Conelab street food set to open at the Riverwalk in Durham

ConeLab Street Food, created by 28-year-old Aaron Wong, is set to open at the Riverwalk following a successful four-year run in Jarrow.

Known for its premium smash burgers and globally inspired kebabs, the business originally started as a small pop up- concept back in 2016.

Aaron said: “I started my journey during university with a small pop-up concept called Crispy Conewich, trading at food markets and music festivals.

Owner Aaron Wong (Image: AARON WONG)

“The idea was simple but different serving noodles in a tortilla cone, topped with a choice of meats. It gave me my first taste of building something from scratch and connecting with people through food.

“That’s where the name ConeLab came in around 2019 – it became a space for testing ideas, flavours, and pushing beyond a single product.”

However, during the pandemic, Aaron’s business was hit and had to pause temporarily. During this time, he started cooking for his friends and slowly built-up a clientele.

ConeLab (Image: AARON WONG)

He said: “Like a lot of businesses, Covid hit hard and paused everything. But instead of stopping, I reset.

“Everything went downhill in terms of what I wanted to achieve in my education for electrical engineering, and I just took the leap and thought, you know what? This is what I’ve been passionate about for a while, so I’m going to continue what I’m good at.

“In autumn 2020, I got a spark of hope when I was over at my friend’s house, and I started cooking for everyone on a weekly basis.

“A month later, I restarted from my mam’s kitchen, delivering breakfast and burgers to friends and then friends recommended me to other people. It was small, but it rebuilt momentum.”

From there, Aaron secured a temporary kitchen setup in a friend’s pub, and then by mid-2021, he took the next step and rented a unit in Jarrow, fully renovating it and opening in 2022.

ConeLab (Image: AARON WONG)

Four years on, the business has gone from strength to strength, and he has now secured the new Durham site.

The 28-year-old said: “I was looking for a new venue at the time, then I came across this beautiful shop in Riverwalk, and I just thought this is where I belong, and it is where the concept should be, and this is where I should be able to thrive.”

ConeLab is coming to The Riverwalk in Durham. (Image: AARON WONG)

The shop has been undergoing a full refurbishment since December, with plans to open by the end of May. The transformation includes immersive LED screens with a Tron-inspired cyberpunk design, combining a futuristic feel with a reference to Durham’s historic surroundings.

He said: “We stripped the whole place out and turned it into what I wanted with my vision. I’m hoping for us to be open at the back end of May, depending on how fast the engineers and the architect work behind it.

“I’m really, really excited to be honest.”

ConeLab (Image: AARON WONG)

ConeLab (Image: AARON WONG)

Aaron said since announcing the news, the response has been “brilliant”.

He added: “The response so far has been brilliant. We’ve become the food hub in Jarrow and we’re excited to bring it to another city.

“Our customers won’t be disappointed – they’re not just coming in for food, but for the full experience.”

While an official opening date has yet to be announced, Aaron said the date will be revealed in the coming weeks.