today’s city guide belongs to a city that’s close to my heart- durham, north carolina. having grown up with friends that attended college in the triangle area, durham will always remind me of road trips, good food and good people. today’s durham is home to a growing creative community, a renewed interest in historical preservation, and a laid-back (but still slightly gritty) attitude. durham is on my list of cities to try to convince ac to move to in a few years so i was thrilled to hear from photographer, blogger, and durhamite, jessie gladin-kramer. jessie has created an incredible guide to durham that includes wonderful places to eat, shop and check-out, as well as a wonderful series of photos to illustrate the tour. her guide makes me so homesick for the south i can’t stand it- so i’m off to look at real estate online again and imagine a life outside of the city. thank you again to jessie for this fantastic guide!
[quick note about the image above: before anyone gets too upset about a tobacco-related image, please note that durham has a long history as a tobacco capital with companies like greenleaf and bull durham calling the city home. we're not endorsing smoking, just including images of buildings that are an iconic part of durham's history]
CLICK HERE for the full durham guide after the jump!
Durham’s City Guide
I can’t imagine living in Durham for any length of time and not falling in love, at least a little, with this scrappy little city. In spite of what its reputation might tell you, there is a young, upbeat energy here, and one begins to get the feeling that if you start something new, you will be supported – that here, what you do actually really matters. Durham is at a crucial moment in time and is still sorting out its identity, as downtown, after decades of neglect and disinvestment, begins to grow again and foster new creativity and industry. People who live here have always loved their town, but recently, everyone else has begun to take note. Somehow, even in an economic downturn, art and music are actually thriving (Merge Records calls Durham their home, and the stunning Durham Performing Arts Center and LabourLove Gallery at Golden Belt are recent examples), and businesses like bars and restaurants steadily continue to make their debuts.
Durham’s design sense is unpretentious and laid-back, as is reflected by the decor found in local shops, restaurants and bars. For a city that has been known for being fond of tearing things down, a new attention is being paid to old buildings and restoration; interiors are often left unfinished, with their concrete walls imperfect and proudly exposed, the layers of paint thick and colorful.
It is my hope that Durham continues in its trend of growing density and urban revitalization while maintaining its appealing grittiness, its tough-kid nature, its supportive vibe. Residents of Durham, or “Durhamites”, will know what I’m talking about. For visitors, I hope this guide will help provide a little insight into Durham’s unique personality. The battling mottos seen on car bumpers in town depict both identities: “Durham: Love Yourself” and “Keep Durham Disreputable”.
Coupla notes on the guide: As with any guide written by one person, this one is not perfect. Most of the businesses and attractions listed here fall into a few neighborhoods: Downtown, Brightleaf, American Tobacco, and Ninth Street. One of the things that excites me most about Durham is its growing trend towards density and walkability. The listings are also (with one or two exceptions that were emphatically recommended by friends) places I myself know and love. I apologize in advance to the great businesses I know I’ve inadvertently left out.
I’ve put the listings on a Google map for easy navigating.
About Me:
Raised on a sheep farm in nearby Hillsborough, NC, I used to get dropped off by my parents to hang out on Durham’s Ninth Street with friends when I was a pre-teen. I went away to Oberlin for college and lived in Italy and then Boston for several years afterward, so I didn’t really “get” Durham and come to truly love it until I was 25 and moved back with my partner, Matt. We bought a little house in walking distance from downtown in a historic and “transitioning” neighborhood. I am a freelance photographer (check out JGK Photography, or peruse umbrella love, a blog I started when I began photographing broken umbrellas all over Boston years ago). After living in our one livable room – the kitchen – for five months, our little house is about 70% done. They say the last 5% or so never actually gets done. You can check out our renovation blog here. We’re a little bit in love with our pit bull, Cleveland.
Dining:
Blu Seafood and Bar: 2002 Hillsborough Rd, (919) 286-9777
Upscale seafood (the fresh kind – not the fried kind), excellent service.
Bull McCabe’s: 427 W Main St, (919) 682-3061
Another local favorite, Bull McCabe’s offers a good selection of Irish pub food, outdoor seating on the street, and a warm, reclaimed-furniture interior, full of dark woods booths, bookshelves full of antique books, and a well-worn-in bar.
