Elmo's Diner ★ 4.0
The reliable Ninth Street anchor since the 1980s, Elmo's serves breakfast and lunch seven days. The pancakes are house-made and waits on weekends are earned.
SignaturePancakes, Biscuits and gravy, Huevos rancheros
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Durham actually eats.
Where to eat well, no fuss
Dame's Chicken & Waffles ★ 4.3
Durham's celebrated brunch spot lets you build your own plate: choose the bird, the waffle style, the schmear and the drizzle from a list of creative options.
SignatureChicken and waffles, Sweet potato waffle, Oatmeal waffle
Bull City Burger and Brewery ★ 4.0
A downtown Durham burger and brewery institution. The kitchen grinds beef daily; the brewery rotates a pilsner and IPA. Opening time 11:11 is a tradition.
SignatureCraft beef burger, Truffle fries, House-brewed IPA
Boricua Soul ★ 4.2
Boricua Soul at American Tobacco Campus fuses Puerto Rican cooking with Southern soul food. Empanadas, pernil and rice-and-beans are made from scratch daily.
SignaturePernil, Tostones, Empanadas
Fonda Lupita ★ 4.1
Women-owned Mexican kitchen at Brightleaf Square pressing fresh corn tortillas in-house daily. Named Eater Carolinas Restaurant of the Year 2021.
SignatureTacos al pastor, Tamales, Agua frescas
Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken ★ 3.9
Peruvian charcoal chicken at a fair price point on Ninth Street: roasted halves and quarters with aji amarillo sauce and sides of yuca or plantains every day.
SignatureCharcoal chicken, Aji amarillo sauce, Yuca fries
Juju Durham ★ 4.0
A Ninth Street fixture for Asian fusion tapas and sake. The menu roams across East and Southeast Asian influences; order broadly and share across the table.
SignatureSake-steamed mussels, Crispy Brussels sprouts, Duck pot stickers
Lula & Sadie's ★ 4.1
A neighbourhood Southern restaurant with a Sunday jazz brunch that fills the room. Shrimp and grits and fried catfish anchor the menu on Chapel Hill Road.
SignatureShrimp and grits, Fried catfish, Sunday jazz brunch
Nzinga's Kitchen ★ 4.2
A Creole-inflected Southern brunch counter open Wednesday through Sunday. Nzinga's serves shrimp and grits with smoked andouille and sweet potato waffles.
SignatureShrimp and grits, Chicken biscuit, Sweet potato waffles
Parts & Labor ★ 3.9
Attached to Motorco Music Hall, Parts & Labor serves global street-food tapas until 02:00 on weekends with one of the most vegan-friendly menus in the city.
SignatureKorean tacos, Loaded fries, Plant-based bowls
M Pocha ★ 4.0
Michael Lee's Korean pocha on E Chapel Hill Street serves tteokbokki, corn dogs and fried snacks alongside soju-based cocktails in a casual late-night room.
SignatureTteokbokki, Korean corn dog, Soju cocktails
Big Bad Breakfast ★ 4.0
The Durham outpost of John Currence's Southern breakfast chain. Country ham, boudin, grits and scratch biscuits anchor a menu that takes breakfast seriously.
SignatureCountry ham and eggs, Boudin scramble, Cornmeal pancakes
Thaiangle Restaurant ★ 3.9
A reliable Thai kitchen on N Mangum Street serving the full range of central and northeastern Thai dishes at prices that keep the dining room full at lunch.
SignaturePad see ew, Massaman curry, Papaya salad
Picnic ★ 4.5
A nationally recognised whole-hog barbecue on Cole Mill Road where pigs are smoked overnight over hardwood. The banana pudding is as celebrated as the pork.
SignatureWhole-hog pulled pork, Banana pudding, Brunswick stew
Bullock's Bar-B-Cue ★ 4.5
Open since 1952, Bullock's is Durham's longest-running restaurant and the centre of Eastern NC barbecue culture. Cash only, family-run, unchanged in method.
SignatureEastern NC whole-hog barbecue, Brunswick stew, Hushpuppies
Sister Liu's Kitchen ★ 4.4
Bon Appetit Best New Restaurants 2019, a strip-mall Sichuan kitchen in South Durham. Handmade dumplings, dan dan noodles and scallion pancakes made daily.
SignatureHandmade dumplings, Scallion pancakes, Dan dan noodles
Counting House ★ 4.2
The restaurant at the 21c Museum Hotel sources from NC farms and fisheries. Weekend brunch among rotating contemporary art is the best hotel-brunch downtown.
SignatureNC shrimp and grits, Smoked salmon benedict, Local vegetable sides
Book food experiences in Durham
Private tour · 2 hours
Durham Walking Tour and Tales of Crime and Punishment
Take a walking tour around historic Durham. Visit the city's attractions while also hearing intriguing stories of crime and punishment through the ages from your guide.
from$324 Check dates
Private tour · 7 hours
Durham: Private Full-Day Guided Walking Tour
Discover the history and culture of Durham on a guided walking tour. Visit the Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and enjoy coffee and cake at a local café and a beer...
from$210 Check dates
Private tour · 4 hours
Durham: Private Half Day Walking Tour
Explore Durham on a private walking tour. Discover the city's history, visit the UNESCO-listed Durham Cathedral, and enjoy coffee and cake at a local cafe.
from$118 Check dates