Not too far from Raleigh, the Bull City offers a fun evening excursion for unique tastes. Here are six of the best Durham restaurants for dinner.

By Eric Ginsburg | Photography by Forrest Mason

Durham is undeniably a food city, and its restaurant scene is booming. A range of places have garnered recent Michelin Guide and James Beard Awards, and chefs who earned acclaim in Raleigh are planting their flags here (see former Cortez and Jose and Sons chef Oscar Diaz, who’s opened Little Bull, Aaktun, and TaTaco in Durham). Even Durham mayor Leonardo Williams and his wife, Zweli, are restaurant owners, operating two spots including the noteworthy Southern African restaurant Zweli’s Ekhaya.

About 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh, the Bull City is a convenient getaway or date night—far enough outside the normal rotation that an excursion feels special, but close enough to question why you’re not there all the time. Here are six standout spots to book dinner plans, offering a range of cuisine, deftly executed menus, and great all-around vibes.

Cheeni
Preeti Waas made a name for herself cooking in Raleigh, where she lives, and earned a James Beard Award nomination in the process. Now she runs Cheeni in the epicenter of Durham, with a much larger kitchen than she had in her North Raleigh days. That space allows Waas to lean all the way into her nostalgia-fueled, regional Indian home cooking, dazzling with dishes like the fish moilee or crispy cabbage steak muttakos medallions. 

“I say on our menu to come with open minds and open palates,” Waas explains. And people in Durham have answered that call. 

Cheeni occupies a very distinct niche, and that’s intentional. Waas is adamant she isn’t a chef—she isn’t professionally trained—and isn’t trying to meet anyone else’s definition of what Indian food should be. Instead, she cooks meals driven by her memories growing up across the subcontinent and offering the kinds of dishes her kids grew up eating in her home kitchen here. That clear-eyed perspective is a gift and part of a larger burgeoning Indian food scene in the area.

“One thing that is exciting to me about Durham is that even in the smaller radius that I operate in, there are five Indian restaurants in walking distance. Every one of them is doing a different thing,” she says. (British pub Viceroy may be the most well-known of the bunch, with newcomer Barsa taking a more modern approach. Closer to Raleigh, Waas also runs Cheeni Indian Food Emporium and Nanny Goat bodega inside the new Horseshoe at Hub RTP).

Even those familiar with Cheeni might miss the restaurant’s hidden Bar Beej, tucked behind a large, black door. Here, Waas’ daughter Amy runs one of the state’s best bar programs, presenting drinks that are incredibly creative yet balanced.

Start with dinner at Cheeni before moving to Bar Beej, then keep the night going with a stop at cocktail bars Kingfisher or Alley Twenty Six—both within a one-block radius. Alternately, stroll around the corner to the new inclusive sports bar EO’s.

Counting House
Executive Chef Melanie Wilkerson has deep Durham roots. Her grandmother was the first Black female principal in the Durham school system and also inspired Wilkerson’s interest in food through her garden. She led a Michelin-recognized restaurant in Sonoma before returning to Durham and taking the reins at Counting House in 2024. 

The restaurant is located inside 21c Museum Hotel, which is worth a stop (or stay) in its own right. Counting House serves a daily brunch menu, but Wilkerson really flexes her culinary prowess on the dinner menu, where you’ll find an array of locally sourced options like a seasonal squash dip, Fox Farm mushrooms, and char-grilled oysters with baked saltines. Try the pastrami-braised lamb belly or confit chicken with roasted fennel and snap peas.

Speaking of worthwhile hotel restaurants, the roof of the Durham Hotel around the corner is another underrated destination to unwind, great for a sunset cocktail or breezy dinner.

Juju
It’s been more than a decade since dim sum and “Asian tapas” restaurant Juju opened on Durham’s famed Ninth Street alongside Duke University’s East Campus. Locals quickly fell in love with the creations of partners Charlie Deal and Julian Benfey, though Juju has remained just under the radar for too many people outside of Durham. The restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner, is popular for dumplings like the short rib wonton, small bites like the fried chicken bun, a sizable vegetarian offering, and a mix of other dishes, including green curry scallops, Vietnamese-style lamb chops, and bao doughnuts with chai cream.  

If you enjoy Juju, chances are high you’ll also appreciate Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets, another favorite with some similar-yet-distinct menu inspiration and a strong neighborhood vibe.

NANA’S
Ashley Christensen talks often about her fondness for Nana’s, both its original iteration, which opened in 1992, and its 2023 reinvention at the hands of chef and owner Matt Kelly. She doesn’t focus on how gorgeous the bar area is—though it may be the region’s most awe-inspiring—instead giving her all-star endorsement to the menu.

It’s easy to understand why. It’s a white-tablecloth spot that serves dishes like grits soufflé with foie gras, linguini with octopus and sofrito, and a dry aged New York strip with bourbon-peppercorn sauce. But it also plays artists like Outkast over the house speakers—redefining what modern fine dining looks like.

Chow hounds know Kelly from a string of incredible Durham spots, including tapas bar Mateo and Mothers & Sons, all of them worth a visit.

Nerra
Just south of downtown Durham, seafood restaurant Nerra recently celebrated its first birthday. Run by chef Alexis “Lex” Lawson, a Durham native, Nerra is a calming oasis that manages to feel seaside without resorting to kitsch. 

The spicy tuna crudo with cucumber and avocado is a must, though options abound—like the Cajun seafood pasta special at dinner or the lightly fried salmon po’ boy at lunchtime. Expect a live DJ on the patio during Sunday brunch or come for daily happy hour specials.

Fans of a more casual seafood meal likely already frequent Ricky Moore’s celebrated Saltbox Seafood Joint, one of the most consistently satisfying places to eat in the area. If so, also consider the newly opened Jean’s “By The Sea,” a “fish shack” with ample outdoor seating and options like raw oysters and a calamash shrimp basket.

Nikos

Nikos is a beautiful expression of upscale Greek food. Located inside one of Brightleaf Square’s signature brick buildings, the Michelin-recognized restaurant is an energetic romp through bright flavors popularized at sister restaurant Kipos in Chapel Hill—and the owner’s father’s former local spot Taverna Nikos.

The branzino, chicken moussaka, and short ribs pastitsio might be the most alluring choices, but the menu brims with humble workhorses like dolmades, avgolemono soup, and horiatiki salad that complete the experience.

Nikos is part of the sprawling Giorgios Hospitality Group, known for Raleigh spots like East End Bistrot, Rosewater, Giorgio Pizza Bar and the regrettably defunct Las Ramblas. The business operates a few other Durham spots, notably Parizade, which is well suited to host a group celebration.

Of course, this is just a small sampling of the stellar restaurants that help define the Bull City’s spirit. Whether it’s the kid-friendly Lakewood Social or community pillar Chicken Hut, there are seemingly endless choices for craveable places in Durham worth the drive.

Just be sure to book a table for after the rush-hour crush.   

This article originally appeared in the November 2026 issue of WALTER Magazine.