Durham Restaurant Week returns, plating up discounts to help beat the January Blues

Durham BID has announced that Durham Restaurant Week will return from Friday, January 26 to Friday, February 2, 2024.

More than 30 venues across the city have signed up for the event, offering foodies £5, £10, £15, £20 and £25 meal deals - as well as a variety of other offers which have been specifically put together for what is one of Durham’s most anticipated events in the social calendar.

Durham BID organises two Restaurant Weeks each year, and 2023’s September event was a record-breaker with many venues completely booked up and having to add additional bookings to accommodate the influx of diners.

Paul Howard, Durham BID manager, said: “At one point our website was so overwhelmed with people checking out the deals, it crashed.

“We are hoping that January’s event – and our second event later this year – will be just as successful, helping to boost our local economy in particular at a time when it is usually quiet for the hospitality sector.”

Foodie favourites include Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, which will offer 30% off the food bill during the week; Fat Hippo with a starter and main for £15; The Boatclub and Tomahawk Steakhouse with three courses for £20, plus plenty more.

Other participating restaurants so far include Alishaan, Bean Social, Champagne bar by Ebony, Hotel Indigo, OId Tom's, Tapas Factory, The Food Pit, Turkish Kitchen, Turtle Bay and more.

As well as bargain burgers and tapas, diners will also be able to try out Durham’s Michelin Guide-recommended restaurants, with both Coarse and Faru signed up.

Craig Lappin-Smith, co-owner of Coarse, said: “We are delighted to be taking part in Restaurant Week again as it is always a busy one for us. It’s a great event for the city helping to drive bookings for businesses during quieter periods.

“It also goes hand-in-hand with our ethos, to offer affordable dining to our customers, and it is an excellent incentive for people to dine out and enjoy their favourite restaurant or try somewhere new. We have always been fully booked during previous Restaurant Weeks and look forward to welcoming new and existing customers to Coarse this month.”

Newcomers to Restaurant Week include TGI Friday’s, Zizzi Italian Restaurant and Northern Stores and Deli – formerly Discovering Durham CIC - which recently opened a new deli within the business in Prince Bishops Place.

The new deli is an expansion of the shop, which stocks more than 120 independent producers’ products.

Co-owner of Northern Stores and Deli, Matty Booth said: “Since opening our doors to the new deli two months ago we have had an excellent response.

“Being part of the Restaurant Week initiative allows us to showcase our excellent range of cakes we make in-house, using key ingredients from the producers we stock, as well as our new afternoon tea offering.”

For a full list of participating businesses and offers so far, visit: https://www.lifeindurham.co.uk/restaurant-week/