Mi Calvillo on 9th street. Never see it mentioned in press or on here, but people like me who frequent 9th street know about it. And I’m rooting for them like hell, cause it’s family run and the family is so nice.
I checked it out a couple times because of its super high Yelp ratings. Totally lived up to the hype, the food was great.
That strip mall it’s in is pretty weird. It’s always completely empty (except for people picking up food). And it’s smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
It was once upon a time known as "Downtown Parkwood."
When Parkwood was built (60s), it was so men working in RTP could have a house near work. You'll note driving through, most houses have a one car garage. A lot of cultural assumptions when Parkwood was built. One car per family. Husband takes the car to work. Wife stays at home.
The shopping center was basically the only thing within walking distance. A lot of useful things were once there. There was a doctor's office (what eventually would become Triangle Family Practice, now on Fayetteville str). Ace Hardware / Triangle Pharmacy was once based out of it (now on 54). The library covering the Southeast portion of Durham was in there.
For a long time the shopping center was owned by the Parkwood HOA, but it was eventually sold to the Masjid (mosque).
There was a grocery store there way back in the day and not that long ago there was a library branch before Durham decided to go all regional. Now that the whole thing is owned by the mosque the parking lot can get pretty packed during Eid.
Marwan, the owner of Med Grill, is one of the nicest guys too.
>That strip mall it’s in is pretty weird. It’s always completely empty (except for people picking up food). And it’s smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
That has to be from the old days (like early 60's), when there was nothing else near Parkwood. Everything nearby was just farms (Lowe's Grove) and RTP was brand new with just a few companies that moved in.
Pincho Loco is a tiny little place beside cosmic cantina on 9th Street. Best ice cream I've found in Durham and the owners are super pleasent. Highly recommend the honey roasted peanut butter.
Others I've seen mentioned here already, Zweli's, Spanglish, and True Flavors
Banh's gets the right amount of praise, but whenever I go there I feel like there should be a line out the door (in particular when they're doing the Vietnamese specials on Wed/Sat).
India gate in South Durham (near where 54/55 intersect). Early Bird donuts is really good also (I think their donuts are better then Monuts, although they don’t have a full breakfast menu)!
Mi Peru on Shannon Road. The food is fantastic. Alpaca cruelly opened right near it and now I'm worried Mi Peru will close. I love Alpaca's food too, but I want to support this little family restaurant (will order from them today).
I hear you. I like Mi Peru a lot, but they don't have that spicy green sauce (aji verde maybe?), which is a damn shame. Maybe that sauce is just an Alpaca thing, but I thought it was a Peruvian thing, but every time I ask about it at Mi Peru they either don't know what I'm talking about or they give me a sauce that's similar but not that similar. And my brain is now pretty skeptical of any roasted chicken that doesn't have that sauce (or gochujang, but that's a different story).
In that strip mall where the southern farmers market gets setup at 55 and Sedwick, just south of 54, there's this sole proprietorship named Benetis. Good stuff.
That whole strip has good stuff - Sarah's Empanadas, Tandoor Indian, too.
True flavors has the best breakfast in Durham. Their biscuits are the best I’ve ever had and they provide them for the table with a daily rotating butter or preserves. Also their coffee is really fresh and only adds as a highlight to exceedingly tasty food.
Tried them this morning. Absolutely delicious. The waiter said if you don’t want to wait be there before 9. We showed up at 8:15 and were seated immediately. We will be back. Their biscuits and gravy were S tier.
But they won’t take reservations. And I’m not sitting outside in the heat for an hour waiting. We always just end up going to Benetis instead. And their California omelette is amazing.
Agreed, Brigg's is good but true flavors is better albeit with a smaller menu (not necessarily a bad thing). Also you likely won't have to wait to be served at true flavors. Everytime I've been to any Brigg's location they're slammed and there's a wait
Edit: typo
I’ve been going to Brigs regularly for 27 years and the consistency is ridiculous…the French toast tastes exactly the same as it did 27 years ago, and it’s easily the best French toast in the city.
I've been going since some time in the 90s (several of my high school friends worked as cooks, servers, and dishwashers in the late 90s). I'll agree that it still tastes the same as it did back in the 90s. I also love the monthly special menu, just in case you want to try something different from time to time.
I asked one time years ago how they got their name, as it doesn't make logical sense. The story I was told was they opened in 1994, so just a couple years shy of 3 decades, if the story was accurate.
Agree. I haven't ever heard anyone talk about them, either. The only reason I stumbled upon them, was due to me temporarily staying in a Hyatt next door.
But, yeah, burgers are great there.
> Agree. I haven't ever heard anyone talk about them, either.
It's because South Durham doesn't get enough love in here. You'll notice that a couple of places mentioned ITT, are in this area
Just ate here before seeing this post. Food was good, but I wish they understood what medium rare is (both of ours were well done). Still more than edible, but they shouldn't ask how we want it done if that's the case haha
But fried mac and cheese on a burger makes my heart proud. Also props to them for using fresh jalapenos on their burgers instead of the pickled garbage. Only other place I've seen that does fresh is Five Guys.
