The Cellar Door in County Durham

Visited on a Saturday evening and was not disappointed, food was excellent and of a high standard, staff attentive and friendly especially Daniel, thank you for a lovely evening.

Great food and great service. Would highly recommend. Will definitely go back next time in Durham. Really enjoyed our visit.

Excelente comida y personal muy atento Muy bonito lugar y defo vale la pena visitar La mesa no estaba disponible a nuestra hora reservada, que fue un comienzo decepcionante, pero al final de la comida que se olvidó, ya que la comida era excelente

Seis de nosotros visitamos recientemente. Excelente menú. La comida era excepcional. El servicio fue posiblemente el mejor que hemos tenido durante varios años al visitar otros restaurantes. Una velada muy agradable. Volveremos muy pronto.

Joya escondida a través de una puerta y bajando las escaleras a un encantador restaurante con vistas al río. Cálida bienvenida en un almuerzo de mitad de semana. Servicio encantador. Menús bien equilibrados e incluía opciones de menú a la carta y almuerzo. Filete perfectamente cocinado. Hamburguesa de pollo con lado de kimchi también fue aparentemente muy disfrutado. El fondant de chocolate con helado de tonka y panal casero nos dejó boquiabiertos. Precio realmente decente para una mejor opción de almuerzo - alrededor de £ 37 por cabeza, incluyendo 10% de propina

My wife and I had been here for lunch around 3 months prior and it was superb. Booking for my Mother’s Birthday was a natural choice. However the experiences could not have been more in contrast. Something has to have happened at this establishment, change of ownership, chef, both? Regardless the food was below average. My beer had sediment in the bottom of the glass, almost from an unscaled kettle. The sirloin steak was tough as boots, blue cheese sauce far from anything of cheese taste. We ordered my young daughter the buttermilk chicken burger that came with sriracha mayo and kimchi and specifically asked for this on the side due to her 8 year old palate not being that mature. The waitress assured us it came separate to find it arriving all in the bun. A nightmare. The staff were pleasant, the mains quite slow to get out for a restaurant not even half full on a Friday evening. They did not charge me for the beer. I declined to add the tip regrettably. Have to do better

What a wonderful service staff and menu. Simply an outstanding experience.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening meal for our anniversary. Food excellent, ambiance pleasant. Staff friendly and professional. Enjoyed the conversation when, as is often the case, we were the last ones there. Menu had good options, though relatively short. This was what attracted us as this is usually a sign of care in the kitchen. All freshly cooked and using lots of locally sourced ingredients. Would thoroughly recommend.

I have been eating here for quiet a while now and never been disappointed, i have sampled different meals on the menu which i was not over whelmed but that was my choice just to have something different i had never tried, quality was great but not to my taste, but all the other visits where i have played safe the food has been top notch cannot complain and if you go for Sunday lunch fantastic you will not be dis satisfied. Reading some of the reviews someone looking at the skirting boards think that is a little sad glad it was not me who took her for a meal what a wasted evening that would be.

We ordered sirloin steak as part of our main course and have NEVER been unable to cut into a steak in any restaurant we've been to in our lives! We pointed this out to the waiter and he offered to replace the meal with something different. The replacement involved beef shin, which was very nice but the balance between the meat, one portion (= one small scoop!) of mashed potato and one piece of carrot with a smattering of sauce was completely wrong. To be fair, I had an excellent chocolate fondant dessert but my wife's brioche dessert was dry and unappetising. When asked for feedback by the restaurant subsequently I replied in a similar vein but have heard nothing back from them this past week. The Cellar Door strikes me as a restaurant which offers fancy food but isn't getting the basics right.

A stopover on route to Scotland and found this gem online. A single antiquated door leads you down to a bright modern but atmospheric restaurant. Always love it when the staff greet you well and put you at ease immediately, this great service continued throughout and the food matched the service. We both had the crab tortellini for starters followed by Stone bass for my wife and beef wellington for myself all of which were excellent. Great wine list and sadly could not make it to the desert, although there was a great choice. If in Durham again would definitely come back, highly recommended.

