The County in County Durham - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

On arrival, lovely village pub setting, busy car park and restaurant area. Slightly quirky arrangement with serviced apartments around the corner from the main pub / reception. New building, very well designed. Restaurant back at pub / reception is great, with warm welcoming staff. Breakfast was outstanding, again incredibly warm & conscientious staff

From the first time we met Michael, we knew this was the place we wanted for our Wedding Reception! Michael used his experience to make the whole process so easy for us, taking all the stress away and suggesting options and some things we hadn't thought of, with the help of Sam too. We had a wide choice of menu and chose a three course meal that every guest complimented very highly on - huge thanks to the Chef and his team! The other staff, especially Alex, were superb throughout the evening too and made the whole experience one to remember. Massive thank you, Michael, I'm sure you've some new customers after this event! Huge thanks again to everyone from Mark & Kathryn Barron.

The Sunday dinner was lovely and pretty much faultless. The atmosphere was cozy and relaxing, the only leg down was the dessert, I ordered chocolate fondant that came out more like a very dry chocolate cake, no melt in the middle and my dad ordered the sponge with custard and the custard tasted burnt which was a shame as the rest of the meal was very nice. I’d go back for the mains but would give the desserts a miss next time!

Attended as a group of 11 in a reserved space in the restaurant. Food was a little slow, but not pre-booked and the restaurant was busy. Delighted at choice of small plates for smaller appetites. Enjoyed Eggs Royale (two poached eggs, salmon, muffin, hollandaise sauce) followed by strawberry cheesecake (expensive, but very good texture and flavour) with a J2O. £20. Attentive staff and clean toilets. Held a brief business meeting after dining, but in an ideal space (background noise). Beware, staff assume you want to leave a tip and direct you to do so when paying by card.

The food was beautiful, we had chicken liver parfait, and beef stroganoff, both of which I would highly recommend, next time we are in the area we will definitely be back!

My wife and I stayed overnight on our way home from Scotland. The room,though small ,was good with a nice shower and a very comfortable bed. We both had the 3 course set menu at £22 p.p.Every course was excellent.Breakfast reached the same standard. The staff were welcoming and helpful. Tremendous place and such great value.

The photos on this website are nothing like the food we were served. It was just edible and that is all I can say. I chose the fishcakes which were very poor quality, served with typical McDonalds style skinny chips and side salad. For the price it was very poor value. Other meals in the group were just as poor. The staff were helpful and pleasant so no problem there. Will not be returning.

Booked tonight for a meal and were given both the A la carte menu and the saver menu. We picked off the saver menu and both starters and mains were delicious and beautifully presented. For the quality and taste it was amazing value. The choice of drinks were also excellent. All the staff were great but I would just like to say how professional the young waitress was.

Had a Sunday lunch here which was excellent Beef and pork tasted great along with Yorkshire puddings and veg Highly recommended, will definitely be back

Very disappointed with the food not value for money only good thing about the visit was the lovely friendly staff won't be back

THE COUNTY, AYCLIFFE VILLAGE Just had one of the best meals at The County everything was perfect. Staff were brilliant very friendly and efficient. .I don’t do pictures of food but believe me the presentation is fantastic We would recommend 100%Thank you for a great night

Me and hubby went for a meal and it was lovely. Great ambiance and the staff were so attentive. Very quick service and the chips are absolutely the best. Would totally recommend 👌

Great pub and restaurant. Nice food

Amazing food, nice layout and friendly staff

Lovely place & absolutley spot on !!! Our new favourite local restaurant & bar 😁

Never stayed over, just went for lunch. Staff were polite and informative. Room was nice and meal was great.

Beautiful location and lovely lunch whilst waiting to check in elsewhere. We went for the beef dripping chips and mussels for one person and the other was eggs Benedict, both were perfectly presented and the taste matched the look. With plenty of dessert options, we chose the apple and blackberry crumble as well as the coffee panna cotta-again both were perfect. Attentive service made this one to definitely go back to if in the area again.

