Your Essential Guide to Durham’s Restaurants
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The 2025 MICHELIN Guide American South: Durham, NC Restaurants
The American South has always belonged on the global culinary map. We've known it. Our chefs have known it. Anyone who's pulled up a chair at our tables has known it. Now, the MICHELIN Guide, bestowing one of the most prestigious international honors a restaurant can receive, has recognized the American South in its first regional guide in North America.
Posted By Kristin Bedinger on Nov 03, 2025
Durham's dining scene has been earning accolades for more than a decade. James Beard winners and nominees, national recognition from respected publications, a thriving community of chefs who've put North Carolina on the culinary radar of savvy travelers. The same story plays out across the South, from pit masters who've perfected their craft over generations to innovative chefs redefining what Southern cuisine can be. When the MICHELIN Guide announced in spring of 2025 that the American South would be the focus for its first-ever regional guide in North America, they validated what we've been celebrating all along.
This isn't just about stars and accolades; it's about recognizing the soul of Southern food and hospitality. The diversity of flavors shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. The farmers and fishermen who tirelessly cultivate, grow, harvest and catch the ingredients that make the cuisine of the South iconic. The chefs pushing boundaries while honoring tradition. The unforgettable hospitality that makes every meal feel like an invitation into a chef’s home.
On November 3, 2025, the MICHELIN Guide revealed which restaurants across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee earned recognition. For Durham, this moment celebrates a place where ingredients are thoughtfully chosen, food is cooked with heart, cultures are shared and boldness is celebrated.
See the Durham Restaurants Recognized in the MICHELIN Guide
Explore all of Durham’s award-winning restaurants.
What is the MICHELIN Guide?
Yes, that Michelin. The MICHELIN Guide was created by the French tire company in 1900 as a travel guide that encouraged its customers to travel by car across the country to experience its cuisine. Over time, it evolved into world's most prestigious dining authority.
The Guide only landed in North America in 2005, beginning in New York and San Francisco and expanding to major cities and states over the following 20 years. The American South Guide represents a milestone: the first regional approach since the guide's North American debut, allowing MICHELIN to venture beyond major urban centers and uncover authentic food culture across smaller cities throughout the six Southern states represented.
This regional lens captures what it's like to experience a true Southern food tour – where barbecue smoke mingles with coastal seafood and the South’s melting pot of cultures remixes expectations.
A Culinary Tour Through the American South
The MICHELIN Guide American South reads like a road trip through the region's most compelling food destinations, capturing the essence of Southern hospitality. That legendary magic touch that puts guests at ease and makes them feel right at home.
In Durham and across North Carolina, our local chefs champion North Carolina farms and producers, craft innovative dishes rooted in regional flavors and create dining experiences that reflect both the history and future of Southern food. From restored tobacco warehouses transformed into dining destinations to intimate neighborhood spots serving cuisine that surprises and delights, Durham's restaurants represent the creativity and warmth that defines our region while introducing a wholly original point of view informed by international culture, years of training and flavor memories passed down through generations.
See all the restaurants included in the MICHELIN Guide American South.
MICHELIN Guide Ratings and Recognition
The MICHELIN Guide uses multiple distinctions to recognize culinary excellence under the cloak of legendary secrecy and anonymity. Inspectors – trained professionals who dine multiple times at each restaurant – evaluate five criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavors, the chef's personality represented in their cuisine and consistency over time and across multiple visits and menu items.
Chefs representing Durham restaurants Nanas, Little Bull and Seraphine pose at the MICHELIN Guide American South announcement event. Photo: Discover Durham
Durham Restaurants included in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide
The highly anticipated, inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South ceremony took place on November 3, 2025, where chefs and restaurateurs from across the region gathered to learn which establishments earned recognition. The results showcased the incredible breadth and depth of Southern culinary talent.
Four Recommended Restaurants
Nanas
James Beard-nominated chef Matt Kelly’s homage to a Durham institution, Nanas is a neighborhood restaurant that blends tradition with modern sophistication in a stylish setting that's equally inviting for milestone events and casual weeknight dinners. Inventive New American fare brought to life with meticulously sourced local ingredients.
“I moved to Durham knowing what kind of food scene it had for a reason. Its food scene is the reason why I moved here. I am happy that Michelin gets to explore it. Durham has a lot of traveling guests; it’s a huge educational, Biotech, and technology hub, and I think shedding light on the good work that people do here is great for the community. I think any time anyone does any work to drive folk to Durham is a great thing. We’re very lucky and fortunate that Michelin is exploring the Southeast. Coming to Durham, I never imagined that. I think a lot of people are going to continue to have a lot of pride in the work that’s done over the years.” – Chef Matt Kelly
Neighborhood: Rockwood
While you’re in the area: This unassuming stretch of Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard is a trove of vintage and thrift shops and some of Durham’s most established eateries. Have lunch at Saltbox Seafood Joint before working up an appetite for dinner shopping. Stock up on baked goods from Guglhupf or enjoy a glass of wine on the patio. Peruse the curated selection at Wine Authorities or enjoy a beer from the wide selection while you catch the soccer match at Beer Study.
Other Durham Restaurants by Matt Kelly: Vin Rouge (partnership with Giorgios Bakatsias), Mateo Bar de Tapas, Dino’s Pizza, Mothers & Sons
Nikos
James Beard-nominated restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias’s homage to his family heritage and Greek culture, based on philoxena, a concept derived from the Greek word for hospitality, where the arrival of a stranger was a sacred occasion. Share meze plates representing the flavors of Greece and connect with fellow travelers over a glass of wine.
