Biedronka: A Michelin-Pedigree Polish Restaurant Opens at South Causey

County Durham is about to gain a genuinely ambitious new restaurant. Biedronka opens on Thursday 1 October 2026 in the farmhouse at the South Causey Inn near Stanley, and it arrives with a serious culinary pedigree behind it.

From a Michelin kitchen to his own place

Biedronka is the first restaurant of chef Marek Dziedzic, who was previously head chef at Restaurant Hjem in Wall, Northumberland, during the years it held a Michelin star. Now he is cooking under his own name, and the concept draws directly on his roots: "biedronka" means ladybird in Polish, and the menu pairs seasonal British produce with the flavours and traditions of his native Poland.

Handmade Polish dumplings sit at the heart of the offering, on a menu divided into snacks, starters, dumplings, seafood, meat and desserts. Guests build their own four, five or six-course meal, with a seven-course chef's selection also available for anyone who wants to hand the decisions to the kitchen.

Best for: Biedronka opens on 1 October 2026 in the farmhouse at South Causey Inn, Beamishburn Road, Stanley, DH9 0LS. Dinner runs Wednesday to Saturday, with lunch added on Saturdays and Sundays.

Another reason to head to the Beamish valley

South Causey Inn is already well known across the north of the county as a country inn and wedding venue set in a hundred acres near Stanley. Biedronka gives it a destination dining room to match, and gives people across Durham, Chester-le-Street and beyond a special-occasion table on their own doorstep rather than a trip into Newcastle.

The opening was reported by Restaurant Online and Visit County Durham. Booking details are on the South Causey Inn website.