Riverview Kitchen — Restaurant in City of Durham

16th June 2022

I’ve always had a good experience when i’ve been here in the past. Today was different.

I took a single seat outside as I only wanted a coffee at the time. I enjoyed my coffee and the fresh air, in the sunshine. All outside seats were empty when I sat down, a little after 10:30.

After a while, a waitress (the owner?) then suddenly turned up and asked me if I wanted anything else, as ‘I couldn’t sit there all day’. She said i’d been there ‘more that 2 hours’ and had to move on.

I said I hadn’t, but she insisted I had, basically calling me a liar. I checked my phone and it told me i’d actually been there for 40 minutes less than she claimed. The tone was derogatory and in front of other customers. It was very unprofessional and disrespectful.

It is a Thursday lunch time and I was taking one outdoor seat. I went inside to talk to you and got a story about how you came close to closing because of Covid-19. I appreciate that, but hey we all found it difficult. You clearly weren’t listening and tried to make it all about you, and what you felt the ‘rules’ should be.

This is ridiculous behaviour and customer treatment. You should NEVER chase away a customer, under any circumstances! I was actually preparing to go anyway, but to be asked to leave in such a manner is just stupid.

I made the effort to visit your place today as opposed to all the others in Durham I could have gone to, and put money in your till instead of elsewhere. It may have only been the price of a coffee this time, but in future myself and my partner would have spent a lot more, as we like your food. We have spent £20-30 on meals in the past with you.

I was tired and had a lot on my mind. I needed to chill. It is my 62nd birthday tomorrow, but I won’t be back...

The riverview kitchen is always a good place to visit in Durham! The view onto the river is really nice and scenic. The food is always great here and the drinks are always presented well and the cups, glasses, plates and cutlery are clean and have no signs of damage whatsoever.

The service was quick and friendly, with them happily able to answer questions and give recommendations. Our drinks came out within 5 minutes, and the scone came soon after.

The menu options are great here, and the prices are reasonable for what you get. The menu is suited to everyone since everything is clearly labelled with allergens and dietary requirements.

The whole feel of the riverview kitchen is cozy, warm and the lights and environment you sit in is very modern and has a lovely aesthetic to it as well. A nice view to the river also improves your visit too!

The riverview kitchen is also dog friendly inside and in the outside area.

The only letdown was the level of noise in here! It was full of people clearly with no consideration that there was other people trying to enjoy lunch or a light bite in there , and to also soak in the lovely view with them,phones blaring at full volume, people shouting even though they were talking to someone a metre opposite them and people asking pointless questions to waste servers time, when they could be serving someone else or starting to prepare your drinks? No one was using there inside voices in here, except for us. I know this isn’t something you can control but if everyone was considerate during our visit it could have been much better.

Overall the visit could have been better due to the level of noise, but on the food and drink element you were great on! Thanks for a great visit...

Fabulous restaurant café for lunch/brunch. Visited this weekend on Saturday lunch and Sunday breakfast whilst staying in Durham to visit my daughter at Uni. She recommended the place. Saturday lunch was delicious …I had the smashed avocado and chilli on toast and my daughter had the goat’s cheese toastie. Both were so tasty that every mouthful was a delight. Even the little bowl on the side of cucumber with dill is so tasty. Perfectly balanced dishes. Afterwards we shared a triple chocolate brownie which was SO good.

This café has a beautiful setting. I visited once before in summer on a sunny day and it was lovely sitting in the seats by the river-side. This time it was a cold wet weekend but the place was warm and cozy.

You can’t book and therefore as it is popular you have to queue at lunchtime but well worth the 20-30 mins wait. No many places I’m willing to stand in drizzle and cold but definitely worth it here. There was an issue with a customer whilst we were there on Saturday lunch and a junior waitress reported it to the manager/owner. We ended up speaking to the owner who was lovely and apologetic for something not the fault of the restaurant but an inconsiderate customer. Whole issue was professionally handled by the owner. We returned again on Sunday morning for breakfast, where my daughter thoroughly enjoyed her granola bowl. The loose-leaf teas here (served in a lovely pot) were really tasty too and the quality is worth the extra...