Every Durham where-to-eat list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, breakfast and coffee, burgers, sushi and Asian, desserts, bakeries, patios and brunch.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Refreshed every three months.
Durham’s restaurants gather in a few places: downtown, from Five Points and the American Tobacco Campus to Foster Street and Geer Street; just west of it in Brightleaf and along West Main Street; near Duke on Ninth Street, Broad Street and Erwin Road; and in south Durham along University Drive, Hope Valley Road, NC 54 and Southpoint. These lists cover places inside the city limits, so restaurants with a Durham mailing address outside them are not on them.
How we made these lists. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Durham’s city limits, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 12, 2026. A few places were added from their own sites. Every list is alphabetical. None is a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on any of them. Run a restaurant? Write to us to correct or add your entry.
The lists
Where to get wings. Eight places, from Heavenly Buffaloes’ two locations near Duke and Devil’s Pizzeria on Ninth Street to Bull McCabe’s at Five Points, Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in East Durham, Jimmy’s Famous Hot Dogs and Tomato Jake’s at Southpoint.
Where to get pizza. Eight pizza places spread across the city, from Pie Pushers downtown and Devil’s Pizzeria on Ninth Street to Sofia’s and Roma in East Durham, Ricky’s on North Roxboro and Tomato Jake’s at Southpoint.
Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. Seven places, including Fonda Lupita in Brightleaf Square, Cosmic Cantina on Perry Street, Mezcalito downtown, Olmeca Tacos on East Geer Street and NuvoTaco on University Drive.
Breakfast and coffee. Sixteen locations, from Elmo’s Diner and Monuts on Ninth Street to Cocoa Cinnamon’s three shops, Joe Van Gogh’s three cafes, Isaac’s Bagels, GRUB, Press on the American Tobacco Campus and Foster’s Market.
Brunch. Weekend brunch at 10 restaurants, with the days each one serves it.
Where to get burgers. Six burger places, from Bull City Burger and Brewery downtown and The Loop on Broad Street to Only Burger on Shannon Road and Town Hall Burger and Beer on NC 751.
Sushi and Asian restaurants. Eighteen places: the five M Restaurants and Dashi downtown, Kiichi Ramen and ZenFish on Ninth Street, and Thai, Korean and Vietnamese kitchens in south Durham and near Research Triangle Park.
Ice cream and desserts. Nine shops, including The Parlour and LocoPops downtown and in Old West Durham, Goodberry’s on North Roxboro Street and Bruster’s at Southpoint.
Bakeries. Seven bakeries, from Loaf and Ninth Street Bakery downtown to Guglhupf on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard and Whisk & Batter on Hope Valley Road.
Patios and outdoor dining. Nine places whose own sites describe a patio, lawn or rooftop, from Boxcar and Parts & Labor near Foster Street to The Roof at The Durham Hotel and Bull McCabe’s lawn.
Date night. Our guide to an evening out in Durham.
We have not published a barbecue list: too few Durham barbecue restaurants inside the city limits post their address and hours on a working website of their own. It will be added when that changes.
Before you go
- Restaurant inspection scores in Durham County: how grades work and how to look up a restaurant’s latest inspection.
- Our local business directory: every place on these lists and more, with maps.
- Hours change, especially around holidays. Check the restaurant’s own site or call before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people eat in Durham?
Most of the restaurants on our lists are downtown, from Five Points and the American Tobacco Campus to Foster Street and Brightleaf Square, or near Duke on Ninth Street, Broad Street and Erwin Road. South Durham has a second group along University Drive, Hope Valley Road, NC 54 and Southpoint.
Are these Durham restaurant lists rankings?
No. Each list is alphabetical, covers places inside Durham city limits whose own websites we checked, and nobody pays to be on it.
How often are the Durham restaurant lists updated?
Every three months. The lists were last checked on Oct. 12, 2026.
Where can I see restaurant inspection scores in Durham?
Our restaurant inspection page explains how Durham County grades restaurants and how to look up a place’s latest score.
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