While the weather has started to turn gloomy towards the end of 2021 in the North East, a little bit of Caribbean sunshine has been injected, thanks to Turtle Bay Durham! We’d spotted the empty unit on The Riverwalk on one of our Durham trips and wondered what would fill it. As a mega fan of their curry goat and 2-for-1 cocktails, I was buzzing when I found out Turtle Bay would be moving in! From hearty, soul food to the colourful interiors, it’s always been a place that’s given me the warm fuzzies, and it’s exciting to see another branch open up nearby.
Both Matthew and I were invited along to check out the venue ahead of its opening, and we were majorly impressed! So here’s everything you need to know about the brand new Turtle Bay Durham.
Where is Turtle Bay Durham?
You’ll find the new Turtle Bay branch on The Riverwalk stretch (1 Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, DH1 4SL). You can easily access the parking via Millburngate, then it’s a short walk up the stairs and the restaurant will be waiting at the top. It’s also really easy to access on foot from the city centre – just head across Framwellgate Bridge!
The Riverwalk is right in the heart of Durham’s historic city, so it’s a great place to rest your feet on a day of exploring and visiting the heritage sites, like the Cathedral. It’s home to several other foodie spots, like Cosy Club, El Pincho, and The Food Pit, but Turtle Bay will be the first Caribbean restaurant in the whole city. There’s also a great Odeon Luxe on The Riverwalk, so definitely get booked in to catch a film while you’re there too!
When is Turtle Bay Durham open?
Now! The official opening date for Turtle Bay Durham was October 15th 2021, so you can get yourself booked in now. The opening hours are Sundays to Wednesdays from 10AM – 11PM, Thursdays from 10AM to 12AM, and Fridays to Saturdays from 10AM – 1AM. So basically, you can visit any time of the day, whether you want breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks!
What kind of food is on offer?
Turtle Bay is renowned for its Caribbean-influenced dishes and flavours. They offer a variety of options to suit all tastes, from bottomless brunch to vegan choices to essential jerk pit BBQ. There truly is something for everyone, whether you want a curry, burger, breakfast, salad or just oodles of cocktails! However, if I had to pick just one thing out from the menu, it would be the curry goat every time. The meat is just so tender and juicy, and has a lovely kick to it. Paired up with the rice and peas, it’s a fantastic dish for dinner.
You also need to make sure you give their desserts a try, especially the banana and toffee cheesecake. This stuff is like pure heaven on a plate! It’s creamy and sweet from the banana, with the extra crunch from the biscuit base and a richness from the toffee sauce. It’s truly one to try. Check out the full menu online!
What kind of cocktails are available?
I can’t tell you about the food without chatting a bit about the cocktails too. They’re an integral part of Turtle Bay, after all! The cocktail and mocktail menu is extensive and offers a lot of classics, like strawberry daiquiris, mojitos, and spiced juleps, but you can also grab some unique drinks too, like the Jamaican wake up or the Kingston solero. There also several new cocktails for Turtle Bay Durham, including the pineapple daiquiri, the coconut and grapefruit mojito, and the grapefruit fizz. The only question is which will you go for first?
With the amazing Happy Hour, you can try as many as you like for a fantastic price throughout the majority of the day. It runs from Sundays to Thursdays from 10AM – 7PM, then 9:30PM – close, and again Fridays to Saturdays from 10AM – 7PM, then 10PM – close. You can enjoy 2-for-1 on the same cocktail, so there’s never been a better way to try them all out!
Who can visit Turtle Bay Durham?
As with the Caribbean culture, Turtle Bay aims to be as inclusive as possible. While this can be seen in the extensive menu that covers a range of diets and lifestyles, they also offer a Little Turtles children’s menu. It’s ideal for families that want somewhere to eat throughout the day, as well as people looking for a relaxed beach shack party vibe in the evening. It can be great for those looking to celebrate an occasion or couples who fancy a spicy date night. Basically, anyone can visit this branch!
Does Turtle Bay Durham have a dress code?
Not at all, you can dress up or dress down depending on the occasion. There’s no need to go all out – the team just invite you to be comfortable and enjoy your visit.
The branch joins over 40 other restaurants in the Turtle Bay family, and I think it was something that Durham was lacking. I love Caribbean flavours and the touch of warmth it brings (especially in the colder months), and I can see it being somewhere everyone tries out. It’s also in a fab location by the river with an incredible view of the Cathedral that just begs for a selfie.
Whether you sit on the colourful ground floor or upstairs in the unique D’Rum room, you’re guaranteed to feel totally welcome and right at home by the amazing staff. You’ll love the food and the atmosphere even more too! So what are you waiting for? You can book your table now by clicking here, but the venue are also taking walk-ins.
When will you be visiting Turtle Bay Durham?
I was invited to the Turtle Bay Durham launch event. All opinions are my own.