Tin of Sardines
Tiny gin and cocktail bar
Durham's smallest gin bar, on Elvet Bridge, with shelves of hundreds of unusual gins, a good cocktail menu, gin tastings and a terrace over the River Wear.
📍 18 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
Our top 10 Durham bars
If you only have one night, start here.
- Bar 33
Durham's only speakeasy.
North Road and Neville Street - Tin of Sardines
The city's smallest gin bar, on Elvet Bridge.
Elvet Bridge and the riverside - Old Tom’s Gin Bar
Gin and river views on the Riverwalk.
The Riverwalk - The Boat Club
Cocktails in a riverside building.
Elvet Bridge and the riverside - Champagne Bar
More than 40 cocktails by the Gala Theatre.
Walkergate - Blue Eye
A cosy cocktail bar on Elvet Bridge.
Elvet Bridge and the riverside - Mixology
A cocktail bar on Elvet Bridge.
Elvet Bridge and the riverside - Mother Mercy
Cocktails on Silver Street.
Saddler Street and Silver Street - Zen
Thai food and changing cocktails.
Elvet Bridge and the riverside - Fabio’s
A cocktail bar on Saddler Street.
Saddler Street and Silver Street
Map of Durham bars
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Bars around Elvet Bridge
The medieval bridge and the riverbank below the old city, with tiny gin bars on the bridge itself and a riverside cocktail bar.
Swipe to see all 8 bars →
The Boat Club
Riverside cocktail bar and steakhouse
A cocktail bar and steakhouse in a riverside building on Elvet Riverside, with views of Elvet Bridge and the city and in-house DJs at night.
📍 Elvet Riverside, Durham DH1 3AF
Blue Eye
Cocktail and shisha bar
A cosy cocktail and shisha bar on Elvet Bridge.
📍 25 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
Mixology
Cocktail bar
A cocktail bar on Elvet Bridge.
📍 93 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG
Zen
Thai restaurant and bar
A long-running Thai and pan-Asian restaurant and bar on Court Lane with a striking interior and a cocktail list that changes regularly.
📍 Court Ln, Durham DH1 3JS
The Victoria Inn
Victorian pub
A Grade II listed pub from 1899 that has barely changed: a curved wooden bar lined with pumps, no music, roaring fires and a great whisky selection.
📍 86 Hallgarth Street, Durham
Half Moon Inn
Traditional pub
One of Durham's most traditional pubs, a listed building with a beer garden by the river.
📍 86 New Elvet, Durham
Swan and Three Cygnets
Riverside pub
A Samuel Smith's pub on Elvet Bridge with a riverside view and good value pints.
📍 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG
Bars on Saddler Street and Silver Street
The steep old streets running up from the river to the Market Place and on towards the cathedral.
Swipe to see all 4 bars →
Mother Mercy
Cocktail bar
A cocktail bar on Silver Street, the steep lane up from Framwellgate Bridge.
📍 19 Silver St, Durham DH1 3RB
Fabio’s
Cocktail bar
A cocktail bar on Saddler Street.
📍 66 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NP
The Library
Pub and cocktail bar
A busy bar on Saddler Street with two-for-one cocktails every day and outdoor seats.
📍 46 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NU
The Shakespeare Tavern
Historic pub
One of Durham's oldest pubs, in a building said to date back to the 1100s, small and old-fashioned and reputedly haunted.
📍 63 Saddler Street, Durham DH1 3NU
Bars on the Riverwalk
By Framwellgate Bridge, with bars and restaurants looking over the Wear towards the cathedral.
Swipe to see all 2 bars →
Old Tom’s Gin Bar
Gin and cocktail bar
A gin bar on the Riverwalk with river views, staff known as ginologists, martinis, sours and spritzes, cheese and charcuterie and gin tastings.
📍 33 Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL
Turtle Bay
Caribbean restaurant and rum bar
Caribbean food and two-for-one rum cocktails on the Riverwalk, with views towards the cathedral.
📍 The Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL
Bars in Walkergate
A modern strip by the Gala Theatre and the river, busy before and after shows.
Swipe to see all 2 bars →
Champagne Bar
Champagne and cocktail bar
A glamorous bar in Walkergate by the Gala Theatre with vintage champagne and more than 40 cocktails.
