Brasserie Quartier: Durham’s new French-inspired all-rounder

By Alexandra Shemagina Semeikina

Durham is not short of places to eat, but it is short of restaurants that feel genuinely multi-purpose. Too often, the choice falls between student casual, pub food, Italian, fast dining, or somewhere that feels reserved for birthdays and visiting parents. Brasserie Quartier, a new independent, family-owned French-inspired brasserie in Prince Bishops Place, seems designed to sit somewhere between these categories. It is polished without feeling stiff, grown-up without being intimidating, and relaxed enough to make you think you could go without needing a formal excuse.

The restaurant is still very new. At the time of visiting, it had only been open for around eight weeks, with its University & Student Supper Club running for just three consecutive Thursdays. The room was therefore not completely full, with only a couple of other tables occupied, which meant the space had not yet reached the full buzz it is clearly built for. But even slightly quiet, the interior works. Dark tables, warm brass lamps, fresh flowers, soft lighting and large windows create an intimate, almost Provençal atmosphere, without it ever feeling themed or artificial. It is conveniently located just off the Market Square, central but still tucked away enough to feel calmer than some of the city’s busier student-heavy favourites.

It is polished without feeling stiff, grown-up without being intimidating, and relaxed enough to make you think you could go without needing a formal excuse

The University & Student Supper Club is probably the clearest sign that Brasserie Quartier is not trying to exist only as a special-occasion restaurant. At £24.50 for two courses or £29.50 for three, including a drink, it is still a treat rather than a casual weekly spend for most students, but it is noticeably more accessible than many polished dinner options in Durham. More importantly, the menu does not feel like a reduced student version of the “real” restaurant. 

The highlight of the meal was, unexpectedly, the roasted aubergine. On paper, it is perhaps the least traditionally French of the mains: a vegan, gluten-free dish served with mixed grains, harissa and coconut yoghurt. In practice, it was easily the best thing I tried. The spice was not flat or aggressive, but warm, rich and layered, balanced by the creaminess of the coconut yoghurt. It is the kind of vegan dish that does not feel like a compromise, and it fitted into the menu far more naturally than expected. The poulet au poivre was also strong. Served with pomme Dauphinoise, fennel and peppercorn sauce, it was comforting in the way a brasserie main should be. The chicken itself was soft and well-cooked, although the dish worked best as a whole: the vegetables gave it freshness, while the sauce added the richness that made it feel properly satisfying. It was less surprising than the aubergine, but still exactly the sort of dish you would want on this menu.

The French onion soup deserves its own mention. It is a dish that can easily become too salty, too oily or simply too heavy, but Brasserie Quartier’s version found the right balance. It had depth and richness without becoming overwhelming, and it genuinely tasted as though the kitchen understood what French onion soup should be. I would go as far as saying it is probably the best one I have had in the UK.

I would go as far as saying that this French onion soup is probably the best one I have had in the UK

The desserts followed the same pattern: familiar, generous and comforting rather than overly elaborate. The brownie au caramel salé and chocolate mousse were not trying to reinvent anything, but they did not need to. They rounded off the meal in a way that matched the restaurant’s overall identity: classic, warm and well-executed.

One of the most impressive details is how accessible the menu is for gluten-free diners. More than 90% of dishes across the menus are either gluten-free or gluten-free adaptable, which is rare for a restaurant that still feels this cohesive. The team have also undertaken allergy and intolerance training, and this shows in the way dietary requirements seem built into the concept rather than treated as an inconvenience. The roasted aubergine is a good example of this: gluten-free and vegan, but still one of the strongest dishes on the menu.

Brasserie Quartier also seems particularly well-suited to graduation season. Rather than introducing an expensive fixed graduation menu, the restaurant is keeping its usual brunch, lunch and dinner menus available, with additional specials. This feels like a sensible approach. Not every graduation meal needs to be a formal three-course dinner; some families want brunch, others lunch, cocktails, or a more relaxed dinner after the ceremony. The restaurant’s flexibility is part of its appeal. For more details, see the link: https://www.brasseriequartier.co.uk/graduation-durham

That flexibility extends beyond graduation. It is easy to imagine Brasserie Quartier as a date-night restaurant, especially on Thursdays with the student menu, but it also works for brunch with a friend, lunch with visiting parents, or a celebratory dinner. The brunch menu feels especially accessible, with even the most expensive dish, the eggs royale, sitting at around £13. For a place that looks polished, that makes it feel much easier to justify on an ordinary day.

Ultimately, Brasserie Quartier feels like the sort of restaurant Durham did not obviously know it was missing until it arrived

Ultimately, Brasserie Quartier feels like the sort of restaurant Durham did not obviously know it was missing until it arrived. It offers proper tables, thoughtful food, good French wine, warm service and a more intimate atmosphere than many of the city’s louder dinner spots. It is not quite a student haunt, not quite a tourist restaurant, and not simply a “parents are visiting” option. Instead, it sits somewhere more useful: polished enough for celebration, relaxed enough for ordinary conversation, and distinctive enough to feel like a welcome addition to Durham’s dining scene. Students may not have fully discovered it yet, but they probably should. Sometimes you do not need an occasion; you can create one, especially if French onion soup and a very good aubergine are involved.

Image credit: Alexandra Shemagina Semeikina