Great pub with rooms near Darlington. Rooms are lovely, recently refurbished, comfortable and spacious. Great value for money. The best bit though is the pub. Lovely menu, all fresh food and changes regularly. Breakfast is honestly the best i ever eat with all quality ingredients, well cooked and presented, all with care and lovely personable service. Beer is great too but not for breakfast obvs. Honestly nothing bad to say about the County and i look forward to my stays.

We called in for a family Sunday lunch and the County did not disappoint. The staff were all very accommodating, very helpful and welcoming. The Sunday lunch menu had a lovely selection of choice and the children’s menu offered great value for money. The roast dinner came with magnificent homemade Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and plenty of veggies. The portions were a generous size, but we couldn’t miss out on the pudding, so decided to share one. The pear and ginger pudding was delicious and very beautifully presented. We will visit again if we are in this area, well done to all the staff 👌🏻👍🏻

November 2022 We have just had a fabulous evening meal and overnight stay at The County. The staff were welcoming, friendly and ensured we had everything we needed. We had a wonderful evening meal in the restaurant, all the food was delicious, very well presented and good value for money. Our room was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Breakfast was the perfect conclusion to our stay. We will be visiting the area several times in the New Year and will definitely be booking to stay again. The County is a hidden gem and have no hesitation in recommending. Thank you so much. March 2024, another fantastic meal and fabulous stay at The County

If you have a poor meal, please let them know at the time. We had a very poor meal which included over-cooked and rubbery prawns, a poor quality rib-eye steak with a lot of sinue and finished off with a tasteless caramalised sugar tart. Rather than make a fuss at the time, I told them when they called a say that the bill had been incorrectly entered at the till. The service was good, and we accept that we should have highlighted the problems at the time, but there is absolutely no excuse for the quality of the meal. The bill has since been corrected, but after many years of visiting we now need another venue for celebration dinners.

Very clean rooms. Nice food and great service. Left a watch and bracelet and they rang us as soon as they were found great honest people.

Lovely place for a special meals. Lots of different dishes. Nice atmosphere.

Stopped for lunch off the A1 with a toddler. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Would definitely return!

Ate here today as we were staying in the area. Food was perfect. Service was amazing. Make sure you are hungry if you get the steak + Ale pie.. looks are deceptive. It nearly defeated me!

I haven't been to the County in Aycliffe Village for quite some time, but as I was in the area I had to call in. Well I booked a table just prior to arriving to make sure I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't, they had an offer on for a festive lunch, but I declined, I mostly stick to my favourite there, the Steak pie, and I wasn't disappointed, fabulous as always, my partner did have the Turkey dinner which she said was very good, both are starters were enjoyed, my partner having a Fishcake which I wish I had had, it was really good, with a very varied side salad to compliment it. I stuck to my usual ice-cream dessert which again was fab, all in all a lovely treat before xmas, obviously not cheap but thoroughly enjoyed and worth every penny, well done the County and its attentive, very pleasant staff.

First time visiting The County Hotel for Sunday lunch. Very impressed by the most attentive staff. Food and drinks were excellent. Lovely warm feeling and we will definitely be visiting again.

We stayed in Flat 3 in the newly refurbished accommodation. The room was large, very comfortable especially the bed and very clean, with attention to detail. Extremely quiet and a good location. We will definitely be returning next year.

We visited for Sunday lunch and were not disappointed- the food is good quality (especially the chicken) and there is lots of choice. Service is friendly and attentive

As party of four we had superb meal at the County, from the a la carte menu and all agreed, excellent quality, value for money and not being rushed as we dined, was a real bonus, in an intimate pub setting. In the morning besides staying overnight (which was excellent, clean and well presented) we had a full breakfast, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Great place to eat, stay or have a drink!

I visited with family for Sunday lunch on 17th Septemer, food was excellent, staff were pleasant and service was great, in one word it was perfect. Thank you to everyone. Would definitely return.