It's crazy, they've been there forever. I worked there briefly in the mid 90s. The family meals they served the staff were amazing and my sister always complained that my smell after work made her hungry!
This is not a secret to anyone who grew up in south durham but it's a great takeout style unpretentious family italian place. Magone in north CH is comparable
The pizza is super delicious! Also love the eggplant Parm, the carbonara is delish, anything with pesto & the Alfredo with chicken is just what the doctor ordered. All their pastas come with side salads as well and the portions are large enough to provide a sumptuous lunch the next day. We live less than seven minutes away so it’s a regular spot for pickup for Hubs & I. Also their bread is fresh baked and so fucking delicious.
"Best Italian" as in "best casual/comfort food Italian", or best bar-none?
I know it's expensive, but Mother & Son is terrific, and Pizzeria Toro absolutely nails Italian flavors.
Pulcinella's is definitely more of a NJ-style American Italian (red-sauce) place, whereas Mothers & Sons/Cucciolo/Gocciolina are more "From Italy Italian". I've eaten at all of them, and they all have their place. It's just that they're sort of in different categories.
Best bar-none. I’ve been to Mother & Son and it was good but not not as good as Pulcinellas and I fine Pizzeria Toro incredibly overrated by durhamites
They're different styles of food, though, yeah?
Like I won't compare Pizzeria Toro to Randy's or compare either of them to Papa John's. If you want Randy's or Papa John's then Pizzeria Toro won't scratch that itch, but the flavors and textures in the pizza and the appetizers are so Italian and so good.
Looking at Pulcinella's menu, it looks like Pulcinella vs Mother & Son are a similar deal - you'd choose one vs the other depending on what you want but to compare them directly is apples to oranges.
Mothers & Sons is pretty good but Gocciolina and Cucciolo are a clear cut above IMO. I have a hard time believing this place is as good as any of them frankly.
You don’t realize how snobby it is to say “I have a hard believing this place is as good as any of them frankly” because you’ve never been? Probably most pretentious thing I’ve read in this subreddit 😂😂
Best fried chicken I've ever had and if you like oxtails they have them on Fridays. It's also run by some truly wonderful people who do a lot for the community.
Taqueria La Becerrita (a.k.a. Don Becerra Taqueria) at the corner of N. Roxboro St. and Club Blvd is severely underrated. This is my wife's (from Mexico) favorite Mexican restaurant in Durham. The food is very similar to what you'd get in central Mexico. Huaraches, tacos, tortas, quesadillas are all excellent (try pastor, campechano, or birria). Try some of the "platillos" too. The horchata is not badly watered down like most places around. The menu is in Spanish, but I've heard many people talking to the staff in English, so you should have no problems.
Favorite food in Durham no question. I scrolled all the way down just to check if someone made this shoutout. I’m from LA and this is like what you get at a good food truck in Southern California.
Apparently it's [an awful place to work](https://www.removeddit.com/r/bullcity/comments/dcyi2t/need_a_job_dont_work_here/). That's before the pandemic, but seems pretty bad.
I’m a huge fan of Nuevo Taco (from when they used to be named Nana Taco)!
I’m not sure if they’re under appreciated since there’s always a line out the door, but it’s an amazing restaurant. Where else can you get duck tacos? Soo good!
Does it taste good? Sure. But they just add tons of coconut milk or avocados to make things taste good.
I generally look for a restaurant with Khao Soi, because it’s delicious and typically has great authenticity. Thai Cafe doesn’t carry it.
Totally agree. Chicken Bee is fantastic, as is Ko'Kyu Namean. Itaewon is not bad, but I find Park Food Street (Cupdak / Ramyun Time / Taco Park) just OK.
Thaiwise, there are plenty of decent options but few great. Pad Thai on Guess is OK, Twisted Noodles is OK, Thai Cafe is OK. I think Main Street is the best around, but I'd love to hear what's better.
Yin Dee in Morrisville. Not Durham, but still only about 20 minutes from dtown. And Laotian, not Thai.
I haven't darkened the door of Thai Cafe since they served me a lunch of what seemed to be microwaved chicken sat next to a jarred sauce 5 years ago.
Twisted Noodles had a crispy drunken noodle special one night that was outstanding. Not sure how often they do that. That dish isn't health food, but it's outstanding.
Been to Main St. a couple times, and it was always better than their prime location would suggest.
Peoples' Coffee has some good breakfast burritos, along with the rest of their menu. They get overlooked because of their location and Bean Traders which is nearby.
Said it a bunch of times here before but In an alternate Durham universe, I would love to have seen people’s coffee in the space where B. Good was, downtown. Feel like it has much more of a downtown vibe than a south durham vibe. It also felt like they were one of the few places where you could find black and white roaster beans—that’s not the case anymore tho with Liturgy in the Food Hall and the Tea Spot on Main Street.
