• home
  • about
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Work with me
  • Plan a Trip with Me
  • Best Travel Cards
  • Read the blog

ashley on the move

  • Travel Planning
  • Destinations
  • Blog

Destinations · February 22, 2022

The BEST Places to Eat in Durham, North Carolina

Ashley on the Move is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as Milevalue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Read the full disclosure here

Headed to the triangle? In this post, I’m sharing the best places to eat in Durham, North Carolina. You’re gonna want to write this down.

Best places to eat in Durham, NC | Ashley on the Move

Durham has become an absolute foodie heaven. I grew up in this city, but when I was little I don’t think anyone would describe Durham as a city for foodies. I’m so proud of all the progress this town has made and I love spending my time exploring new places, namely: new restaurants!

Illuminated lights in downtown Durham saying "Bull City" | Ashley on the Move

Durham caters to a variety of cultures and tastes. The triangle is home to a handful of large universities and medical centers, so it brings people from all over the world. You can find so many unique eats and I’m rounding up 10 of the best places to eat in Durham (in my humble opinion)! Don’t worry–this is absolutely not an exhaustive list. These are just some favorites from my personal experience, and I’ve still got tons to explore. I love NC Tripping‘s comprehensive post as well, so make sure you check that out too!

In no particular order, here are 10 of the best places to eat in Durham!

Table of Contents

  • 1 Viceroy
  • 2 Pizzeria Toro
  • 3 Shiki 
  • 4 Dos Perros
  • 5 Mateo 
  • 6 Cloud Brewing
  • 7 The Pit
  • 8 Dashi
  • 9 Mother and Sons
  • 10 Bull City Burger

1 Viceroy

A unique twist on Indian cuisine, this restaurant fuses with a British pub-like atmosphere. My recommendation is to choose a couple entrees and split with a group so you can try more! Another pro tip: the Spicy Papi is delicious buttttt your mouth will be assaulted from all angles with spicy food and spicy drink. Go for a more mellow cocktail, like the Cucumber Gimlet. Make sure to enjoy the moody décor and architecture!

Viceroy menu items Durham, NC | Ashley on the Move

2 Pizzeria Toro

Is there anyone out there that DOESN’T like wood fired pizza? I think not. And if you don’t, well, I don’t want to know about it. Pizzeria Toro serves up delicious wood fired pizzas. The salads are also incredibly fresh! 

Pizzeria Toro, best places to eat in Durham | Ashley on the Move

3 Shiki 

If you’re looking for great sushi in South Durham, look no further! This is usually our go to.

4 Dos Perros

Head to downtown Durham to enjoy some tasty Mexican food! I’m super picky about my margaritas, so this *may* or may not be the whole reason this restaurant made the list. It’s not too sweet or heavy on the mix, and you get the perfect amount of salt and tequila. But the food is also excellent! Try the tacos di Birria.

5 Mateo 

Tapas? Yes, please! Tapas is one of my FAVORITE dining styles because you get to try a bunch of small plates and it usually means you’re surrounded by a group of friends J Mateo is the perfect place to celebrate a birthday or big event and try everything they have to offer! It’s a Portuguese-inspired menu with yummy dishes like albondigas and patatas bravas. Make sure you order a pitcher of Cheerwine sangria!

Beautiful leaves in downtown Durham | Ashley on the Move

6 Cloud Brewing

Located in the Brightleaf District near Duke University, Cloud is a great place to grab a beer and eat a casual meal. The menu is made with a German flair, so you get the classic options like bratwurst and schnitzel but more unique options too like the pineapple burger (my personal fave). The beer list is absolutely endless as well!

7 The Pit

I’m pretty sure I can’t make a list of the best restaurants in Durham without including a barbecue joint. So here you go. The Pit is located in downtown Durham and features a bit more of an upscale atmosphere than your average backyard barbecue. But don’t let that scare you away—the barbecue is perfectly smoked and the sides are to die for.

8 Dashi

Can we make a list of best places to eat without including a ramen restaurant these days? The menu includes all of your classic ramen recipes infused with local produce. My favorite part is that it’s also an Izakaya, or Japanese pub!

9 Mother and Sons

Make sure you have a reservation for this one. Mother and Sons is an Italian Trattoria located in downtown and is always busy! They have classics like tagliatelle, gnocchi, and rigatoni but also have unique dishes like squid ink tonnarelli.

Craft cocktails from Viceroy in Durham | Ashley on the Move

10 Bull City Burger

Bull City Burger has become a staple in downtown Durham. They pair deliciously prepared burgers with perfectly paired beers and have an awesome atmosphere. Every town needs a good burger place, right? Oh—and if you get a tattoo of their logo, they’ll give you free burgers for life! 

And a bonus: the Durham Food Hall! Located in the heart of downtown, you can sample several different restaurants in one place! This is great for a big group because everyone can get something different. There’s everything from bagels, to wood fired pizza, to deli sandwiches!

Durham has a million amazing food options and it was hard to narrow down the best places to eat here! I’m more than positive you’ll be able to find a favorite from this list. Share this post with a friend and set a date to try something new!

Have you tried any of these restaurants? What are your favorite places to eat in Durham?

