Bean Social in County Durham

Best coffee in Durham! Really friendly staff, is a must visit for anyone.

Best coffee in Durham by miles. I love this little coffee shop. It's relaxing , the staff are engaging and helpful and it is my go to coffee shop in Durham. We only had a quick coffee. The barista recommended having it black which we did and it kept us zingy all afternoon, brilliant.

I enjoy the coffee. I am cautious about 'vegan food' as they can be ultra processed, neither taste good nor healthy.

Great coffe and really good food

I Have been here largely exclusively numerous times over the last 2 years The layout of the interior is fluid and intuitive. The cafe features a lovely frontage with a nice big window bringing lots of light in, the owner and staff are great at what they do and I have never witnessed anything that might make you blink twice or something like that. You can always be sure that you will have a nice time here, it's always a nice place to be. As a student, or just human, the cafe is lovely, and has good areas to charge your devices and nice seats with tables to read etc - though, there's a nice variety of seating as well, with cosy options too. The music played is always very agreeable and wouldn't bother anyone as well I am sure, and when played it is never too loud. This cafe really has its customers in mind. The rear, outdoor area is extremely peaceful, and, to my knowledge the semi enclosed patio with nice decorations is the only place in Durham which has lovely soft lighting put off by string lights, NO HARSH LEDs HERE! Great for those who have sensory 'issues.' The semi-enclosed patio area, with cushioned benches leads into a lower walled garden - blocking 90% of all noise from the nearby North Road and large roundabout, it's a great place to get good work done or to relax with acquaintances, there's chess as well as other board games and its a fantastic place to bring and talk with friends. The secret garden also has a nice healthy arrangement of greenery, the wall itself is alive with a great ivy home to some small birds which are welcome and tidy visitors. If you want a proper cafe come here. 100% Oh, The coffee (my opinion is based now mainly on the americano) is also much nicer than anywhere else in Durham! The latte and flat white I remember to be extremely smooth. The americano comes served in a nice sized and shaped black mug with white interior, alongside a saucer and a lovely wee spoon. The food as well, when I would buy it (I am a catered student now so don't really) was always scrumptious, the coronation chicken was perpetually tasty and there was also a nice bunch of crisps to munch on as well!!! Good value too! I could write a lot more here and cannot recommend Bean Social any more. I know 99% of people would agree if they opened the door with and took a seat. Glad to have been able to enjoy it for how long I have and will be sad to leave the university, and, soon this great place. Go enjoy it (:

Lovely little place with nice vegan/vegetarian (and not only) food. Great desserts and friendly staff. Will definitely go back again!

Gorgeous little cafe opposite the bus station in Durham. Absolutely love their cakes and light bites.

Cosy, independent café, serving coffee, tea, and what looked like homemade cakes, as well as meals.

Coffee was spot on as was the service from the staff.

Food is back! Best Bruschettas! Great Vegan options

Fantastic little place, lovely coffee and the brownies/vegan chocolate cake are asbolutely to die for. Please don't buy them so there is more left over for me! No seriously, it's well worth going to, definitely try the cakes and scones, There is a lovely atmosphere. I just hope they can finish the flipping bus station over the road on time.

I visited this last Wednesday and was impressed with the owner who makes and bakes cake and scones. As a scone expert ! I was impressed with the size and range. Cakes lovely as well. Coffee was tasty and uses local coffee company. I visited again on Friday and again enjoyed the scone and tea. Free wifi attracts customers as well. Had lovely chat with owner. Makes all the difference being friendly.

This fantastic cafe is still open and service great coffee and the best lemon drizzle cake in Durham

In the words of Ben Shapiro "Okay, This is epic" My favourite Barista is the lad with the mushroom haircut. He is a seriously funghi!

I’ve gone here both to eat in and takeaway, and it’s always a lovely experience, right down to the biodegradable cups and lids that I can just chuck in the compost heap (after drinking the great coffee of course!)

