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Bells Fish and Chips — Restaurants in Durham

Bells Fish and Chips

RestaurantsDurham

4.4 out of 5 stars4.4(1,253 reviews)

Quick info

+44 191 370 9999
Bells Fish & Chips, Finchale Rd, Pity Me, Durham DH1 5RW, United Kingdom

About Bells Fish and Chips

Bells Fish and Chips is a fish and chips restaurant in Durham that fries its fish and chips in beef dripping. The fish comes from sustainable fishing grounds, and the menu runs from cod and haddock to a spam fritter. A fish and chips meal can be served with bread and butter and a pot of tea. Guests who avoid gluten can order gluten free fish and chips, prepared in a coeliac-safe way. The team takes orders at the table, and no reservation is needed. Bells runs five outlets, including Durham City and Gilesgate.

Good to know

“At Bells we are proud to offer proper fish and chips. Our products are sourced only from sustainable fishing grounds, with our core product - the classic fish & chip meal - cooked in the old fashioned way, deep fried in best Beef Dripping. For those with special dietary needs, we are always very happy to help. Our five outlets are in Durham City; Framwellgate Moor; Gilesgate; Teal Farm, Washington and Team Valley, Gateshead. Wherever or however you choose to eat at Bells, there's a warm welcome and a lovely eating experience.”

  • Accessibility
    Wheelchair: entrance, parking lot, restroom, seating

Reviews

4.4/5
1,253 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention fish and chips, crispy batter, cod and chips.

5★
862
4★
202
3★
70
2★
57
1★
62

Customer Review Summary

Cod and chips fried in beef dripping draw the most praise. Reviewers describe cod, scampi and salmon arriving piping hot and delicious, with a crisp batter that holds up on the trip home. Opinion on the chips splits. One reviewer calls them possibly the best they've had, while others find them not crispy enough, and one says they were like mashed potato. Service is largely described as friendly, speedy and chatty, and one coeliac diner felt safe eating the gluten free fish and chips. The complaints are specific. One diner found the haddock dry and overcooked at the thin ends, with the dripping leaving a fatty film. Another waited 15 minutes for a slimy spam fritter and an unwrapped sausage handed over in a piece of cardboard. A longtime customer describes a slow order and a waitress who slammed down a plate of bread. Another reviewer objects to a new deposit for booking. Sit-down diners mention the fish arriving with bread and butter and a pot of tea.

Featured reviews

  • Google user
    “We have been dining at this branch in Pity me for a few years now and had excellent food with impeccable service, but today was downright disgusting, if we hadn't have been hungry we would have upped and left. It took 15minutes to have our order taken, they were quiet and not busy. The older, shorter waitress with pony tailed long hair(didnt catch her name) was so rude taking our order, she asked what I wanted, I said ''cod, half chips/half salad, and as I was saying with garden peas she interrupted me with 'do you want bread?' So I repeated that i wanted garden peas, then she just stated at me and said rudely 'do you want bread?'....when she brought over the bread, she slammed the plate down on the table!..weve never been treated like this anywhere in our lives before let alone a place we eat at semi-regularly. We will not be frequenting there again!”
  • Google user
    “Possibly best chips I've ever had. Good portion size, too, for the price.”
  • Google user
    “Used to go quite often and the food is always very good.. Now they've started charging £5 per person deposit to book I won't be going again. It all smells abit too much like Agenda 2030 to me so that's me done with them”
  • Google user
    “Lots of parking spaces when we arrived, very impressed with the massive frontage.we were shown to our table, no reservation needed, ordered our meal from the menu. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The fish and chips arrived, with bread and butter, and tea. All good and hot , and tasted delicious. Next time we are in the area we will be going again, fully recommend Bells .”
  • Google user
    “Great fish (I tried salmon and cod) but the chips could have been a little more crispy... Mushy peas and curry sauce can also use a little more salt”

Amenities

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
Show more amenities
Accessibility· 3
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Location

Restaurants near Bells Fish and Chips

Bells Fish and Chips
Wheelchair accessible
4.41,253
  • 1.8 mi£20–30Outdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options

    authentic Thai flavors, mango sticky rice, papaya salad

  • 1.9 mi£10–20Vegan optionsVegetarian optionsWheelchair accessible

    pick-your-own ingredients, sauce and condiment bar, spicy bone broth

  • 1.9 mi£10–20Outdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options

    cake selection at counter, coffee and flat white, handmade burger

The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.

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