressive"

The Brawns Den

➤ Winchester Drive, DH7 8UG, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • Vegan • Chicken • British

"Visited on a Sunday for dinner with my partner and my child a couple of weeks ago. Lovely inside and staff friendly, also a decent choice of beer. However, extremely let down by the quality of the food. We were informed that the pork was not being served because they weren’t happy with it (fair enough I’d rather the staff be honest I guess). I went for the chicken breast and my partner went for the roast beef. The chicken breast came and was pretty plain, and my partners beef can only be described as a slab of meat. The vegetables that came with it were a small dish of peas, carrots and some swede mash. The veg looked very dull and one little dish between 3 dinners (mine, my partners and my sons who had a small dinner) was vastly inadequate, so I had to ask for another portion of veg. The chicken breast was alright, but average at best and just plain, and my partners beef was very tough and dry. She did mention this to the staff when the plates were collected after having left half of the meal, for her to be informed that it had been frozen. I then asked if that meant it had been reheated, to which I didn’t really get a response. Nothing was offered as way of an apology so we just skipped looking at the desert menu and after paying, decided to cut our losses. Such a shame because have been here several times before for a drink and had high hopes for the food."

Tapas Factory

➤ 14 Elvet Bridge, County Durham, United Kingdom

Sushi • Pizza • Mexican • Asiatic

"This is the typical restaurant that is being sold as Spanish but that it is absolutely not. The menu includes names of typical Spanish dishes that have been modified in their essence by unsuitable Latin American ingredients. It’s basically a fusion mess…neither Spanish nor Latin...American, but for a very few dishes. The waitress was lovely but the other guy, who seemed to be one of the managers was just as unpalatable as some of the fusion food. Plus his high tone voice corrupts any meal… They should either go all the way with the Spanish food or change for good for the Mexican, Central American, or (if they dare) the Peruvian… And, for Heaven’s sake, silence the guy, keep him busy doing something else in the far end of the restaurant!"

The Distillery

➤ 1, 1-2 Red Rose Ter, Chester-le-Street DH3 3LN, UK, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • British • Cocktail • Establishment

"Me and my partner went in after seeing a sign advertising 50% of selected gins. Upon arrival we were greeted by a female who was one of our hosts for the evening. She informed us that they were still serving food however this would be from a takeaway elsewhere. We were given a drinks menu but this did not highlight which gins were included in 50% off. We asked a male member of staff who pointed at the blackboard. However this was not visible from our seat, we slightly stepped away from the table to view, but we could still only see half the board. We selected one gin and two different mixers, and the staff member asked if we wanted singles or doubles. We asked to view a food menu however, they said they were unable to produce one and just named some pizzas for us. We told them our choices, not knowing what toppings or price. After 30 minutes the manger came over and apologised for the delay for food and said it was unacceptable and offered us some free drinks. We waited a further 20 minutes before receiving our food. Once our food arrived we asked for napkins and sauces and they told us we should have ordered that with our food and that they don’t provide it as they don’t make the food. Once we had finished our food they asked us if we were ready to pay without asking if we wanted more drinks or how our food was. Making us feel rushed to get out. We asked to view the bill before we pay and they informed us they could not provide one. We thought the bill sounded very expensive so asked them to provide us with a breakdown, in which they said that’s not possible. They verbally told us the prices for the gin which we questioned, and they told us that at the bottom of the board it says it’s only off 25ml not 50ml. However this was not made clear and the staff member asked us if we wanted a single or double knowing we wanted the 50% off. When we asked for our free drinks which the manager had said earlier she said we could not have them and 10% had been taken off the food, however we were not able to see that this had been done due to not receiving any receipt or proof of prices. We said we were not happy paying until we saw the prices for our food in which the female staff member responded aggressively informing us they would ring the police for not wanting to pay our bill. There was no management available for us to speak to because she left when our food arrived. The staff repeatedly did not stick to government guidelines, removing masks when talking to customers, pouring drinks and sat on our table when discussing bill. The female member of staff became defensive and hostile. We payed the bill as we wanted to remove ourselves from the situation. It is the worst customer service we have ever had in our lives and will definitely not be returning. We did not feel comfortable or welcomed and did not receive an apology for the way it was handled. Would NOT recommend!"