Bean Social is a wonderful cafe in the centre of Durham. It sincerely has the best vegan burger and vegan sausage rolls that are available in Durham (in fact I have never had a better sausage roll - vegan or not). They are incredibly tasty, really flavourful and made with high-quality ingredients. The menu regularly is updated, with different flavours for the burger or sausage rolls, so there is always something exciting and new to try. Recently, I had a brie sandwich there which made me rethink how good a brie sandwich could be. Just a ludicrously yummy menu. The owner and staff are incredibly friendly and have succeeded in making the cafe have a fun, friendly and community feel. It is really special. At the moment, they host a fantastic night once a month, where a magician performs. If you are in Durham when one of these nights happens, you need to try to attend this. It is advertised as one of the best nights in Durham - it is. All in all, Bean Social is probably the best cafe in Durham and certainly sells the best vegan and veggie food the city has to offer. If you are in Durham, this should be at the top of your places to go visit.

Delicious vegan and vegetarian options, friendly staff, and a really cozy environment.

One of the best independent Coffee shops in Durham. It's up there with Cafedrel. A must visit when your out and about in Durham. ☺️👌👍

We had the Vege burgers which were very tasty. If all Vege burgers were this good who needs meat. Also had the brownie. The owner checked to see we were enjoying our food and had the time to chat with us. All home cooking. Would definitely recommend and will be back to sample more from the menu sometime soon.

I wanted to go somewhere quiet for a coffee and some food while I read my magazine, and this was the perfect place. The vegan burger was delicious (I like how they served it in a bagel, never seen that before) and the coffee was very nice. Recommended!

This cafe has excellent coffee, and a variety of snacks and lunches. Highlights include the veggie/vegan sausage rolls, tomato soup, vegan cheese scones. It has been a favourite lunch break stop for me for a few years, and I typically go at least once a week. My eldest daughter is a fan, too, and I often get take-out for her if she is on holiday or has a school from home day.

Only real downside is its small so gets busy quickly, but the seating out back is lovely

Nice, local cafe. The bagel burger is delightful and so are the freshly made vegan sausage rolls. I like how they’re paired with crisps and a nice salad, makes it worth the £6. I tried the chocolate cake which was a bit dry and the only other vegan cake option is lemon drizzle. I don’t know why they added meat to the menu, this was one of the only veggie cafes in Durham so it didn’t really make sense to me, but fair to give people options. Could really be improved by restyling the interior and adding a couple more vegan cake or pastry options.

Great venue Excellent staff and fabulous food👍👍👍 Just walking past and decided to have a coffee😎 once in we had sandwich and cake😎👍👍👍 Will call again

Although small and cute inside with a secret garden it is VERY overpriced. I got the burger which was your typical vegan burger (disappointing) which came with lentil crisps, which was sad. The cakes are also so expensive for a small slice, and aren't even that nice. I wouldn't really recommend here for a vegan, not much choice (not fully vegan), mediocre food and it's very overpriced!

Had a lovely lunch here, tomato soup was delicious and staff were accommodating in providing options for gluten free needs. Will be back!

I’ve visited here a few time and it’s always been lovely. Today I got a tea with soy milk and the vegan burger. It is a bbq burger served on a bagel, with lettuce and crisps. Delicious. It’d definitely get it again. Their cakes are lovely too.

Bean Social is a jewel in the crown that is the city of Durham. The menu is varied, and also caters for vegan and vegetarian options, but James and his staff will go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that you enjoy your visit. All the food is delicious but I can recommend the sandwich deal, especially the French Brie and grape.

Great little place we called in because my granddaughter has a milk and soya allergy we had chocolate cake she loved it washed down with an oat milk definitely worth a visit

A brilliant meal and pleasure to discover this Vegan cafe at the top of North Street. The owner and staff are genuinely warm and delightful! This gem of a cafe is now one of my definite regular stop-off locations when in Durham. Do go and do enjoy!!

Popped in for lunch as usual... Posh beans/sandwiches... Something for everyone... And the brownie.... Well it's the best I've had.... And I have had a lot.....! Great to get a decent coffee too! Use it... or loose it Durham!

Great spot. Mega friendly staff. Great coffee and good for a good price. Complimentary sanitary products in the bathroom. Good music not overbearing. Best cafe in Durham tied with Capriccio.

