Treats Tea Room in County Durham

This café looks completely inconspicuous from the outside and reveals so much attention to detail on the inside. ❤️ The decor is very lovingly coordinated and in keeping with the theme. The selection on the menu is really surprisingly extensive. And the cake was simply out of this world. Incredibly delicious, succulent and wonderfully tasty.

From the warm welcome, prompt service and well cooked food the team here really deserve their full 5 stars. Their prices are good too, with clean tables and a good vibe, this is a nice place to visit. Just a note to visitors who have difficulty climbing stairs, there are a lot of stairs to negotiate but if you can manage these, you will be well rewarded for doing so. __________________________________________ Oh dear, on my following and most recent visit some weeks after the above review - what a disaster! My Sunday dinner on this latest visit was tip top but one member of staff in particular made it clear my visit needed to come to an end by grabbing the teapot and shouting is it finished!! Obviously my hour was up, they'd got my money and she had decided that I needed to move on. Disgraceful behaviour really, I'm sure she meant "please enjoy your time with us and we appreciate your custom" but it came out like 'Sod off' This was very obvious to other diners who raised their eyebrows at her manner and commented that she must have got out of the wrong side of the bed that morning!! So I won't be back, there are plenty of options available in Durham without the sauce of that waitress. Be warned, hold onto your cup or it's likely to be snatched away!

Came yesterday as a family of 5. Efficient and friendly service. Food was outstanding and reasonably priced. Only downside we had was its not accessible for prams.

Amazing selection of different foods, including vegan and gluten-free options. Staff were also very friendly and price was not to bad.

A cozy cafe with Lovely selection of vegetarian and gluten free options that are reasonably priced! Staff members were friendly too.

Unbelievable goats cheese salad. Put together like a picture and filled with loveliness. Wow. TBH probably not had a decent salad like this since last in Greece... Updated March 2024.... Came again for breakfast. Amazing! Standards have been maintained. 3 egg omelette with sausage and bacon. Eggs royale. Both excellent.

There were eight of us on Sunday morning hungry and getting out of the rain. We walked into Treats and it was very busy, but they moved a few tables around without fuss and made us very welcome. The breakfast was amazing. We will definitely be back. Thank you all the staff.

The food came fast, and not at price of quality, service was fantastic too

Decent sized portions and very quick service. The coffee isn't exactly barista style but that's not what you come for.

Great venue, the place was packed, service was spot on and very efficient. Chips looked good but were under cooked , the should be crispy outside and fluffy inside, these were hard and undercooked. Jacket potato Powdery texture and skin was soft, a sure sign of a microwaved spud and not an oven cooked one. Caesar salad A salad with some chicken nuggets in it does not constitute a Caesar salad (google it) Drinks were ok, decent coffee.

Lovely little place, great value for money and tasty food. American pancakes with fruit and bacon was to die for

when i told my husband you could get the best bacon sandwich here he was keen to go. when he saw the price of them we had the usual' HOW MUCH!!!?' But then he got the sandwich and said it was worth every penny. huge bun, filled with quality, well cooked bacon and brown sauce. he is already asking when are we going back into durham? fabulous!

We spotted this cafe whilst looking for somewhere for lunch that wasn't a chain. We didn't want a lot as we were having a large dinner later. This lovely little cafe ticked all the boxes. We had to wait 10 minutes for a table but the waiter kept us up to date and cleared a table as soon as one came free. We just ordered sandwiches and drinks but the where delicious and fresh. The service was really quick. We where sat next to an open window but it was very chilly. It was no issue for them and they closed it straight away. Overall we had a great lunch, responsibly priced and quick so we could get on with our visit of durham. Please note it wouldn't be suitable for people who can't manage stairs. It is situated on the first floor and the stairs are steep

We spotted this cafe whilst looking for somewhere for lunch that wasn't a chain. We didn't want a lot as we were having a large dinner later. This lovely little cafe ticked all the boxes. We had to wait 10 minutes for a table but the waiter kept us up to date and cleared a table as soon as one came free. We just ordered sandwiches and drinks but the where delicious and fresh. The service was really quick. We where sat next to an open window but it was very chilly. It was no issue for them and they closed it straight away. Overall we had a great lunch, responsibly priced and quick so we could get on with our visit of durham. Please note it wouldn't be suitable for people who can't manage stairs. It is situated on the first floor and the stairs are steep

Great Food and service. We had a full breakfast and a sausage stottie. Definitely recommend a visit.