Family birthday meal, Saturday lunchtime. . Absolutely beautiful every mouthful. Sat outdoor on terrace wonderful view of river. A range of starters and mains, all divine. Wine was delicious too. Highly recommend

Great spot next to the river, friendly staff and fantastic food

What a lovely city.. ‘The Cellar Door Restaurant in Durham, Set within a 13th-century riverside building hidden on the main thoroughfare up the cathedral. Great service and amazing food. Recommended!

Absolutely love this place so different from the crappy chain restaurants that seem to be popping up in Durham. The food is amazing the chef obviously knows his stuff .

Absolutely delicious food, well planned and beautifully executed. Fair prices and immaculate service. We had the Ox and cheese soufflé for starters, chicken supreme and beef wellington for mains and chocolate fondant for dessert. You can mix and match between the al la carte menu and linch menu during the day. We did not book and visited around 13:00 on a Friday August. Highly recommended, please give it a try.

Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Lovely engaging staff who were knowledgeable about the menu

Beautifully prepared and well presented food. Excellent service would recommend 💯%

We had a lovely meal at The Cellar Door in Durham City. Alex was friendly, attentive and knowledgable throughout the evening and offered advice on the menu. We didn’t manage to take any photos of the food but it was all presented beautifully and tasted delicious. The oysters are a lovely addition to begin with and the Rosé Cava matched with them perfectly. We’ll definitely be back.

Oh, what regret I have that I've left cellar door to last in my journey through the culinary offerings of Durham - as it came recommended by so many articles, but the google rating, relatively to others, is lagging (at 4.4 at time of writing). The service starts before the reservation as one receives a courteous reminder. The restaurant itself is multi-levelled, the main restaurant is classy, with character, there is a hidden away balcony that nonetheless feels elegant, with a view of the river. There is also the downstairs crypt-like restaurant for an intimate atmosphere. The cured salmon with mustard, home-pickled cabbage was out of this world, the duck confit filled onion could have been a little bit better spiced, but the duck breast was cooked to perfection, retaining tenderness, all natural flavour, without firming up. I am usually not a fan of beef wellington and puff pastry, but this was different. The mushroom (truffle sprinkler?) layer was a perfect complement, the puff pastry a wrapper, more than a filler, the beef melted on the tongue. The hash brown chips and absolute show stealer. Also go for the lemon pannacotta. It's meals like this that remind me why it's worth to continue trying different restaurants. I also just want to thank cellar door for perfect portions and service, I'll be back!

Had a wonderful lunch today: very good food, friendly service and adequate prices). Very recommendable.

Tasty but served on cold plates and food not hot however it is worth a visit and we wld return.

A restaurant situated on the street leading to Durham cathedral, entry is by some stairs down into the restaurant. There is ample seating inside the modern, pleasant room on 2 levels, but we chose to eat outside with a view of the river. There was a good wine selection and both an a la carte and lunchtime menu from which you can mix and match. The food is modern British / European and to a very high standard. Service is excellent. Highly recommend.

i don’t write reviews but this place is 5 star everything, i had the veggie roast and it was hands down best sunday roast i’ve ever had. my boyfriend had the beef, it looked unreal & he said it was 10/10 if your in Durham go here

The best roast dinner ever! With giant Yorkshire puddings - as big as your head! Amazing! 😍

If you’re on the hunt for a place where both your palate and pooch can feel pampered, look no further than this gem of a restaurant. The selection of mocktails is a rare treat, reminding us that sophisticated sips aren’t just for the tipsy. Kudos to them for acknowledging the sober sophisticates among us! Our evening was elevated by the attentiveness of our server, a gentleman whose service was nothing short of impeccable. He ensured our experience was as smooth as a well-stirred mocktail. The menu, while a tad on the pricey side, delivers delightful dishes that don’t quite cross into fine dining territory but are definitely worth the splurge. The pièce de résistance? The restaurant’s dog-friendly policy. Yes, you read that right—Fido is not only welcome but treated like royalty in certain areas. This feature alone warrants a 5/5 in my book and is enough to lure me back time and time again. Combine this with a charming atmosphere, and you have a recipe for a repeat visit. We relished every moment and can’t wait to return!

