Jozef’s Riverside Bar & Restaurant

You're sitting on the banks of the Wear with a drink in hand, watching the light catch the water as it curves past Framwelgate Bridge—this is what Jozef's does best. It's the Radisson Blu's restaurant and bar, positioned to make the most of Durham's finest natural asset, and it doesn't squander the location with gimmicks. The kitchen takes a straightforward approach to seasonal European cooking, the kind of place you'd bring someone you're actually trying to impress without it feeling try-hard. There's a proper bar component too, useful for post-work drinks or if you just fancy somewhere that feels grown-up without being stuffy.