Flat White Durham Cafe in County Durham

I am a frequent visitor to Chapters Durham but todays visit has been horrendous. They got the order wrong, I had finished my food and still hadn't received my drink. When I complained they said it's in the que now. Eventually my drink came but my guests had already finished theirs. Totally disappointed with our visit today to say the least.

Popped in for brunch. Was a nice buzz few empty tables downstairs. Unfortunately not all had been cleared and though the staff were friendly and good served quickly table clearing didn’t seem a priority. My partner had a full English and I had eggs and halloumi in sourdough. Both tasty and filling, well presented and hot. Only toilets appeared to be upstairs which is worth noting if you have mobility concerns. Overall nice place and would return.

We were recommended FWDC by a friend, so we decided to go check it out, for breakfast. We arrived early, in front of us, there were only 2 people in the queue. However and to my wifes annoyance we stood and then sat for 35 minutes before being allocated a table upstairs. He were taken to a small and quirky room upstairs where there were 3 empty tables. The staff overall were pleasant, though not very attentive. Simple coffee order, was incorrect when it arrived at the table and it was barely warm. The food order arrived approximately 50 minutes from arriving at the cafe. I had the 'House Fry' and despite being very cold and hungry it was very good. The ingredients tasted great, which certainly saved a further star rating. To sum up: Would I recommend - I refer to the above Was it value for money - Not really Would I return - No Instagram has a lot to answer for!

The building is lovely, really quirky and charming with a nice atmosphere. The service was satisfactory, the table wasn’t very clean when we first sat down (crumbs on it, not ideal when coeliac). Pretty average experience, good coffee, mediocre tea. Would have ordered the gluten free cake but not kept separate from the gluten cakes, so unable to have it.

It's alright, the waiter we had was very rude and unhelpful and also kept forgetting things. The food was okay, nothing particularly special, and the drinks were fine. Still had a good time though.

Very busy at the time we went , students were returning that weekend. Have been before when it wasn't quite as busy. Good food , cakes looked nice.

Excellent food, prompt service, friendly staff and great coffee.

We visited at 11.15 on 4/10. The food was fine and we were quite happy with it. Unfortunately the service, particularly by the little girl taking orders, was surly and rude. We thought it was a one off but when we went back to the till to request a small glass of tap water we were met with the same attitude. We unfortunately also found that one waitress ignored a request and another said absolutely nothing when serving our food. Unfortunately, we would not return or recommend.

I have no particular feelings towards it

This cafe is quite hidden but definitely worth searching out. There is seating inside and out. We had a flat white coffee each which was very well made and tasted great.

Café Review: I've visited this café twice now, and unfortunately, both experiences left much to be desired. On my first visit, I ordered two coffees, both of which were served too hot, and the mugs weren't properly clean. On my second visit, I stopped for a quick bite. The outdoor seating area was still dirty from the previous guest by the time my food arrived. While the food was served quickly, the mango dip on the cauliflower flatbread was far too sweet and overpowered the dish. No one checked back on my meal. I won’t be returning.

Very impressive burgers 🍔, meat was a bit dry but the burger was massive and delicious.

Chapters Cafe is a great spot for a summer hangout, thanks to its pleasant atmosphere and relaxing environment. If you’re in the mood for exceptional coffee or gourmet food, though, you might want to explore other options.

Great tasting food and portion sizes. Couldn’t believe how cheap too - full lunch and drinks for £25! Will return

Absolutely phenomenal brunch options, delicious coffee, lovely service, worth a small wait to be seated, wish we lived closer!

It's not easy to spot this small café not far from Durham main square. It offers a wide choice of cakes and scones, teas and coffee. We had earl gray tea, fruit scone and a slice of nuts cake on a small table in the open air. Delicious. I liked the toilet too because of its amusing writing on the seat : THE VENERABLE. Just to remind you that Duhram is the town where the Venerable Bede is buried

A nice cafe in the middle of Durham. Food and coffees were fine and the service was excellent. Not too fancy and laid back vibe as well.

Just visited Durham, today, and randomly picked Chapters. We were told by a couple, as we sat down outside,( they were just finishing eating) " the food is lovely, and wait till you see the cakes! " As we entered the cafe to order, a young man, coming out, just said to us, "the breakfasts are brilliant", great start, but we fancied lunch. The staff were really nice, the place very clean, and the finished tables were very quickly cleared by a young lady. I was worried about hubby, (he can be a bit picky), but he got a fantastic burger and some of the best chips, I've had in a long time, I nicked one to try, then one more fell in my mouth by accident. I had one of their veggie salads, ( I am on a health diet, so yes, the chips were naughty), and I struggled to finish, there really was a lot on the plate. I stupidly forgot to mention I am not a fan of olives, (heathen that I am !), so I did scoop them onto another plate. The menu is smallish, but obviously quality, prepared food. Never been before, defiantly visit again, and would highly recommend.