We went for Sunday lunch today based purely on location but cannot praise this place enough. The food was really good including the vegan options. We succumbed to dessert even though we were full and we were so glad we did. All of our choices were delicious but special callout to the rhubarb and blood orange crumble which according to our crumble expert was the perfect fruit crumble ratio. However what really sets this place apart is the staff who went that extra step and added nice touches. Thank you! Definitely recommend

We had a lovely meal today from the light bites menu and the service was excellent, thank you and we will be back very soon.

The room we stayed in was beautifully presented. Immaculate. View over on to the so so quiet village green. We never saw a soul there. Maybe the rain. But eery. Pub was welcoming when we had a drink prior to function we attended. All communication prior to our stay was excellent. Breakfast was good. Promptly served. Only thing was absence of any staff on arrival. We waited quite a while. With about 8 other people who had booked for lunch. Eventually a staff member turned up. No apology or explanation. She was actually quite curt with a group of diners who were actually talking about going if they hadn’t actually booked. She gave a sort of “ couldn’t care less” attitude. Not the impression I got of the place when I had rung up about the room. Otherwise other staff were fine. Especially the bar man and lady who cared for the pristine room. Thanks for a nice experience apart from this casual rudeness.

Very nice atmosphere. Staff were friendly and attentive. Good selection of drinks. Quality of food did not reflect the price. I felt rather disappointed as I was expecting more refined meals instead of pub grub. I don't think I would return unless the quality improved or the prices were reduced.

We had Sunday lunch. We didn't book as we were unsure how long we would be swimming in the leisure centre. There was no problem getting a table on a Sunday at 1300. Parking was OK, but we parked on the road by the green as the car park was full. The menu was fine, but the service a little slow. We had a nut roast and a fish and chips. We shared bits off our plates with my 3 year old granddaughter. Nice place and tasty food.

An absolutely lovely meal, and with excellent service from lovely staff. We chose a 3 course meal and everything was faultless, the fondant in particular was amazing

Just returned from a family party/afternoon tea at this venue. We all thoroughly enjoyed our food and a special thank you for catering for my gluten free diet. The sandwiches and desserts were delicious, excellent service from friendly staff and a lovely atmosphere, the room was set up perfectly for our get together. Would definitely recommend.

Would probably have been a 5 but one of the two chefs had called in sick which made the meal rather drawn out. We were disappointed to be told that the chicken liver starter had just sold out but the starters were inventive and well presented and the fish cakes we both had for our mains were delicious. Only sad we were to full to try the amazing sounding desserts. Will definitely go back on a less busy evening and try desserts.

We stopped in on a journey up A1 and we're delighted with great food and service. Would have loved to stay longer as it was a great atmosphere with lovely staff.

Just returned from an excellent‘Mother’s Day ‘ Sunday lunch at The County. First class food with professional, polite, welcoming and friendly staff on a particularly busy restaurant day. Can highly recommend. Thank you.

It was so good to be back here after a long time away. Service is so welcoming and friendly and the place is perfect a stay in the area. Rooms are clean and have all the basic necessities. The food here is of excellent quality,...

This is a lovely place to eat. We booked in today for Sunday lunch. Beautiful food, great service from all the staff. Such a friendly welcome as you enter and continue onwards . So inexpensive for such high quality . We will be back in...

Fantastic warm welcome as soon as we walked in. High quality food, prepared with a lovely light touch, just what we wanted for a late lunch. The place was immaculate and the front of house clearly cared about good service. A notch above. We will...

We visited The County yesterday as a place to meet with relatives before Christmas. We took advantage of the overnight parking in our motorhome as advertised on their website. When my husband booked our table he mentioned this. On the afternoon of our booking, one...

Recently had a 2 night late booking, based on locality, price and reviews and glad we did. Had a (reduced price) superior room with snowy village green views, spacious, spotless well equipped and comfortable. Mike the host was very friendly, chatty, helpful and rightly passionate...

Just had an overnight stay at The County and it is a hidden gem. Dinner was excellent, with great service and fabulous food. Our room was extremely well presented and spotlessly clean. The staff were friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was perfect. Thank you so much...

