Enjoy Louisiana-style cuisine at Seraphine. The restaurant includes a cozy patio with ironwork details in the heart of American Tobacco Campus. The mouth-watering menu features raw and broiled oysters; gumbo with tasso ham, andouille, chicken and okra; crawfish and shrimp croquettes, and of course, beignets for dessert.
Seraphine is an amazing hidden gem in Durham’s American Tobacco campus that I can’t say enough about! As an Alabama native that is very picky about Cajun food, I was so delighted when I found this place! The oysters are so flavorful (and do NOT be afraid to ask for extra bread to dip in that delicious butter sauce)! You have to get the oyster shooter as well! And the red fish was out of this world. This is the perfect stop before a DPAC show, but make sure you make a reservation because this place definitely won’t be a secret for long.
John Lawler
Jun 25, 2025
5
Genuinely one of my favorite places downtown Durham - from atmosphere, variety of seating, food quality and execution, and location. I made a reservation - I recommend reservations if you intend on coming when there are other events going on around downtown.
Atmosphere and seating:
Excellent interior lighting. Immaculate bar setting and vibes. Gorgeous interior design and a beautiful outdoor terrace seating. Interior feels more formal, exterior feels more casual. Absolutely love the bar - it’s a spot to come and enjoy drinks at the bar itself even.
Food:
Executed each dish incredibly well. The apps I got all impressed me - excellent cook and presentation on artichokes with a creamy sauce, a rich and hearty on gumbo with a slight kick (ever so slight), a perfectly balanced bright and crisp tuna crudo, and exceptionally crisp and creamy, savory crawfish shrimp croquettes. They were all incredibly well done in flavor and texture.
The entrees were also great - hand crafted cavatelli with rabbit confit and a smokey pan seared scallops with a succotash base. Some of the best cooked scallops I’ve had in a long time. The beignets were good as well. A nice melt in your mouth chew and perfect pillowy shape.
Location:
Super convenient on ATC with multiple parking decks nearby. Great spot for early dinner before DPAC or a baseball game, or going out and having drinks with friends. I think it suits the spot well and I was glad to see a new finer restaurant come to ATC when I heard Seraphine was opening.
Service:
Great service! Our waiter checked up regularly, maintained a clean and lovely table presentation, was very friendly, and had great recommendations. The staff were all very pleasant and made dining here a very pleasant experience. 10/10 service.
Kay
Jun 21, 2025
5
They have gumbo without shrimp...something i have been looking for such a long time! The food was delicious, service was even better and they make a great margarita. Great outdoor patio with a nice water fountain.
It is kind of hard to find if you are walking from the square. Just keep going towards the parking lot and you will find it in the cut!
April H
Jun 18, 2025
4
Beautiful venue and good location. Great customer service! The broiled oysters were hands down the BEST. Outstanding flavor! The artichoke dish was very bland, my least favorite item that I ordered. The Crawfish and Shrimp Croquettes had potential but was a bit dry and overcooked. I will return to try other menu items.
Jay Horowitz
May 29, 2025
5
Serafine is a beautiful restaurant within walking distance of DPAC. We greatly enjoyed the entire meal and our waitress specifically asked if we were attending a show to ensure she timed everything perfectly for our evening. We tried the gumbo, shrimp and grits, boudin sausage, crawfish and shrimp croquettes, catfish, beignets and panna cotta. Everything was very good as were the Vieux Carre and Durm 75. We will definitely come back again before another show.
Tye Grant
Apr 6, 2025
5
The food was fantastic! we had the catfish , shrimp and grits , and the blacked striped bass and the dragos and rockafella broiled oysters. 10/10 I loved the atmosphere and the service.
Donny Chen
Apr 5, 2025
5
Everything we ordered was tasty, including dragons-style baked oysters, bbq shrimp, gumbo, calabash style fried seafood, fried catfish and red beans, duck fat fingerlings, fried artichoke hearts. Our server Lauren was delightful and very knowledgeable about the menu. We also tried all the desserts: key lime pie, banana pudding, pana cotta, and the beignets.
Liz Templeton
Mar 4, 2025
4
A beautiful venue in ATC, I will definitely be back in the summer to enjoy the patio.
Our server, Carmen, was exceptional. We wanted for nothing, she had an answer for every question, and great recommendations.
The blackened and broiled oysters were exceptional, as were the Vieux Carres. The shrimp and grits and beignets were good, but I would try something different bext time.
Overall a great experience and definitely with the flavor of a NOLA restaurant.
Beth G
Jan 26, 2025
5
My husband and I celebrated our anniversary at Seraphine’s and it did not disappoint! First let me say that if you park in the South lot, you are just steps away from this lovely restaurant!
Our server, Imani was on her game and explained the menu, made suggestions and was consistent in her check backs! The food was impeccable from the crawfish and shrimp croquettes to the Caesar salad and shrimp and grits. My husband went for the rabbit cavatelli. We also had the mountain cornbread which was soaked in bone broth, from their specials menu. It was off the chain! We finished the meal off with an order of Beignets which neither of us had tried before and let me tell you.. it may have been one of the best desserts we have tried at a restaurant establishment! They even added a pretty gold candle into the freshly whipped cream, for our celebration!