Friendliest cafe in Durham, food is 10/10 and I love how many tea options there are! 🤍

Always visit treats when we visit Durham. Usually have to wait for a table but on this occasion we walked straight to a free table. Did think our herbal teas were a little expensive compared to other places we have visited.

Lovely little eatery upstairs above the shops and in Silver Street. Located in one of Durham's delightful old buildings with authentic sloping floors and unstraight walls. I am a type 2 diabetic and thoroughly enjoyed a carb free lunch of very tasty ham and mushroom omelette with salad and slaw, it was delicious. The staff were a pleasure and credit to the north east. Look this one up folks.

Great breakfast with excellent service in clean tidy surroundings - importantly also opens at 9am with other establishments nearby opening later in the morning. Will definitely go back.

Me and partner got hot drink and cake. Staff were very welcoming and tables were ready and clean. Staff accommodated patterns dairy Intol very well, with lots of options to choose from. Cakes were lovely and came with ice cream; same with drinks. Prices are perfect for what you get would recommend to those visiting.

Nice tea with scones, definitely will go there next time I'll be in Durham.

The stuff is helpful and understanding. Inside is extremely cold, so dress properly.

Great food with excellent service in this cosy cafe. My go-to comfort treat after having my GP appointment! Food is of great portion and hearty.

This place was very busy on a Sunday morning and seemed to be popular with students. They did a nice breakfast and an extensive choice of other dishes. It’s up a flight of stairs between two ground floor shops so you don’t know how busy it is until you get to the top. .

Amazing first time here visited for my daughters 2nd birthday. We had a great experience with lovely food and friendly staff that made us feel very welcome & food came so quick and tasted amazing. Thank you so much xx

Between the three if us we had vegan, vegetarian and full English breakfasts to suite our individual dietary needs. All three were amazing.....the juices that came with each breakfast were of a good size and not a small tumbler. Plenty of tea and coffee. Alround a very enjoyable breakfast in nice surroundings with pleasant staff. Would definitely go again.

Lovely cafe with food for everyone. Prices really good too

Small coffee shop with lovely cakes and coffee, nice staff and all very reasonably priced.

Came here for breakfast on Wednesday, booked early as saw from other reviews and word of mouth this place is great. Stottie was lovely and really good bacon. Very friendly staff and great atmosphere

Lunch.....jacket potato with savoury cheese and salad- delicious 👍

I think it's amazing that this tea room has stayed open in recent years given the lockdown, inflation etc and it seems to be popular but it's not for me. I've been shocked at some of the prices for an English breakfast here when a good English can be had elsewhere at a much lower price. What puts me off Treats Tea Room is the stairs- one flight up to the cafe, another up to the loos. Sadly a lot of the city is like this which is a problem for anyone with any mobility issue or asthma.

If you can manage the stairs this is a good place to eat. It can be bit cramped and there's more stairs to the toilets but the staff are nice and so is the food. If you get the right seats you can look down on Silver Street, one of the busiest streets in Durham.

Good selection of food for breakfast and lunch. Had the ham quiche and scone with tea. Tasty meal, red onions a bit much.

Lovely cafe Food was delicious well priced.staff were lovely, definitely will go back

It was really nice food however a girl at the till called Izzy was very patronizing to us and we ended up paying more than was stated. When we enquired about the deal on the menu she shouted very rudely at us.

Excellent Tea Rooms. Called here 5 years ago when last in Durham. Pleased to say we have just been again and it is still as good. Very popular too. We only needed light lunch so a scone and a cuppa was ideal. Scone came with quality butter and jam. Garnished with a couple of strawberries. Brilliant service from the busy waitresses. Highly recommend this tea rooms

Fab full English breakfast. Wonderful service and reasonably priced. Would highly recommend for good quality, hearty breakfast!

