The Waiting Room

You'll find The Waiting Room tucked away on North Road, the kind of place where regulars nod at the bar and the conversation flows naturally around you. It's got that lived-in feel—worn wood, friendly staff who know what they're doing, and a drinks list that takes itself seriously without being pretentious about it. The food's solid stuff: pies, proper sandwiches, the sort of thing that works with a pint. It's become genuinely popular without losing that local pub atmosphere that makes Durham's drinking scene worth exploring.