Love Durham as a Foodie

Durham’s food scene is world-renowned, but it’s no surprise to anyone who lives here. Durham has been called the “Tastiest Town in the South,” has been recognized by the MICHELIN Guide and was a runner up for the Best Culinary Town in the South in 2025. Plus, Durham chefs are regularly recognized by the James Beard Awards for their accomplishments. But Durham locals know that the dining scene goes deeper than headlines and viral social media posts. Sometimes places with great food can fly under the radar. Durham is a delicious melting pot of casual places to grab a bite, long-running restaurants, authentic international cuisines, new and buzzy restaurants, and special occasion celebration spots. With all this deliciousness, it’s a foodie’s paradise. But are there places you haven’t come to love yet?

See how many restaurants you can try by participating in the Love Durham Challenge, part of the Love Durham campaign designed to inspire Durhamites and visitors to get out and support local businesses during the slow winter months. Between January 5 and February 28, eat your way through at least ten of the stops highlighted in bold from our curated list of participating Durham restaurants – and be sure to check out our insider tips with more ways to discover things to love in Durham along the way. Don’t forget to scan the QR code at each of the locations you visit using the Discover Durham app to earn prizes. Try local Southern food favorites, indulge in delicious drinks or delight in cuisines from around the world. The only problem with the Love Durham as a Foodie challenge is that your eyes might be too big for your stomach!

Find more detailed instructions on how to participate in the Love Durham Challenge on our blog.

Find Challenge Instructions

Learn About the Love Durham Campaign

Southern Staples

Saltbox Seafood Joint looks like a dockside seafood restaurant that was picked up and placed inland. That’s fortunate for Durhamites in the Rockwood neighborhood, because chef Ricky Moore gets his fish fresh from the North Carolina coast almost daily. That means in winter you’ll be able to try seasonal fish like black sea bass, bluefish, croaker, flounder, king mackerel, grey sea trout and striped bass. You may not have tried these fish before, but don’t be afraid to branch out from your usual. Moore’s attention to quality comes through with each bite, earning him a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southeast Award. Don’t miss: the hush honeys.

Picnic is the kind of place you stumble on in North Durham when you’re least expecting it. We suggest making a stop after an appetite-building hike at Eno River State Park. Catching attention for their whole hog approach to barbecue, Picnic has garnered a national and international following. If it’s too cold to sit outside at a picnic table, grab a table indoors and order drinks from the bar. Don’t miss: the whole hog barbecue plate with banana pudding for dessert.

Just southwest of North Carolina Central University on Fayetteville Street, indulge in classic Southern food at The Chicken Hut, the second oldest continually operating restaurant in Durham. Since 1957, this restaurant has served up fried chicken and barbecue in a community gathering space. Today, Chicken Hut is still a family-run business that racks up accolades. In 2022, Eater named The Chicken Hut one of the best fried chicken spots in America and, in 2025, it received local historic landmark status. Don’t miss: fried chicken (obviously).

Designer Drinks

Just north of the Historic Durham Athletic Park, Conniption Bar & Lounge showcases Durham Distillery’s Conniption Gins and other spirits. Enjoy a cocktail along with shareable snacks made by local chefs and bakers against an art deco backdrop decked out with seasonal decor. Don’t miss: the Hotta Chocolatta, which features Damn Fine Vodka and Damn Fine Chocolate Liqueur.

Located next to a picturesque alley in the heart of downtown, Alley Twenty Six has been serving high-quality craft cocktails since 2012. Alley has been a cocktail pioneer in Durham and was the first bar in the state to be a James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Bar Program. Enjoy house-made tonics and syrups in a 21+ establishment. Don’t miss: The Durham Mule with vodka, house-made ginger syrup and lime.

When the weather’s nice, head to the rooftop bar at Fizzwerks on Ramseur Street for stunning views of downtown Durham and inventive craft-brewed hard seltzers featuring seasonal flavors, cocktails and bar food. Don’t miss: the hard seltzer flight, where you can try four flavors.

Grab your honey and head to Moon Dog Meadery on Broad Street, a meadery which produces more than five varieties of the fermented honey drink, all served on tap and in bottles. If beer is more your style, they also have more than 200 to choose from while you settle in to play a board game from the bar’s vast selection. Don’t miss: mead flights, where you can try four meads.

Find community at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, a local and independently owned coffee shop that is also home to Little Waves Coffee Roasters, the shop’s on-site roastery named 2022’s Micro Roaster of the Year by Roaster Magazine. Owners Areli Barrera de Grodski and Leon Grodski de Barrera are committed to good coffee and the Durham community, encouraging those who can to donate toward coffee for those who can't afford it. Grab a bag of beans to take home with you and linger over a beverage in the shop’s expansive indoor and outdoor seating. Don’t miss: churros and hot drinking chocolate from the Wonder Menu.

International Flavors

Barsa means “rain” in several Indian languages, and you’ll soon see why a fresh rainfall inspires the menu at the downtown Durham spot, Barsa New Indian. This modern, upscale Indian restaurant grinds their own spice mixes in house, creating a freshness you can taste in rubs, sauces and even cocktails. The kitchen is led by chef  Vinod Kumar who previously worked at the MICHELIN-starred Semma in New York. Don’t miss: the Lobster Moilee and making reservations

For warm and inviting food with rich flavors, head to Abol Ethiopian near the intersection of TW Alexander Drive and South Miami Boulevard in Research Triangle Park. The menu features classic dishes like injera, doro wat and kitfo, prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. Don’t miss: Ethiopian coffee.