The decor inside was lovely and elegant but still trendy. The only constructive criticism I can offer is that the hostess seated us next to two other parties on a bench seating arrangement which felt a bit awkward for an anniversary dinner, when there was a table for two just steps away. The hostess at check in, knew it was our anniversary and even mentioned that fact but someone else seated us, so I was a little disappointed in the choice of seating we were given. It is also quite loud inside but it is a small restaurant and it was packed on. Saturday night! Still, I give this experience a 5 star review because of the food quality and our server quality! We definitely will be going back again! Thank you, Seraphine, for giving us a fantastic celebratory experience!
A Cooper
Jan 25, 2025
5
This restaurant was a pleasant surprise! And my hopes were high since I've spent some time in New Orleans. We had a multitude of things to try from and loved every bit! The prices were very reasonable as well, $24-35 per entree. If you've lived in Durham long enough, you'll remember that this location used to be called Tobacco Roadhouse. The front now belongs to Parker & Otis and the back, (where the pool tables and bar used to be) is now Seraphine. I love what they've done with the place. The decor immediately transitioned us straight to New Orleans with the warm hunter green walls with gold details and exposed red brick. The coed bathroom were thee cleanest and sweetest bathrooms I've ever seen! The detail was magical💕
Food:
Catfish & Red beans and Rice (Fantastic)
Shrimp and Crayfish Croquettes (Amazing!!!)
Duck Fat fingerlings (Delicious!) This one actually surprised me! I could not stop eating them! The flavor on them were phenomenal!
Kids Alfredo: Very flavorful - homemade Alfredo.
Gumbo.... It was good, but I've had better in New Orleans. (Again, it was not bad, but it was my personal least favorite among everything we had) But other guest in my party loved it.
Cavatelli noodles - Spicy! Good! But spicy.
Dessert: Key Lime Pie - This is the BEST key Lime in the triangle HANDS DOWN! I'm definitely getting that when I come back!
On my next visit: I'm trying the Drango Oysters, shrimp and grits and beignets and a specialty drink!
Pro Tip!
Don't go on a night that the DPAC is having a show. It gets very busy and very loud just from these folks that want to eat before the show. (We didn't know this and just so happen to go on a DPAC night. At the beginning of the meal, things were coming out fast, however, as they became more busy, service became much slower.)
Also, there is a patio, which I know people will love when the weather breaks.
Bee Stamp Approved 🐝
Micah Beachy
Jan 21, 2025
5
My husband and I absolutely loved it here! Every dish we tried felt like a masterpiece – so full of flavor, creativity, and those unforgettable tastes that leave you talking about them long after the meal. From the classic Bayou-inspired favorites to the surprising, delightful twists on Southern cuisine, it felt like we were transported straight to Louisiana while staying right here in North Carolina.
The staff made the experience even more special. They were so warm and welcoming, and their genuine hospitality and attention to every little detail really stood out to us.
If you’re a foodie, a fan of Southern cooking, or just someone who loves discovering amazing new places, do yourself a favor and check this spot out. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
Ivana Spurlock
Jan 4, 2025
5
I can’t recall the last time I had a genuine 10/10 dining experience. This cozy restaurant just hits the spot. They hit the nail on the head with the Louisiana inspired dishes, the restaurant was clean, the service was warm, welcoming, and timely and all of the food came out warm and delicious. Parking isn’t bad if you utilize the garage adjacent to the building. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our date night and will be back!
Cheyenne Edwards
Dec 11, 2024
5
Absolutely loved dining here! Got the boiled peanuts, Dragos style oysters (definite MUST HAVE), the fried catfish, and the banana pudding (also a must have! The bruleed bananas were a life-changer). Our server, Eric, was an absolute delight as were the rest of the staff.
Robin Pitts
Oct 9, 2024
3
The shrimp & grits, catfish w/ rice & beans and barbecue shrimp are good with lots of flavor, but the portion size is very small. We didn't like the appetizer of fried oysters, not worth $9,lack of flavor and super tiny. a friend ordered the crab croquettes ( she was so disappointed in the 3 super tiny croquettes). The beignets lacked flavor. The cocktails were great! Beautiful, pleasant, and soothing ambiance and good service.
Jennifer Harris
Sep 21, 2024
3
The ambiance and service were amazing, but the food does not give any big New Orleans flavor. Every single dish fell flat on flavor for me. Best thing I had was the Ceasar salad.
Millie Kwan
Sep 1, 2024
5
Seraphine is a great addition to the downtown Durham food scene. It's location in ATC is right next to the parking deck on the south end. We made the mistake of booking on a Durham Bulls night so traffic was a little crazy and we paid for parking. Otherwise the setting for the restaurant is great with a nice patio. The dining room is pretty with great exposed wood ceiling and posts. Service was best and personable and efficient. Cocktail and mocktail were very good and the food was absolutely delicious. The rabbit etouffe was big enough for 2 people and delightful. Also the green beans ala plancha were terrific. Definitely recommend and we'll be going again!
Yuchen L
Aug 8, 2024
3
Overall, disappointed with the food given the rave reviews I was seeing. The gumbo was way too salty. This was my first time trying a boudin sausage but it lacked flavor and texture. The shrimp and grits are pretty good.
Their bloody virgin mocktail lacked depth.