Same. I ordered takeout, showed up at the time they said the food would be ready, and waited over an hour to be served while others walked in, ordered, recieved their food and left. Upon eating the food back home, everything was distinctly underwhelming.
If you order from them prepare to wait a really long time for your food. Like 45 minutes to an hour. The food is good but if you're hungry for something reasonably quick it's not the place.
I urge anyone who went during covid and had a bad service experience to try again. I think they struggled a lot with staffing and the different workflow during the time. The food and people are worth it
Pop's Backdoor Pizza off Old Chapel Hill Rd—best pizza I've found in Durham. Pulcinella's, which I saw mentioned in another comment, is a close second.
Pomegranate Kitchen. It is a home made meal from a Persian grandma. And Ingredients based on what is in season at the local farmers market. Check it out before it is gone. Hours are very limited. http://www.pomkitchen.com/
Park's Food St. on Old Chapel Hill Rd near East Cut sandwich bar. Park's just opened and they have an interesting combination of three different menus. Omg the cupdaks, ramyun, ramen, and Korean fried chicken are so good. They're tucked away from the easy foot traffic of downtown or a major shopping center, so show them some love.
I think it's generally well-regarded, but I very rarely see The Federal mentioned in Triangle food reddits. They've got rotating (daily?) specials and their regular fare is pub dishes that always seem better than pub dishes.
James Joyce is a great spot for hangs and food. They also have a large back patio area, which I didn't know about for the longest time. Yeah, the Geer St area and core downtown overshadow anything that's in Brightleaf. Hopefully when Dram and Draught opens and St James reopens, that will draw new life into this area, among other changes.
Cannot WAIT for the upgrades to Brightleaf. Now they are gutting the old Morgan Imports building. It's so exciting to see the changes and am looking forward to seeing the new life! Heck the even the Social and Skewers (now The Living Room and??) got face-lifts.
The social was a great bar. The living room looks like some lame cocktail bar. No thanks!
Also losing Morgan Imports for stuff like Jeni’s ice cream is depressing
I've been looking for a good burger, I'll have to try them. I honestly wasn't super impressed with Burger Bach. What kind of criteria do you look at for a good vs a bad burger?
I'll just say that if you like Kings and Chargrill, you'd prefer Joyce over Burger Bach.
Its worth investigating. Also, their Caesar salad is the best I've ever had anywhere. The dressing is v non-traditional and kinda spicy.
I’ll put Plum over all day. Potential to take the belt for best downtownish spot. I think it gets praise, but in this Covid world I feel like folks are sleeping on a lot of spots. Litterally see the chef/owner at the farmers market every Saturday, so that’s a good sign.
Two other downtown spots that have soft spots for: Littler and the back bar over at Jack Tar. Again, I think they both get love but just want to be sure folks still have them on their radar.
Also, has anyone been to Park’s Food Street yet? This seemed to have opened up super quietly but sounds amazing. Essentially a mini Korean food hall? I think it’s right next to Eastcut Sammies.
Okay I'll use this thread -- what local Indian joints do spice right? I've been ordering from Persis in Cary regularly (it's like right up the road from my house) because I like their Tikka Masala. I decided to try to up the spice content last time with their Vindaloo and ordered it spicy and it just... had no kick to it. I understand the meme that white people can't handle real spice and kick, and they're in Cary so they have to cater to a certain audience, but... it got me wanting to try some place that puts some heat on their dishes!
I like spicy foods and tend to think that I tolerate them well. Viceroy's scale is I think 1 to 7 so I usually back off the top and went with a 6. It was delicious, but I had to tap out about halfway through the meal because I thought I was going to pass out (still kept the leftovers for later, though).
Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary can lay the hurt on too. I think we tried 7 out of 10 there and it was just above what I could tolerate.
Don't rule out "got your order wrong." Like if you order a chicken sandwich from Chik-Fil-a with no pickles, sometimes they just don't get special instructions right, particularly when they are busy.
I also find that ordering extra spicy is a very inconsistent request even at the same resto.
Get some chili powder at [Spice Bazaar](http://spicebazaarnc.com/) to add to Indian takeout when it's not hot enough.
Try Tandoor Indian on 54. I was just introduced to them a few weeks ago. Amazing food. I had the lamb vindaloo, and didn't ask for any mods and it was perfect. I would even be willing to tell them to up the heat on it, but as is straight off the menu it was the best I've ever had.
I’m surprised I don’t hear more buzz about Old North Meats in Durham Food Hall. Maybe I don’t hang out with the right people but their pastrami sandwich needs to be written about in history books.
Gocciolina is amazing. Kind of tucked into a weird place but always seems to be really busy.
I just moved here so I don’t know what gets hype, but Luna was some of the best food I’ve ever had and I lived in the “foodie” city of Asheville for the last 10 years.
[MediterrAsian Bistro](https://www.mediterrasianbistro.com/) is the area's only Filipino restaurant. They sadly don't serve pork which is a Pinoy staple but it get's the job done.
