Eating at Crook Hall Gardens

Coffee and cake at the Orangery restaurant Cliveden National Trust — Taking time out for coffee and cake at The Garden Gate Café | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Dine in or take away a tasty treat from The Garden Gate Café, which serves hot and cold drinks, light bites and cakes. Admission to the café is free, so you can drop in anytime.

The Garden Gate Café provides a welcoming pit stop for visitors to Crook Hall Gardens. Free entry makes it popular with locals and people exploring the northern reaches of Durham city and its green spaces too. You can eat in, outside on the terrace, or opt for a takeaway and find a picnic spot in the gardens or further afield. Dogs are welcome.

Pick up a hot or cold drink and treat yourself to a snack such as a homemade scone or a slice of cake. Light bites and lunch options include bacon baps, sandwiches, soup, paninis, sausage rolls and pasties. Vegetarian and vegan choices are available. Be sure to check the café’s blackboard for daily specials.

A scoop (or two, or three) of Doddington Dairy ice-cream is the ideal way to cool down on a hot day or cheer yourself up if the weather’s grey. Available in a variety of tempting flavours from our cabin kiosk.

A guide to food and drink pricing

Below you’ll find some examples and prices of the tasty treats on offer to help you plan your next visit.

Tea from £2.70

Coffees from £2.30 (Single Espresso) or £3.10 (Regular Americano)

Cold drinks from £1.80

Cakes and bakes from £2.20

Ice cream from £1.30

Scoop ice cream from £3.40

Sandwiches from £4.30

Hot food from £4.70

Thank you

Every cuppa or tasty treat you buy helps us to continue looking after Crook Hall Gardens for everyone to enjoy.

Allergen information

Most of the food and drink served is prepared on site in our kitchen, using a wide range of ingredients. As a result, we can’t guarantee that any of our food and drink products are completely allergen free.

If you have an allergy or intolerance and would like ingredient information about the food and drink served, please ask the staff, who will be happy to help.

Visited before? We sometimes change our recipes to improve quality and flavour, including the ingredients. When you visit, please speak to one of our team to check the current allergen information for your favourite dish.