Chubby’s Taco’s: 748 9th St, (919) 286-4499
All the staples here are good and the margaritas especially refreshing during the hot and humid North Carolina summers, but Chubby’s specials are not to be missed; try the shrimp ceviche with avocado and hot sauce, for example.
Dain’s Place: 754 9th St, (919) 416-8800
A great place to grab a beer and a burger in the middle of Ninth Street and watch the regulars go by. Super friendly staff.
Federal Lounge: 914 W Main St, (919) 680-8611
On Main Street across from Brightleaf Square, “the Fed” offers patio seating that is always in high demand; it’s one of those Durham spots where you’re almost guaranteed to run into friends and neighbors. Strong menu variety and good service, it’s tempting to sit outside at the Fed for hours on a Saturday, drinking beer and watching the foot traffic.
James Joyce Irish Pub: 912 W Main St, (919) 683-3022
Outdoor seating next to the Fed and across from Brightleaf, the Joyce is a great meet-up spot and recently updated their menu of delicious Irish fare. Excellent curry fries.
Piedmont: 401 Foster St # B2, (919) 683-1213.
Right next to the farmer’s market, Piedmont is the perfect Saturday brunch spot, and makes creative use of local ingredients. A big open space with lots of warm, raw-hewn wood and iron work, Piedmont features a bluegrass band during brunch and a communal, friendly environment. Impressive prix-fixe dinner menu.
Pop’s: 810 W Peabody St, (919) 489-2481
Located in Brightleaf Square, Pop’s is great for casual dining that’s one or two steps up from Durham’s burger joints and Irish pubs. Sit at the bar and order their incredible gourmet pizzas, or try some of their house-made pastas. Bright and lively atmosphere. Also try Pop’s Back Door, their take-out option!
Revolution: 107 W Main St, (919) 956-9999
I must admit I haven’t made it here yet, but it’s worth mentioning for the fact that it’s the fanciest restaurant to open that far east on Main Street in a long time. Catering to the DPAC crowd and the Kress condo dwellers, Revolution offers a raw bar and some pretty impressive-sounding entrees.
Q Shack: 2510 University Dr, (919) 402-4227
It’s practically a requirement for living in or visiting NC to try some BBQ, and while Q Shack’s is admittedly Texas-style, it’s a great introduction to “cue” and offers the classics: smoked pork butt sandwiches, jalepeno deviled eggs, and my favorite, fried okra.
Rue Cler: 401 E Chapel Hill St, (919) 682-6879
A Parisian-style bistro right downtown from the owners of well-loved Pop’s, Rue Cler offers traditional French dishes as well as a fresh bakery perfect for popping in for breakfast. Don’t miss the beignet! Beautiful interior design throughout.
Toast: 345 W Main St, (919) 683-2183
When Toast opened in Five Points, the main intersection of downtown, the lunch line pretty reliably spilled outside to the sidewalk and around the corner, and still does. Itialian-style panini and tramezzini, and wholesome soups and salads.
Vin Rouge: 737 9th St, (919) 416-0406
For a little fine dining, this is your place. The mussels are delicious, the steaks well chosen and seasoned, and the interior features heavy red velvet drapes as dividers that feel intimate and warm. Very romantic.
Watt’s Grocery: 1116 Broad St, (919) 416-5040
Not a grocery at all but a fantastic restaurant named after the original Trinity Park grocery story. Chef Amy Tornquist offers a twist on Carolina cuisine in a contemporary, colorful environment. My favorite: the fried green tomatoes. Offering especially yummy cocktails like the “hibiscus margarita”.
Coffee and Snacks
Amelia’s Cafe: 905 W Main St, (919) 683-5600
Tucked towards the back of Brightleaf Square, I only recently discovered Amelia’s and love it for the amazing Brazilian coffee and the generously sized crepes – I can satisfy my lunch craving for about $3.50. Comfortable booths and warm (if a little slow) service.
Bean Trader’s: 714 9th St, (919) 968-9292
A more casual environment than Francesca’s next door (see below); think worn-in couches, plenty of tables for working or studying, outdoor chairs, and a great coffee bar.
Blue Coffee Cafe: 202 Corcoran St, (919) 682-7000
A comfortable downtown coffee shop for reading and working, or grabbing a cheap sandwich for lunch. Proudly served as a stop for the Obama campaign last year; he tried their famous coffee cake.