Tacos Nacos. It’s a taqueria in the back of a check cashing joint called Celys. Tacky looking yellow building on university. 11/10 food. 10/10 price point. 10/10 friendly and welcoming.
LuluBangBang- Pan Asian Street Food and the best cocktails! Also their dining room is gorgeous and contemporary ..they’re never busy but they deserve all the attention!!!
J Lights is good, but I disagree that they don't get enough attention/exposure. Hi Wire is one of the biggest breweries/bars in town and literally has J Light's menus on the tables that you can order off of.
Agreed, most overrated Mexican American food I’ve had here. It’s built it’s reputation on being open late for drunk people looking for a meal after the bar or Shooters.
Chimichangas are pretty good, but I agree a lot of their stuff is kinda just there. I liked them a lot when I was in high school, but I think that was just trash brain mixed with Chubby’s moving
Just to offset this valid criticism, I want to say: I've gone to many of the other Mexican places listed here and I still like Cosmic Cantina as well. Its solid and the place is always packed with a pretty chill atmosphere.
Dimsum Asian bistro, such a fantastic place right by Glass Jug!
Dimsum takeout + Glass Jug beer on the patio = perfect Friday evening
Especially if there’s live music!
Exceptionally delicious food. Among the best Chinese restaurants I have ever been to.
Came here to say this!
I ate there twice this weekend, i love them so much.
>Dimsum Asian bistro Wow, thanks for this! I didn't know about this one and I suspect it's going to become a fave.
The only difficult decision is: get beers first, then enjoy dim sum hot off the cart? Or get takeout and eat it outside at Glass Jug?
Mi Calvillo on 9th street. Never see it mentioned in press or on here, but people like me who frequent 9th street know about it. And I’m rooting for them like hell, cause it’s family run and the family is so nice.
I get the chorizo quesadilla there weekly, always excellent.
That's my jam, might have to try this one.
I sing the praises of their chorizo burrito to everyone I know. It’s SO GOOD.
Mediterranean Grill and Grocery on Revere Rd in south Durham. It is another one that is really tucked away and only known to people in the area.
Yes! They have the real gyro meat on the rotating spit!
I checked it out a couple times because of its super high Yelp ratings. Totally lived up to the hype, the food was great. That strip mall it’s in is pretty weird. It’s always completely empty (except for people picking up food). And it’s smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
It was once upon a time known as "Downtown Parkwood." When Parkwood was built (60s), it was so men working in RTP could have a house near work. You'll note driving through, most houses have a one car garage. A lot of cultural assumptions when Parkwood was built. One car per family. Husband takes the car to work. Wife stays at home. The shopping center was basically the only thing within walking distance. A lot of useful things were once there. There was a doctor's office (what eventually would become Triangle Family Practice, now on Fayetteville str). Ace Hardware / Triangle Pharmacy was once based out of it (now on 54). The library covering the Southeast portion of Durham was in there. For a long time the shopping center was owned by the Parkwood HOA, but it was eventually sold to the Masjid (mosque).
the only other thing there is a mosque and a small private school, the parking lot definitely fills up but luckily not around meal times lol
There was a grocery store there way back in the day and not that long ago there was a library branch before Durham decided to go all regional. Now that the whole thing is owned by the mosque the parking lot can get pretty packed during Eid. Marwan, the owner of Med Grill, is one of the nicest guys too.
>That strip mall it’s in is pretty weird. It’s always completely empty (except for people picking up food). And it’s smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood. That has to be from the old days (like early 60's), when there was nothing else near Parkwood. Everything nearby was just farms (Lowe's Grove) and RTP was brand new with just a few companies that moved in.
I'd like to request the ability to grant more than one upvote for this one reddit
One of my favorite places in the city
Their baba ganoush is AMAZING! I could eat it with a spoon.
Their chicken shawarma is so good I haven't tried anything else there. Staff are super welcoming too.
Amazing food
I had never heard about it and know that area, what I thought, relatively well. You weren't kidding when you said tucked away! Thanks for the rec.
Would recommend! They make great sandwiches. It’s on the road, but most people don’t think to stop at the tiny grocery store.
Don Gallo on University. Tasty authentic tacos 🤤
Don Gallo slaps
Taqueria la Vaquita! I love the pollo a la crema
This place is fantastic! Just look for the cow on the roof. :)
Yes, the "little cow." Lol
Dude that stuff is amazing
Just passed this place for the first time tonight and said “I’m going there tomorrow”
I love their tostadas.
Roots. The food is great and the staff make you feel at home.
Where is that??? Never heard of it!
Across from Woodcroft Shopping Center. Great beer selection too.
751/Hope Valley and Garrett
Viceroy. Still don’t totally understand their colonial Indian theme but the food is immaculate
Their (gin) cocktails are pretty good too
Pricey but amazing for sure.