Soup & coffee - popped in here as I was visiting durham having moved to this region a few weeks ago, I had time for light lunch so had the home made soup and it was simply AMAZING!!! Met the chef/owner who is absolutely passionate about his creations, black coffee was so good and I’m no expert but he sources local where possible, I took some pics to send to daughter who will be visiting near xmas so please visit this place, well worth it x lots of vegan options and the ambience was so lovely x

Excellants burgers and my dish, "Posh Beans" was a nice change from regular lunch-fare. The desserts we ordered (chocolate brownie) was outstanding. You should not pass up the opportunity to have a brownie!

Good food and coffee, lovely staff, thank you.

Small independent coffee shop and cafe. Very nice coffee (small but strong). Cute secret garden bit out the back. Friendly. Loses a mark as the hot chocolate wasn't so great.

Great vegan and veg food. Friendly owner and staff. Lovely place.

Charming little cafe. Not tonnes of space so it's a bit tricky to feel like you are socially distanced but the staff do their best to make you feel comfortable. Everyone there is very friendly and personable; each time I've gone in I've been greeted with a smile and a conversation and you feel so welcome. A great range of cakes and food on offer, but it's the tea and coffee I want to return for - it's absolutely fantastic.

Best coffee in Durham by a country mile.

Great tasting food, lovely staff and a relaxed environment. The flavour of the vegan scone that came with the soup was amazing. Lemon drizzle cake was delicious. Favourite coffee shop in Durham 😋

If you're in Durham it is a must visit place the staff are absolutely amazing and go above and beyond your regular costa or Starbucks they have quality art for sale in the shop for just £3 stop reading this and go there now !!

It was a great experience to taste the food.

My favourite coffee place in Durham.

Great coffee, friendly service! Lovely little garden out the back which was nice and cool in the hot weather

Great locally sourced coffee, home made cakes , burgers etc. Vegan / vegetarian but welcoming to everyone. Small garden to sit in. Very friendly and well worth a visit.

This has to be the friendliest little cafe - love the cake here and coffee too. This is a hidden gem and perfectly placed on the way to the station.

One of my favourite cafes in Durham - their brownies are truly magical! Hope you guys start the sausage rolls again soon

Great little café. Very sociable and friendly staff, tasty food and drinks. Will have to come back for a sitdown post-pandemic!

Excellent experience at the Bean cafe. We had the double chocolate and lemon drizzle vegan cakes and we couldn’t pick between them - most amazing cakes I’ve ever had. the owner is really lovely and clearly very passionate about what he does and his customers. And it most definitely shows. Why would you go to a chain coffee shop / restaurant if you could go somewhere like this. Highly recommended.

I’ve only been in a couple of times, but the coffee is great and I’m looking forward to trying the food too! Also environmentally conscious as the cups are compostable too! Service is really friendly and welcoming!

I had a sausage roll (well, two actually) - one of the best sausage rolls I've ever tasted, mushroomy, sausagy, oniony, delicious! I wanted to try a cake too but I didn't buy one - they looked amazing too and both vegan! The manager was really chatty, and is so passionate about his business.

Delighted that this fantastic cafe is open again for takeaway. Great coffee and some of the best cake anywhere. Strongly recommended 😊

Friendly, welcoming and attentive! Cocktails and wine selection also fantastic.

I love this place! The sausage rolls (especially the new chorizo ones) are absolutely delicious and the staff are always friendly and make you feel welcome. It's like a little community in itself and they're always up for a chat.

Very friendly vegan cafe! They had run out lunch, but they kindly put some sausage rolls in the oven, while we ate delicious chocolate cake in the garden! The sausage rolls were gorgeous! Will definitely visit again to try the vegan burgers

Really wonderful vegan burgers! Best I've had yet - very juicy and filling.

Lovely little coffee place, great to chill and if you want to avoid overcrowding

Friendly place, amazing vegan burger

Lovely food, lovely coffee, staff were lovely.

Only had a coffee but the food looked good and the young lady behind the counter was very smiley and chatty.

