Cheeni ★ 4.7
Chef Preeti Waas's upscale Indian restaurant was Eater NC's Restaurant of the Year and earned two James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nods.
Signature: Baby brinjals, Duck breast curry, Roasted cauliflower
Mateo Bar de Tapas is a spanish tapas restaurant in Downtown, Durham.
Matt Kelly's Spanish tapas room has anchored Durham's fine-dining scene since 2012, with multiple James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nominations.
Editorially verified June 24, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Salt cod croquetas, Jamón Iberico, Wood-grilled octopus
Address: 109 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
Chef Preeti Waas's upscale Indian restaurant was Eater NC's Restaurant of the Year and earned two James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nods.
Signature: Baby brinjals, Duck breast curry, Roasted cauliflower
The Triangle's first omakase counter, M Sushi brought Japanese precision to downtown Durham using domestic and sustainably sourced Japanese fish.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, House-made tofu, Seasonal sashimi
Michael Lee's tempura specialist earned a Bon Appetit Best New Restaurants spot, with former Top Chef contestant Savannah Miller leading the kitchen.
Signature: Vegetable kakiage, Soft-shell crab tempura, Dashi broth
Pizzeria Toro has set the downtown Durham pizza standard since 2011, serving Neapolitan-influenced wood-fired pies with locally sourced NC toppings.
Signature: Fennel sausage pizza, Stracciatella antipasto, Seasonal wood-fired vegetables
Ricky Moore won the 2022 James Beard Best Chef Southeast award at this counter-service fish shack, elevating NC coastal seafood traditions nationally.
Signature: Fried fish plate, Hush-Honeys, Fish tacos
Matt Kelly's steakhouse at American Tobacco Campus features tobacco-leaf bar inlay, Prime beef and wood-fired dry-aged cuts at the centrepiece.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, Chopped salad, Tobacco leaf bar cocktails
Chef Preeti Waas's upscale Indian restaurant was Eater NC's Restaurant of the Year and earned two James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nods.
Signature: Baby brinjals, Duck breast curry, Roasted cauliflower
The Triangle's first omakase counter, M Sushi brought Japanese precision to downtown Durham using domestic and sustainably sourced Japanese fish.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, House-made tofu, Seasonal sashimi
Michael Lee's tempura specialist earned a Bon Appetit Best New Restaurants spot, with former Top Chef contestant Savannah Miller leading the kitchen.
Signature: Vegetable kakiage, Soft-shell crab tempura, Dashi broth
Pizzeria Toro has set the downtown Durham pizza standard since 2011, serving Neapolitan-influenced wood-fired pies with locally sourced NC toppings.
Signature: Fennel sausage pizza, Stracciatella antipasto, Seasonal wood-fired vegetables