Guidebook for Durham
Drinks & Nightlife
best bar in Durham! Great outdoor seating, cool, friendly bartenders, free pool, and dog-friendly!
36 locals recommend
Kotuku Surf Club
703 Rigsbee Avebest bar in Durham! Great outdoor seating, cool, friendly bartenders, free pool, and dog-friendly!
Geer Street Garden
644 Foster Stnice outdoor seating options with covered patio.
brewery located in the heart of the DIY district. Good, low-key choice for people with kids.
137 locals recommend
Fullsteam Brewery
726 Rigsbee Avebrewery located in the heart of the DIY district. Good, low-key choice for people with kids.
Lots of outdoor seating, fenced grass lot great for dogs, and if you're lucky you'll see the neighborhood pot-belly pig out with her owners!
112 locals recommend
Ponysaurus Brewing Company
219 Hood StLots of outdoor seating, fenced grass lot great for dogs, and if you're lucky you'll see the neighborhood pot-belly pig out with her owners!
A great, low-key, "speak-easy" style bar. Features frequent tarot card readings and local poetry readings. Good luck finding the entrance though--it's well hidden around the back of the building. A local secret.
19 locals recommend
Arcana
331 W Main StA great, low-key, "speak-easy" style bar. Features frequent tarot card readings and local poetry readings. Good luck finding the entrance though--it's well hidden around the back of the building. A local secret.
Food Scene
Great Southern-style "Chicken & Waffles" restaurant! The best fried chicken in Durham. Get ready for a wait, though: it's always packed!
68 locals recommend
Dame's Chicken & Waffles
530 Foster StGreat Southern-style "Chicken & Waffles" restaurant! The best fried chicken in Durham. Get ready for a wait, though: it's always packed!
Watts Grocery
Great Southern-fusion restaurant. Perfect for meat-eaters.
Toast
345 W Main StPerfect, casual sandwich shop.
excellent for brunch or lunch. Lots of seating and nick-knacks for sale. Very casual and laid-back.
93 locals recommend
Foster's Market
2694 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvdexcellent for brunch or lunch. Lots of seating and nick-knacks for sale. Very casual and laid-back.
New Local Ramen shop. If you go, do not miss out on adding a soy marinated egg, and having one of the best G&T's around!
56 locals recommend
Dashi
415 E Chapel Hill StNew Local Ramen shop. If you go, do not miss out on adding a soy marinated egg, and having one of the best G&T's around!
Classy French Restaurant. Perfect for a nice sunday brunch, or an upscale dinner.
50 locals recommend
Vin Rouge
2010 Hillsborough RdClassy French Restaurant. Perfect for a nice sunday brunch, or an upscale dinner.
Excellent burger joint across the street from Cocco-Cinnamon! It closes early, though, so make sure you put your order in before 4pm!
17 locals recommend
King's Sandwich Shop
701 Foster StExcellent burger joint across the street from Cocco-Cinnamon! It closes early, though, so make sure you put your order in before 4pm!
Classy Pizzaria with excellent wine selections. This is a popular Friday/Saturday night dinner option. They do not take RSVPs, so be prepared to wait! Recommended: put your name in early and grab a drink at the bar, Criterion, across the street.
105 locals recommend
Pizzeria Toro
105 E Chapel Hill StClassy Pizzaria with excellent wine selections. This is a popular Friday/Saturday night dinner option. They do not take RSVPs, so be prepared to wait! Recommended: put your name in early and grab a drink at the bar, Criterion, across the street.
Gonza Tacos Y Tequila
604 Fernway Avegreat cheap tacos and margaritas. Nice outdoor seating.
One of the nicest (and most expensive) restaurants in town, Mateo's is great for special occasions and long dinners. A strong sampling of rotating tapas options.
103 locals recommend
Mateo Bar de Tapas
109 W Chapel Hill StOne of the nicest (and most expensive) restaurants in town, Mateo's is great for special occasions and long dinners. A strong sampling of rotating tapas options.
