Durham is a “city” that is really a small college town that happens to be super Medieval. There’s lots to see just walking around, and you can see pretty much all of it in an afternoon. Below, I’ve offered a highly opinionated list of things to consider doing while visiting, prioritizing things within easy walking distance. The items within each category are listed roughly by how strongly I recommend them.
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Vegan friendly
Eat
Fifty-Six
Excellent Chinese with lots of options for everyone. Contender for my favorite restaurant in Durham.
Lovely deli and café with a rotating selection of interesting sandwiches, pizzas and similar. Best place for a loaf of bread. My favorite coffee in town.
Brooklyn Pizza Slice
Easy, quick, pop-in place with some of the best New York style pizza I’ve had in the UK. Don’t expect miracles, we are not in New York, but it’s solid.
Posh brunch. Posh coffee. Likely to have to wait outside for a table.
Charming, traditional tea room with a twist—the owner/chef is vegan, and so makes lots of vegan-friendly stuff.
Kitchen 38
An everything-under-the-sun takeaway across the street from The Station House. Cheap, tasty and you can bring their food into the pub.
Tasting menu on a budget • Deli next door • Sister restaurant with brunch and small plates. Reservations necessary for Coarse, recommended for Isla.
Very English, very cute. Good for lunch or coffee and cake.
Solid Neopolitan style pizza.
Serviceable Asian fusion. Decent cocktails. Makes the list largely on ambience—speakeasy vibes with lots of mirrors and torquoise velvet. Reservations recommended.
Serviceable Lebanese takeaway. Open late.
Bells Fish & Chips
If you’re not vegetarian, then you might be wanting some classic fish and chips. Glowing testimony suggests this is your best bet. Careful pescatarians: everything is deep fried in beef drippings. If you’re vegetarian or vegan and are desparate to try something along these lines, you can get them to fry some chips (fries) in oil. Non-vegans might wish to try a chip butty: chips on a buttered roll!
Drink*
Best pub in Durham. Seriously.
The Station House is the best pub in Durham, but The Vic is the most classic. If you want to feel like you’re in a Real English Pub, I’ve rarely seen its equal.
Arguably the best bar in Durham, though the cocktail quality varies wildly depending on how busy they are.
NB: You need a code to get in, which you can find on their website (or ask me).
Wine bar with a large, distinctive selection and a knowledgeable owner eager to recommend something new (make sure to mention a price point). Only open Wednesday through Saturday.
The Holy GrAle
Tap room with a nice selection. Can smell a bit damp.
Dun Cow
Durham’s oldest pub. Old-school like The Vic but a bit more rough and ready. This is also where the philosophy department tends to drink, as it’s just down the street from the department building.
Vast selection of gin & tonics in a kooky atmosphere.
* Not all beer in the UK is vegan, especially on cask. If this matters to you, let me know and I can advise.
Caffeinate
As mentioned, IMO the best coffee in town.
Smaller venue by the same people as Flat White Kitchen. Probably the other contender for best coffee in town. Not very laptop friendly.
Recently opened. Large space, friendly staff, very long-stay laptop friendly.
Already mentioned, but noting here its extensive tea menu.
Be Merry
An independent bookshop that exclusively stocks books by women and local authors. They also have coffee, tea, cakes and wine!
Durham’s Indoor Market is worth at least a quick peek. It’s also where I would recommend going if you’re looking to pick up any cheese or wine.
Palace Green
Here you’ll find Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral, as well as the Palace Green Library. All are worth a visit, but the cathedral is both the star and the easiest—just walk on in! The only part of the cathedral you’d need to book in advance is the Central Tower Climb, 325 steps up to a (reportedly) glorious view over Durham. There are sometimes tours of the castle available, but as it is student accommodations this is inconsistent (especially during your visit over graduation week). If you are desperate to see it, let me know and I may be able to walk you in at some point.
Beamish: The Living Museum of the North
If you’re at loose ends at any point, especially if you’re a history buff, Beamish is absolutely worth a visit.
If you’re not going to make it all the way out to Beamish, but you’re feeling museumy, this one is decent, local and free!
To be honest, I’ve never been, but I know this is the sort of thing people like.
Walks
There are tons and tons of lovely countryside walks around Durham. You can find some here. Feel free to ask me for suggestions if you’re interested.
Newcastle
Newcastle is the closest “proper” city to Durham, about 15 minutes by train. It has far more to offer than I could reasonably list here (or than I know about). However, if you’re thinking about visiting, I would strongly recommend booking a table at Khai Khai (if you can get one). If you’re looking for drinks, there is again no scarcity of options, but I’d recommend cocktails at Mother Mercy or Vampire Rabbit, or (slightly farther from the train station) a pub crawl around Ouseburn.
York
If you like Durham’s Medieval vibe but you’re wishing it were a proper city, try York! It’s about an hour away by train.