Such a mixture of cuisines available it was such a delight to start a meal with bow buns followed by a Sunday lunch! Can't recommend enough!

We treated ourselves to an absolutely wonderful meal at The Cellar Door for our wedding anniversary. The name perfectly fits the entrance to the restaurant - a cellar door. Down some stairs and there is a surprisingly huge space, both inside and outside. Very modern and lovely. The greeting was warm, friendly and genuine. Both the food and wine were superb and the service was excellent. You may pay a little bit more for your dining experience at The Cellar Door, but believe me it is well worth it. Go on and treat yourself!

Excellent food - the best Sunday Dinner I’ve had since moving to Durham

Excellent, fish, meat, everything.

Absolutely fantastic food, crab tortellini was delightful and the cod spaghetti that followed was equally as good! The dark haired girl serving me was excellent, super polite and attentive Top wine menu too. Will 100% return here, I’ve heard they do a tasty Sunday lunch too

We’ve been here before and had a lovely meal, although service was poor. This time it was the other way round. Our waitress was lovely, but the food and customer service were very poor. It seems to have changed hands and it’s no longer a nice place to go. Very disappointed, too expensive and won’t be going back.

We ate in the cave!!! It was splendid! Food was fantastic- get the oysters!

We only planned a week ago to stay at Lumley Castle as part of my Birthday weekend. On Sunday we wanted to go to Durham to see all the sights. We had looked for lunch options in advance and The Cellar Door appealed to both of us. Sunday Lunch was amazing, so fresh, full of flavour and theee largest Yorkshire Pudding I have ever seen! ! To top it off, after mentioning it in passing - the lovely waitress produced this delightful sweet treat for my birthday. Excellent value for such lovely food and service. Highly recommend and can’t wait to go again for the a la carte menu.

Called in during music festival for a light lunch! Had beautiful freshly made focaccia bread to start and 5 starters to share between 3 of us! All were superbly presented and served (and tasted just as good) . Washed down with crisp pints of asahi . Will be back ! Cheers

The food was presented beautifully. My lamb and cod were dry. I may be wrong but I guessed that my meat and fish might have dried out while in storage/in thawing. I felt I was eating leftovers😐

We had a lovely graduation dinner at the Cellar Door recently. The staff were attentive and friendly. The meals were delicious, highly recommend the lamb starter (everything was delicious).

Excellent meal and service. The salmon starter was delicious as was the beef wellington. The vegetables were perfectly cooked.

great spot for graduation.. but book a long long way ahead

Service was great. The food was average at best. The lamb starter was very salty. The beef wellington was tough inside and overdone. The deserts were good but the cheese board was very uninspired, with four supermarket type cheeses. I expected a lot more for the price range.

Exceptional service provided by Grace and the food was fantastic! Lovely vibe too - a great night out

Best cheese and mushroom soufflé I’ve ever tasted delicious

The food was just bad. The menu looked great, but what we got was nothing like what was promised. The chicken main was dry and under seasoned (all the salt seemed to have gone instead on the beef shin which was very salty but lacked pepper). Both dishes had some kind of potato rosti (cutting corners? the chicken was supposed to come with a gratin or dauphinois?) which was undercooked, dry and tasteless. The beef shin didn’t have any of the blue cheese element that the menu promised. In short, dry, tasteless, poorly put together and not according to the menu. Staff were pleasant and cheerful but i guess the chef was on holiday. A sad experience

My son and I had a delicious meal, celebrating the finish of his university studies. The menu choice was perfect; service excellent; flavours superb and food visually attractive with complementary flavours and well balanced; ambient surroundings. Sadly it was too cold to eat outside on the lovely terrace overlooking the river, but we will be back, so fingers crossed for warmer weather next time!

