Bells Fish & Chips
Award-winning fish and chip restaurant and takeaway on Durham's historic Market Place, named National Fish & Chip Restaurant of the Year 2025.
About Bells Fish & Chips
Bells Fish & Chips sits right on Durham's Market Place, in the heart of the city centre a few minutes' walk from the cathedral and the riverside. The Market Place branch was named National Fish & Chip Restaurant of the Year at the 2025 awards, and it trades on doing the classics properly: cod and haddock in a light batter, fried the traditional way, with chips, mushy peas and the usual sides. There is a comfortable upstairs dining room with well-spaced tables for eating in, as well as a busy counter for takeaway.
Bells is a family firm with several sites around the Durham area, and the emphasis throughout is on local, sustainable fish and consistent frying rather than anything fussy. The city-centre location makes it a natural stop for visitors coming off Palace Green or the market, and it can get busy at peak times, so there may be a short wait for a table at weekends. It is a dependable choice whether you want a sit-down supper or a hot parcel to eat by the river.
Featured in These Guides
Blog posts and guides that feature Bells Fish & Chips.
Christmas Lights Switch-On in Durham 2026
Durham Christmas Sparkle, the city's Christmas lights switch-on, is on Sunday 29 November 2026 from 5pm to 6.15pm in the Market Place. It is free, run by Durham BID, and falls the weekend before the Christmas Festival.
The Best Fish and Chips in Durham
Fish and chips is a proper North East ritual. Our guide to the best chippies in and around Durham, from an award-winning Market Place restaurant to a coal-fired shop that has been frying since 1915.
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