Humble Beginnings: Durham Restaurants that Started out Small
Discover Durham's restaurants that started out small, from food trucks and pop-ups to community kitchens and more.
Durhamites pride ourselves on being an innovation incubator across industries, whether that's in biotech startups or in small, local businesses. When it comes to food and beverage, we're all-in on supporting the success of home-grown businesses. From our incubator spaces like The Durham Food Hall and Boxyard RTP to our diverse lineup of food trucks, growth is written into the culinary DNA of the Bull City. Durham supports its own, and when one business reaches its goal, they pay it forward to those still on their way. Here's a look at the journey some of our favorites have made ... from food trucks turned brick and mortar to pop-ups finding permanent spaces.
Motor to Mortar: Durham Food Trucks Turned Restaurants
Boricua Soul
705 Willard St.
The 1999 Freightliner MT55 Tool Truck powering this 'Southern soul, Caribbean flair, Euro-African' cuisine possesses a bold, unapologetic moniker: The Soul Patrol. We're so glad it does, because that's exactly what Boriqua Soul gives: food for the soul. Husband and wife team Toriano and Serena Fredericks melded their Puerto Rican and African American heritage into delightful bites for locals everywhere, and have landed in a permanent space at the bustling American Tobacco Campus.
Cocoa Cinnamon
420 W. Geer St.
From a bike parked outside of Motorco and at the Durham Farmers' Market in 2012 to three locations throughout Durham today, Cocoa Cinnamon is sweet indeed. Couple Areli Barrera de Grodski and Leon Grodski de Barrera formed Durham staples we'll treasure endlessly. Barrera de Grodski was born in Mexico and lived in Tijuana until she was six years old and her ingenuity and determination to bolster community mean that we all get to celebrate culture, churros and delectable, locally-sourced desserts and beverages well into the future.
Gussy's Place
2945 S. Miami Blvd., Suite 122; The Can Opener 205 S. Gregson St.
While living in Greece playing soccer, Gus Megaloudis aka "Gussy" fell in love with Greek food. Initially named "The Greek Devil," Gus's Greek to-go food was a hit on Duke's campus beginning in 2009. In 2012, Gus realized his dream of bringing authentic Greek and Mediterranean flavors to the Triangle with his food truck, Gussy's. Now, you can find the food truck at The Can Opener in Durham and other locations, or you can stop in the brick-and-mortar shop on Miami Blvd.
Kokyu Na'Mean
245 East NC-54, Ste 105
David “Flip” Filippini, owner of the KoKyu BBQ food truck, opened the new Kokyu Na’Mean near Research Triangle Park in Durham (with a second location on the way). Filippini became a quick favorite since taking to the streets in 2010 to serve mouthwatering global street food (we're talking short rib quesadillas and duck fat tots, here, folks). His diverse offerings have yielded an expansion of his mobile fleet, too, meaning the addition of a second truck, called KoKyu Ondo, to produce new offerings like a Cheerwine & swine slider, featuring seared pork belly, Cackalacky Cheerwine sauce and Korean pear slaw.
Locopops
2618 Hillsborough Rd.
600 Foster St.
Summer Bicknell of Locopops made it to Durham from Nashville by way of Mexico, stopping to learn how to make paletas and speak Spanish. She then brought creamy and juice-based popsicles all over Durham via the small window of her vintage minibus. Find these delicious treats on Hillsborough Road, at the second location, LocoShop, on Foster Street, and at summer concerts and various partners throughout the Bull City.
Monuts
1002 9th St.
Chefs and owners Lindsay Moriarty and Rob Gillespie didn’t set out to open a restaurant when they first dreamed of Monuts. Their deep commitment to good food, quality jobs and regional economic development led them to set out to "prove that restaurant’s don’t have to sacrifice their profits in order to support their communities." Since beginning as a donut stand operating from a tricycle near the Durham Farmer's Market in 2011, Monuts is now a thriving counter-service restaurant and bakery with a full menu of breakfast and lunch fare including soups, salads, sandwiches and, of course, donuts on Ninth Street.
Namu
5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
What do you get when you combine a coffee shop with a beer hall with a Korean-inspired menu with a zen garden? You get the ever-inspiring Namu. It's fitting that the restaurant is a combination of wonderful things because it was the result of two food trucks (Bulkogi and Bo's Kitchen) combining their forces to create a Megazord of culinary delights.
The Parlour
117 Market St.
1821 Green St.
The Parlour co-owners Yoni and Vanessa Mazuz fondly call themselves Mr. and Mrs. Parlour, and we wouldn't have it any other way. What began as an at-home hobby to share their love of ice cream with family and friends soon blossomed into a business in 2011, when the couple bought a used commercial ice cream maker, started making bigger batches at The Cookery, and served it throughout the Triangle from a pastel pink converted school bus.
In 2012, a Kickstarter campaign yielded open doors to a permanent location downtown in April 2013. In 2023, the Parlour Junior location opened in a shared space with Common Market on Green Street. How sweet!