Breakfasts are beautiful. Perfect poached eggs, made just the way i asked for. Looking forward to returning to try something else on the menu. Staff very friendly.

Lovely place to eat an hidden gem for Durham. Food was tasty, hot and plenty of it and staff were friendly. A recommend place to eat.

Sadly, a recent lunch visit was rather disappointing overall... The table was so sticky that the napkin placed on it was stuck fast! The halloumi salad desperately needed some sort of dressing, as it became very dry, very quickly. A needle thin line of balsamic vinegar is not sufficient. The halloumi became tough and leathery as it cooled, and was chokingly hard work to get down. The addition of blueberries and strawberries was just wrong, and didn't have any place in the dish. I picked them out and ate them afterwards, as dessert! My companion described her omelette as ' Rather grey and flabby. Not great.' This was our first post-Covid visit, and we were sad to note that some old favourites were no longer on the menu, including the superb homemade lasagne, and the spicy chicken paninis. We've loved this place over the years, but the current menu has limited appeal, and the increase in 'brought in' goods (including pies) diminishes its homely quality. So, in various ways we found it to be not quite what it was... However, the young staff are friendly and hard-working.

Visited here while in the area for tea and some cake. Firstly the place stunk of a burnt oven. Scorching and stuffy in there. Tables were filthy. The lady cleaned the table but it was then really sticky. Ordered a millionaire shortbread, cake and a tea and a coffee. All items arrived separately which was a bit strange. Tea came with no cup. Had to wait 5 minutes for that,, and then another 5 minutes later were told no millionaire shortbread. Service wasn’t great but there was plenty people working! I’m sure it’s a cute little place but we didn’t feel that and we came out absolutely stinking of burning and cooking!

omg this was amazing! The cream tea was such a good price and filled 2 adults plus children. The super milk shake was great too. Great service. So glad they could squeeze us in.

I had eggs Benedict (ham)and my wife had eggs royale(smoked salmon). The poached eggs were the best I've ever tasted. Perfectly cooked!!! Service was excellent, and we were asked several times if we needed anything. I would recommend this tearoom to everyone that I love!!

I came for brunch with my husband and father in law. The waitress who took our order was lovely and very efficient. I had the breakfast pancakes and they both had the mega breakfast. Couldn’t believe how quick the food came out and everything was absolutely amazing!! The pancakes were the best I’ve ever had. Nice atmosphere and the service was brilliant. Can’t wait to come back again

We stopped here for lunch after spending a long time deciding where to go and we were fairly happy with our decision. The service was very quick despite being a busy lunchtime and both dishes were delicious. The Nutella pancakes were fresh and fluffy (they did not come with whipped cream but the staff were quick to help when I asked for some). Unfortunately, there were a few downsides to our visit. The seating is quite limited and we were placed next to the main door, which was not ideal. There was also no cutlery and napkins on the table when our lunch arrived. Finally, the chai latte was too sweet and milky, without much chai flavour. However, overall, we enjoyed our meal and believe Treats offers good value for money.

I visited with my wife on a weekend break for our wedding anniversary. We had been wanting to try this place but didn't realise it was upstairs and my wife uses a walking stick, so this wasn't ideal. The food was ok... My pancakes were good with bacon and maple syrup but my wife wasn't too keen on her vegetarian breakfast. She did not like the sausage and left most of her food. Overall it is not a bad place to visit but the stair access to the building isn't ideal for disabled customers.

Está situado en el casco histórico y desde que se entra se siente y se aprecia un ambiente muy agradable, el personal muy amable y la comida mejor. Si son de buen apetito el mega traditional english Breakfast es recomendable, igual el café Flat white

£8.50 for one muffin..2 eggs n a couple slices of cheap budget packet ham...just awful..😬 Pointed it out to owner n received no reply 🤔

great service, food, friendly staff would definitely visit again. dont be put off by the heat in the café as the staff will open a large window if you request.

