If you’re ever contemplating changing your diet to plant-based, Veganuary is often the best time to do it. Veganuary is an annual challenge that encourages people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the first month of the year but of course, you can dip your toe into the vegan lifestyle any time that suits you!

Now I’m a big food lover and, predominantly, a meat eater but with having friends who are vegetarian and vegan, I’ve started to broaden my horizons a little more and dabble in plant-based cooking but hadn’t really taken the plunge to eat vegan whilst eating out.

Back in January I teamed up with This Is Durham to visit five of the best restaurants that Durham City has to offer and check out the vegan options they had available and let me tell you – they didn’t disappoint! 

Turtle Bay 

Ground Floor, The Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL

Known for its cocktails and fiery flavours, Turtle Bay is a must if you’re after something a little tropical! The restaurant has plenty of vegan options available across its whole menu from breakfast through to dinner, and most importantly – puddings. The sweetcorn fritters were the perfect starter – light and crispy with a bit of a kick. We opted for Jerk Organic Tofu and Curried Aubergine for main which both packed a punch. If you’re heading there and you fancy treating yourself to a pudding, their vegan ice cream is deliciously creamy and a big yes from me!

Tango

96 Elvet Bridge, Durham DH1 3AG

Tango is a firm favourite for me when visiting Durham. Situated in a perfect little spot on Elvet Bridge, the burger joint has a great atmosphere and even better food with all of their produce being sourced from local and well established suppliers. You can make any of the burgers on the menu vegan by swapping meat for plant protein patties. The burgers are delicious, as are the vegan loaded nachos which I’d definitely recommend! The cheese dip tasted amazing.

Zen 

Court Ln, Durham DH1 3JS

Family-owned Zen has been a popular destination for quite some time in the city so I was excited to finally visit. The Thai restaurant offers a peaceful dining experience with mood lighting and music to match. There’s plenty to choose from on the menu from ‘Thaipas’ to classic stir fry and rice bowl dishes that will without a doubt tickle your tastebuds. You can make many of the dishes on the menu vegan by picking tofu, veggies or plant protein. The Chinese Parcels on the ‘Appe-Thai-Sers’ section were a definite win for us!

Cosy Club 

Unit 14, The Riverwalk, Durham DH1 4SL

If you’re looking for somewhere a little quirky, then Cosy Club is definitely for you. Framed pictures cover the walls, mismatched furniture fills the room and the mood lighting and river views make it the perfect little date night spot. They serve food daily from 9am through to the evening covering your breakfast, lunch and dinner needs with a separate vegan menu for all. We visited in the evening and I can confirm the vegan Chestnut Mushroom Risotto was divine! I’m definitely planning on heading back for a breakfast as the vegan Mexican brunch sounds delicious.

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill: Hotel Indigo 

9 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HL

I know what you’re thinking, a steakhouse? Situated in the stunning boutique Hotel Indigo, the team at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill curated a special vegan menu for Veganuary which showcased plant-based dishes throughout the month of January from starters through to main and dessert. Yes the restaurant is known for its steaks, but their Veganuary menu had plenty of dishes to choose from including Chickpea & Spinach Curry and Redefine Beef Ragù Alla Bolognese. By the looks of their website, they have also kept a Vegan menu going so I’m guessing it was a success!

I was honestly so surprised by how much I enjoyed eating out Vegan in January and whilst I don’t think I could give up meat just yet, I do enjoy a meat-free meal more often thanks to this experience!