Bulan Burgers

➤ Seaham Harbour Marina, Marquess Point, Seaham, SR7 7, United Kingdom, SR7 7EE, County Durham

Cafe • British • Burgers • Breakfast

"We decided to walk down to the harbour to give our custom to one of the cafés down there because the ones on the top of the main road are packed with customers. BIG MISTAKE, We decided, on reading the board outside of Bulan to have a crispy bacon sarnie and tea for £5-25 pp, on entering its very small inside and decided to sit in as it was chilly outside. We placed our order to be told , we are not doing that offer anymore because our prices have gone up and they had forgotten to take the board in. But the cook out the back said we could have it at that price, so we sat down and waited quite a long time, but on reflection that was good as it gave me time to look around, and the café itself was not clean, the metal grill above the serving hatch was covered in thick dirty fluff that could of done with a hover on it. The table we were sat at was sticky and the salt pot was very dirty and sticky with old tomato sauce on it, we decided then to leave , we cancelled the order and I told the waitress my findings to which she apologised, this café needs a good clean. This should never happen, where are the hygiene standers here."

Cinnamon Club Durham

➤ Salters Lane, TS29 6JQ, County Durham, United Kingdom

Food • Tapas • Asian • Balti

"DELIGHTFUL ENTRANCE WITH A OUTSTANDING CAR PARK SERVICE WITH A CLIENTELE SMILE FROM. SAJ. THE MANAGER GUD FLOOR STAFF FOOD OUTSTANDING LAMB DISH WAS DELIGHTFUL HAD THE HONEY LB SHANK WOW MAKKA CHAKKA PAKKA MEMORIES CAME FLYING OF TUNIS DAYS.THE LB WAS COOKED NOT OVER COOKED OR UNDERCOOKED STRIPS OF LB JUST ROLLED OVER FROM THE SHANK KEEMA NAN AGAIN SOFT EXTRA KEEMA NO COLOURING NATURAL MINCE WOW APPRECIATE EVERY BITE BEST. NAN OUTSIDE PAKISTAN RAUL PHINDHI. BRADFORD LEEDS DONT STAND A. CHANCE COME AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE A NAN WOW THE WOW FACTOR THE DAL GAPANI AGAIN MADE FROM SCOTCH BONNET CHILLYS ALL THE WAY FROM AYRESHHRE THE BURNT GALLIC FLAKES WITH NAGA SAICE WAS A WINNER MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT WOW AND THANK U ALL"

Spice Lounge

➤ St Nicholas Cottage, County Durham, United Kingdom

Meat • Curry • Lounge • Mexican

"Please do not expect good desi food here. The staff and owners are very nice so it pains me to have to write the rest of this review, please accept my apologies in advance. From purely a managerial sense you seem to run an amazing restaurant. Let me preface this by saying my standards are not high, and I assure you I am quite happy eating those tescos indian microwave meals. I have been to spice lounge around 12 13 times for various socials and events and I must say very few dishes here are even remotely passable. Expect bland, over sweetened, and often very strange flavours. I keep going here again and again after reading the reviews and assuming something is wrong with me. Why cant I enjoy these dishes? The service is very nice, attentive, and honestly I have no complaints, the wait staff employed here at the moment are very good. the restaurant and ambience are also quite frankly better than a few few places in durham and the location is excellent. I just cannot recommend the food. Here are a list of items I have ordered over the years which I have had multiple times and would steer clear of: Starters: Onion Bhaji ,Samosa, Paneer Tikka Starter, Hariali Chicken Tikka. Chicken Tikka Starter Mains : Makhani, Madras, Dupiaza, Pasanda, Bhuna, Rogan Josh (In chicken, chicken tikka, lamb, lamb tikka) Biryanis : Chicken and Chicken Tikka Biryani Grills: All. Dishes you should/can order: Naan (the naans are not bad, they are a little thick, I wouldnt go just for naan but its no worse than other places)"

Gypsy's Kitchen

➤ 133 Durham Road, Blackhill, Consett, DH8 8RP, County Durham, United Kingdom

Ribs • Lunch • Kitchen • Breakfast

"In my occasional visits to Gypsy's Kitchen I've yet to leave without a smile on my face. The owner is a lovely lady, full of chat and always remembers something about you. The food is served hot and fresh, provides good value for money and...is ideal when you find yourself in need of a quick hot meal. Last visit the pork sandwiches served with gravy and chips were lovely. The shepherds pie was polished off in no time by my sons also. A great place to visit."

Aubergine Cafe

➤ 11 High Street, Sedgefield TS21 3AR, United Kingdom, County Durham

Kebab • Lunch • British • Breakfast

"Called in for breakfast yesterday whilst staying at the Travelodge nearby. My husband and I both had the full English. Beautifully cooked and presented very generous portions. Good quality ingredients. Lovely white crockery and a teapot and cups and saucers! Staff friendly without being obtrusive. Very reasonably priced too . Would definitely recommend and revisit."

