Mateo Bar de Tapas ★ 4.8
Multiple James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist Matt Kelly built his name here. Mateo is NC's definitive Spanish tapas restaurant, driven by wood-fire.
Book2-3 weeks ahead
Tasting menus, Michelin stars, and the kitchens redefining what fine dining means in Durham.
Top tables
NanaSteak ★ 4.6
Matt Kelly's steakhouse at American Tobacco Campus has a tobacco-leaf bar inlay. Prime and dry-aged beef anchor a celebration-restaurant room.
Book1-2 weeks ahead
Cheeni ★ 4.7
Eater NC's Restaurant of the Year with two James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nods for Preeti Waas, crossing South and North Indian traditions.
Book1-2 weeks ahead
M Sushi ★ 4.6
The Triangle's first omakase counter seats guests for a precision Japanese tasting. Tables offer a la carte as a more accessible entry to the programme.
Book2-4 weeks for omakase ahead
M Tempura ★ 4.5
Selected for Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants, M Tempura is the most focused of Michael Lee's concepts. Savannah Miller leads precise tempura.
Book1-2 weeks ahead
Seraphine ★ 4.4
A Michelin-recommended Cajun and Creole restaurant at American Tobacco Campus. Louisiana flavours and NC sourcing; the terrace view is the best seat.
Book1 week ahead
Little Bull ★ 4.5
Michelin-recommended Little Bull is Oscar Diaz's creative Mexican kitchen built on birria dumplings and a BBQ mole pork chop as the house signature.
Book1-2 weeks ahead
Vin Rouge ★ 4.4
Bakatsias's French bistro has kept classical French standards on Hillsborough Road since 2004. Steak frites, moules and French wine anchor it.
Book1 week ahead
Nikos ★ 4.3
A Michelin-recommended Greek restaurant at Brightleaf Square. Small plates, grilled meats and curated Greek wines from the Bakatsias group on W Main St.
Book1 week ahead
Zweli's Ekhaya ★ 4.4
One of very few Zimbabwean restaurants in the US, serving sadza and nyama choma with a wine list featuring Southern African producers rarely seen in NC.
BookDays ahead ahead
Gocciolina ★ 4.6
Indy Week's Best Italian 2024 and consistently booked weeks ahead, Gocciolina operates a short handmade pasta menu in a natural-wine room that seats under 30.
Book2+ weeks ahead
Fairview Dining Room ★ 4.3
The AAA Four Diamond dining room inside the Washington Duke Inn serves refined New American cooking with NC producers. Sunday brunch is an occasion.
Book1 week ahead
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.
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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.
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Fine Dining in Durham, FAQ
Where should I eat fine dining in Durham?
Editor picks in Durham include Mateo Bar de Tapas, NanaSteak, Cheeni, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.