"When I won my first James Beard Award, “Rising Star Chef “ about 30 years ago, it was massive. And now, honestly, even being considered is a powerful affirmation of the work that I am passionately dedicated to delivering into every single dish for our customers, and with my entire staff. Simply being named a part of the first-ever Michelin Guide to the American South is an incredible honor. This is a recognition for my entire Staff of Nikos, GHG and for downtown Durham." – Chef Douglas Rodriguez
Neighborhood: Brightleaf Square
While you’re in the area: Allow yourself ample time to shop the independently-owned retail stores in the reimagined tobacco warehouse that make up Brightleaf Square, have a craft brew at Clouds Brewcade & Kitchen across the walkway or a glass at Sol Wines just a few doors down. Indulge in handmade ice cream served from a double-decker bus at The Can Opener or baked goods from Rose’s Dumplings, Noodles and Sweets.
Other Durham restaurants by Giorgios: Parizade, Vin Rouge (partnership with Matt Kelly), Local 22, Nasher Museum Café
Share flavorful dishes inspired by the flavors of Greece at Nikos. Photo: Forrest Mason
Seraphine
Durham restaurateurs Brad and Graham Weddington, along with Chef Christopher Garrett, explore family heritage through Louisiana-inspired dishes in a beautiful space on Durham’s American Tobacco Campus. Experience the legendary depth of flavor and nuance of Cajun and Creole cooking made modern, with seasonal seafood, North Carolina oysters and can’t-miss dishes like BBQ shrimp, gumbo and beignets, along with modern dishes inspired by North Carolina ingredients.
"“The North Carolina food scene, and Durham in particular, is flourishing in a magnificent way right now. We have chefs and restaurateurs bringing us flavors from our local farmers, as well as all around the world. We can seek out traditional Southern staples, or elevated and refined offerings any day of the week. Creating a culinary destination can only beget great things - we as a community not only embrace our hometown heroes, but we also encourage folks to come here to fulfill their dreams in the food scene as well. So many creatives becoming entrepreneurs is so very exciting.” - Megan Weddington, Head of Operations, Seraphine
Neighborhood: American Tobacco Campus
While you’re in the area: Just steps away from Durham’s city center, American Tobacco Campus is an icon of history and innovation and a destination for dining, shopping, nightlife, entertainment and sports. Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails at The Waiting Room, join the community for outdoor concerts and events on the lawn, browse Durham gifts and an expansive selection of cookbooks, specialty food items, toys and more at Parker & Otis. Dine your way through campus with options for brunch, burgers, Puerto Rican fast-casual cuisine, chef-driven Bantu tapas and more. Plus, catch a Broadway show or touring concert at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center or cheer for the home team at a Durham Bulls baseball game.
Other Durham Restaurants by the Weddington Brothers: NanaSteak
Seraphine brings a taste of Louisana with a modern twist to the American Tobacco Campus. Photo: Eric Waters
Little Bull
Two-time James Beard-nominated chef Oscar Diaz calls the cuisine at his first Durham restaurant “pocho cuisine.” It’s his way of taking the power from a derogatory term that could be used to question the authenticity of his food. Instead, Diaz takes from his culinary experiences growing up in Chicago, his Mexican heritage, his fine dining chops and the Southern influences he’s gained in North Carolina to cook food that’s comforting and nostalgic as it surprises guests with imagination.
“It’s the kind of food that a Mexican person born in Chicago that traveled the country and ended up in Durham would make. We’re a melting pot country and I want to make melting pot cuisine, and we don’t need permission.” – Chef Oscar Diaz, on Little Bull’s cuisine
Neighborhood: Old Five Points
While you’re in the area: This emerging, downtown-adjacent neighborhood is walking distance to Durham Central Park and the nightlife hub around the intersection of Geer Street and Rigsbee Avenue, but offers plenty of stops for a night out. Enjoy a casual drink on the patio and check the score of your game at Durham Beer Garden next door or expand your mind with a drop-in class and a drink at Night School Bar or check out local art at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar. For your caffeine fix, stop by Vessel Coffee.
Other Durham restaurants by Oscar Diaz: Aaktun Coffee & Bar, Tataco
MICHELIN recommended restaurants represent quality cuisine that contributes meaningfully to the region's dining landscape. Being included in the guide in any capacity represents significant recognition.
What This Means for Durham and the South
The MICHELIN Guide American South shines an international spotlight on a culinary culture that has been celebrated, even romanticized, for generations. This recognition validates what we've always known: the American South is one of the world's great food regions, where diverse cultural influences, agricultural abundance and unwavering commitment to hospitality create unforgettable dining experiences. It invites curious travelers to come and experience it.
For Durham, this guide celebrates our dynamic restaurant scene and the talented chefs who make our city a culinary destination. And the honorees in the guide stand alongside many, many other independently owned restaurants, bars and more that are essential stops on a culinary tour of the city. Whether you're a local exploring your own backyard or a visitor planning your food tour through the South, now is the perfect time to discover Durham's exceptional food and drinks scene.
MICHELIN Recommended Hotels in Durham
The MICHELIN Guide, being a travel guide, evaluates more than just restaurants along its famous routes. Hotels and accommodations are also scored according to five criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting. Similar to its star ratings for restaurants, the MICHELIN Key recognizes hotels for outstanding stays. In addition, the Guide recognizes Selected hotels for a high quality stay.
In Durham, there are two hotels recommended by the MICHELIN Guide:
- 21c Museum Hotel – recognized for its modern design and character and the integration of art throughout the hotel, in addition to its own museum.
- The Durham Hotel – recognized as a high-style, high-design boutique hotel with an eye toward local sourcing. It will leave an impression.
Stay in style at The Durham Hotel. Photo: The Durham Hotel
Come hungry. Discover why Durham and the American South have captured the world's culinary attention.