On a weekend visit to Durham we wanted somewhere special to celebrate an anniversary and this restaurant was perfect. The food was excellent with a diverse choice and beautifully cooked and presented. But most of all, I will highlight the service, discrete but attentive and rounded off by a specially piped plate with a complimentary treat. Went away feeling very happy. Thank you, The Cellar Door, highly recommended.

First time at The Cellar Door and it was absolutely superb! By far the best Sunday lunch we've ever had! Delicious food and cocktails! The service was fantastic and it had a lovely atmosphere! We'll certainly be back! Thank you!

Lovely food - local ingredients, some global twists, and friendly service in a beautiful building. I am still talking about the cherry blossom ice cream a month later. It's so rare to have a memorable, challenging dessert, but The Cellar Door managed it!

Fantastic food and amazing service, minor error with starters that was more than made up for and then some, can’t fault the level of service the quality of food, will certainly be back in future.

We had a weekend open day event at the University so chose a couple of restaurants from the various reviews we'd read online. The Cellar Door was outstanding with a wide variety of menu options and prices weren't that expensive which is always a plus quite honestly. all the food was really well prepared and presented. Some great local produce and all seasonal which is even better in my opinion. Booking was simple, the staff very attentive and pleasant to deal with. Overall a great visit and we shall be returning with our regular University visits.

What a wonderful place. From the outside it doesn’t look like anything. You go downstairs from the street and you’re in a bright and airy restaurant . Outside is 3 levels of indoor eating /drinking space . The food was amazing the Sunday dinner huge and the service amazing . Don’t miss miss this place

Amazing food as always. The beef Wellington is always a winner and the desserts are so good. It was my first time having a chocolate fondant in over ten years! Gigi is an amazing host she is always kind and accommodating and makes every visit special. I look forward to seeing her every time I come back!

My recent visit to The Cellar Door in County Durham left much to be desired. The pigeon breast starter I ordered came with an unexpected surprise - three shotgun pellets embedded within the meat. Upon expressing my concerns to the waitress, her dismissive response was disheartening, stating that such occurrences were to be expected. This lack of cautionary information regarding potential hazards in the dish is unacceptable. Furthermore, our dining experience was marred by the incessant rattling of keys as patrons attempted, unsuccessfully, to open a nearby door. This repeated disturbance greatly detracted from the ambiance and enjoyment of our meal. Overall, my visit to The Cellar Door was marred by safety oversights and disruptions, resulting in ongoing dental discomfort and a disappointing dining experience.

Very classy dishes on a wide-ranging menu, with a similarly comprehensive (and reasonably priced) wine list. Very attentive, friendly service and tasteful decor. The soufflés- for starter AND dessert - were a highlight.

Menù estremamente ricco con piatti della tradizione e proposte di cucina internazionale rivisitate con gusto. Da non perdere il Sunday roast e il Beef Wellington. Ottimo assortimento di vini. Location con una vista incredibile. Merita una menzione il personale di sala che è sempre squisitamente gentile e disponibile.

We booked the Cellar Door cave room for our meal after our wedding. From start to finish the venue were amazing. Letting us come visit to check entrances for elderly relatives, agreeing to make a chippy tea for some fussy eaters (this should be on the menu btw it was so so good) and everything about the booking was so well organised. Everyone had the best time, enjoyed the food, the ambiance of the private room really made it, our photographer was amazed by the room and was tempted to book it for her own wedding. Staff couldn’t have been more accommodating, helpful and friendly. If you’re looking for a place to celebrate something then I couldn’t recommend anywhere more than here. A simply must visit. Thank you so much!

Great. Loved the grub which was fun, inventive, interesting and delicious. Loved Alex and Sophie who looked after us very well. Loved the view of the river and bridge. Really pleased that we stumbled across this gem which has upped its game considerably since my last visit some time back.

We went because we saw some Spaniards who work in the city go there, honestly. We waited almost an hour to have a table because it looked good. The food was great but the service was slow. Even so, I think it is a very good option after touring the city. I recommend booking.