Grab a Chinese-inspired drink or dessert from The Bean Flower, where owner CC Chu celebrates and shares the flavors of her culture and home. The shop near South Square gets its name from the traditional Chinese dessert, dou hua, a homemade silken tofu pudding. The Bean Flower specializes in authentic scratch-made and locally-sourced dessert jellies, puddings and classic floral, fruit and milk-based teas, along with limeade and fizzes. Don’t miss: the dou hua or the matcha tea.

Elevated Eats

You’ll need to go up eleven floors to get to The Lenny at 555 Mangum, a rooftop restaurant and bar in downtown Durham. Take in the views of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and all of downtown over shareable plates and cocktails from the bar. Don’t miss: sunset hour specials from 3-5 p.m. and the rooftop view at sunset. Plus, prime viewing of the Durham Bulls Friday night fireworks during the Bulls season.

Good Hangs, Good Food

Sometimes you just want a chill hang with good food. That’s when you should head to The Common Market, a sandwich and bottle shop near the Ninth Street district. Stop in for breakfast or lunch and stay for a drink in the funky downstairs bar area. Stop by for trivia nights, drag shows and more. Don’t miss: the sandwiches and daily specials on a colorful blackboard and a scoop from The Parlour Jr.

When the pizza craving hits, head to a former cab stand and garage in East Durham where Sofia’s Pizza serves under-the-radar, hand-tossed pies, salads, wings, cheese bread and more. Don’t miss: The East Durham special, which is topped with applewood smoked bacon, collard greens and fresh serrano peppers.

If you hesitate before going out to eat because of your dietary concerns, try The Refectory Cafe on Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. Since 2005, it has been a popular farm-to-table restaurant for every kind of diet. It aims to serve delicious, satisfying, creative food that everyone can enjoy. Go for breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy the outdoor patio when the weather is nice. Don’t miss: the french toast at brunch.

Get together with friends at Lakewood Social, a neighborhood gathering spot in Lakewood for good hangs, as its name suggests. With a full menu and a bar, feel free to order full meals or sharable plates. It’s also super kid-friendly, with lots of space to play outside and a retail selection with wine you can take to go. Chef and owner Joel Schroeter opened this spot after operating a similar popular concept in the Durham Food Hall. Don’t miss: the smashburger with fries.

If you need options, the Durham Food Hall in downtown Durham adjacent to Durham Central Park is the place for you. Durham's first food hall concept has a range of vendors that any palate will appreciate. The casual, modern space has a centralized bar area surrounded by foodie favorites. Check-in with the QR code at the bar and at participating vendors, and check out the vending machine offering local art and storytelling from Hyperlocal (a check-in on the creative challenge). Don’t miss: fried catfish from Locals Seafood, a crunchwrap from Ex-Voto Cocina Nixtamal, spiced fig bagel from Everything Bagels, a poptart from Little Barb’s Bakery and a harvest spice latte from Liturgy Beverage.

Bites to Try – and Take Some Home

Whether you’re busy, lazy or just don’t want to cook, Redstart Foods Takeaway in North Durham is the place for you. It’s a neighborhood market with pre-made meals, hot breakfast, lunch and dinner for dine-in or take out. You can also order scratch-made, local meal delivery and catering from Redstart Foods. Don’t miss: whatever’s in the takeaway fridge and the pastry case.

Hear us out: while La Superior is technically a Latino grocery store, you don’t want to miss the taqueria and panaderia inside this North Durham gem. Pick up some groceries and order a meal at the same time. Don’t miss: fresh, house-made tortillas directly from the conveyor belt.

Tucked away in the back of a strip mall in South Durham, La Recette Patisserie is a hidden gem filled with delicious pastries, cakes and coffee. Founder Djamila Bakour uses classic French baking technique and adds flavors from Algeria and the Middle East, like the rose latte or the baklava croissant. Order cakes for special events or take home a box of pastries. Don’t miss: the seasonal danishes filled with best-of-the-season flavors. For a stunning showstopper to feed a group, order a towering croquembouche.

Food Tours, Tastings and Events

Walk through downtown Durham, nibbling as you go. Take a Downtown Durham Food Tour with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Your tour guide will fill you in on fun facts about the history of Durham and point out sites of interest. Scan the Love Durham QR code at the Durham Visitor Info Center to check in for the challenge.

Coffee lovers should not miss out on the opportunity to experience the storytelling and cupping experience at Durham’s national and international coffee brand at free Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee on Fridays at the roastery in East Durham. A new coffee is featured every week, and the educational presentation is brew-tiful. Plus, get credit with a challenge check-in.

On Sundays, head to Lula & Sadie’s in the Lakewood district for Jazz Brunch. Dine on bacon pecan cinnamon rolls or chicken and red velvet waffles while you soak in the smooth sounds of talented local jazz musicians. Don't forget to check in using the QR code.

There are four Love Durham challenges that line up with aspects of Durham we love most: Love Durham as a Foodie, Love Durham as a Creative, Love Durham as a Style Icon and Love Durham as a Family. Participate in as many challenges as you like and earn a prize for each challenge you complete. Learn more about the Love Durham Campaign at LoveDurham.com.

With a full stomach and a full heart, you will love what Durham has for every taste. Try new flavors you’ve never had before, or savor bites that remind you of home. Gather people who love to eat good food over great conversation. You’ll leave feeling full and stuffed with love.