40 cheap eats places in Durham, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Durham: the places editors actually return to. All Durham food.
Counter Culture Coffee ★ 4.7
downtown · 812 Mallard Ave, Durham, NC 27701
Counter Culture Coffee, one of the most influential US specialty roasters, is headquartered in Durham. Public cuppings at Mallard Ave run Friday mornings.
Bullock's Bar-B-Cue ★ 4.5
downtown · 3330 Quebec Dr, Durham, NC 27705
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.
Cocoa Cinnamon Old North Durham ★ 4.5
downtown · 420 W Geer Street, Durham, NC 27701
The original Cocoa Cinnamon in Old North Durham blends specialty coffee with West African and Latin American chocolate drinks. Sourcing ties to Little Waves.
Little Waves Coffee Roasters ★ 4.5
downtown · 2013 Chapel Hill Road, Durham, NC 27707
Little Waves is Durham's most visible specialty roaster, powering the three Cocoa Cinnamon cafes. Direct-trade sourcing runs through Colombia and Ethiopia.
Sister Liu's Kitchen ★ 4.4
south-durham · 5504 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd #103, Durham, NC 27707
Bon Appetit Best New Restaurants 2019, a strip-mall Sichuan kitchen in South Durham. Handmade dumplings, dan dan noodles and scallion pancakes made daily.
Loaf ★ 4.4
downtown · 111 W Parrish St, Durham, NC 27701
Loaf on W Parrish Street is a Wednesday to Saturday bakery of naturally leavened breads and laminated pastries with genuine long-fermentation discipline.
The Parlour ★ 4.4
downtown · 117 Market St, Durham, NC 27701
Durham's most beloved ice cream shop makes small-batch flavours from whole milk and seasonal ingredients since 2013. Walk-in only from noon on Market Street.
Chirba Chirba Dumpling Truck ★ 4.4
downtown · Roaming Durham; check @ChirbaChirba on Instagram for daily location
Durham's most-followed food truck has been making pan-fried and steamed dumplings with house-ground fillings since 2012. Pork-and-chive is the flagship order.
Sister Liu's Kitchen ★ 4.4
south-durham · 5504 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd #103, Durham, NC 27707
A Sichuan strip-mall kitchen in South Durham. Ma po tofu, dan dan noodles and hand-torn noodles deliver spice depth rarely found elsewhere in the Triangle.
Banu Vegan ★ 4.4
downtown · 2534 S Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27707
Durham's most beloved vegan counter: the Skrimp Po Boy, Philly Fake Steak and Cajun fries. Consistently among the best-value meals in the Bull City.
Chicken Hut ★ 4.4
downtown · 3019 Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27707
Open since 1957, Chicken Hut is weekday lunch only and sells out by noon. Eater named it the best fried chicken in America in 2022. Arrive before midday.
Chicken Hut ★ 4.4
downtown · 3019 Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27707
Open since 1957 and Eater-named one of America's best in 2022, Chicken Hut does weekday lunch only and sells out before mid-afternoon. Arrive before noon.
Monuts ★ 4.3
ninth-street · 1002 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705
Monuts built a following on Ninth Street with seasonal-glaze donuts and quality dairy. Bagel sandwiches and coffee round out a morning menu that sells early.
Cocoa Cinnamon Old West Durham ★ 4.3
old-west-durham · 2627 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 27705
The Hillsborough Road Cocoa Cinnamon brings the same drinks programme to Old West Durham. Duke proximity makes it a weekday study spot and post-market stop.
Liturgy Beverage Company ★ 4.3
golden-belt · 530 Foster St, Suite 1, Durham, NC 27701
Liturgy Beverage at the Durham Food Hall serves single-origin coffee and drinking chocolates with a sourcing philosophy as serious as the food tenants.
Joe Van Gogh ★ 4.3
ninth-street · 1104 B Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705
Durham's original specialty roaster since 1994, Joe Van Gogh runs three Durham cafes with the same direct-trade espresso and single-origin filter programme.
Boricua Soul ★ 4.2
american-tobacco-campus · 705 Willard St, Durham, NC 27701
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.
Ninth Street Bakery ★ 4.2
downtown · 136 East Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701
Downtown Durham's original artisan bakery on E Chapel Hill Street since the 1990s. Sourdough loaves supply local restaurants; walk-in only, seven days a week.
La Recette Patisserie ★ 4.2
south-durham · 4823 Meadow Dr, Suite 115, Durham, NC 27713
A weekend-only French patisserie in South Durham baking to sell-out each Saturday and Sunday. Croissants, tarts, eclairs and seasonal specialities made fresh.
Beyond the French Corner Bakery ★ 4.2
old-west-durham · 2005 North Pointe Drive, Suite B, Durham, NC 27705
A French-trained bakery in North Durham making croissants, kouign-amann and brioche with classic lamination. Draws customers from across the Triangle.