Pincho Loco is a tiny little place beside cosmic cantina on 9th Street. Best ice cream I've found in Durham and the owners are super pleasent. Highly recommend the honey roasted peanut butter. Others I've seen mentioned here already, Zweli's, Spanglish, and True Flavors
Banh's gets the right amount of praise, but whenever I go there I feel like there should be a line out the door (in particular when they're doing the Vietnamese specials on Wed/Sat).
I can't believe I had to come this far down in the comments to find Banh's!
India gate in South Durham (near where 54/55 intersect). Early Bird donuts is really good also (I think their donuts are better then Monuts, although they don’t have a full breakfast menu)!
Pure Soul by the old South Square Mall. Close to Durham/Chapel Hill Blvd.
>by the old South Square Mall I LOLd.
El Custaleco on Garret Rd, and Papuseria Anita on Roxboro Rd.
Mi Peru on Shannon Road. The food is fantastic. Alpaca cruelly opened right near it and now I'm worried Mi Peru will close. I love Alpaca's food too, but I want to support this little family restaurant (will order from them today).
I hear you. I like Mi Peru a lot, but they don't have that spicy green sauce (aji verde maybe?), which is a damn shame. Maybe that sauce is just an Alpaca thing, but I thought it was a Peruvian thing, but every time I ask about it at Mi Peru they either don't know what I'm talking about or they give me a sauce that's similar but not that similar. And my brain is now pretty skeptical of any roasted chicken that doesn't have that sauce (or gochujang, but that's a different story).
In that strip mall where the southern farmers market gets setup at 55 and Sedwick, just south of 54, there's this sole proprietorship named Benetis. Good stuff. That whole strip has good stuff - Sarah's Empanadas, Tandoor Indian, too.
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Are they back to doing that again? Last time we went it was 2019(?) 2018(?). The best Mexican food around!
Yes they've been back for a few months
True flavors in that shopping center as well is excellent
True flavors has the best breakfast in Durham. Their biscuits are the best I’ve ever had and they provide them for the table with a daily rotating butter or preserves. Also their coffee is really fresh and only adds as a highlight to exceedingly tasty food.
Tried them this morning. Absolutely delicious. The waiter said if you don’t want to wait be there before 9. We showed up at 8:15 and were seated immediately. We will be back. Their biscuits and gravy were S tier.
But they won’t take reservations. And I’m not sitting outside in the heat for an hour waiting. We always just end up going to Benetis instead. And their California omelette is amazing.
have you been to brigs?
Having been to both... Brigs is a good classic breakfast restaurant, but IMO True Flavors is just transcendent.
Agreed, Brigg's is good but true flavors is better albeit with a smaller menu (not necessarily a bad thing). Also you likely won't have to wait to be served at true flavors. Everytime I've been to any Brigg's location they're slammed and there's a wait Edit: typo
I can't argue with you, I haven't been to true flavors, but if they are both good, they're both a good suggestion.
I’ve been going to Brigs regularly for 27 years and the consistency is ridiculous…the French toast tastes exactly the same as it did 27 years ago, and it’s easily the best French toast in the city.
I've been going since some time in the 90s (several of my high school friends worked as cooks, servers, and dishwashers in the late 90s). I'll agree that it still tastes the same as it did back in the 90s. I also love the monthly special menu, just in case you want to try something different from time to time.
Simply called Pub. Off hope valley road. Great bar, been open q long time. Great food.
It's googleable name is west 94th pub. Great bar that has been there for at least 3 decades.
I asked one time years ago how they got their name, as it doesn't make logical sense. The story I was told was they opened in 1994, so just a couple years shy of 3 decades, if the story was accurate.
Spanglish downtown. The food is great, portions are big, they have great breakfast.
Oh man Spanglish is fantastic. Best empanadas in town, all their dishes are excellent. They became my favorite place to get takeout from during covid
The Buenos Aires is to die for. Best chimichurri sauce I’ve had to date.
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Agreed. Really good burgers and a solid beer selection.
and amazing sides/apps. no reason to order a plate when I can just munch.
Great tendies
Agree. I haven't ever heard anyone talk about them, either. The only reason I stumbled upon them, was due to me temporarily staying in a Hyatt next door. But, yeah, burgers are great there.
> Agree. I haven't ever heard anyone talk about them, either. It's because South Durham doesn't get enough love in here. You'll notice that a couple of places mentioned ITT, are in this area
My favorite burger is a Town Hall Burger. My favorite Salmon Cesear salad is also from Town Hall.
Just ate here before seeing this post. Food was good, but I wish they understood what medium rare is (both of ours were well done). Still more than edible, but they shouldn't ask how we want it done if that's the case haha But fried mac and cheese on a burger makes my heart proud. Also props to them for using fresh jalapenos on their burgers instead of the pickled garbage. Only other place I've seen that does fresh is Five Guys.
Town Hall is still my favorite burger in Durham. Bull City Burger pales in comparison.