This place is a gem! Great food and delicious baked goods! The carrot cake was so delicious! We also had sandwiches which were delicious!

Lovely friendly staff and amazing breakfasts. The cakes looked brilliant too! We came twice, the breakfast menu is very gap, great value and fantastic quality..

Lunchtime stop in Durham I had chicken ham and leek pie with chips beans gravy and salad . Wife had quiche. Service and food was amazing and such good value . Hot chocolate was lovely and hot

We visited for lunch on a Saturday, a bit of a queue to get in but we’ll worth the wait. Service was quick and efficient. Staff were very polite and helpful. Food was excellent

This place was recommended to me by a Durham University student as I probably would never have found it myself. Great advice! After climbing a dozen steps you are entering a large but still cozy room with well-arranged tables. However, by far the biggest advantage...

Visiting our daughter and opted to go out for breakfast. This place was recommended and we weren’t disappointed. My daughter and hubby couldn’t choose what to have as they had so many different options with Avocado with eggs etc so they ordered a dish each...

I meet a good friend regularly in Durham & we always go to Treats firstly for coffee & when we are ready we order our lunch. The service is always very good no matter how busy they are. The café is always very clean &...

Good location centre of Durham City and although couldn’t see up the steps to first floor we gave it a try & were not disappointed. Inside nice decor, clean & welcoming. Varied menu, mid priced, well presented & served with a smile. Don’t be put...

A little gem! Never been to Durham before and looking for somewhere to feed and water my mother, this place really hit the spot. Delicious food and friendly and attentive staff. Was told before my visit that people in the North East are the friendliest...

What a delightful, friendly cafe. Hadn't been to Durham in ages. Today was very cold so we went looking for somewhere to get hot drinks & food. Noticed someone dissappearing up some stairs so we thought 'why not?' Welcomed - which I find important. Good...

My family and I visit here often. The food is really good quality and beautifully prepared and the staff are friendly and professional. The portions are very generous and excellent value for money and there is a great selection on the menu. We have been...

We've visited a few cafes this week and this little gem of a cafe is without doubt my favourite. The staff are so friendly and the food is wonderful... The smoked salmon salad I had today was fabulous... Thank you for your hospitality... Ronnie our...

Stopped by recently and enjoyed a very nice breakfast. The 6 item breakfast was lovely using good quality ingredients. The American pancakes with fruit and maple syrup were beyond delicious. Light, fluffy and deep. Yum. Been coming here for years but less so recently. Glad...

Wonderful visit. Staff friendly and very helpful throughout the visit. Brilliant menu for someone who has lots of intolerances. The coffee wasn't good but I will give 5 stars as the delicious food compensated for it. Will come again!

Happy, bustling place! Beautiful atmosphere. Had the Croquet Madame and it was wonderful 👍

Beware that the kitchen closes at 4:30 (it would be nice to update the information in front of the store)

Great lunch spot. Our food was delicious and the staff very friendly 😊

We’ve just visited today and really don’t know why there are any good reviews. It’s our second visit - first was about 5 years ago and it was delicious back then. Today , it was awful. Scones were clearly NOT homemade and dry. My son...

Had high hopes for this place, but was left fairly disappointed. The cake was stale, the vegan burger was very plain and the rest was not too great. It might have been an off day so I’ll give it another chance and see if it changes. I also think the interior could be improved with a bit of redecorating and rearranging.

Excellent tea rooms. Highly recommended.

It's been a dreadful 2 year break away from Treats, but today I return with my partner Anna and 10 month old Jack Russell, Ronnie. Dog friendly is a massive plus for me. I've eaten beautiful food in Treats for many years prior to the...

Visited yesterday for a late birthday treat. Shown to a table by a friendly young girl who wiped table and came back for our afternoon tea order. Arrived in very short time and it was the best I had ever tasted. Fresh finger sandwiches fully...

Had a fabulous afternoon tea everything fresh and delicious can highly recommend staff very friendly thanks will definitely be back.