Joe Van Gogh Broad Street ★ 4.2
ninth-street · 1104 B Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705
Joe Van Gogh's Broad Street cafe opens daily from 06:30 near Ninth Street. The single-origin filter coffee is the flagship of the roastery operation.
Boricua Soul ★ 4.2
american-tobacco-campus · 705 Willard St, Durham, NC 27701
Puerto Rican counter at American Tobacco Campus. Empanadas, pernil and rice-and-beans made from scratch daily. Durham's best immigrant-kitchen lunch counter.
Boricua Soul ★ 4.2
american-tobacco-campus · 705 Willard St, Durham, NC 27701
Lunch pricing for Puerto Rican food made from scratch at American Tobacco Campus. Empanadas and pernil under $12; the lunch crowds say it all.
Elmo's Diner ★ 4.2
ninth-street · 776 9th Street, Durham, NC 27705
The Ninth Street brunch anchor since the 1980s. Scratch pancakes and bottomless coffee from 07:00 daily. Weekend waits are real; arrive before 08:00.
Fonda Lupita ★ 4.1
brightleaf · 905 W Main St, Suite 21A, Durham, NC 27701
Women-owned Mexican kitchen at Brightleaf Square pressing fresh corn tortillas in-house daily. Named Eater Carolinas Restaurant of the Year 2021.
The Mad Hatter's Cafe & Bakeshop ★ 4.1
old-west-durham · 1802 West Main Street, Durham, NC 27705
An Old West Durham bakeshop on W Main Street with a front porch and all-day scratch-baking. Scones, muffins, quiches and layer cakes fill the morning case.
Miel Bon Bons ★ 4.1
brightleaf · 1011 West Main Street, Durham, NC 27701
A French-influenced patisserie on W Main Street specialising in bon bons, macarons and seasonal pastries. The Brightleaf location draws a neighbourhood crowd.
Omie's Coffee Shop and Roastery ★ 4.1
downtown · 2300 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
A neighbourhood roastery-cafe on N Roxboro Street that roasts on-site and serves a short espresso and filter menu at a pace that rewards anyone unhurried.
Omie's Coffee Shop and Roastery ★ 4.1
downtown · 2300 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
Omie's roasts its own beans in an on-site roastery and serves a short programme of direct-sourced coffees. Whole bean bags are sold at the N Roxboro counter.
Bulkogi Truck ★ 4.1
downtown · Roaming Durham; check @BulkogiTruck for daily location
A Korean-fusion truck wrapping bulgogi in burritos with house kimchi and gochujang sauce. The bulgogi burrito is the flagship; kimchi fries are popular.
Taqueria La Vaquita ★ 4.1
old-west-durham · 2700 Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707
The large bovine statue marks Durham's best taqueria: $4-5 tacos to order with al pastor and birria the standouts. Corn tortillas pressed daily, four salsas.
King's Sandwich Shop ★ 4.1
golden-belt · 701 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701
King's Sandwich Shop on Foster Street has operated since 1942. Nothing exceeds $10; grilled sandwiches and burgers prepared the same way since founding.
Fonda Lupita ★ 4.1
brightleaf · 905 W Main St, Suite 21A, Durham, NC 27701
Hand-pressed corn tortillas fuelling tacos and tamales at Brightleaf Square's best prices. Named Eater Carolinas Restaurant of the Year 2021.
King's Sandwich Shop ★ 4.1
golden-belt · 701 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701
A Durham institution since 1942, King's on Foster Street holds a menu where nothing exceeds $10. Grilled cheese, burgers and sandwiches without any fuss.
Taqueria La Vaquita ★ 4.1
old-west-durham · 2700 Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Marked by a bovine statue, Taqueria La Vaquita is one of Durham's best-value taqueria counters. Tacos at $4-5 each; al pastor and birria are the best choices.
Elmo's Diner ★ 4.0
ninth-street · 776 9th Street, Durham, NC 27705
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.
Afters Dessert Bar ★ 4.0
brightleaf · 905 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
A dessert cafe at Brightleaf Square serving seasonal pastries, cookies and dessert-forward drinks. Friday and Saturday evenings serve the post-dinner crowd.
Bean Traders ★ 4.0
south-durham · 105 W NC Hwy 54, Suite 249, Durham, NC 27713
A Triangle-area roaster from south Durham since 2002, Bean Traders is among the longer-running specialty roasters in NC. The HW 54 cafe opens at 06:00 daily.
The Pinhook ★ 4.0
downtown · 117 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Durham's live music anchor with local bands, touring acts, DJs and karaoke through the week. No food, cheap drinks and whatever is playing on the small stage.
Common Market Durham ★ 4.0
ninth-street · 1821 Green Street, Durham, NC 27705
A deli, bar and bottle shop hybrid near Ninth Street. Craft sandwiches, rotating draft beer and a curated bottle shelf from early morning until late evening.