Counter Culture Coffee Co.: 4911 S Alston Ave (but found just about everywhere serving coffee), (919) 361-5282
It’s rare to find a coffee establishment (or even restaurant or grocery) around here that DOESN’T offer Counter Culture as their coffee of choice. Organically grown and committed to their farmers.
Daisy Cakes: Saturdays at the corner of Geer and Foster Streets, (919) 389-4307
I look forward to Daisy Cakes all week as a treat after the farmer’s market. Parked in an adorable airstream trailer just nearby, the owners sell gorgeous cupcakes and other sweet treats to a long line of hungry cupcake fiends. Especially popular: the “Pop’t-Art”, a flaky pastry filled with home-made preserves and served warm.
Francesca’s: 706 9th St # B, (919) 286-4177
A Duke student favorite. Wide selection of ice creams (I have a strong memory of tasting rose-petal-flavored ice cream as a kid), and plenty of places to hole up and study.
Guglhupf Bakery & Patisserie: 2706 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, (919) 401-2600
Traditional European bakery, prepared fresh daily with natural ingredients.
Locopops Gourmet Popsicles: 117 Market Street, or 2600 Hillsborough Rd, (919) 286-3500
Not popsicles but paletas (pah-LAY-tahs), Mexican-style frozen treats on a stick. Combining natural flavors with Mexican spices, you might try mojito and tamarind, lavender vanilla, grapefruit basil, cinnamon watermelon, mexican chocolate, pomegranite thyme… they even sell “pup-sicles” for your pooch, made of chicken broth! I dream about Locopops.
Ninth Street Bakery: 136 E. Chapel Hill St., (919) 226-0818
Providing wholesale organic breads and baked goods to area stores and restaurants, the Bakery also acts as a catering service (delivered in a bio-fueled “EcoBus”) and downtown lunch spot.
Parker and Otis: 112 S Duke Street, (919) 683-3200
This could easily fall under dining, shopping, or coffee & snacks – Parker & Otis is all in one. Utilizing salvaged doors, windows, and shutters throughout the store as tables and display cases, one can buy gourmet (and local) groceries, sit down at a table with wide lunch options, hear a band in the evenings, or hit the coffee bar throughout the day.
Drink*
Green Room: 1108 Broad St, (919) 286-2359
The reason I love the Green Room (apart from its smoky, somewhat gritty, laid-back atmosphere, pool tables, air hockey, and presence of plenty of locals) is that they allow dogs. Nothing better than enjoying your pint while your pooch chills at your feet.
Pinhook: 117 W Main St, (919) 667-1100
Not a moment too soon, the Pinhook opened on the eve of the 2008 presidential election after months of anticipation from locals – especially those routing for the success of downtown. It has immediately become a favorite for all types of Durhamites, the kind of place where you walk in the door and feel at home and among friends. Pinhook hosts local and touring bands, movie nights, and space for local artists. Packed with sporadically-working game machines and photo booth, a Lite-Brite and Etch-a-Sketch, and funky, eclectic furniture. Without hesitation my favorite bar in town.
Triangle Brewing Co: 918 Pearl St, (919) 683-2337
It’s pretty sweet to have a brewery in my own actual neighborhood – especially since I can talk to their biweekly Saturday Brewery tours. Also found at many local bars and restaurants.
West End Wine Bar: 601 W Main St, (919) 381-4228
Just opened in May! My boyfriend and I biked over for coffee on Sunday morning, and they have apparently already been slammed – more evidence to the huge need and desire for businesses downtown. A wine bar by night, and coffee bar by day, the West End is a two-level, sleek space full of black leather sofas in formations that encourage small groups to gather. I love their Chapel Hill location and am so excited they’ve added a Durham spot!
*Note: Many of my favorite bars fell solidly into the Dining category as well – namely Bull McCabes and the Federal, but many others as well.)
Shop
Heather Garrett Design, Inc: 313 W Main St, (919) 687-4900
As with any interior designer, most of Heather’s work is done on-location; her downtown headquarters, however, offers a great glimpse into her contemporary style and some of her favorite products. Make sure to check out her website.
Morgan Imports: 113 S Gregson St, (919) 688-1150
The closest thing to a department store in the convenience of downtown. Greeting cards, toys and games, stationary, home furnishings, candles, futons and futon frames, kitchen gadgets, bikes, furniture, and more.