Super busy on a Saturday morning in Durham, but we got a table and after brilliant quick service got a breakfast feast. Big portions of very tasty food and we really enjoyed it. Thanks

Lovely vegetarian brunch. Ordered American Fruit pancakes and were very tasted and 2 pancakes

Well I live in Durham and visit this cafe regularly. What I experienced today was very disappointing that I really feel the need to write this review. I ordered my usual American stack pancakes which are usually light and fluffy but unfortunately for me today...

Have been going to treats many times over last 20 years and has always been a hidden gem. Food is always amazing, hot and 5he staff will bend over backwards for you. Treats is always really busy also. Went earlier this week after a long...

Not bad, njcw breakfast. Cake is not amazing but lovely

This place is wonderful! Really friendly staff, great atmosphere, coffees and then some very hearty vegetarian breakfasts came out very swiftly indeed even though it was pretty busy! So impressed.

Nice setting, very friendly staff and the mega breakfast was outstanding

Friendly staff and lovely food.

Steady food service ok, clean enough.

Nice little hidden gem :) great food friendly staffs

The service was really good and really quick. Super friendly. When ordering a gluten free full english they asked if i was coeliac or intolerant which showed they knew what they were on about. The food was absolutely stunning, both me and my boyfriend thoroughly...

Great pancakes bacon fruit syrup. Spot on. staff very attentive and great service.

Good food,competitive prices and friendly service

Very busy when we visited, and staff kept asking if we were ready to order - within about three minutes of sitting down we were asked, and this was repeated twice more about a minute apart. Understandable given how busy it was (I suppose) but the staff were very pleasant with it. Good variety of traditional food on the menu, served freshly cooked. Will return, but at a quieter time.

we visted hear on a recomadation from one of the group and we were very impreesed, good sized potions ,prices where about right and drinks served with meal only slight downside is that it is up a set of narrow steps. when in durham we...

We enjoyed our visit one busy Thursday lunch time. I went for the corned beef pie with chips, gravy and my boyfriend went for steak pie with chips, gravy. Service was great, food didn’t take long to arrive and the portions were massive!! So many...

Took my daughter for brunch on sunday we queued for 10 to 15 mins but weren't dissatisfied. Lovely seating area and we throughly enjoyed our food.

The best brunch in Durham town center. Traditional English breakfast & nice coffee. Beautifully decorated & spacious place. Quick service & friendly staff. Great offer before and after lunch time. There are not many choices of places to eat at Durham town center & Treats is always a ideal one.

6 item breakfast, £1 per item. Egg overcooked with orange substance on top, bacon small hard and dry, hash brown not nice, toast soggy and pre buttered . Beans in tub ok. Apart from that…… Over breakfast may be better

interesting place whet there on a recommendation and we were very tmpressed. freshy made and well presented only downside being they were on the 1st floor

This would've gotten a 5* if it wasn't for the service. They missed one of our meals which was an accident. They served our food before our drinks got there, the waitresses weren't very smiley or polite, they just dumped the cutlery on the table...

Excellent service seated within minutes of arrival. I have to have gluten free food but not husband. Good gf menu. Chose 6 item gf breakfast. Hubby had full English. More than satisfying for both. Staff attentive & efficient. Only draw back to some (not us...

Lovely place for breakfast, the only problem was a bit chaotic service but I can imagine that it was due to all the people in the tea room. Food was delicious and the cake too. My boyfriend had the full English breakfast and he seemed...

Lovely breakfast, great menu, friendly staff.

We only did takeaway but the food was delicious. The place looked cosy and nice, staff was okay

Visited this morning with husband and son had the most delicious breakfast I have the 6 item, hubbie had poached egg and bacon toast , Son had the most delicious pancakes I've tasted in a long while it was very busy the service was spot on

Have the breakfast omelette. Nice and cheesy. Friendly staff make you feel welcome.

Not value for money. An over cooked crusty roll is not a panni. Hallumi on salad was so over cooked it was like plastic.