Stayed at The County on Saturday evening after a visit to NE for football. We were given a genuine warm welcome from Michael, the owner, who showed us our accommodation. Rooms were very clean, comfortable and nicely furnished with a great shower. We then had...

We have had the great pleasure of dining at this delightful restaurant on a number of occasions over the last couple of years when visiting family in the area. Whether dining at lunch or in the evening the staff are always very welcoming, polite, professional...

Absolute gem of a find whilst visiting the area. Superb Sunday lunch good home cooked food at a very reasonable price. Extremely attentive but not overbearing young staff and having worked in hospitality myself hats off to the owners for the training of the staff...

We really enjoyed our stay here and would definitely return. The room was clean and comfortable and had everything needed for a short stay. The Inn is in a really nice location where you can enjoy walks around the lovely village. Staff were absolutely superb...

A small, cosy olde worlde village pub/restaurant that has a block of terraced houses beside it that are a wonderful array of homely guest rooms with modern, highly clean facilities. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and the restaurant Manager was on hand to give us...

The absolute business. One of the best gastro pubs in the UK. Wonderful menu. Incredible service and top drawer talented chefs. If you are passing through the area(right off the A1), make a stop……..absolutely great.

Fabulous place great service great food lovely staff. We had the early bird menu get value 2 courses for £13.50 the food was really hot freshly cooked to perfection. We will definitely return

We had a great overnight stay at The County. We had just driven for seven hours and were in need of some cheering-up. The first person we met was Michael who gave us a very warm welcome. He was very friendly, explained everything to us...

Every time I visit I eat here l, it’s the only place that never disappoints and offers great value for money ! Good variety of food and excellent service

This is my third stop at the County and each time it has been consistently good. Rooms are perfectly good, clean and adequate for your needs. Staff are always attentive, welcoming and keen to help you have a nice stay. The restaurant food is to...

Called here unexpectedly for lunch and well...what a suprise. Food was delicious and the bar/wait staff were so polite and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. A hidden gem most definately recommended

Absolutely delicious food, friendly, efficient service - what an absolute gem. I can’t wait to go back.

A great find, definitely worth a detour. Visit last Saturday evening was quite perfect, the best food I’ve had for ages. We couldn’t agree whose food was best because it was all absolutely delicious. Lovely presentation and good service too.

Top quality food for very fair prices! Their desserts are also fabulous! We have a gentleman serve us and he was excellent, made the experience a 10/10. We wish we lived closer! However, we will definitely be returning in the future despite this!

Text: My first time at Newton Aycliffe and County Durham. I was in town to do activities at ROF51 with an instructor who lived nearby. When looking for accommodation via TripAdvisor and Booking.com I came across The County - as the single occupier rooms not...

We dined here last night, our first visit since lockdown. Great to see that everything was as good as before. Perfectly kept beer. Delicious food. Relaxed environment. And friendly, helpful, and attentiive staff. We hope to return before too long.

Really glad we popped by here. The food was lovely and the staff very attentive. Hope to come by next time we’re in the area

Visited here today with my parents and grandparents, for the first time. I cannot praise the two young men who served us enough; they were attentive, very friendly and knowledgeable. Their customer service was amazing, we all commented on how lovely they were! All five...

We ate at the county while staying at the hotel which I reviewed separately. The staff were very friendly and welcoming which created a really nice environment in the restaurant with diners chatting to fellow guests. The beer selection was excellent and I was able...

I Went today to get me and my wife a take out Sunday lunch, it was absolutely gorgeous, the portions were big, and I think that must be the best stuffing we have tasted, thanks again, credit to the chef

The menu is varied and the food beautifully cooked and presented. Our New Year’s Eve meal was excellent. Staff are always attentive and friendly. Our favourite local restaurant Highly recommend.

We enjoyed a lovely New Year's Eve meal at the County. Great choice of food and drinks. Great service in beautifully decked out restaurant.

The atmosphere at the County was lovely and Christmassy, it felt very Covid safe with s one way system and all staff wearing makes. The service was excellent, friendly and added to the relaxed feeling. The food as always was delicious and beautifully presented, we...