📍 Unit 8 Walkergate, Durham DH1 1SQ
Slug & Lettuce
Cocktail bar and restaurant
A cocktail bar and restaurant in Walkergate with happy hour, bottomless brunch and dancing on Saturday nights.
📍 Unit 7 Walkergate, Durham DH1 1SQ
Bars around North Road
West of the river, between Framwellgate Bridge and the station.
Swipe to see all 2 bars →
Bar 33
Speakeasy cocktail bar
Billed as Durham's only speakeasy, on Neville Street since 2016, with bespoke cocktails, premium spirits and alcohol-free options.
📍 33 Neville St, Durham DH1 4EY
Head of Steam
Beer bar
Hidden in a little courtyard off North Road, a beer lovers' paradise with beers from around the world, including more than 200 in bottles.
📍 3 Reform Place, North Road, Durham DH1 4RZ
Durham cocktail trails
Two routes in walking order, with the time between each bar. See them all on a map.
Elvet Bridge to Silver Street
6 bars · about 6 minutes on foot in total
- 1Mother Mercy19 Silver St, Durham DH1 3RB
- 🚶 about 2 min to the next bar
- 2Fabio’s66 Saddler St, Durham DH1 3NP
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 3Blue Eye25 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 4Tin of Sardines18 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AA
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 5The Boat ClubElvet Riverside, Durham DH1 3AF
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 6Mixology93 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG
The Riverwalk to Neville Street
3 bars · about 6 minutes on foot in total
- 1Bar 3333 Neville St, Durham DH1 4EY
- 🚶 about 3 min to the next bar
- 2Old Tom’s Gin Bar33 Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL
- 🚶 about 3 min to the next bar
- 3Turtle BayThe Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL
More Durham bar guides
- Cocktail barsEvery cocktail bar in our Durham guide in one place: speakeasies, hotel bars, award winner
- Hidden and late-night barsHidden and late bars in Durham: Bar 33, The Boat Club, Fabio’s and The Library and more.
- Date nightRomantic cocktail bars in Durham for a night for two: Bar 33, Tin of Sardines, Old Tom’s G
- Fun bars for groupsLively Durham bars for birthdays, hen and stag dos and nights out: Tin of Sardines, Old To
- Pubs and beer barsThe best pubs in Durham: historic boozers, real ale pubs and craft beer bars.
- Cocktail trailsReady-made Durham cocktail trails on foot, Elvet Bridge to Silver Street and The Riverwalk
Know before you go
- 🗓️ Book at the weekendThe smaller bars fill up on Friday and Saturday. Book where you can, or go early.
- 🚶 It's compact but steepEverything is a short walk, but Silver Street and Saddler Street are steep and cobbled. Wear sensible shoes.
- 🎓 Term timeDurham is a university city, so bars are busiest in term time.
- 🆔 Bring IDYou must be 18 to drink and many bars ask for ID if you look under 25.
Your questions
What is the best cocktail bar in Durham?
Start with Bar 33 on Neville Street, Durham's only speakeasy, Tin of Sardines on Elvet Bridge and Old Tom's Gin Bar on the Riverwalk.
Where are the best areas for cocktails in Durham?
Elvet Bridge and the streets up to the Market Place have the most bars close together. The Riverwalk and Walkergate are by the river and busy before and after the theatre.
Are there bars with views of the cathedral in Durham?
Yes. Turtle Bay on the Riverwalk faces the cathedral and The Boat Club looks over Elvet Bridge.
Where are the best gin bars in Durham?
Tin of Sardines on Elvet Bridge has hundreds of unusual gins and Old Tom's Gin Bar on the Riverwalk runs gin tastings.
Is there a speakeasy in Durham?
Yes. Bar 33 on Neville Street calls itself Durham's only speakeasy.
What is the oldest pub in Durham?
The Shakespeare Tavern on Saddler Street, in a building with medieval roots often dated to the 1100s. It is also said to be haunted.
Who wrote this guide
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run Cocktail Week, the ten-day cocktail festival held town by town across the UK and Ireland. Since 2022 we have taken it to more than 20 towns and cities and worked with hundreds of bars. We love Durham's bars, so we put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Our nearest cocktail festivals to Durham
Want your bar in this guide?
Run a bar in Durham that should be here? Get in touch at hello@cocktail-week.com and tell us about it.