Quote :

"35. Durham, N.C. A downtown turnaround means food worth a trip. A decade ago, downtown Durham was a place best avoided after sundown. But as revitalization has transformed abandoned tobacco factories and former textile mills into bustling mixed-use properties, the city has been injected with much-needed life. In the heart of downtown, a crop of standout restaurants and cafes has recently sprouted around West Main Street, where low rents have allowed chefs and other entrepreneurs to pursue an ethos that skews local, seasonal and delicious. The farmers’ market favorite Scratch Bakery has a brand-new storefront for its seasonal homemade pies that include chestnut cream pie and buttermilk sweet potato pie. At the cafe-cum-grocery Parker and Otis, the menu features sandwiches made with freshly baked bread from nearby Rue Cler and locally roasted java from Durham’s Counter Culture Coffee. And at the sophisticated Revolution, squash tamales, mascarpone gnocchi, and tuna with wasabi caviar rotate through the seasonal menu. "

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html

1/11/2011 11:03:29 PM

there are definitely a bunch of good restaurants in Durham.

1/11/2011 11:06:28 PM

It's not true at all. It's ghetto as shit. You will get shot or mugged. There are black people here.

You raleigh kids need to stay in raleigh and enjoy your brier creek chain restaurants.


No need for y'all to make my wait at good restaurants any longer.

1/11/2011 11:25:30 PM

kosovo is on that list too

1/11/2011 11:42:59 PM

I hear Mitrovica is quite nice this time of year.

1/11/2011 11:46:55 PM

^^^ this

[Edited on January 11, 2011 at 11:48 PM. Reason : rats]

1/11/2011 11:46:58 PM

I was walking past the local gas station about half an hour ago with the dogs, and the forensic vehicle was pulling up next to 5 cop cars. I think someone got capped.

People get shot randomly here in Durham it seems.

1/12/2011 12:04:17 AM

I've been wondering why Durham seems to have a higher concentration of good restaurants than Raleigh. Cheap rent makes sense.

1/12/2011 8:20:33 AM

I like Six Plates, Dos Perros, Nanas, Shiki Sushi, Thai Cafe, and City Beverage.
Any other ones you'd recommend?

1/12/2011 9:21:40 AM

Scratch Bakery (not sure if a restaurant tho), Guglhupf, and the Federal. People like Rue Cler but I've never been- the wait is always too long.

Toast is ok, but their food was average for the price.

1/12/2011 9:32:21 AM

Guglhuf is the shiznit.

Also, I figure Scratch was just going to be a bunch of hype but the apple pie I bought there for Christmas dinner had the best damn crust I've ever had on a pie. I want to learn their crust making secrets.

1/12/2011 9:33:17 AM

Quote :

"I've been wondering why Durham seems to have a higher concentration of good restaurants than Raleigh. Cheap rent makes sense."

rent's not that much cheaper except in areas that are mid-gentrification (is that even a word), and areas like that struggle to attract clientele.

It's just a more urban city than Raleigh. That lends itself to more independently owned businesses.

1/12/2011 10:07:13 AM

Several factors I think:

1) the type of people that settle in Durham (due to low rent, the arts community and music scene, or the universities) tend to support locally owned, independent businesses and 'green' values (crafting, food production, alternative transportation, etc.). They're also into the idea of pulling Durham up through revitalization.

2) there is a very strong local food movement going on, supported by a ridiculously crowded Farmers Market with lots of small farms nearby in Orange, Chatham and surrounding counties

3) spill-over from Chapel Hill/Carrboro- the past few years has seen lots of people move here from those towns, bringing some new restaurant ideas and businesses. People got pushed out of Carrboro especially as it gentrified.

1/13/2011 4:05:53 PM

Quote :

"Any other ones you'd recommend?"

I really like Toast, even if it's a shade expensive for the amount of food you get. Rue Cler is great for brunch--been there several times--but I've never gone for dinner. Same thing with Piedmont and Watts Grocery, great brunch but haven't been there in the evening. (I tend to find myself downtown on weekend mornings due to the Farmer's Market.) Kurama is quite good for Japanese/Sushi (outside downtown though, 15/501 area)

1/13/2011 4:21:29 PM

Lots of good places to eat in Durham

Guglhupf, Fosters, City Beverage, Only Burger, Federal, Tyler's Taproom, Pops, Wimpies, Fishmongers, Sitar, Taqueria La Vaquita, Parker & Otis
Watts Street Grocery, Rue Cler, Blu Seafood
Four Square, Nanas, Magnolia Grill
Francescas, Bean Traders for Coffee
Sam's Quik Shop for beer

Piedmont's new ownership is terrible. Much better places to eat.

[Edited on January 13, 2011 at 8:24 PM. Reason : :]

1/13/2011 8:19:01 PM

Quote :

"Guglhuf is the shiznit"

Bump for this.

I was in Durham for business this weekend and managed to make it to Guglhupf for brunch on Saturday. Holy shit, that place is awesome. I got the eggs benedict and a few doughnuts from the bakery, and since it was nice out, I sat on the patio. Perfect way to start a day.

Also ate at Nana's that night. Great place, cool vibe, definitely pricey but not pretentious at all.

Anyway, there's some serious culinary muscle in Durham.

3/3/2011 2:28:16 PM

Quote :

"It's not true at all. It's ghetto as shit. You will get shot or mugged. There are black people here."

this is the reason i won't go there

let's be honest...those people don't mix with my people

3/3/2011 2:30:34 PM

Dos Perros has the best black beans dish I have ever eaten. I went there to try the goat and I ended up loving the side dish even more.

3/3/2011 2:43:29 PM

^^^ Next time you go try the bretzels. Sometimes I make the trip to their bakery just for those.

3/3/2011 2:57:35 PM

"those people" are "my people" so lets hope "my people" don't see "your people" on the street or some shit will go down like we do

3/4/2011 1:03:25 AM

Whiskey is one hell of a cool bar. I need to make it back there.

3/4/2011 1:08:46 AM

CAFE

CUM

GROCERY

3/4/2011 11:13:38 AM

My sister got a really bad dent in her car door when she was in downtown Durham recently. So much for being a good area

those people

3/4/2011 1:48:31 PM

swarthiness is the best measure of character

3/4/2011 1:50:11 PM