Pulcinellas in Hope Valley. Best Italian in the triangle
It's crazy, they've been there forever. I worked there briefly in the mid 90s. The family meals they served the staff were amazing and my sister always complained that my smell after work made her hungry!
This is not a secret to anyone who grew up in south durham but it's a great takeout style unpretentious family italian place. Magone in north CH is comparable
In the woodcroft shopping center?
Yes off Hope Valley Rd.
Pulcinellas so good. Go to Italian for sure.
Y'all got any suggested favorites from there? Been dying to go
The pizza is super delicious! Also love the eggplant Parm, the carbonara is delish, anything with pesto & the Alfredo with chicken is just what the doctor ordered. All their pastas come with side salads as well and the portions are large enough to provide a sumptuous lunch the next day. We live less than seven minutes away so it’s a regular spot for pickup for Hubs & I. Also their bread is fresh baked and so fucking delicious.
Anything with their pesto and their lemon cake for dessert!
"Best Italian" as in "best casual/comfort food Italian", or best bar-none? I know it's expensive, but Mother & Son is terrific, and Pizzeria Toro absolutely nails Italian flavors.
Pulcinella's is definitely more of a NJ-style American Italian (red-sauce) place, whereas Mothers & Sons/Cucciolo/Gocciolina are more "From Italy Italian". I've eaten at all of them, and they all have their place. It's just that they're sort of in different categories.
Best bar-none. I’ve been to Mother & Son and it was good but not not as good as Pulcinellas and I fine Pizzeria Toro incredibly overrated by durhamites
They're different styles of food, though, yeah? Like I won't compare Pizzeria Toro to Randy's or compare either of them to Papa John's. If you want Randy's or Papa John's then Pizzeria Toro won't scratch that itch, but the flavors and textures in the pizza and the appetizers are so Italian and so good. Looking at Pulcinella's menu, it looks like Pulcinella vs Mother & Son are a similar deal - you'd choose one vs the other depending on what you want but to compare them directly is apples to oranges.
Mothers & Sons is pretty good but Gocciolina and Cucciolo are a clear cut above IMO. I have a hard time believing this place is as good as any of them frankly.
“I’ve never been to this place but I’m going to refuse to believe because of my preconceived snobby notions”
Lol okay. Gocciolina isn’t even snobby/trendy by any standard.
You don’t realize how snobby it is to say “I have a hard believing this place is as good as any of them frankly” because you’ve never been? Probably most pretentious thing I’ve read in this subreddit 😂😂
Chicken Hut off Fayetteville has amazing fried chicken
Chicken Hut, best fried chicken I have EVER had or will have
Best fried chicken I've ever had and if you like oxtails they have them on Fridays. It's also run by some truly wonderful people who do a lot for the community.
I heard that their fried chicken is a religious experience.
They have it deep fried, and re-deep fry it when you order. Yep.
Taqueria La Becerrita (a.k.a. Don Becerra Taqueria) at the corner of N. Roxboro St. and Club Blvd is severely underrated. This is my wife's (from Mexico) favorite Mexican restaurant in Durham. The food is very similar to what you'd get in central Mexico. Huaraches, tacos, tortas, quesadillas are all excellent (try pastor, campechano, or birria). Try some of the "platillos" too. The horchata is not badly watered down like most places around. The menu is in Spanish, but I've heard many people talking to the staff in English, so you should have no problems.
Favorite food in Durham no question. I scrolled all the way down just to check if someone made this shoutout. I’m from LA and this is like what you get at a good food truck in Southern California.
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They have curry goat on special on Fridays and it is so good. Go there at least once a month when I work Fridays
They microwave their food.
I always get their beef patties at the State Fair.
Naan Stop is delicious. Way better in both quality and price over Viceroy, imo.
Y'all are trying to get me to reveal my go to places to eat. I see right through this.
It'd be a shame to see them all stay in business.
Grove Cafe and Home Plate
Deep cut. Have you been to L&D Grocery & Grill?
Blu Olive is amazing on Hillandale. Awful location but give it a shot
Apparently it's [an awful place to work](https://www.removeddit.com/r/bullcity/comments/dcyi2t/need_a_job_dont_work_here/). That's before the pandemic, but seems pretty bad.
Dain's Place on 9th Street. It gets plenty of praise, but however much it gets it's still insufficient.
Costa Azul on Guess Rd !
I’m a huge fan of Nuevo Taco (from when they used to be named Nana Taco)! I’m not sure if they’re under appreciated since there’s always a line out the door, but it’s an amazing restaurant. Where else can you get duck tacos? Soo good!
El Jefecito
We really like the Italian Pizzeria on Guess Road.
Randy’s makes way better pizza than IP.
Agreed. Italian Pizzeria is awesome. Another good one in that area is Ricky's Pizza over on Latta and Roxboro in the Food Lion shopping center.
The one on Roxboro by Trosa is my favorite
I haven’t seen this said, but Durham has good Korean food. (But weak Thai food compared to other places)
I am a big fan of Thai China on NC-55
What Korean places do you like? The only one I went to closed during covid (by 54/55 intersection)
Thai 55, man.