The food and hot chocolate were amazing!! I got the gluten free toast with jam and butter and a hot chocolate and it was so yum. I enjoyed the cosy cafe a lot and would definitely recommend to a friend. The service was amazing and the lady working there was so kind and even let me take a picture of the gluten free bread since I have coeliac and enjoyed the bread!! Would love to go again.

Service was shocking with a surly, unhelpful waiter who plainly did not want to be there. I heard someone call him Liam. I would not normally comment on a person's hygiene but in this instance it may be a valid issue to raise.

Good ,decent priced coffee and food.

We’ve enjoyed tasty cake here before but after the appalling customer service we experienced today we won’t return! As the waitress put a teapot onto the uneven outdoor tabletop, a full latte which was precariously balanced fell into my friend’s lap. Evincing no concern over possible injury due to hot coffee or upset due to the shock, the waitress disappeared, not to seek help or even a cloth, but to return to say “my manager says if you want another coffee you have to come in and order it”. Eventually, due to the concerned complaint from a total stranger at a nearby table, a new coffee was delivered but still no concern shown over the incident, which was due entirely to the poorly maintained furniture. Surely a well run business should at least have some regard for health and safety and should be logging incidents in their accident book and even repairing the table to avoid it happening again! I’m so disappointed that their customer care training seems to be so lacking. Nice cakes don’t make up for poorly trained staff.

Service was awful. Language of staff unacceptable

Me and my husband decided to have breakfast here. There were no complaints at all to start with. Staff were friendly on entering, it was quite busy but we managed to find a table. We both had a lovely coffee and my husband enjoyed his full breakfast. I had the sausage patty in a brioche bun with cheese and an egg. Couldn’t wait for it. After a couple of bites I found the largest piece of fat/gristle in the party which I unfortunately had to spit out. Needless to say it put me off completely (I have a very weak stomach). Told a waitress who took my plate away with 3/4 of my food still on the plate. There was no apology or offer to replace with something else. Thinking someone would come and deal with the issue we sat and waited. In the end my husband went down to the counter and told another staff member what had happened. To which she offered to make me some toast (which I asked for) but still no offer of giving a refund for the difference in cost or any kind of “sorry this happened”. Anyway, other than that it’s a lovely place to enjoy a meal and Durham itself is great.

Best eggs Benedict (with hock!) ever! Lovely freshly made smoothies. All for served freshly made on site. Lovely welcoming staff and atmosphere. Can't wait to go back again and again! If you are in Durham don't miss eating there!

I was hungry, they had food, it was delicious. I won’t go on to needlessly babble. Sitting outside with my wife on a glorious day having delicious food. I would definitely eat here again when I next visit Durham.

Without doubt one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world! Don't miss a visit 10/10. Helpful staff and even great food.

Slightly long wait but understandable given the number of people waiting to be served. Espresso was a tad weak but tasted delicious. Some strong aromas and subtly nutty tones.

Apparently THE place to go for coffee/breakfast in Durham - persuaded to go by daughter - queued outside until table became free and then seated inside. After a couple of minutes order was taken. Took about 10 minutes for 2 coffees to appear and then more than 40 minutes for our breakfasts to come out. The place was busy but not crazily so - not once did a member of staff make eye contact or check if we were OK. We had to chase up the meals. When the pancakes finally arrived they were tasty but had clearly been sitting for quite a new minutes as they were warm but not hot. Bill for 2 coffees and 3 lots of pancakes? £55!! Clearly the place is doing well, as there was still a queue when we left but we will not return. Dreadful service does not make up for a few pancakes.

Food is absolutely delicious! I had drilled halloumi ciabatta. Omg I want to recreate it at home! It supposed to be light bite but I’m full for the rest of the day!

service and food OK but cobwebs and dust on artificial flowers, walls and chandeliers

Great welcoming feel. We had a coffee, hot chocolate and some delicious breakfast sandwiches. Drinks came first and food soon after. It gets busy but there are plenty of tables inside or outside.

Visited mid week and we were lucky to get a seat. Staff were a little slow at times trying to get drinks out and meet the demand, however they were tasty when they did arrive. Selection of pastries available and they were delicious, great to see a good amount of support for the business.

Visited for a mid-morning breakfast. Waiting staff could have been a little more attentive. Had to ask for serviettes and milk for the coffee. Food was good but pricey for what was offered. Better service and value available locally.