Unexpected find in the historic city of Durham. Walking down the street, browsing menus, in the search of lunch. The menu was interesting enough to encourage us to investigate what was down the stairs. Very welcoming, friendly & knowledgeable wait staff and unexpected beautifully prepared & presented

A great find for Sunday roast! Good selection of beers, wine and cocktails. Lovely decor and nice atmosphere Staff were friendly and professional Sunday roast was delicious. Hugh Yorkshire pudding, Good quality meats and veg! Found the profiteroles a little dry but the sauce was delish

We love coming to Cellar Door on a Sunday to enjoy their Sunday Dinners. It’s such a treat, we enjoying visiting as a couple but also have invited family and friends who aren’t from the area to visit as the food and staff are brilliant. Gluten free options are available and the staff are knowledgeable in this area. As a Yorkshire lass, I can confidently say the Yorkshire puddings are amazing, bigger than your head but amazing! We have always booked our table in advance to avoid disappointment.

A lovely hidden gem with views over the city and river. Friendly attentive staff, gorgeous food and wine at reasonable prices.

Great 30th birthday meal. Came with family which my husband had organised as a surprise. We were sat int he stone room which was fab. The food was delicious and service fantastic. 100% recommend for a special meal.

Having seen the good reviews we were tempted to try this restaurant. Unfortunately we were underwhelmed. The bread and butter to start with was delicious. My husband ordered the stone bass , which he thought was OK. I ordered the Salmon, I didn’t know and it didn’t state that the Salmon would be cooked but cold. I told the waitress and she returned the meal I said it would be fine if they cooked it through but they kindly made me another meal. Unfortunately this was still not hot and not cooked through. We ordered the Apple brioche, this was enormous , sweet and very sickly full of butter cream . at £12 per portion I was expecting something a bit special but very disappointed, and unable to eat it. The waiting staff were friendly, very sympathetic and hard working . They gave me a discount and a free drink but I’m afraid it spoilt the evening.

Food okay, service very slow and impersonal, very noisy.

Lovely home made bread to start, always a good sign. Cheese soufflé was wonderful. There's a lot of interesting flavour combinations here, dishes are slightly unexpected, but it's great to try new things done well.. Good presentation, excellent service. Unusual but pretty impressive wine list.

If you don't know it's there, it's difficult to spot but oh so well worth looking for. Excellent food and service. Not a word against...

Table booked for 2pm didn't get sat down till nearly half 2 ordered Sunday lunch took an hour to come I think my roast beef came out of a packet it was horrible did get 20 % off for having to wait but this was my worst Sunday dinner

First time to Durham and first time to Cellar Door. We stumbled upon a gem of a restaurant when passing through from Newcastle to home just nipping off the A1 to see what Durham was all about. We wandered for only 10 minutes after parking in the shopping centre car park and wasn’t long before we spotted the Cellar Door, an unassuming entrance that takes you down a flight of stairs to a room with a view over the River Wear. The menu was hard to choose from, so many mouth watering choices; it was delicious, well presented and the top top quality. Service was excellent too our waitress knew the menu very well. It was a lunch come dinner as it was mid afternoon and we mixed dishes from the lunch menu and the a la carte. We will definitely find time to come and stay in Durham, looks an interesting place to stay with lots of dining options, bars and sights to see. Oh and another visit to the Cellar Door is a must. Excellent. Keep it up Cellar Door this is how to do it!

Visited the Cellar door last year for Sunday lunch and we were really impressed so decided to book again for my sister's birthday on Saturday for lunch. The staff were all friendly and the restaurant was busy, we were asked if we wanted water for the table and drinks so we ordered a couple of coffees and then our food. The starters took around 40 mins to come out which would have been ok had we been offered more drinks in that time, we weren't and our glasses and coffee cups hadn't been removed from the table. Starters arrived and they were really tasty and everyone was happy. Then our mains came out not too long after the starters. My main was a vegan option from the A La Carte menu which was £20, when it arrived I was underwhelmed to say the least. It was a quarter of a head of broccoli with some sauce on it (the menu said it came with onion bhaji and raisins but it didn't?) It was delicious, I can't knock the flavours of the food, but I was left feeling so hungry after eating it, It needed something alongside it, some sort of grain or potato, onion bhaji perhaps? just anything! Everyone else's mains were nice. My partner ordered a burger which he got fries with (and it was cheaper than my floret of broccoli, how?) Anyway we were never asked if we wanted any more drinks, which we all did. We skipped dessert and paid up and then went next door to Tango and I had an absolutely delicious vegan burger and fries. I've never left a restaurant feeling hungry after a main course and certainly never had to buy another main course elsewhere. Very disappointed as we really had high hopes for this place and had recommended it to loads of people after the initial visit. I just think some improvements need to be made in order to justify the prices and to honour how good the flavours are. Front of house although incredibly friendly could benefit from more direction and training on the basics, they weren't incompetent they could just do with better direction and communication.