South Causey Inn

➤ Beamish Burn Road, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • Steak • Pizza • Mexican

"I will not be going back here if I’m paid. Besides the fact they’ve taken almost all of the vegan options off, there’s a curry and fajita, which isn’t really a fajita it’s a reheated sloppy wrap! I know this because when asking about allergens or if I can take stuff out I was told it was all premade. I asked for a gluten free wrap as it was part of the option and was given a regular wrap and told about that after I had began eating it! I made my allergies very clear and the waitress tried her very best and was lovely but it seemed the kitchen staff really didn’t have a clue and something in my food set off a reaction even though I’d checked and there shouldn’t have been anything in especially since this meal was meant to be vegan (my main allergy is milk)... On top of this, the lady who came over to assist was extremely rude and insisted if I didn’t need to go to hospital it didn’t really make any difference and it wasn’t their fault so they wouldn’t do anything! Reluctantly she refunded me and said “here you go Madame if your money will make you feel better take it we obviously don’t cater to the likes of you” utterly appalled. Due to the lack of care and their lack of options they should be taken down form here ! Updated from previous review on 2021-06-09 Updated from previous review on 2021-06-10"

Whitehills

➤ Waldridge Rd, DH2 3AB, County Durham, United Kingdom

Full • Cheese • British • Burgers

"We go to this pub a lot, mainly for a drink and the occasional meal. Today we went for Sunday lunch, something we rarely go out for. It was fab. The vegetables, especially were really well cooked, just right. The meat, I had pork and my husband had turkey, was juicy and tasty. For the price, less than a tenner each it was fantastic. The drinks are always good, plenty real ale at a very good price and the house wine are great. And, you cannot fault the friendliness of the staff. Helen, the barnaid/server is just great."

The Old Well Inn

➤ 21, The Bank,, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • Steak • British • Breakfast

"Pleasant place -room fine -shower good but shower tray looked bit tatty one small opening window but did have fan which was good as when we stayed it was very warm. Staff friendly and helpful breakfast good and breakfast room itself very pleasant nicely decorated nicest room in building .Meal on evening had sharing sea food platter nice and plenty of it also 10per cent off as we were hotel guests. Dog friendly but paid highest cost here for our two dogs than anywhere we have stayed on our holiday.The beer garden definitely needs a good tidy up grass needed cutting shrubs needed trimmingpaving and tables and seating all could have done with a good clean it was just us that thought that could hear a lot of the same comments from other people shame as could be really nice. Rooms: 3 Service: 3 Location: 3"

The Churchmouse

➤ Front Street, Chester Moor, Chester-le-Street DH2 3RJ, UK, County Durham, United Kingdom

Steak • Pizza • Pub Kitchen • Establishment

"I would have given 5* for the pub, as it lovely. But the service we received was poor. Stayed for 1 night in the travel lodge next door . Decided to have dinner early at 5pm. The pub wasn’t busy when we were seated, shown to a table opposite the fire, lovely and cosy. Didn’t wait too long for a waiter to come with menus. We were asked if anyone has an allergies, I told waiter I do, he presented me with a tablet and said don’t bother reading it that’s their disclaimer! … umm I think I need to read what’s in what I’m planning to eat?! So it doesn’t make me ill! This was the start of utter chaos… I ordered the chicken schnitzel, I just wanted it breaded with no sauce or anything else it came with, apart from the chips. My partner ordered the signature burger he ordered only 1). Our grandson ordered the gammon. Mains arrived, mine came out 1st, plain chicken and a few chips with a couple of leaves of lettuce! Not what I asked for. I told waiter I wanted it breaded. The waiter did apologise, took the plate back to kitchen. My partners food arrived. Two signature burgers! Told waiter we didn’t order two burgers. I did get what I asked for, about 10 minutes later, who knows if the cook just added breadcrumbs to my original chicken that was brought to the table? As it was bland, hardly any flavour. A few chips and same leaves of lettuce. Partner and grandson did enjoy their meals though. We asked for the bill. Charged for two signature burgers! This was rectified after explaining again to a different waiter, only had 1.. The service was poor, staff need to be trained better. We have been to a few vintage inns and the service has been fantastic just a shame this one wasn’t the same!"