If you can find this place, it's well worth it because the food (Korean Fried Chicken) is cheap and excellent. It's a small restaurant hidden along the backside of a building. Good luck!
20 locals recommend
M Kokko
311 Holland StIf you can find this place, it's well worth it because the food (Korean Fried Chicken) is cheap and excellent. It's a small restaurant hidden along the backside of a building. Good luck!
Everything Else
The local whole foods in case you want to pick up groceries. Beware the parking lot though; it can be crazy!
199 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
621 Broad StThe local whole foods in case you want to pick up groceries. Beware the parking lot though; it can be crazy!
Great running or walking trail that you can pick up just a few blocks from the house.
8 locals recommend
Ellerbee Creek Trail
Ellerbee Creek TrailGreat running or walking trail that you can pick up just a few blocks from the house.
Many people bring there dogs here around 5-6pm every evening, especially when the weather is nice. located only a few blocks from the house.
Northgate Dog Park
Many people bring there dogs here around 5-6pm every evening, especially when the weather is nice. located only a few blocks from the house.
The Streets at Southpoint
Nice shopping
The Regulator Bookshop
720 9th Stbest independent bookstore in Durham.
Local hip coffee shop with great, strong coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Lots of outdoor seating, though the indoor area can get quite cramped. An excellent place to read a book or do some work.
157 locals recommend
Cocoa Cinnamon
420 W Geer StLocal hip coffee shop with great, strong coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Lots of outdoor seating, though the indoor area can get quite cramped. An excellent place to read a book or do some work.
Bull City Burger and Brewery
107 E Parrish Stbest burgers in durham
Monuts
1002 9th Stexcellent donuts and lunch option. Casual and trendy.
The Duke Art museum always has excellent exhibitions.
80 locals recommend
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
2001 Campus DrThe Duke Art museum always has excellent exhibitions.
Awesome local independent theater, has great films and "retro" nights where they show classics. Beer and Popcorn are a must!
104 locals recommend
Carolina Theatre
309 W Morgan StAwesome local independent theater, has great films and "retro" nights where they show classics. Beer and Popcorn are a must!
Shopping
Huge restaurant, bakery, sweet-shop, and artisan store. An excellent place to pick up a "local" gift for someone!
61 locals recommend
Parker and Otis
324 Blackwell StHuge restaurant, bakery, sweet-shop, and artisan store. An excellent place to pick up a "local" gift for someone!
Brightleaf Square
905 W Main Stupscale clothing and home-decor stores located on Main St.
The Makery is a great place to find local gifts and nick-nacks. All products are made by local durham artisans.
8 locals recommend
The Mothership
401 W Geer StThe Makery is a great place to find local gifts and nick-nacks. All products are made by local durham artisans.
Parks & Nature
There is an excellent 1.75 mile jogging loop around Duke's East campus. All gravel with only minor hills. Just be careful: the sun exposure can be brutal on hot summer days!
20 locals recommend
Duke East Campus
712 Broad StThere is an excellent 1.75 mile jogging loop around Duke's East campus. All gravel with only minor hills. Just be careful: the sun exposure can be brutal on hot summer days!
This long, paved, flat running trail goes for miles and starts directly off of the American Tobacco campus. Very shady and peaceful. If you go, keep an eye out for the large feral cat colony! They are a Durham institution.
106 locals recommend
American Tobacco Trail
7616 Fayetteville RdThis long, paved, flat running trail goes for miles and starts directly off of the American Tobacco campus. Very shady and peaceful. If you go, keep an eye out for the large feral cat colony! They are a Durham institution.
Arts & Culture
They have fun exhibitions and host an array of different hands-on seminars. Keep and eye out for the butterfly tent! Also, don't forget to visit the local durham brontosaurus, located down the ellerbee creek trial just a few steps from the museum entrance.
203 locals recommend
Museum of Life + Science
433 W Murray AveThey have fun exhibitions and host an array of different hands-on seminars. Keep and eye out for the butterfly tent! Also, don't forget to visit the local durham brontosaurus, located down the ellerbee creek trial just a few steps from the museum entrance.