Fantastic food which never fails to impress all served by friendly and helpful staff. Lovely little pub/restaurant overlooking the village green.

Nice but nothing special and 4 prawns for just under £10 was outrageous. Difficult to be tempted by the limited menu and food served in soup dishes does not help. Very pleasant staff, nice décor but be a while before I would want to go...

Had a gathering of friends here. Great location and really smart pub. Food was very good quality and the team was friendly and efficient. Of particular note was the enormous steak pie and the pan fried chicken. Delicious. Our friend stayed at the pub and...

This is an ideal venue for a family or special occasion, on Aycliffe Village's delightful green. Food top notch and a decent menu with good fish dishes. Service good, and pricing less expensive than I'd expect for such a quality experience. Not to be missed...

Sadly I have to be disappointed with this visit. Definitely not a regular but have been here before a long time ago before the current refit. I appreciate that since Brexit/COVID-19 that chefs might be hard to find but they advertise “triple cooked chips “...

Excellent all round. We sat outside because the weather was good. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Service was exemplary. The food was faultless. Would happily visit again.

This pub is very good all round. The food is wonderful and the staff, particularly Alex, are excellent. I have noticed a recent decline in service standards at many pubs due to COVID but not at The County. Highly recommended and a lovely place to...

Had a lovely meal for our Wedding Anniversary. Adhere well to Covid restrictions, and felt very safe. Each had three courses and couldn't fault any. The Halibut for main was outstanding, and the lemon posset tart so good (even better with a scoop of the...

We have visited The county many times before and always been one of the best places in the area. We went back to support the local businesses after lock down eased and still enjoyed it, the service was great and food good. However I ordered...

Unable to log into my TripAdvisor account, cannot reset my password and the Help section was of no use to me at all. So have thrown the towel in in that account and created a new account in my wife's name! Barry T I stumbled...

We have tried the takeaway service during the Pandemic on a couple of occasions and the food is beautiful. Their online ordering is simple to use, you pay when you order and go and collect at the time reserved. The Staff are really lovely, very...

You are sure to get a warm welcome and staff are so friendly and professional. Great food and reasonably priced. Not a huge menu but some ‘favourites’ and some specials. You won’t leave hungry either.

We received the warmest of welcomes at The County on two visits to Newton Aycliffe in August and September and were made to feel like locals by Michael and his team. This was a very special and convenient place to stay with spacious rooms and...

Visited whilst stopping at a nearby hotel. Online booking system really handy. Greeted promptly by lovely waiter and taken straight to our table. All measures in place regarding COVID so that was very reassuring. Great deal on the fish and chips for two people but...

Booked a meal in August as part of the eat out to help out deal (family of 4). All meals (adults and kids) were excellent with decent portion sizes. The restaurant itself had a really good ambience. The EATHO scheme is allowing us to try...

We had a lovely family meal here and were the only people in at the time which I assume is due to distancing measures. The staff were friendly, attentive and efficient. Eight of us had starters and main dishes - each dish was well presented and everyone was very complimentary about the food. Thanks to all at The County.

Took advantage of the government scheme and went for meal after work tonight. Didn't take any photos of the food but it was superb and presented very nice. I had beef with mash potatoes followed by a Jam sponge and custard. Would highly recommend. Now that I know what food i like - never eaten there before - I'm sure I will visit again.

We went on spur of moment after seeing friends reviews on Facebook pleased we did Exterior looks inviting & interior is quaint village pub but decorated exceptionally well. We all ate off the light bite menu & all four of us throughly enjoyed it - can't wait to return

We visit The County many times but a first after lockdown! Amazing safe feeling along with great service and unbelievable food ! Thanks so much xxx

Having visited the county many times .. this was the first time since new owners have taken over ... really disappointed ... I brought my partner for lunch as it’s his birthday next week ... and wish I had saved my money and got a take away .. ordered roast pork Sunday lunch and for the price was fuming that they served frozen shop bought Yorkshire puddings .. meat was tough .. the place has totally lost its ambience.. I understand because of lockdown restaurants are cautious of buying too much stock in case of another lockdown but frozen Yorkshire’s and charging 14 quid .. come on !!!