Ox & Rabbit Soda and Sundries: 732 9th St, (919) 286-7850
If you’re a Design*Sponge lover then this is your shop – a mix of artfully-chosen home wares, gifts, baby accoutrements, and clothing. Following in the style of the previous longtime business McDonalds’ Drug Store, the soda fountain offers chilling and flavorful refreshment. Erin and Bryan, the young owners who are getting married this summer, have impeccable taste.
Portobello Road: 905 W Main St, (919) 687-0100
I often find something I can’t live without here, usually a vintage painting, a funky lamp, or danish modern restored furniture. The prices are super reasonable, and there’s new stuff every time I go.
Regulator Bookshop: 720 9th St, (919) 286-2700
The best bookshop in the area, hosting local and national authors in a speaker series, and offering a wide selection of literature with a nice emphasis on the local.
The Scrap Exchange: 548 Foster St, (919) 688-6960
I can’t think of a more fun – or literal – spin on “re-use” – the Scrap Exchange is a dizzying playground of old fabric samples, sheets of mylar, foam noodles, and crazy casts-off that were dumpster-bound before becoming reclaimed as legitimate artistic materials. Great place to host a party.
Vaguely Reminiscent: 728 9th St, (919) 286-3911
An old Durham standby, every inch of this shop is packed with fun goodies – jewelry, clothing, shoes, frames, toys, bags, you name it.
Zola Craft Gallery: 626 9th St # B, (919) 286-5112
Great gift shopping, offering crafts for a variety of prices. Notebooks, bird houses, frames, cards, jewelry, and more.
Things to Do and See
American Tobacco Campus: Located within Blackwell, Pettigrew, Carr, and Willard Streets
A great example of Durham’s efforts at revitilizing historic tobacco buildings, which will be that much greater once more shopping retail fills the ground-level spaces. The campus is right next to the Durham Ball Park, and really thrives during games, giving an idea of how the space should ideally be used all the time. A man-made creek cuts through the park across large stones that kids can play on in the summer, and the large brick pavillion beneath the iconic water tower serves as a stage for live music.
Brightleaf: Main and Gregson Street
A converted tabacco-to-retail center that has had many more years to find its identity than American Tobacco, and is not only full of shops and restaurants but is centrally located enough for people to walk to Brightleaf from many businesses and neighborhoods. Home to several listings in this guide, and a good midway stop between the Ninth Street district and Downtown.
Bull City Headquarters (BCHQ): 723 N. Mangum St, (919) 416-9707
Collectively-run community center used to host alcohol- and drug-free music events, DIY skill shares, rain barrel-building workshops, and the like. Also the home of the Durham Bike Co-op and Bountiful Back Yards, and popular venue for my favorite Durham band, Midtown Dickens.
Carolina Theatre: 309 W Morgan St, (919) 560-3030
Built in 1925 and beautifully preserved. Walk from dinner to see a movie, or catch a play or music performance from one of any number of great traveling acts. Also the headquarters for the annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (see events).
Center for Documentary Studies at Duke: 1317 W. Pettigrew Street, (919) 660-3663
Come here to take documentary workshops, see new exhibits, and learn about the communities around Durham through the eyes of their residents.
Common Ground Green Building Center: 326 W Geer St, (919) 688-1500
Sustainable and green building supplies such as tile, flooring, and cabinetry for home renovations.
Durham Bulls Athletic Park: 409 Blackwell St, (919) 687-6500
Two words: Bull Durham. The old location where the movie was filmed is across town on Morris Street, near the farmer’s market, but the new park is great – close to downtown, adjacent to American Tobacco Campus, a stone’s throw from the new Durham Performing Arts Center. Fireworks on Fridays, affordable tickets.
Durham Farmer’s Market: : 501 Foster Street, (919) 667-3099
Walking distance from several downtown neighborhoods. Housed in a covered pavillion, with lots of green space all around for dogs, kids, and artists. Spend a Saturday morning there and then treat yourself to Daisy Cakes down the block.
Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC): American Tobacco District, 123 Vivian Street, (919) 680-2787
New as of late 2008, DPAC hosts traveling Broadway shows, top-notch comedy, internationally renouned musical groups, and award-winning dance. Worth going, though, for the architecture alone, especially when a crowd is filling the three glass levels of the Center at dusk before a show. Visitors may note the strange juxtoposition to the also stately and impressive city prison right next door.