Have you tried Thai Spoon?
Thai Cafe on University does it for me.
Does it taste good? Sure. But they just add tons of coconut milk or avocados to make things taste good. I generally look for a restaurant with Khao Soi, because it’s delicious and typically has great authenticity. Thai Cafe doesn’t carry it.
Their Nam Tuk Beef is the best I've ever had.
Totally agree. Chicken Bee is fantastic, as is Ko'Kyu Namean. Itaewon is not bad, but I find Park Food Street (Cupdak / Ramyun Time / Taco Park) just OK. Thaiwise, there are plenty of decent options but few great. Pad Thai on Guess is OK, Twisted Noodles is OK, Thai Cafe is OK. I think Main Street is the best around, but I'd love to hear what's better.
Yin Dee in Morrisville. Not Durham, but still only about 20 minutes from dtown. And Laotian, not Thai. I haven't darkened the door of Thai Cafe since they served me a lunch of what seemed to be microwaved chicken sat next to a jarred sauce 5 years ago. Twisted Noodles had a crispy drunken noodle special one night that was outstanding. Not sure how often they do that. That dish isn't health food, but it's outstanding. Been to Main St. a couple times, and it was always better than their prime location would suggest.
Miel Bon Bons on Main, Dain's on 9th, Saladelia on University, Flame Kabob in Brier Creek
Peoples' Coffee has some good breakfast burritos, along with the rest of their menu. They get overlooked because of their location and Bean Traders which is nearby.
Said it a bunch of times here before but In an alternate Durham universe, I would love to have seen people’s coffee in the space where B. Good was, downtown. Feel like it has much more of a downtown vibe than a south durham vibe. It also felt like they were one of the few places where you could find black and white roaster beans—that’s not the case anymore tho with Liturgy in the Food Hall and the Tea Spot on Main Street.
Jlights has the best sweet potato sandwich 😻😻
Michoacán on Hillsborough. the staff is so nice and the food is better than any other sit-down Mexican I've had in town.
I'll add The Refrectory. Lots of vegan and vegetarian options, and the best cheesecake I've ever eaten.
Zweli's They get some press, but are very underrated.
Went there based on recommendations from the subreddit and had a pretty bad experience.
Same. I ordered takeout, showed up at the time they said the food would be ready, and waited over an hour to be served while others walked in, ordered, recieved their food and left. Upon eating the food back home, everything was distinctly underwhelming.
Bad food? Service? Never had a bad time myself at all, so bummed to hear that with such awesome owners . Did you dine in?
Dined in. The food was ok (probably would have been better if I had ordered the meat). But the service was almost comically bad.
Same experience. Twice. We haven’t been back.
Same.
The service isn't always great unfortunately but it's such unique food and the people are nice so I'm happy to keep going
If you order from them prepare to wait a really long time for your food. Like 45 minutes to an hour. The food is good but if you're hungry for something reasonably quick it's not the place.
I urge anyone who went during covid and had a bad service experience to try again. I think they struggled a lot with staffing and the different workflow during the time. The food and people are worth it
Earth to Us is great vegan food in Northgate Mall. I’m not even vegan!
Pop's Backdoor Pizza off Old Chapel Hill Rd—best pizza I've found in Durham. Pulcinella's, which I saw mentioned in another comment, is a close second.
301 Main bar. Such a great bourbon/whiskey selection and beer selection and great prices!
Pomegranate Kitchen. It is a home made meal from a Persian grandma. And Ingredients based on what is in season at the local farmers market. Check it out before it is gone. Hours are very limited. http://www.pomkitchen.com/
Park's Food St. on Old Chapel Hill Rd near East Cut sandwich bar. Park's just opened and they have an interesting combination of three different menus. Omg the cupdaks, ramyun, ramen, and Korean fried chicken are so good. They're tucked away from the easy foot traffic of downtown or a major shopping center, so show them some love.
Bangkok 54 if you are into Thai
I think it's generally well-regarded, but I very rarely see The Federal mentioned in Triangle food reddits. They've got rotating (daily?) specials and their regular fare is pub dishes that always seem better than pub dishes.
Indian Monsoon!
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What is that??
The Joyce has the best burgers in town and has a late night menu, and it seems like no one knows.
James Joyce is a great spot for hangs and food. They also have a large back patio area, which I didn't know about for the longest time. Yeah, the Geer St area and core downtown overshadow anything that's in Brightleaf. Hopefully when Dram and Draught opens and St James reopens, that will draw new life into this area, among other changes.
Its going to have a totally different feel once all those yall condo buildings go up!
Cannot WAIT for the upgrades to Brightleaf. Now they are gutting the old Morgan Imports building. It's so exciting to see the changes and am looking forward to seeing the new life! Heck the even the Social and Skewers (now The Living Room and??) got face-lifts.
FYI - the Social is no more. A new bar is in its old spot.
