Zen

You'll find this Thai spot down Court Lane, just off the main drag but worlds away from the usual student fodder that dominates Durham's dining scene. The space feels authentically Southeast Asian without going overboard on the bamboo and Buddha statues – think clean lines, warm lighting, and tables that actually fit more than two people comfortably. The menu sticks to Thai classics done properly rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Their green curry packs genuine heat (they don't tone it down for timid British palates), while the massaman beef falls apart in all the right ways. Even their pad thai – so often a disappointing afterthought – arrives with proper wok hei and fresh prawns. At around £12-15 for mains, it's reasonable for what you get, especially when portions are generous enough to fuel you through a proper Durham winter evening.