Rwally lovely little restaurant. Excellent food and service, And good value for money too!

Beautiful setting in Durham City centre. Food was excellently presented, tasted fantastic. Service was outstanding. The warm bread and whipped butter is not to be underestimated, really good. Twice baked trufflyn cheese soufflé with chestnut mushroom and goat’s cheese cream was simply the best. Followed by stone bass, for both of us, served with kale, samphire, dill mash and caviar and clam cream. Mine was really lovely, the other portion was slightly undercooked, we mentioned it, just for chef awareness, apologies all round and when we got the bill a 10% discount had been applied. Excellent. Setting is lovely overlooking Elvet bridge and the river wear. Beautifully decorated restaurant with a lovely atmosphere.

Exceptional food and drink lovely atmosphere. Never let's you down staff very helpful and friendly . In a lovely building

A wonderful experience from start to finish. Attentive and efficient staff. Food choices were broad and the presentation and favours were perfect. A very pleasant afternoon, thank you

Can’t remember when I enjoyed a meal more than this one. I’m glad I booked a few weeks ago, quite a small restaurant and lots of couples waiting for a table. Extensive wine list with wines @ quite a range of prices. The wines we chose were both lovely. Starters - very special, mains - delicious, desserts - delightful. Service wasn’t quick and we were a little rushed at the end because they needed the table for customers waiting to come in. Very high quality dining at a reasonable price.

Sunday lunch roast was perfect with wow factor Yorkshire pudding. Very tasty and attentive service.

Really good food in a fantastic atmosphere, with very attentive staff. Great dinner!

Prententious food and incredibly slow service

Absolutely gorgeous food and brilliant staff no faults at all Yorkshire pudding was to die for even got the recipe thanks to the lovely Amy (think that was her name) would highly recommend this place to everyone

Great restaurant and been here a few times now for dinner and Sunday lunch. Our last visit was mid January and I ordered the cheese soufflé starter which was delicious and the mutton main. We finished with a cheeseboard to share which was also great. Wine list is extensive with a great variety.

Jan-24 Visited for Sunday lunch with friends. Waiting staff appear a little under trained (new staff, unaware of what makes up the dishes, mistakes made on order dye to 2 similar dishes on menu), great choice on menu, food was really good. No gluten free pudding choices on Sunday lunch menu but did offer dessert from main menu, albeit just a "you can have this but we leave this out" rather than dishes that are truly thought. None of the above would stop us returning.

Had a really excellent feed here last night - everything was great, staff attentive and welcoming, really interesting menu and particularly exquisite desserts. Highly recommended. Will be returning.

Great place to book and enjoy great food and a wide variety of drinks.

Fantastic meal here, we all live it, great service

Have eaten here a few times and always look forward to it. Great service, atmosphere and wines. I asked the waiter to explain the starters as often they're unusual presentations - eg Jerusalem artichoke creamed - and they're always helpful. My only disappointment this time was that they've changed the Beef Wellington - a few months ago I enjoyed a perfect traditional Beef Wellington here, but now they've changed the pastry to a sweet version with the texture and taste like croissant pastry, and this detracts from the delicious beef. Desserts were brilliant though.

We had a family gathering including a toddler so this restaurant wasn't an obvious choice, but we were given a quiet area and taken great care of. The food was great and staff very kind and polite.

