A Downtown Durham Guidebook

Lewis
A Downtown Durham Guidebook

Food scene

Delicious southern/South American food, locally owned, and the first place I take guests from out of town.
50 locals recommend
Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas
112 W Main St
50 locals recommend
Delicious southern/South American food, locally owned, and the first place I take guests from out of town.
This has amazing food, cocktails and mocktails.
72 locals recommend
Alley Twenty Six
320 E Chapel Hill St
72 locals recommend
This has amazing food, cocktails and mocktails.
Local, Black-owned café with great brunch and lunch options.
63 locals recommend
Beyú Caffè
341 W Main St
63 locals recommend
Local, Black-owned café with great brunch and lunch options.
This is where we do most of our grocery shopping.
52 locals recommend
Durham Co-op Market
1111 W Chapel Hill St
52 locals recommend
This is where we do most of our grocery shopping.
In spite of the weird name, strongly recommend this spot for weekend brunch.
14 locals recommend
Jack Tar and The Colonel’s Daughter
202 Corcoran St
14 locals recommend
In spite of the weird name, strongly recommend this spot for weekend brunch.
Go out of your way for this fresh seafood!
37 locals recommend
Saltbox Seafood Joint
608 N Mangum St
37 locals recommend
Go out of your way for this fresh seafood!
Best sushi in town, worth the premium prices if you can swing it.
61 locals recommend
M Sushi
311 Holland St
61 locals recommend
Best sushi in town, worth the premium prices if you can swing it.
Strongly recommended if you like Indian food.
6 locals recommend
Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar
811 9th St
6 locals recommend
Strongly recommended if you like Indian food.
The friendliest pizza place in town, with great specialty pies!
20 locals recommend
Pie Pushers
117A W Main St
20 locals recommend
The friendliest pizza place in town, with great specialty pies!
Bagels, donuts, and rotating locally sourced breakfast and lunch options. Ordering ahead for pickup is a nice way to get your food, and there's outdoor seating too.
102 locals recommend
Monuts
1002 9th St
102 locals recommend
Bagels, donuts, and rotating locally sourced breakfast and lunch options. Ordering ahead for pickup is a nice way to get your food, and there's outdoor seating too.

Drinks

Your neighborhood queer bar and music venue.
39 locals recommend
The Pinhook
117 W Main St
39 locals recommend
Your neighborhood queer bar and music venue.
Beer, picnic tables, divey and sweet
15 locals recommend
Accordion Club
316 W Geer St
15 locals recommend
Beer, picnic tables, divey and sweet
Downstairs is a delicious coffee shop, upstairs is a good bar and restaurant with city views.
100 locals recommend
The Durham Hotel
315 E Chapel Hill St
100 locals recommend
Downstairs is a delicious coffee shop, upstairs is a good bar and restaurant with city views.

Coffee + Pastries

Our preferred coffee shop in Durham. Excellent pastries and breakfast sandwiches when they haven't run out!
43 locals recommend
Joe Van Gogh Durham
1104 Broad St
43 locals recommend
Our preferred coffee shop in Durham. Excellent pastries and breakfast sandwiches when they haven't run out!
Situated behind the city's one Ethiopian dinner place, this hidden cafe has great outdoor seating, beer and coffee, and Ethiopian bowls and panini. Highly recommended for the food and coffee!
Gojo By Goorsha
823 West Morgan Street
Situated behind the city's one Ethiopian dinner place, this hidden cafe has great outdoor seating, beer and coffee, and Ethiopian bowls and panini. Highly recommended for the food and coffee!
Durham/Chapel Hill's hidden gem with an expansive courtyard, coffee and tea, and delicious Korean food.
12 locals recommend
Namu
5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd
12 locals recommend
Durham/Chapel Hill's hidden gem with an expansive courtyard, coffee and tea, and delicious Korean food.
Downtown Durham has a few great bakery options; this one's my personal favorite and it's about 7 minutes by foot from the house.
26 locals recommend
Loaf
111 W Parrish St
26 locals recommend
Downtown Durham has a few great bakery options; this one's my personal favorite and it's about 7 minutes by foot from the house.
Not quite walking distance, but worth the trek by car for the cute breakfast/coffee spot and great baked goods.
128 locals recommend
Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten
2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd
128 locals recommend
Not quite walking distance, but worth the trek by car for the cute breakfast/coffee spot and great baked goods.

Sightseeing

Start here for many wonderful hiking and river adventures.
215 locals recommend
Eno River State Park
6101 Cole Mill Rd
215 locals recommend
Start here for many wonderful hiking and river adventures.
Recommended for an afternoon picnic or stroll through the gardens
378 locals recommend
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
420 Anderson St
378 locals recommend
Recommended for an afternoon picnic or stroll through the gardens
A gorgeous place for a short hike to the creek, about 15 minutes by car from the house
Hollow Rock Nature Park
692 Erwin Rd
A gorgeous place for a short hike to the creek, about 15 minutes by car from the house
The Museum Hotel is literally a 24/7 art museum! Check out the vault downstairs and the galleries upstairs for awesome art, and you don't even have to be a guest of the hotel.
62 locals recommend
21c Museum Hotel Durham
111 North Corcoran St
62 locals recommend
The Museum Hotel is literally a 24/7 art museum! Check out the vault downstairs and the galleries upstairs for awesome art, and you don't even have to be a guest of the hotel.

City/town information

A tiny hippie town with a single excellent shop/restaurant/coffee and a lake where you can rent canoes or kayaks.
29 locals recommend
Saxapahaw
29 locals recommend
A tiny hippie town with a single excellent shop/restaurant/coffee and a lake where you can rent canoes or kayaks.