Foster’s Market: 2694 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, (919) 489-3944
Part grocery, part coffee-shop, part lunch spot, part community hang-out.
Eno River State Park: 6101 Cole Mill Rd, (919) 383-1686
Thiry-nine hundred acres of woods and river front with miles of trails for walking or hiking, a suspension bridge that swings high above the river, dozens of campsites and picnic areas.
Golden Belt: 807 East Main Street, (919) 967-7700
This textile factory built in 1900 was converted in 2008 to mixed-use space consisting of affordable artist lofts, gallery space, retail, and artists’ workshops. Golden Belt brings new vibrancy to East Durham, and hosts frequent events that draw in large crowds. A beautiful example of successful reuse of old buildings.
Manbites Dog Theater: 703 Foster St, (919) 682-4974
Non-profit theater producing “new and challenging” theatrical events, and facilitating “cross-disciplinary and cross-community projects”.
Nasher Museum of Art: 2001 Campus Dr, (919) 684-5135
From their site: “The museum draws on the intellectual resources of a great research university and serves as a laboratory of the arts dedicated to multidisciplinary approaches to learning.”
Peters Design Works: 619 Foster St, (919) 682-5307
For those many Durham residents, like myself, who seem to find themselves restoring old houses in the city. Offering salvaged building materials, fixtures, trim, and other fun finds, as well as custom-designed furniture and doors.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens: 426 Anderson St, (919) 684-3698
Free botanical gardens, great spot to picnic or walk with a sweetie. Or find a sweetie; my dad used to pick up girls here during college with the aid of his dog.
Somerhill Gallery: The Venable Center, 303 South Roxboro St, (919) 688-8868
Formerly housed in Chapel Hill, the Somerhill Gallery moved to the historic Veneble Center last year and now boasts 9,600 square feet of paintings, sculpture, mixed media and photography.
Southern Portico: 619 Foster St, (919) 818-3347
Right next to Peter’s Design Works and a stone’s throw from the Farmer’s Market, this shop has beautiful salvaged and reclaimed furniture, lamps, and art.
West Point on the Eno: 5101 N Roxboro St, (919) 471-1623
Home of the annual Festival for the Eno, West Point on the Eno is home to one of the oldest mills in the area. Check out the wide, flat dam, which creates a perfect swimming hole on the high side.
Notable Websites and Blogs
Bull City Rising: Kevin Davis writes about everything Durham, especially news, politics, events, and downtown business development – a great inside scoop for Durham residents and newbies alike.
Carpe Durham: A group of Duke Law students eats at each and every Durham eating establishment, photographs and reviews their dishes, and reviews them… and I mean every eating establishment, from the popular restaurants to the anonymous-looking shopping center joints that are prevalent around here, and can turn out to be delicious surprises.
Endangered Durham: Gary Keuber, a graduate of UNC’s City and Regional Planning Program who passionately opposes the demolition of historic buildings, systematically tells the stories of Durham’s homes, streets, neighborhoods, and business districts in this popular blog. Some of the befores and afters (before: a sweet little 1920’s bungalow; after: another parking lot) are heart-wrenching.
Indyweek.com:
The online component to the area’s witty and intellegent local weekly, The Independent.
Events
American Dance Festival: June and July
Residencies and performances by major established companies as well as emerging artists from around the world.
Festival on the Eno: Annually; July 3-5, 2009
A three-day festival of music and art in support of the preservation of the nature, culture, and history of the Eno River basin
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival: April
Four days, fifty+ documentaries from all over the world.
Lodging
A note: being a resident of Durham or its neighbor Hillsborough for the entirety of my years in North Carolina, I unfortunately can’t offer much insight into places to stay, with two exceptions:
The Blooming Garden Inn: 513 Holloway St, (919) 687-0801
Owned by my eccentric and incredibly sweet neighbors Frank and Dolly in an old historic home in Cleveland-Holloway just on the edge of downtown.
King’s Daughters Inn: 204 N. Buchanan Blvd., (877) 534-8534
I recently had the chance to photograph the opening of this early-1900’s retirement-home-turned-upscale-B&B. A mix of both formal and “swinging” 1920’s decor, King’s Daughters holds nothing back in terms of color, comfort, and creativity. The young owners who birthed the renovation idea and general contracted live upstairs in the attic-turned-loft.