We visited for a pre-Christmas lunch with friends. The venue is great, very ‘Durham’, the service was excellent and the food was- wow I had the soufflé, the beef wellington and the lemon curd. Truly wonderful and the whole party agreed. Not cheap but you get what you pay for and the whole experience was well worth it. I will be back for my birthday I hope!

Such a lovely hidden place! The food was delicious and I'd recommend anyone in the area to go :) we will look forward to returning.

Went for dinner between Christmas and new year and had a table in the window overlooking the river which I imagine is stunning in the summer as there is a little terrace. The service was excellent and the food was tasty and beautifully presented. The lamb was a little chewy hence it’s not a 5 star review but I will definitely be back.

Beautiful place to meet up for lunch a well balanced and interesting menu food was well presented and tasty good selection of drinks and attentive staff

Had a piece of cod which was about a mouthful. Smallest piece of cod I've ever been served. Chips were good. Glad I had ordered chips. Oh, and you forgot one of our orders, so it arrived after everyone else finished eating. Nice decor, but sorry chaps, not a good food. experience.

Really good service and the staff have a real attention to detail, would highly recommended 👌

Lovely food in a wonderful setting, fabulous old building, great service from all staff, couldn't fault our experience.

A hidden gem of a restaurant!!!! Food was excellent. Beautiful view of the river. Service was so professional.

Loved the cellar door . Brilliant service . Amazing wine and perfectly fine food . Probably one of the best in Durham which is a town we don’t know particularly well but seems to be that cellar door have that touch of class .

Blink and you miss it entrance. Very, very much worth finding. We were seated in the pleasant, clean, if slightly chilly dining area just of the small vestibule waiting area when you enter. We had the last day of the November menu. Seasonal and spectacular. Service was impeccable and delivered with charm and great knowledge of the food. Wine options we tried were all tasty and reasonably priced for the quality, even the champagne by the glass isn't unreasonable for the quality. Food uniformly fabulously presented and cooked. Averages about £27 per main. Pheasant, beef welly and Monkfish were all available when we visited and happy as I was with my choice, some other the others looked tremendous too. Even squeezed in a dessert which is unlike me as I'm usually a savoury chap, but I was very happy I did.

Cool for first time we have been.

My Autumn cocktail really hit the spot after a busy morning at the Christmas market! The Sunday lunch on offer was excellent, flavoursome, well presented, generous in proportion with a skyscraper of a Yorkshire pudding. The staff were lovely. My favourite meal during our visit to Durham

Staff very welcoming and friendly and food was delicious. One of the best restaurants County Durham has to offer. Been here a few times and not been disappointed. Good choice of food and drinks menu and also a lunchtime special menu served from 12 till 6. Reasonably priced fine dining.

Having pre-booked we visited at 4pm on a super busy and particularly cold Xmas Fair Saturday in Durham. Greeted with a warm reception as soon as we reached the downstairs entrance of the restaurant the level of care and attention didn't waver throughout. My wife explained that I had an onion intolerance and after a couple of minutes we were presented with versions of both the lunch and evening menus removing unsuitable dishes. And when I chose a dish that also had leeks in the sauce an alternative accompaniment was suggested. This is just one example of the excellent service we received from John and all of the restaurant staff. The setting (upper restaurant) was beautiful, and if the room was a little on the cool side temperature wise it was to be expected given the outside temperature at the time (-2° and snowing, with -4° the night before). Despite the riverside location and large amount of glass windows and doors it was still warmer than a coffee shop we had visited earlier. But what of the food and drink? The two starters, two mains, a shared dessert, wine, beer, orange dessert wine and liqueur coffee were all wonderful, and each course left us smiling with happiness and satisfaction. The bill afterwards was more than reasonable given what we'd consumed and experienced, and I'd have no hesitation in saying that, despite some of the negative reviews, you should give the Cellar Door a try if you're in the area. If you get an experience even half as good as we did it'll be well worth it :)

A bit disappointing as the place had good reviews. The wine list was very overpriced. The food was good and a bit of a wait between courses but very attentive service. Allergies dealt with well