I shouldn’t have to ask cos I’m from Durham but haven’t lived/eaten up there for 10 years. We have a family meeting coming up & I’ve been given the job of sorting lunch out. We’ll probably be using the park & ride at Belmont to get into Durham, what’s The Ramside like?
Any other suggestions welcome!

Oldfields…..Last time I was there ( a while ago admittedly ) it was great, the Pork scratchings I had made so much noise the people on the other tables could not hear themselves talk.

Oldfields

I won’t go to Oldfields again as long as I live. I have had monks carefully illustrate the name in my leather bound and gold edged book of grudges. Ordered “soup of the day with homemade bread” and got a bowl of soup with a crap crouton in it. Asked the waitress where the bread was and she pointed at the crouton, said “there” and walked off.

Much better places to eat. Finbarrs is my place of choice these days. Hard to argue with the haggis scotch egg for the starter.

Ramside is serviceable wrt food but I would look elsewhere given the choice. I stay there when I visit family as its convenient. Like you out of touch with other local places. Used to use the Italians on Claypath but they have all changed hands. Cafe 21 is always good when I go but its a bit out of the way at Aykley Heads, and may be a bit poncy.

I’m reliably informed that Finbarrs is the best place. Zen is nice. Tango for good burgers. Zizzi is reliable in an Italian chain kind of way

I maybe should have said that we don’t have to be in the city to eat. We could eat 1st then go to the park n ride. Wer’e all going to the cathedral later. There’ll be anything up to 20 of us, (including kids) & nearly all are coming from the south of Durham.

Fish & Chips from Bells would do me!

There’s a Greggs just as you come out of the shopping centre and it has a cafe upstairs 😉

“There’s a Greggs just as you come out of the shopping centre and it has a cafe upstairs”

Much preferred Peters!

If you like Chinese buffets, then “In Shanghai” has a nice variety of food. Next to river.

Peters is no more, went bust. Most of their shops were taken over by Cooplands.

The Mill at Metalbridge. Very Good food, bit pricey and you may have to book.

I was in Durham just the other week. It’s quite beautiful and on my list to go back at some point. HMP Frankland not so much 😉

I was in Durham just the other week. It’s quite beautiful and on my list to go back at some point. HMP Frankland not so much

Frankland’s lovely at this time of year! Were you just visiting for a short time? 🙂

To be fair the area around it is very nice indeed! I was there for about 25 mins (which works out at roughly one minute for every year that the person I was visiting is there for)

You work for NOMS Bregante?

Nope.
The rozzers.

Ah I see. We get your lads quite often. Cue prisoner wet pants time!

It’s Bistro 21 at Aykley Heads, not Cafe 21 but same people. Great food and they do 3 courses for £20 if you get there before 6.30

Bistro 21 is good, went there after getting married at the registry office.

Fish & Chips from Bells would do me!

No. No. No.

Stantons FTW. Beef dripping and their “secret” custard powder batter.

Stantons up Neville Street? Didn’t think it was still there!
Bistro 21? (My son used to work there) Last time I was there I had Cod & Chips with home made mushy peas (& about 10 chips). £17. I’ve had bigger fish fingers than the cod was!
Stantons it is then!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g190832-d4910775-r203543925-Stantons-Durham_County_Durham_England.html

No. No. No.

Stantons FTW. Beef dripping and their “secret” custard powder batter.

Bells use beef dripping also. And not sure the last time you used Stantons, but there’s nothing special about their batter anymore. Not saying it’s bad, it’s just not great.

Oldfields is good and can cope with 20 people if you pre-book.