Is this Norwich's most up-and-coming food district?

A whole host of new openings in recent years have transformed the Colegate and Duke Street area in NR3, just over St Georges Street Bridge by the Playhouse, into a food destination. 

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While it is just a stone's throw from Magdalen Street, home to many amazing independent restaurants such as Dhaba at Fifteen and The Mediterranean, this area deserves recognition in its own right.

XO Kitchen in St Georges Street, Norwich (Image: Maja Anushka)

Along St Georges Street, XO Kitchen serves Asian fusion-inspired street food dishes and it is fully booked most weekends. 

Chef Jimmy Preston tapped into the potential of this often overlooked area when he opened his restaurant there in 2021, following the success of a pub kitchen residency at The Artichoke - also in NR3.

Indian restaurant The Merchants of Spice in Colegate has been a mainstay in the city for many years and in nearby Muspole Street, the team behind thriving Norwich Lanes pasta bar Yard recently opened The Weavers Arms.

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Beef shin and Guinness pie with mash and peas from The Weavers Arms Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Newsquest)

The Weavers Arms, with the name nodding to the city's textile history, serves classic pub fare such as pies, steak and Sunday roasts for very reasonable prices, with a menu packed with local produce. 

Just off Duke Street in the car park at St Mary's Works is the fantastic Junkyard Market street food venue - a concept launched in response to the pandemic that proved so popular it now runs every Friday to Sunday. 

Junkyard Market takes place outside St Mary's Works in Norwich Picture: Junkyard (Image: Contributed)

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It welcomes local traders alongside national favourites and its success has led to the first Junkyard Food Festival from October 6 to 8 2023 in Earlham Park. 

READ MORE: Chefs team up to launch British classics menu at city pub with Sunday roasts

Bun X Heritage is a new kitchen collaboration at The Golden Star pub in Norwich Picture: The Bun X/Olie McDonald/Sonya Duncan (Image: Bun X/Olie McDonald/Sonya Duncan)

Finally, The Bun X, a much-loved city burger brand, has teamed up with local chef Olie McDonald to launch a new weekend kitchen residency at The Golden Star on Colegate.

It will start on September 9 and the menu celebrates classic British cooking, with roasts on Sundays with all the trimmings. 

Next time you are in the city centre, venture to this up-and-coming NR3 food district and support its independent eateries.