Asian fusion$$ninth-streetMon-Sat 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-21:00; Sun 17:00-21:00
A Ninth Street fixture for Asian fusion tapas and sake. The menu roams across East and Southeast Asian influences; order broadly and share across the table.
Signature: Sake-steamed mussels, Crispy Brussels sprouts, Duck pot stickers
Southern$$old-west-durhamTue-Thu 11:00-15:00 and 17:00-21:00; Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-15:00
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.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Fried catfish, Sunday jazz brunch
Southern soul food$$downtownWed-Sun 08:00-14:00
A Creole-inflected Southern brunch counter open Wednesday through Sunday. Nzinga's serves shrimp and grits with smoked andouille and sweet potato waffles.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Chicken biscuit, Sweet potato waffles
Global street food$$downtownMon 11:30-00:00; Tue 17:00-00:00; Wed-Thu 11:30-00:00; Fri 11:30-02:00; Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-00:00
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.
Signature: Korean tacos, Loaded fries, Plant-based bowls
Korean street food$$downtownMon-Thu 17:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-02:00
Michael Lee's Korean pocha on E Chapel Hill Street serves tteokbokki, corn dogs and fried snacks alongside soju-based cocktails in a casual late-night room.
Signature: Tteokbokki, Korean corn dog, Soju cocktails
Southern breakfast$$old-west-durhamDaily 07:00-14:30
The Durham outpost of John Currence's Southern breakfast chain. Country ham, boudin, grits and scratch biscuits anchor a menu that takes breakfast seriously.
Signature: Country ham and eggs, Boudin scramble, Cornmeal pancakes