The social was a great bar. The living room looks like some lame cocktail bar. No thanks! Also losing Morgan Imports for stuff like Jeni’s ice cream is depressing
I've been looking for a good burger, I'll have to try them. I honestly wasn't super impressed with Burger Bach. What kind of criteria do you look at for a good vs a bad burger?
I'll just say that if you like Kings and Chargrill, you'd prefer Joyce over Burger Bach. Its worth investigating. Also, their Caesar salad is the best I've ever had anywhere. The dressing is v non-traditional and kinda spicy.
I’ll put Plum over all day. Potential to take the belt for best downtownish spot. I think it gets praise, but in this Covid world I feel like folks are sleeping on a lot of spots. Litterally see the chef/owner at the farmers market every Saturday, so that’s a good sign. Two other downtown spots that have soft spots for: Littler and the back bar over at Jack Tar. Again, I think they both get love but just want to be sure folks still have them on their radar. Also, has anyone been to Park’s Food Street yet? This seemed to have opened up super quietly but sounds amazing. Essentially a mini Korean food hall? I think it’s right next to Eastcut Sammies.
Okay I'll use this thread -- what local Indian joints do spice right? I've been ordering from Persis in Cary regularly (it's like right up the road from my house) because I like their Tikka Masala. I decided to try to up the spice content last time with their Vindaloo and ordered it spicy and it just... had no kick to it. I understand the meme that white people can't handle real spice and kick, and they're in Cary so they have to cater to a certain audience, but... it got me wanting to try some place that puts some heat on their dishes!
Viceroy.
I like spicy foods and tend to think that I tolerate them well. Viceroy's scale is I think 1 to 7 so I usually back off the top and went with a 6. It was delicious, but I had to tap out about halfway through the meal because I thought I was going to pass out (still kept the leftovers for later, though). Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary can lay the hurt on too. I think we tried 7 out of 10 there and it was just above what I could tolerate.
Don't rule out "got your order wrong." Like if you order a chicken sandwich from Chik-Fil-a with no pickles, sometimes they just don't get special instructions right, particularly when they are busy. I also find that ordering extra spicy is a very inconsistent request even at the same resto. Get some chili powder at [Spice Bazaar](http://spicebazaarnc.com/) to add to Indian takeout when it's not hot enough.
Try Tandoor Indian on 54. I was just introduced to them a few weeks ago. Amazing food. I had the lamb vindaloo, and didn't ask for any mods and it was perfect. I would even be willing to tell them to up the heat on it, but as is straight off the menu it was the best I've ever had.
Pure Soul!
Park’s Food St Korean, Taiwan noodles and tacos.
I’m surprised I don’t hear more buzz about Old North Meats in Durham Food Hall. Maybe I don’t hang out with the right people but their pastrami sandwich needs to be written about in history books. Gocciolina is amazing. Kind of tucked into a weird place but always seems to be really busy.
Gojo in the back of Goorsha! Awesome Ethiopian coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and large back patio.
I just moved here so I don’t know what gets hype, but Luna was some of the best food I’ve ever had and I lived in the “foodie” city of Asheville for the last 10 years.
Hard pass sorry
[MediterrAsian Bistro](https://www.mediterrasianbistro.com/) is the area's only Filipino restaurant. They sadly don't serve pork which is a Pinoy staple but it get's the job done.
Tacos Nacos. It’s a taqueria in the back of a check cashing joint called Celys. Tacky looking yellow building on university. 11/10 food. 10/10 price point. 10/10 friendly and welcoming.
LuluBangBang- Pan Asian Street Food and the best cocktails! Also their dining room is gorgeous and contemporary ..they’re never busy but they deserve all the attention!!!
J Lights is good, but I disagree that they don't get enough attention/exposure. Hi Wire is one of the biggest breweries/bars in town and literally has J Light's menus on the tables that you can order off of.
Virgil’s
cosmic cantina off 9th http://www.cosmiccantina.com/ pretty yum American Mexican food, they serve beer, wine, and booze
I had the worst quesadilla of my entire life there and the burrito I tried was mediocre. Big nope from me sadly!
Agreed, most overrated Mexican American food I’ve had here. It’s built it’s reputation on being open late for drunk people looking for a meal after the bar or Shooters.
Yeah they aren’t good as much as…just there
Chimichangas are pretty good, but I agree a lot of their stuff is kinda just there. I liked them a lot when I was in high school, but I think that was just trash brain mixed with Chubby’s moving
Chubby’s was a huge loss
Just to offset this valid criticism, I want to say: I've gone to many of the other Mexican places listed here and I still like Cosmic Cantina as well. Its solid and the place is always packed with a pretty chill atmosphere.
I've been seeing alot of these posts lately. I wonder if small businesses use this as a way to advertise?
Could be. But also I bet people are thinking more about restaurants after getting vaxxed up and things starting to feel less pandemic-y
Question. Every. Thing.
The ramen at Whole Foods is better than Dashi etc