The Old Court House

➤ Victoria Road, DH8 5AR, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pizza • Italian • British • European

"Arrived having booked a table very little organisation when being seated. Ordered with a little confusion but got there in the end then waited around 90 minutes for food 3 pizzas and a burger. Would like to say it was worth the wait but it really wasn’t. Poor cheap pre made bases that were more like bread , generally looked like a really poor standard pizza and tasted even worse. This was a half price deal and still felt it was over priced due to quality. Burger better but not hot kitchen staff seemed to spend a lot of time reading the orders but not many dishes were appearing and those that were must have had things left standing due to the temp of the burger. There were 2/3 staff and the place wasn’t busy so no reasons for delays for simple food. Waiting staff didn’t come to ask if the food was ok either during the meal or when I paid the bill I’m guessing they knew it wasn’t !? Left and went to a local dessert take out place instead. Wasn’t willing to spend more than I already had. Wouldn’t return to pay double for absolutely horrible low standard food. It’s a shame cos the court house under its previous owners was a fabulous place and firm favourite with a good quality menu. This was cheap mass produced (albeit slowly rubbish but not priced accordingly. Just because the surroundings are lovely will not be enough to make people pay over the odds for poor meals. I have noticed reviews are turned off on their Facebook page maybe that should have been a clue. Won’t be back."

The Lambton Worm

➤ 52 North Road, DH3 4AJ, County Durham, United Kingdom

Pub • Steak • Vegan • British

"My Mum and I have had Sunday lunch three times recently. We book online and it's great that you can leave a message to say whether you'd like to eat in the restaurant or the bar area. Staff do read the messages as I have asked about sitting at a certain table and this is respected. Credit to the staff team. Food is the same in both areas but the restaurant is lighter and more airy than the bar area which suited my 83 year old Mum. We chose the half portion for £6.95. Mum had beef and I had the turkey. We didn't want the Yorkshire pudding and asked for the gravy to be in a jug so we could add what we wanted. Our plates arrived beautifully presented with some mashed potato and mashed turnip, roasted potatoes, roasted parsnip and the meat. Great care had been taken on the presentation. We also had a serving dish with cabbage, cauliflower and carrots to share as well as a jug of gravy each. By my reckoning, that's seven different vegetables. There was more than enough to eat. The full size portion is £12.95. Neither of us could finish the half portion. The cooking of the meat and the vegetables was just how we like it, not mushy at all. If I could choose this during the week, I would. There is one staff member called Emily who has seated us on all three occasions. She is professional, courteous but also has such a lovely manner with all the diners. She remembered us last weekend when we came. It is going to be something we do regularly on Sundays at least twice a month. On the same day a family arrived with several children for lunch. The staff provided the children's menus with colouring pencils so they could decorate what would become their placemat. This is great value for Sunday lunch. Young and old welcome and there is plenty of parking. Great experience and a consistent one."

Duke Of Wellington

➤ Darlington Road, County Durham, United Kingdom, DH1 3QN

Kebab • Steak • Mexican • Western

"I recently had lunch at this pub on Sunday and found it to be just average. Our group of six adults sat near the window and had to order our food and drinks from the bar where the menu was located. We all decided to have the roast dinner, although other menu options were available. The lager was £3.60 for a small crate. The food all came out together once ordered, but we had to wait for knives/forks/serviettes and there was no salt and pepper on the table. The roast was okay and included roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, parsnips, and meat. We also ordered pigs in blankets and cauliflower cheese for an extra £1.99 each. They also offer additional sides like potatoes and extra Yorkshire puddings. The service was friendly, but the wait at the bar was slow due to the number of people ordering food or drinks. There is no waiter service, but they do have an app for ordering at the table. Overall, the meal was decent, but I was hoping for something more inspiring for a Sunday lunch. It wasn't bad, but compared to other meals I've had recently, it fell short even though it was more expensive. The pub has a lovely atmosphere and parking available. Not terrible, but there is room for improvement."

Sambuca

➤ Easy Street, County Durham, United Kingdom

Steak • Pizza • Pasta • Italian

"As regular customers of various Sambuca locations throughout the northeast, we are thrilled to have the best one right in our neighborhood! Since new management has taken over the Chester-le-Street branch, the quality of food and service has remained consistently excellent, making it our go-to spot for family outings. Whether we dine in, take out, enjoy a quick teatime treat, or book a family celebration, Sambuca cannot be beaten in terms of value for money. In addition to the regular menu, guests can choose from a mouthwatering special board with tempting options. The restaurant also offers a variety of deals, from the popular Super Saver 3-course daily special to a fantastic 3-course steak for only £20 or a 3-course chicken meal for just £15 - ensuring that quality dining doesn't have to break the bank. Sunday carvery is a highlight of the week, featuring a selection of meats, fresh vegetables, and generously sized homemade Yorkshire puddings. Priced at just £9 for one course or £12.95 for two, it's a steal considering the quality of the meal. Additionally, the option to order from the Italian or children's menu sets Sambuca apart from other nearby restaurants, showing their attention to detail and customer satisfaction. If you haven't dined at Sambuca yet, you're missing out - give it a try and share the good experience with others!"

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The best menus from the finest restaurants in County Durham