If you liked this, you’ll love…

  • Best hikes in North Carolina for leaf peeping
  • The Ultimate North Carolina Bucket List
  • The absolute best hikes in South Carolina

In: Destinations

You’ll Also Love

Sunset over the city of Cartagena with a view of the infinity pool at the Movich Hotel, book with Hyatt pointsThe Best Neighborhoods and Hotels to Stay in Cartagena
The Complete Budget: How much does it cost to Visit Yellowstone National Park?
The Best Hikes in Sequoia National Park

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

how to see Yosemite National Park in 3 days

meet ashley

Hi friend! I’m Ashley, a 20-something newlywed, dog mom, and pediatric physical therapist. I have incurable wanderlust and when I’m not working, I’m dreaming up our next adventure. We utilize credit card points and miles to see the world for nearly free and I’m teaching you the same thing. I’m so glad you’re here!

free credit card consultation

Not sure what credit card you need to meet your travel goals? Fill out the survey to get a FREE personalized credit card recommendation.

connect on instagram

Can’t wait to add another girlie pop to our squa Can’t wait to add another girlie pop to our squad!!!!
🚨Exciting news!! Personalized travel planning j 🚨Exciting news!! Personalized travel planning just entered the chat. 

I’m so grateful and excited to have partnered with Fora Travel to to help you book your next bucket list trip as a travel advisor. Fora has partnerships with over 2,000 hotels and tour companies around the world so you can get VIP perks anywhere you wanna go. Whether you want to just book a hotel for the perks or want a full customized itinerary. 

As such, it’s time to retire this account because it just doesn’t match the vision of my travel advising business. I would LOVE for you to follow me over at @ashleyrice.travel to keep up to date with my blog and travel business. This account will still remain as more of a personal/Raleigh-Durham account. Whether you follow my business account, stick around here, or decide it’s time for us to part ways—thanks for being apart of my journey. 

I’m so excited for what 2023 has to bring! If you have questions about my new venture as a travel advisor, want to book a trip with me, or just see what all the fuss is about, follow me @ashleyrice.travel or send me a DM on either account. I can’t wait to hear from you!

#traveladvisor #travelplanning #luxurytravel #adventuretravel #frequentflyer #firstclass
In 2022, I started to see the potential of what my In 2022, I started to see the potential of what my life could be. Thanks to the blog, Instagram, and burn out in my professional life—I traveled more last year than ever. And 2023 is shaping up to be the same way! My advice remains the same as always: take the damn trip. Use the PTO! Explore on the weekends. Life is short, make it worth it!! 

#travelinspiration #travelreels #travelblogger #luxurytravel #businessclassflyer #frequentflyer #weekendwarrior #sheisnotlost #womenwhotravel #traveladvisor
“Ashley, you just asked for PTO last month” I “Ashley, you just asked for PTO last month” I can’t hearrrr youuuuu 🙉

Who can relate?? Do you have a goal to use more PTO this year?

#travelblogger #travelinspiration #sheisnotlost #womenwhotravel #luxurytravel #pointsandmiles #travelmore #travelreels #traveladvisor
Ready to finally travel more like you always said Ready to finally travel more like you always said in 2023?! Avoid these 3 things and… 

follow @ashleyonthemove_  for more travel tips, travel hacks, and itineraries!

#travelblogger #travelmore #travelinspiration #travelvibes #travelreels #traveladdict #luxurytravel #adventuretravel #womenwhotravel #sheisnotlost #travelcouple
——- See ya, 2022! 👏🏻👋🏻 It was a ——-

See ya, 2022! 👏🏻👋🏻

It was a great year: we bought a house, went on tons of weekend trips, visited 2 new countries, and I changed jobs. 

This space grew by about 100%… even though it’s still small I’m proud of the community here! Instagram is easy to get burned out on and even through my wild inconsistency (lol) I’ve made so many new connections and learned a ton. 

The blog grew by over 60%, too! I’ve been much more consistent over the last 5 months and it’s paying off big time. 

But of course, I’ve got huge goals for 2023 and I can’t wait to make them happen. Thanks for being along for the ride!

#travelblog #travelblogger #sheisnotlost #womenwhotravel #travelcommunity #travelwriters #ncliving #pointsandmiles #pointsandmilescommunity
Plan 👏🏻 ahead👏🏻when👏🏻using👏🏻points!
 
If you really want to maximize your points earnings and use, you need to be thinking about travel 1-2 years out! High ticket items like business class flights and luxury hotels have limited award space… and they go fast. Many hotels and airlines release 360-370 days in advance and award availability goes quick! Like, sometimes same day. 

If you want to book your dream trip with points, you can! Just plan waaaay ahead. Need help figuring out how?! Comment “plan ahead” below so we can chat about what card and points you need for that dream trip!

#pointsandmiles #pointsandmileslifestyle #frequentflyer #luxurylifestyle #luxurytravel #travelhacks #travelhacking #firstclassflight #firstclass #businessclass #businessclassflyer #airportlounge
Cloud over the Andes mountains in Sale to, colombi Cloud over the Andes mountains in Sale to, colombia 🙌🏻 What was your favorite view of 2022?

#travelblogger #travelviews #luxurytravel #frequentflyer #businessclass #firstclassflight #firstclasstravel #pointsandmiles #travelhacks #colombiatravel #salentoquindio #cocoravalley

latest pins

the archives

trending now

work with me

  • Travel Design
  • Brands / General Inquiries

join the club

Read more

  • home
  • about
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Work with me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Blog
  • About

Copyright © 2023 ashley on the move · Theme by 17th Avenue