Pie Pushers
117A W. Main St.
Mike Hacker and Becky Cascio launched Pie Pushers on April 1, 2011, and though their food truck is still rolling, they announced their plans to serve slices, fried Brussels sprouts and chicken wings from a brick-and-mortar version of their food truck in the space above The Pinhook in 2016 — and did. The spot is open for lunch and dinner service, as well as that steamy, late-night snack.
Kokí
104 City Hall Plaza
An extended fare of Puerto Rican cuisine including rice bowls, mofongo, empanadas, sandwiches, and more began as a food truck traversing the Triangle. Their motto is simple, "Barriga Llena, Corazón Contento" which translates to "Full Belly, Happy Heart." Find their first brick and mortar location in downtown Durham across from City Hall.
Durham Businesses Born out of Incubators and Shared Spaces
Durham takes pride in its shared spaces that are designed to help small businesses get started. Establishments like The Durham Food Hall and Boxyard RTP offer innovative people the opportunity to pursue creative new concepts by offering shared resources and small footprints. With a helping hand, many of these concepts have been able to take the step to opening stand-alone establishments.
Afters Dessert Bar
905 W. Main St.
Beginning in the Durham Food Hall, Afters Dessert Bar now has its own location in Brightleaf Square. With a bigger space comes a bigger menu, complete with sweet or savory treats and gluten free options. Whether you're craving a scone for breakfast or looking for a post-dinner chocolate or strawberry tart, Afters is ready to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Lakewood Social
1920 Chapel Hill Rd.
Lakewood Social has established itself as a community hub for small bites, sandwiches, shareables and, of course, socializing. This restaurant finds its roots in Old North Meats, a restaurant that once slung sourdough sammys to hungry customers at The Durham Food Hall. Now, led by Chef Joel Schroeter, the team from Old North Meats has expanded to a new permanent home in Durham's Lakewood district.
Lula & Sadie's
2022 Chapel Hill Rd.
Another Lakewood restaurant that began in the Durham Food Hall, Lula & Sadie's brings a taste of Southern tradition to the district's historic Davis Baking building. Head to Lula & Sadie's for brisket loaded fries, chicken and waffles, smoked duck gumbo and more. Chef Harry Monds, founder and long-time Durham industry staple, named the restaurant after his grandmothers, making Lula & Sadie's an extension of both family legacy and Durham community.
Redstart TAKEAWAY
2825 N. Roxboro St.
TAKEAWAY is the retail and restaurant space for Redstart Foods, a prepared food delivery service that started in a shared commissary kitchen. Drop in between 8 am and 2 pm to order a breakfast plate off their hot foods menu. You can also purchase Redstart's takeaway meals directly from the refrigerator in the store, no ordering ahead needed.
Collaborative Spaces To Experience the Next Big Thing
Delafia
1103 S. Roxboro St.
In addition to being one of the most hip wine bars in town, Delafia is also a collaborative space featuring other growing Durham businesses. Attend one of its periodic pop ups to experience the tasty treats of Lutra Cafe & Bakery, the amazing breakfast cuisine of Hatch Burritos and more. Delafia has also begun sharing its space with Nomadas Coffee, giving the former pop-up a brick an mortar space to share their specialty drinks.
LocoShop
600 Foster St.
Locopop's latest expansion, Locoshop, comes with even more space for visitors to purchase locally made goods, treats and, of course, handmade pops and ice cream. You can also find pop-up events hosting businesses like Hatch Burritos at LocoShop.
LouElla Wine, Beer and Beverage
316 W. Geer St.
While LouElla primarily functions as a bottle shop and wine bar, the community function of this establishment doesn't stop there. An important social space, LouElla will hold pop-up events and host events catered by local businesses. Check their events calendar to see when the next pop-up will happen.
The Can Opener
205 S. Gregson St.
Right next to the iconic "can opener" bridge, The Can Opener is about as Durham as it gets. Think food truck rodeo, but permanent. Seven days a week, food trucks park around The Can Opener's brick and mortar beer and coffee bar to serve their tasty bites to customers. Visitors can enjoy their meal in the covered patio space and or on picnic tables under the sun.
The Durham Hotel
315 E. Chapel Hill St.
At the heart of downtown, The Durham Hotel provides the city with an awesome community space for all kinds of events. In addition to opening its doors to makers markets throughout the year, The Durham also hosts collaborative events on The Roof and in the restaurant. These events often highlight local businesses, giving opportunities for growth.
Queeny's
321 E. Chapel Hill St.
At this beloved downtown community gathering place, you'll find photos of regulars on the walls, a lending library in the reading room, Rubyfruit, a bookable podcast studio and ample space to enjoy with your crew. Beyond that, Queeny's opens its space to up-and-coming businesses – whether it looks like Saturday morning breakfast pop-ups serving out of the front window to full restaurant takeovers.
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