Bistro 21

4.2 (382)

£26 to £40

British

Aykley Heads House, Aykley Heads, Durham, Durham DH1 5TS

About this restaurant

With it's light, uncluttered, rustic-chic style, the restaurant has a refreshing simplicity but a serious intent. It's about eating classically executed bistro style dishes in comfortable and relaxed surroundings.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
British, French
Hours of operation
Lunch: Monday - Saturday 12:00PM - 2:00PM and Sunday 12.00PM - 3.00PM Dinner: Monday - Saturday 5:30PM - 10:00PM
Website
http://www.bistrotwentyone.co.uk/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Robbie Bell
Private party facilities
With three different private dining rooms we have the right space for your private event or meeting. The Upstairs room seats up to 30 guests with its own entrance and bar, and we have two cosy dining rooms for up to 10 people in each.

Location
Aykley Heads House, Aykley Heads, Durham, Durham DH1 5TS
Neighborhood
Durham
Parking details
Eleven car parking bays at the front of the restaurant.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Bistro 21.

4.2

(382)

4.3Food
4.1Service
4.1Ambience
1.6Value

Noise • Energetic

365 Reviews

DB
DBS1199
County Durham7 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 23, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Superb staff who knew the menu giving helpful choice advice. Amazing venison with first class smoked beetroot. Maybe a little pricey but excellent value. Highly recommended.
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JB
JeffreyB
County Durham3 reviews
4.0
Dined on October 10, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
There is always a worry that the early evening set menu will consist of disappointing left overs and obviously cheaper cuts. Not here! Compares very well to the best pre theatre dining in London. The pear and chicory salad and the ham and pease pudding terrine were delicious. The pork loin and the fish fillet were well cooked with rich and tasty sauces and plenty of vegetable accompaniment. The creme brulee, chocolate brownie with pistachio ice cream and the cheesecake did not disappoint. Special mention must go to the house red Cuvee 21 by Georges Dubouef - an enjoyable Beaujolais Villages as expected from this blender and excellent value at £16 per bottle. Service was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. If you are visiting your son and daughter at the University and are looking for an evening meal I can recommend Bistro 21 above Finbarrs and Oldfields. Don't be put off by the Tapas Bar exterior - the interior is delightful! The three courses were more than ample for our rugby playing son.
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MC
MarkC
County Durham2 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 9, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful Setting. This little hidden away gem surprises you from start to finish... The decor is reminiscent of a mediterranean restaurant and it has some lovely touches to make the whole experience seem warm, cosy and dare I say romantic! The food was fabulous - The attention to detail from the chefs was outstanding and everything was cooked to perfection. All in all, a gold star and highly recommended from my girlfriend and I
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A
Aussie
Newcastle1 review
3.0
Dined on October 9, 2015
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
We have dined at bistro many times. This time, the food was as good as ever but front of house standards seem to have slipped. Off-hand waiters and having to ask for simple things like glasses for different wine. These things should be noticed and be acted upon automatically. I know that I am out of step with current thinking, but I do mourn the lack of a dress code. Jeans and sweaters? Really!! I think a little more attention to detail is required. We still had a good meal in spite of the above.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Oxford2 reviews
4.0
Dined on October 9, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
A lovely ambient and very friendly staff. The food was gorgeous (although not enough, complained my companion). Bit slow in service - had the impression it was the kitchen that was a bit slow rather than wait staff, although they could take a while to attend.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
County Durham1 review
5.0
Dined on October 3, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent evening with lovely food and atmosphere. Early evening menu is great value.
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J
Johnboy
County Durham48 reviews
4.0
Dined on September 26, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
It's been a few years since we've been to Bistro 21 so we decided to go for a family meal to celebrate a birthday. We went for the early evening special which and none of our party of 5 adults was disappointed. The twice baked souffle has always been delicious at this restaurant. There was a good, vibrant atmosphere in the restaurant and all staff were pleasant and attentive. We certainly weren't rushed to finish our meal to vacate the table for other diners. Highly recommended, will be looking to return in the near future.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
County Durham1 review
5.0
Dined on September 18, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Went to Bistro 21 on a Friday evening in September at around 6:30. From the outside the restaurant looks lovely, and as we entered we were greeted by lovely polite staff. Before 7pm they have an evening dining offer which is £16 for 2 courses and £19 for 3 which we ordered from. The soufflé to start was gorgeous and the cod for the main was delicious too. Would definitely recommend the restaurant to anyone looking for a nice meal in Durham with a good ambience.
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M
Marie
County Durham2 reviews
4.0
Dined on September 5, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We visited Bistro 21 for my birthday, the staff were excellent and very attentive through our meal. The food was lovely, although my sirloin steak was very fatty and there was a lot of waste. When I brought this to the waitress attention she did apologise but there was no offer to replace or compensate for the meal, at £23.50 I wouldn't have expected to have this problem with the meat. Overall a lovely experience slightly marred by the issue with the food.
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J
Jules66
County Durham1 review
5.0
Dined on September 4, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food cooked to perfection. If you're looking for somewhere special with great service and a cosy atmosphere then look no further. I've been here for both lunch and dinner and have never been disappointed. Highlight of the meal (if I have to pick only one) - hazelnut with salted caramel eclair, devine!
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
British, French
Hours of operation
Lunch: Monday - Saturday 12:00PM - 2:00PM and Sunday 12.00PM - 3.00PM Dinner: Monday - Saturday 5:30PM - 10:00PM
Website
http://www.bistrotwentyone.co.uk/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Robbie Bell
Private party facilities
With three different private dining rooms we have the right space for your private event or meeting. The Upstairs room seats up to 30 guests with its own entrance and bar, and we have two cosy dining rooms for up to 10 people in each.

Location
Aykley Heads House, Aykley Heads, Durham, Durham DH1 5TS
Neighborhood
Durham
Parking details
Eleven car parking bays at the front of the restaurant.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.