Restaurants in Durham?

[nancyakessler]

Will be in Durham, NC soon and wanted chowhounds' recommendations on not to be missed restaurants in the area. We eat any kind of food. Thanks in advance.

[Buddha49]

I miss The Top Hat.

[suse]

Their chili-cheeseburgers - legendary!

[brsmith2]

Some of the best of Durham: Magnolia Grill, Rue Cler, Vin Rouge, Watts Grocery, Taqueria La Vaquita, Tonali, Scratch Bakery, Bull City Burger & Brewery, Toast, Revolution, among plenty of great options. Allen & Sons is not to be missed for BBQ. It's not in Durham, but worth the drive (~ 20min maybe).

[PeterB]

Good ones, to be sure. I'll add Nana's for fine dining; Blu Seafood, Dos Perros for upscale Mexican: Los Comales for authentic, cheap tacos; Geer Street Garden for a gastropub; and Guglhupf for a great bakery and contemporary German-inspired restaurant. Enjoy eating in Durham!

We also have three microbreweries: Triangle, Fullsteam, and Bull City Burger & Brewery.

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Los Comales
2103 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704

Blu Seafood and Bar
2002 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 27705

Dos Perros
200 N Mangum St. Suite 101, Durham, NC 27701

[plussizeplum]

Agree on most of the places, but I feel Pappas Grill needs to be added to the list. Magnolia Grill is terribly overated and just not very good. Every time I've eaten there I am relegated to my third choice of appetizer or entree.

[rockycat]

re: Magnolia Grill - that's not an experience most people here have had. Sorry that you feel that way. And why were you relegated to your third choice? Were the choices not appealing to you or were they out of multiple dishes? Again, not an experience I've had myself or seen reported here.

[plussizeplum]

Consistently, I've never been able to get my first choice or second choice because they ALWAYS run out of their apps and entrees. I consider myself a foodie so I am clueless as to why they are considered a great restaurant when I've had nothing but mediocre fare there.

[veganhater]

There food is not mediocre. If you were actually a foodie, you could decipher that much. I've yet to experience Magnolia Grill running out of items with any consistency as well, so I would strike the always from that comment. By the way, highlighting a word in all caps usually emphasizes a lack of writing ability, not the word.

[plussizeplum]

Lack of writing ability...ironic how you misspelled "there" instead of "their", Veganhater. I am entitled to my opinion and you don't have to share my experiences. With all the fuss about Magnolia Grill, I've never eaten anything special and I've never had my first choice of an an entree or an appetizer. It's a free country.

[veganhater]

Auto correct on a tablet. It is certainly a free country, and that allows me to disagree with your assessment of MG. It's a great restaurant that has spawned many of the top chefs in the region. I have eaten many special things at MG, testa included.

[LBD]

A lot of talent has come out of MG. I think I've only had one occaision where they were out of something. A bone in pork chop from MG might be my deathbed meal if I got to pick it.

[chazzer]

In all the years I have been going to MG only once did they not have my first choice. And, have always found the food to be wonderful never mediocre. Just curious, but what Durham restaurants do you enjoy.

[plussizeplum]

I've had wonderful meals at Vin Rouge, Piedmont , Four Square and Pappas Grill.

[nancyakessler]

Thank you for the recommendation for Foster's. It was delicious!

[Sensuous]

You're welcome. I really miss Foster's Market in Durham and Neomonde in Raleigh, both casual restaurants with great, fresh food.

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Foster's Market
2694 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707

[fara]

what do you have where you are now?

[Sensuous]

We enjoyed Foster's Market early on Sunday mornings but there are so many other wonderful restaurants in Durham and Chapel Hill.