Flat white is the best cafe I’ve ever been to I think. Lovely venue, delicious food - the pancakes are a must! The juices are also fantastic. Worthy of the hype.

I went here today for some lunch. After sitting down and looking at the menu, I was told by the member of staff on the counter that I couldn't order any food, as they were expecting a larger table to order soon. No 'expect a delay', nor an offer of any alternative. I instead bought a slice of cake to have with my tea, which was frankly just okay, and nowhere near worth the price.

I like this place so much, but tall tables near windows are too sticky🥵 Please, make them clean and you will get 6 stars.

Fantastic bacon sandwich and lovely cappuccino. Really well priced at £7, served with a smile.

Always great service and great food and the tables in the window are dog friendly.

Was looking for a nice local cafe rather than going for a spoons breakfast and glad I found this place, good quality breakfast. Nice ambience, good service. Would recommend

Best food I ever had so cozy in the shop too

Disappointing Service and Inaccurate Orders: A Frustrating Experience I've visited Chapters on three separate occasions, I'm disheartened to share a consistent pattern of inaccuracies in my orders coupled with exceedingly slow service. It's become exasperating, to say the least, I won't be returning. My most recent visit yesterday encapsulated the recurring issues I've encountered. I ordered a latte with pistachio syrup, eagerly anticipating a delightful sweet experience. However, after a wait of around 20 minutes, the waitress brought me a praline-flavored latte instead. Politely, I mentioned that I had ordered pistachio, only to have her return 10 minutes later claiming that the drink was now pistachio, despite it being just a plain latte. This prolonged confusion and delay were immensely frustrating. By this point, I found it tiring to go back and forth to rectify the order, especially considering that I had been waiting for half an hour for a simple beverage. With time constraints and the desire to spend quality moments with a friend, I opted to forego the correction and accepted the incorrect order. They seem to never had cutlery either, my friend had to have a cake with her latte spoon .. While the staff members are friendly, their recurrent oversight in accurately fulfilling orders is disappointing. This is not an isolated incident, as it seems to align with the experiences shared in other reviews. Consequently, I can't recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a seamless and hassle-free dining experience. In summary, the friendly staff does little to compensate for the consistent mistakes in order accuracy and the frustratingly slow service. If you, like me prioritise a smooth and error-free experience, it might be best to explore other cafe options ..

My wife ordered 1 piece of toast and separate scrambled eggs and beans she was charged 6.95 for scrambled eggs on sourdough toast ( which wasn't on the menu) and £1 for the beans when we challenged the manager his customer service was not the best and then said do you want me to refund the £1.50 we said you obviously need the money more than we do and walked out

Lovely breakfast Service was very quick for both food and drinks. Very relaxed atmosphere

I was early for a train at Durham station and wanted a great coffee so came here especially and had a super flat white. It was worth the walk to the station and back.

Stopped for lunch and had smoked salmon, smashed avocado and poached eggs on toasted sourdough. It exceeded my expectations. The place has a good ambiance and the service was good (lucky given the 10% "discretionary " service charge that was added).

Hands down the Best cafe in Durham. Food and drinks always super tasty and brilliant quality. Keiran is so welcoming, friendly and accommodating, as is all the staff. Highly recommend all of the cakes from the counter, they are all amazing.

This review is about a brunch just after Easter. Having had some lovely brunches here last October, we were excited to return, but were sorely disappointed this time (just after Easter). First, arrived at 9:45am Sunday to find it was shut, so we Googled and found it opens at 10am - the thing was that several staff were sitting at the tables outside and not one of them let us know that they were about to open - nor did we know they were staff till they got up to go inside at about 9:55am. We were about to go elsewhere but thought to check the opening hours on Google - the staff knew we were doing this but didn't offer any words at all. The food itself was really disappointing and not at all enjoyable in comparison to when we visited in October. Our drinks were handed to us by the server, who handled the mugs and glasses by putting their hand over the top of the drink, gripping the top rim of the glass or mug with their fingers. That's extremely unhygienic and a great way to pass on viruses, bacteria, etc. We just visited Durham again this past week and avoided Chapters on account of our experience after Easter. We did risk going in for a hot drink and cake this time, but only because it was pouring with rain and hence it was too wet to walk far. The drink and cake were okay, but I don't think we'll be going back for brunch again.

Unreal service best coffee shop in Durham, Kieran is the boy.