Thanks to Mr Sunak and his magic money tree, we ate out tonight. Absolutely superb. Great service, exquisite food, and superb value. The country may be going to hell in a handcart, but as we starve for the next five years, we will remember tonight with fondness.

We were staying in the area, but our hotel didn't have a fully operating kitchen, so we decided to pre-book this restaurant having seen an impressive list of post-lockdown safety changes and a good menu.We were not disappointed in the slightest.Everything they promised, they delivered on: the staff always wore visors and kept their distance, the menus not re-used, the tables were well spaced, one-way in and out of the building; a clear respect of the new customers - but above all - a very memorable meal for the family.It is clear how much things have changed in the last few months and we all have to get used to it; it doesn't detract from the experience at all, and it's so lovely to be able to share this experience with people who are clearly passionate about their work and service. We owe it to them to not be afraid of these changes and embrace them; spend money if we can and share an enjoyment of these experiences again.The food was first-class. Even the children's meals were presented in a delightful manner. The mains and vegetables lovely; the desserts were exceptional and brilliantly sized.I wish this restaurant every success going forward and commend their efforts in taking the guidelines forward and creating their own safety and service standard of which they should be proud.

Having been regulars of The County for many years, from Andrew and Debra to Stuart and Collette to more recently Michael and the team, after 3 months of lockdown, we were slightly nervous coming out on “super Saturday” and what it would be like. From the moment we arrived, we needn’t have worried. The environment was safe as houses, without losing the County experience. Exceptional meal, service and atmosphere. Would urge anyone who is nervous to take the plunge and support a great restaurant who like everyone in hospitality has gone through a tough few months.

Have given this place a 5/5 on all previous occasions, but can’t today. Have learned that it has changed hands and you can really tell with the service and wait between courses. Kids seem to be running the place and despite only being half full, the delays and attitude were unacceptable. 2 hours for a 2 course meal. Really? The couple next to us had to ask where their drinks order was. Food was ok, but not the top drawer fodder that it used to be. Would have been a 3, but desserts were excellent so a 4. But despite that, still disappointed.

Lovely village green location.Very friendly professional staff.We tried after spotting a homemade pie offer and was delicious served with choice of potato and peas.Very clean and traditional venue only thing that kind of ruined the evening was a couple seated right next to us and the lady was on her phone throughout arguing with her daughter she should really of went outside or another area of the venue. Very off putting and distracting whikst trying to enjoy a quiet lovely romantic meal. Suppose just bad luck and we could of moved. But still will go back and recommend.

Travelled from London to see friends, really impressed with the setting , service and cleanliness, really pleasant dining experience and the best steak and ale pie i have ever had with lovely cooked chips and mushy peas.

We had a lovely evening here to celebrate my gran's 80th birthday. The service was good and the food didn't come out too slowly or too quickly. What really elevated things though was the quality of the dishes. There was unanimous praise from all 7 of us. The portions were just right and the flavour combinations and presentation were absolutely top notch. I had the smoked salmon and beetroot to start and I chose Skrei cod from the specials board; both were a delight.Highly recommended!

Had dinner this evening and can't fault anything. Service was brilliant and friendly. Didn't feel rushed. I had the vegan option and hubby had fish and chips, as always. Both of us v happy with our choice. Definitely be back. Highly recommended 😊

Have eaten many times over the last 10 years, but now it has gone down hill a bit.It is clear by the poor service that there was no one really in charge. Having to wait over 20 minutes before they cleared away our dishes so that we could order our sweet.The food was not as good as before. I had the beef dish and my wife had the steak pie.1st thing, in the past we where given bread with our meal. Not this time.2nd thing, I was not given any gravy to go with my meal, just the bit covering the meat.3rd thing, the mash potatoes taster like it was made with powder, not real potatoes mashed like before.

Wondered what it would be like as recently changed hands, not disappointed, same fab food, fab service and surroundings. Really lovely lunch with quality produce and delicious veggies. Very pleased!