Best places to eat in the city during the Durham Regatta
From a Michelin-listed tasting menu on Silver Street to riverside brunch spots with cathedral views, Durham’s eating scene is better than it has ever been.
For a special occasion: Faru, 29 Silver Street
Opened in 2023 by husband-and-wife team Jake and Laura Siddle, Faru sits just off Silver Street in the cobbled city centre and has quietly established itself as one of the finest restaurants in the north of England.
The Michelin Guide described it as a restaurant where chefs “show their talent across colourful, precisely executed dishes that utilise punchy flavours like Sichuan pepper, onion ketchup and an intense duck jus.”
The no-choice tasting menu runs to around ten courses, and reviewers on Tripadvisor note that “a Michelin star cannot be far away.”
Book well in advance β the restaurant has around ten tables and Saturday lunch sittings are limited to a single sitting from noon.
For riverside views: Cosy Club, The Riverwalk
If you want a table with a view of Durham Cathedral while you eat, Cosy Club on The Riverwalk is one of the most crowd-pleasing options in the city.
Open from 9am until late, it serves everything from brunch and coffee to cocktails and dinner, making it equally well suited to the morning before the racing or a long evening after it.
One Tripadvisor reviewer summed it up as “stylish yet relaxed” with “food and drinks that were excellent and every detail handled with care.”
For brunch on the riverbank: Riverview Kitchen, Silver Street
Tucked below Framwellgate Bridge on the Silver Street riverbank, Riverview Kitchen is a compact, dog-friendly cafe that does some of the best pancakes in the city.
Open from 9am at weekends, it is the sort of place you stumble upon and keep coming back to, with a relaxed atmosphere and direct views across the Wear.
One reviewer described the food and service as “excellent” and the setting as “superb”, adding: “Put this on your list if you haven’t already.”
For a hidden gem: The Cellar Door, 41 Saddler Street
Set within a 13th-century building on the main street up to the cathedral, The Cellar Door is, as one reviewer put it, “a blink and you’ll miss it establishment” that rewards those who find it.
The menu is European in character, the set lunch is considered excellent value at around Β£30, and the atmosphere is warm and unhurried.
Open Monday to Saturday until 9:15pm and Sunday until 4:45pm, it suits both a lazy regatta lunch and an evening dinner.
For coffee and brunch: Flat White Kitchen, Saddler Street
The go-to brunch spot for anyone who wants excellent coffee and a beautifully presented plate in a characterful setting.
Flat White Kitchen occupies a renovated 17th-century townhouse and is widely regarded as serving some of the best coffee in the north-east.
The menu is short but very well executed, with strong gluten-free options and a rotating selection of cakes.
Open from 9am on Saturday and 10am on Sunday, closing at 4pm, it is best suited to a regatta morning rather than an evening.
For steaks and cathedral views: Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, Old Elvet
Located in the historic Old Shire Hall on Old Elvet, with views across to Durham Cathedral, Marco Pierre White’s Durham restaurant is a reliable choice for a celebratory dinner.
The menu combines signature steaks with British and French classics; one reviewer wrote that “the food was amazing, the decor and ambience were all perfect.”
A short walk from the regatta enclosure on Old Elvet, it is a natural choice for an evening booking after the Saturday racing.
For Italian-American small plates and cocktails: Notch Americano, 96 Elvet Bridge
Sitting right on Elvet Bridge, Notch Americano brings Italian-American small plates and signature cocktails to one of Durham’s most prominent streets.
Reviewers describe it as a “perfect spot along the bridge” with friendly staff and a chilled atmosphere.
Open from noon on both Saturday and Sunday, the location puts you directly on the route between the regatta enclosure and the city centre.