Durham Visit - Places to Eat

[MEgirl]

I'll be heading to Durham from London with DD to visit the university in a couple of weeks. We'll be staying a couple of nights, possibly in the Premier Inn in the city centre.

I'm looking for places to eat that can cater for a vegan whether a vegan restaurant or somewhere that offers some decent vegan dishes. We'll need breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

The first night I'd like to stay somewhere local to the restaurant as we'll have had a long drive but am willing to drive away from the city centre in the evening of the second day if it seems worthwhile.

Does anyone have any recomendations?

Oh you'll be spoilt for choice! We spent a day in Durham when DD was choosing unis. We spent the evening looking at restaurants which all looked amazing but were fully booked so only advice is to choose somewhere based on online search and book. We ended up having burgers at the fat hippo which were amazing, in an unhealthy way! Also vegan - we had the plant burgers. We're going back in a couple of weeks as well as DD got an offer so she's doing the tour. We're staying outside Durham this time, in Darlington. Might see you there!

This is so hard because tbh there are LOADS of lovely places for every taste and mood!

Cellar Door is always a winner and just in town. Akarsu is lovely too, it's Turkish and very meat based but the vegan/veg options are delicious. Tango is also very nice- literally anywhere you go will be lovely, enjoy!

Lebaneat
Zen
Flat White Kitchen
Cosy Club
Barrio Comida
Riverview Kitchen

@Diemme Darlington is 20 miles away from Durham.

The cafe in the cathedral is fab for lunch

Bill's (if still open) - good for vegan breakfasts
Finnbars (slightly out of town)

Gussto tapas bar on Silver Street is excellent. Lots of choice and a lot is vegetable based. Have fun!

I clicked on this because I went to Durham uni (left in 2008) and wondered if any of our faves were still open! I expect not, it’s changed masses since I was there.
We used to love a cafe called Vennels which had the most amazing scones - that looks like it’s still operating and I hope it’s as good as it was when we were there! We used to hang out a lot at Hide - has this turned into the Cellar Door?

Boat Club was good fun. Zen is really nice Thai.

I’m trying to remember the seriously posh place slightly out of town which everyone used to try to book for graduation - was it the Pump House?

While you are up there you can carry out your own eye test with a trip to Barnard Castle

@Diemme Darlington is 20 miles away from Durham

16 miles from our hotel to Durham town centre. We're making a mini break of it and staying in a spa hotel, just outside darlington.

@Diemme Rockcliffe Hall? If so, it’s gorgeous. Enjoy!

Breakfast and Lunch:
Vennels
Tealicious
Cafedral - Next to the Palace Green
Bill's
Bean Social - Although the last time I was there, the lunch menu was vastly reduced to a couple of dishes plus their famous vegan sausage roll.
Treats
Uno Momento

Dinner:
River Thai
Tapas Factory
Tia's (Mexican)
The Spice Lounge (Indian)
La Spada - Italian which is a couple of miles away from the city centre

There are plenty of others but those are my favourites. Enjoy your visit.

While you are up there you can carry out your own eye test with a trip to Barnard Castle
Grow up.

@adawong

Hi Mary!

@LittleRa no Redworth. But just looked up Rockliffe and want to try there next! Will remember it for visits if DD ends up studying at Durham

@Popskipiekin

I clicked on this because I went to Durham uni (left in 2008) and wondered if any of our faves were still open! I expect not, it’s changed masses since I was there. We used to love a cafe called Vennels which had the most amazing scones - that looks like it’s still operating and I hope it’s as good as it was when we were there! We used to hang out a lot at Hide - has this turned into the Cellar Door?

Boat Club was good fun. Zen is really nice Thai.

I’m trying to remember the seriously posh place slightly out of town which everyone used to try to book for graduation - was it the Pump House?

@popskipiekin snap! I remember La Spaghettata but think it's gone now.

class of 08!

Second Vennels, and I usually recommend La Spaghettata but I don’t know how much luck you’d have vegan-wise there

@Cardboardeaux Spags is still there! I think! Or it was when I went back for a wedding a couple of years ago. Somehow the 2litre bottles of wine for £10 (or whether it was) just didn’t taste as good after 10 years of being able to afford good wine

@AngeloMysterioso there’s always spags salad bar ;) my only bit of greenery for the month week.

Loads of places already mentioned. Was going to say Zen and opposite that is a The Court House pub which does fab food.

Thanks everyone. Can always rely on Mumsnet for answers.