Affordable Dining in Durham

Tesco

The most central supermarket in town, Tesco is often the go-to for Durham students. Although the branded products can be a little bit pricey, Tesco’s value ranges have a lot to offer, with own-brand alternatives to almost everything imaginable. Plus, for the vegetarians and vegans out there, there are plenty of options of meat- and dairy-free foods. But if you can’t find what you need in the Marketplace branch, the fabled ‘Big Tesco’ is a short journey away, offering even more variety with affordable prices and lots of multi-buy offers. There are extra bargains for night owls, too - checking the reduced section each night can lead to some brilliant bargains, just make sure you eat it or freeze it fast...

Aldi

Possibly the closest to heaven a supermarket could ever get. It’s a little far out from Durham City Centre (up in the depths of Gilesgate near ‘Big Tesco’ and Matalan), but hopping on the 64 outside the Gala theatre will get you there in about 5-10 minutes – just flash your student card for a £1 day ticket. When it comes to saving money, Aldi has a lot to offer. A particular favourite is the rotating Super 6 deal, which sees a variety of fruits and vegetables reduced to ridiculously low prices each week. Combine that with the own brand versions of pretty much everything you could want, and you’re onto a winner.

Iceland

Located at the bottom of North Road with a larger branch near Aldi in Gilesgate, Iceland deserves a shout-out for its deals on – you guessed it – frozen food. Fast and simple things you can whack in the oven, quite often for a pound a pack. If you’ve got a bad habit of letting fresh food go off, stocking up on freezer products can save you tonnes in food wastage.

Restaurants

Durham has loads of places to eat out and, while it may not be as cheap as cooking at home, they’re definitely worth trying on special occasions. To save that little bit extra, it’s worth remembering that most restaurants will do Lunch Deals – a reduced price menu between the hours of 12-5pm. Places like this include Akarsu (Turkish Cuisine, Market Square) and Fat Hippo (Burger Bar, opposite Waterstones). Others, such as Tia’s (Mexican cuisine, Claypath) and Ye Old Elm Tree (pub, Crossgate) have early evening happy hours and selected offer days – buy one get one free pizza is a particular favourite. If you’re willing to do a pub quiz, local pubs such as the Dun Cow Inn also provide food for an entry fee of £1. Other cheap and cheerful places include:

• Wetherspoons

• Ask Italian (40% NUS discount on Mondays and Tuesdays)

• Nandos

• The Wrap House

• Zapatista’s Burrito Bar

All places listed cater to vegetarians and vegans (some even have specific menus!)

Jazmine Bourke (2018), ed. Frank Simpson (2019)