The cafe itself looks lovely and I felt it had a French bistro feel to it. There was no one else in there when we walked in we were greeted and sat down, we waited for a member of staff, give minutes later he told us if we wanted something we had to order at the counter. We ordered tea and a green smoothie, however when the tea arrived it was literally stone cold and the smoothie isn't made at the cafe the waitress went somewhere else for it which was very surprising. I would have complained about the tea but the staff were having a conversation I presume with the owner talking about the toilet being busted and overflowing!

Delicious breakfast, lovely bright room with a warm welcome and fantastic service from all the brilliant staff!

Cozy cafe with quite out-there food choices (the sauce on the Halloumi and poached eggs was quite overpowering). Decent value/portion sizes for the cost and cute interior

This has to be the best place for breakfast! The ambience, the fabulous food, the historic building, the fresh teas & juices! Just brilliant.

Had the Korean beef in brioche. The beef was flavourless and the burger overall a bit dry. Nothing particularly Korean about it. No spice or anything. The only saving grace was the chips, which were nice. Sadly you only get about 9.

We queued for about 25 minutes and expected something exceptional. The decor is nice, the service is ok, the food well presented. However, for the time spent waiting, this was an average breakfast and parts of it were cold. I have to say though that the poached egg was perfectly cooked. Overall it was good, but I would not spend time waiting in another queue when there are other places available with similar and equally good fare on offer.

I had a cheese toasty that was toasted to perfection with perfectly stringy cheese, the chips I would have like to be crisper but due to how perfect the toasty was I think they wanted the chips the way they were

Highly recommend the grilled halloumi.

Staff always very friendly. The coffee is always lovely and the make cinammon toast especially for us. We call in whenever we are in Durham.

Best cade in Durham in my opinion. We call often while on a dog walk. Dog friendly and unbelievable food. Highly recommended

Beauty little place! Excellent food, gorgeously presented cafe, fast friendly efficient service! And dog friendly!! Really loved our visit. Highly recommended.

Beautiful location with glorious sunshine very pleasant staff and excellent beverages.

The place is quaint and cosy, the food is nice and I love their coffee. I would have loved this café but they need to improve their sanitation. I get repulsive when servers place bare utensils on the table top =( and especially finding out that the fork given to me was still stained with pasta sauce.

Quiet spot near the castle for a coffee. Went with my dog and had a very enjoyable hour with my book and a couple of excellent coffees while the rain came down! Not to be confused with flat white kitchen , which is not dog friendly!

Nice coffee shop, very good staff

The staff were in a world of their own. Went somewhere else due to the appalling service.

Fabulous staff delicious food served quick and hot highly recommend

Always seemed to have to queue but that’s often a good sign .My wife and daughter are veggie and lived the food. I’m not and there are a few non veggie options. Katsu chicken burger was very good.Not particularly cheap but where is these days. Food quality was good though and was quite quick.Lovely building its in also.

Great coffee and great atmosphere

We had a fantastic visit to Chapters whilst spending the day in Durham. Delicious food, as a vegetarian the choice was great. The staff went above and beyond taking an interest in what we were doing and making menu suggestions. There was seating outside right by the river and within the view of the castle. I highly recommend stopping by Chapters.

Good service, and decent prices. The chips were super tasty! It was very warm and stuffy when we were in there on a hot day, but I would go back on a cooler day

Good choice of options for breakfast. Portion size a little on the small size but very nice. Bacon was a little over done. The Full English breakfast consist of only 1 sausage, 1 toast and 1 egg along with the usual beans and mushrooms. Which for a tenner felt was a little light with ingredients.

Superb English breakfast with very attentive staff. Will definitely visit next time we are in Durham

We went here 3 times whilst staying in Durham. The cafe is very popular with queues to get in. The food was lovely tho abit expensive. The cafe is rustic decor which we loved. My son liked the water on tables in the fish shaped bottles! The hot chocs were lovely with chantilly cream yum!

Really nice staff and a lovely spot to grab some breakfast. The food was nice too and there was plenty of seats available.

There's a really lovely place to have the meal! Everything was perfect! especially they are doggy friendly place. Just remember have the table number to order 😉

I visited Chapters on a Sunday afternoon and had a coffee and a bacon sandwich. The coffee was really nice and the bacon roll came on a nice brioche with quality bacon too. There was speedy and friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere. Would definitely recommend!

A favourite of ours! Dog friendly, great food and superb service! Would highly recommend!