Great owner personal service and great vegan burger one the best anywhere!!

You always get a warm welcome and a great cup of coffee. Track & trace procedures followed as you enter the shop. It's a little bit out of the way aat the top end of North Road, but well worth the effort to pay a visit.

FRIENDLIEST STAFF I have ever seen in Durham. Happily made changes to our orders as per our preference. Kudos.

Can't say much about the atmosphere as we took our food out, but it did seem to have a nice, relaxed atmosphere. I had a sausage roll (well, two actually) - one of the best sausage rolls I've ever tasted, mushroomy, sausagy, oniony, delicious! I wanted to try a cake too but I didn't buy one - they looked amazing too and both vegan!The manager was really chatty, and is so passionate about his business. You can tell that he's an excellent manager too because of the way that himself and another employee were working and talking together. I would definitely go here again on another trip to Durham!

Fabulous food and coffee, and all served with a smile and some entertaining chat. A place that should be on everyone's 'must visit' list.

Very friendly and had some delicious vegan chocolate cake!

Excellent experience at the Bean cafe. We had the double chocolate and lemon drizzle vegan cakes and we couldn’t pick between them - most amazing cakes I’ve ever had. the owner is really lovely and clearly very passionate about what he does and his customers. And it most definitely shows. Why would you go to a chain coffee shop / restaurant if you could go somewhere like this. Highly recommended.

Bean Social is the ideal cafe for a relaxing meal or afternoon tea/coffee. My sister and I had James's vegan chocolate cake, vegan burger, vegan berry smoothie and teas, all of which not only tasted delicious but better than the majority (if not all) of their non-vegan counterparts. James, the proprietor and chef, lives out the name of his cafe. Not only did he make my sister and I feel welcome as customers but as friends, with his upbeat chitchat, ready smile and kind manner. Through our conversation, I learned that not only is Bean Social surviving by returning to its basic menu of original dishes (including his signature "Burgle", a vegan burger pattie on a bagel), but when it was first forced into lockdown, James (who had just ordered loads of food) packaged meals and gave them away to essential workers to use up his stock instead of tossing out all the fresh food. He credits his electrician friend Dave Carth with helping him get the shop back to looking elegantly comfortable and his wife Zoe for constantly supporting and encouraging him to bring Bean Social back. I highly recommend coming over to try their menu!

We had some tasty wraps and pizza with fantastic cakes to follow. Such friendly staff too!

We have visited here a couple of times whilst visiting our son at university. The food is excellent - our son enjoyed his handmade and pizza and the rest of us enjoyed a tasty wrap with crisps and a side salad which for an extra £1 also includes a drink - excellent value! The brownie which we had to finish off our meal was gorgeous - crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle! The staff are really friendly and take such care with all the food they produce - we will be back when the weather is a bit warmer and we can enjoy a seat in the secret garden! Thank you!

Today was my fourth visit to this vibrant, healthy, inspiring cafe with my boyfriend. I had posh poached eggs which were presented to a very high standard and tasted delicious. The staff are very friendly and take time and care to explain the menu in detail. This is my favourite place to eat in Durham city. I recommend whole heartedly.

Amazing coffee, delicious scones (there's a very good selection of cakes and sweets as well), and the friendliest staff -- plus the atmosphere is so cozy and welcoming!

great place in Durham a must for the coffee hungry traveller 5 stars just down from the railway station and across the road from the bus station

Lots of choice here for a veggie like me! Everything cooked fresh, lovely food and really good value for money, staff are friendly and attentive X

I've been quite a few times in the past year. The food is always tasty and standards are consistent. The mains are great, but the salad is definitely a salad, a large portion that helps you feel healthy no matter what you have had as your main course! Staff are friendly, no rushing you out as soon as you have finished your meal. I hope it's here for many years to come.

It's totally vegan. Nice and friendly and the food is fab.

Friendly staff and great food. They really care about they serve :)

A little hidden gem. Staff were wonderful. Extremely friendly and helpful. Food selection was fantastic for vegans and vegetarians. My omni workmate who dined with me said how tasty her food was. A great menu with loads of variety and not just the usual fare. Would recommend to everyone!

