Durham Restaurant Week returns, with everything from fine dining to burger bargains

The event, organised by Durham BID, will take place from September 30 to October 6, and diners will be able to tuck into set-price £5, £10, £15, £20 and £25 offers.

Durham has seen a wave of new restaurants open in recent years and more than 25 have already signed up to take part.

This year sees the return of Durham’s tasting menu restaurant, Coarse, which made it into the Michelin Guide 2023 – as well as new fine dining restaurant, Faru.

Coarse, in North Road, will offer a lunch menu that includes a snack and three courses, plus a free glass of cava (or any non-alcoholic drink) for just £20. While Restaurant Faru, in Silver Street, will offer guests a special five-course menu.

Faru owners Jake and Laura Siddle – the former head chef and front-of-house manager at the Michelin-starred House of Tides – said they were ‘delighted to be taking part’.

“As Durham’s fine dining restaurant, we wanted to get involved but still be able to offer guests the full Faru experience. So, we’ve put together a special £60 tasting menu that guests can enjoy during the week,” said Laura.

“It features some real crowd pleasers, too, such as our Hen of the Woods dish, which is made using chicken fat crumb and served with a chive emulsion, pak choi and mushroom ketchup. We finish it off with a mushroom dashi broth. It’s been a huge hit since we opened.”

Other businesses that are taking part include Fat Hippo; Pizza Punks; Cozy Club; Turkish Kitchen; Rio Brazilian Steakhouse; The Boat Club and Tomahawk Steakhouse; Turtle Bay; Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar & Grill and Collage Restaurant inside Durham’s Radisson Blu.

Plus, newcomers Kitt’s Pool Room & Bar and Irish Bar Katie O’Brien’s.

Paul Howard, Manager of Durham BID, said: “Durham is a city that’s not only known for its heritage and culture but for its thriving food scene. There’s a huge variety of top-class venues that serve up cuisines from around the world.

“Durham Restaurant Week was a fantastic success when we launched it as a new BID team earlier this year. We hope to make this event even bigger and better with more venues involved. If you’re a venue in the city that wants to take part, I’d urge you to get in touch so we can sign you up.”

A firm favourite amongst Durham’s leisure scene is The Champagne Bar by Ebony and it’s the first time the popular venue has taken part.

Molly Stephenson, reservation and events co-ordinator, said: “We can’t wait to be part of this year’s Durham Restaurant Week. It’s an excellent initiative and an ideal opportunity for people to take advantage of fantastic offers and either visit some of their favourite places or try somewhere new.

"It’s the first time the Champagne Bar has taken part and we hope that customers new and old take advantage of our offers.”

To see a full list of all participating businesses, visit www.lifeindurham.co.uk/restaurant- week/ Anyone wanting more information or to be involved should contact:

[email protected]