There's always a queue outside, but it moves in lumps so you could be 5 tables back and find yourself seated in a minute. Service excellent, coffees and savoury food also excellent - lots of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free options. Will try sweet next time, there was plenty on the plate! It is expensive - think £20 per head. But definitely worth the money and the wait

Lovely ambiance and menu selection. Staffs are incredibly friendly. Quick service too. 🥰

Airy and cozy place with plenty of space to have a brunch/breakfast/lunch/a coffee. It is located in the city centre, very bright and nice to sit in and enjoy a chat with a friend. The veggie breakfast is filling and seems healthy with kale and halloumi. The menu is broad and prices are reasonable. I had a good time and as there was so much space we could chose a lovely spot close to the window. Coffee was really nice. Toilets are clean. A good spot to stop while visiting Durham. ☺️

One of the best cafes in Durham! Great food and great coffee, the garlic and thyme mushrooms on sourdough toast is delicious. Seats are very comfy too and the cafe is decorated very nicely. Only very minor downside is that there's no wifi, but it doesn't affect the experience much. Will definitely come back again.

Fabulous place for coffe and cake then returned for a delicious lunch!! Lovely atmosphere very attentive staff! Nice choice of food and drinks!

Great spot for breakfast or lunch...food is spot on. Dog friendly and you can sit and watch the world go bye

Fabulous tasty breakfasts are served here washed down by a coffee or tea of your choice. Staff are welcoming and make you feel at home, service is very prompt too. We ate garlic mushrooms and eggs on sourdough bread... nom nom

Nice teas and coffee and cakes lovely sun trap just off the bridge

After reading other reviews of this cafe we decided to go there, I don't know what has happened but our visit was definately not a great experience. After waiting outside the cafe for over 20 minutes even though 11 people had come out, no-one was...

I have been going to this restaurant for about ten years now and I really enjoy the food and hot drinks here. Generous portions for very reasonable prices. I also wanted to note that after a small incident where soup spilled on my coat, the staff came and sorted it very promptly, and were extremely kind and generous. I would a thousand times recommend this place. The service is also very prompt and generally very very good.

Always enjoy a coffee and a scone here when walking the dog. However ... went today and the scone was almost impossible to eat! Hard butter on a very crumbly scone just doesn't work!! Please take the butter out of the fridge and rework the...

In Durham for University open day and stopped in here for breakfast. Menu was fantastic, really interesting and different. I had one of the best full English I’ve ever had, and daughter the same but vegetarian option. Staff were so lovely, polite and attentive without...

Beautiful place hiding in the back streets

definitely recommend, reasonable prices aswell for a hot drink!!

Nice place with a good menu. Plenty of choice for vegetarians and carnivores alike. It was mostly full when we went for a late(ish) lunch, which is usually a good sign. Happy we were still able to find seats in the window and watch the world go by. I loved the atmosphere. Hard to describe why. Just a pleasant backdrop of people chatting over coffee in a good old fashioned tea room with a good modern menu. Didn't try the coffee though. They offer two sizes of flat white which is usually a red flag for me. Defect cup of tea though.

We visited yesterday and ordered 2 halloumi salads. Sounded delicious; but half of the ingredients missing: No spiced roasted chickpeas, no tomatos (waitress confirmed they had plenty), instead of roasted crumbed cauliflower we got very plain boiled and soggy cauliflower, mine mainly stalk, and not sure how halloumi can be unpleasant, as even simply grilled, oven cooked or fried its normally tasty but this wasn't. Basically we had salad leaves (which were nice) 2 or 3 very thin slices of pepper, halloumi and a dressing. It had the potential to be so nice but was so disappointing. We fed this back to the waitress who was very pleasant but heard nothing more. The table nearby complained earlier and was brought a side plate of cucumber and tomato Unfortunately we will not return.

This was a lovely little coffee shop in the centre of town. The waitress was really friendly and the coffee was good.

Great service, great food and great atmosphere inside. Convenient location.

Nice place & great location. Food was really tasty & service was very good from the friendly staff

This café is quite tucked away and not that easy to find. There is some outside seating and a small interior. It seemed to be very popular, but we managed to find the last two seats. The coffee was very good quality and cost £6...

We managed to get a seat on our second attempt at coming here. We just had a coffee which as usual was excellent. This place is very small with a few seats outside and the atmosphere is very pleasant.

Wednesday lunchtime, place was full and I still got the best, homemade burger I've ever had, within 10 minutes! Great coffee, delicious cakes and really nice staff.

Terrible place. Visited on Sunday 12th February 2023 at 3pm. The girl on the till had a big attitude on her like there's a chip on her shoulder. When I asked her about the coffee beans they used she said she doesn't know and when I asked her to find out she was reluctant, tutted at me and said the barista is busy and told me to wait outside in the cold for my coffee. Threw my coffee away and went to the Flat White Kitchen across the road which was much more accommodating and friendly.