Like a lot of partially vegan restaurants, no evidence of measures to avoid cross-contamination. Menu was lazy and cliched and food tasteless

Excellent food served by lovely staff in a cozy and comfortable environment. I would definitely recommend visiting this great cafe!

Gorgeous food, fresh coffee, friendly staff, all in all a nice day out Would recommend to anyone Nice that everything's veggie too

Good choice of food. Sensibly priced.

Great place for veg/vegan brunch/lunch.

Lovely staff greet you warmly when you enter this cosy cafe. Only popped in for cake and drinks so not a proper meal. I had a scone which was a perfect consistency for me , crispy outside with a soft inside and a hint of warm. The rest of the family had chocolate cake and a lemon drizzle.All were vegan. My tea was a decent size and I could have had a refill .Would recommend this independent cafe for sure. It also has a rather fabulous tiny dining garden area at the back.

Great coffee and a good space. Even managed to squeeze in a pushchair

Relaxed atmosphere and delicious food. Visiting for a few days, make me very welcome. Tasty breakfasts. Coming back

I could tell they used cocoa powder and not some fake syrup. It was delicious. Hubs got an espresso milkshake which was also amazing. I must admit it tasted better than my drink... so it should tell you how good it was. He also got a powdered sugar waffle which was soooooo good. It was from scratch, not one of those fake waffles they give you in hotels. The syrup was warm and the overall flavor was great. It literally melted in my mouth.

Just yes. Cool little slight hipster, slight homey, slight bustling atmosphere. There are several different options for seating- outside, tables, smaller nooks. The room has alot of sunlight and is very airy feeling. Not cramped at all. They serve a great variety of traditional coffee drinks and have one of my favs. A dirty chai. They have sweets and quiches, plenty for everyone.

Visited for food with my boyfriend and as someone with a dairy allergy, I felt completely comfortable and safe eating there. The staff have excellent knowledge and procedures to prevent any form of cross contamination as well as being so friendly. Food and atmosphere were amazing! Will DEFINITELY visit again

Excellent vegan breakfast and prepared by someone who actually cares about your eating experience. Cannot fault the place.

Not only is the food delicious and the staff friendly, but they go out of their way to make everyone comfortable. They accommodate special requests, and provide inventive solutions to them. You will feel like you are at a friend’s place.

Excellent atmosphere, good food!

What a find!!! Vegan all the way!!! Happy to have soooo much choice. Friendly and knowledgable staff made for a very happy visit. The food is delicious too!!!

Nice coffee. Reasonably priced. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Seem to know what they are selling. Would go again when on Durham. Nice little secret garden at the rear. Clean toilets, no smells, even provide free feminine hygiene products for emergency situations.

Amazing value for money, very friendly staff, secret garden (who doesn't appreciate that?!) and personal hygiene supplies (including tampons for ladies) in bathroom free of charge. Also loved the gender positive leaflets on back of bathroom door. Make sure you try the chocolate cake, it's beyond delicious! Now I know where my favorite hangout spot is in Durham

Good food, selection, service with friendly welcoming staff

Great tasting, good value food in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff

Fab little place. Great value for money. Lovely chilled secret garden 🤫

I visit several times a week and they never disappoint. Coffee is truly excellent and a cut above the average. The food menu provides a great range of healthy wraps that never get boring due to the amount of taste packed into to the fresh ingredients. The vegan sausage rolls are legendary. Kirsty and James run the place so well, brilliant service and a warm welcome every time I go. A real high point of the Durham cafe scene and easily deserves its five start rating.

In light of my favourite vegan bakery in Durham being closed, I chose to visit Bean Social and I am so glad that I did! First time coming here and I was overwhelmed by all of the delicious-sounding vegan options! I opted for “The Brunch”, which was the most luscious, crispy bagel topped with cream “cheese” and “smoked salmon”, rocket and balsamic vinegar, with a chocolate shake and chocolate orange flapjack alongside - all of this came to only £10!! I will definitely come here again in an attempt to try everything on the menu!