Littler was closed from 2020 to early 2022, but this beloved bistro is, thankfully, back open with favorites like the crispy latkes benedict and Parker House mini loaves. The wood-paneled and deep-blue painted space sort of feels like you’re on a ship at sea, and it’s generally one of the best date spots in the city—just make sure to make a reservation ahead of time. Order the carrot cavatelli with harissa yogurt and the local flounder, but save room for all of the desserts.

Ideal's Sandwich Shop in east Durham puts broccoli rabe in basically everything. It’s smashed into the signature chicken cutlet sandwich and Philly roast pork alike, both of which make for an excellent quick lunch. Ideal's also has some grocery staples, including pasta, fresh-baked bread, and a few rotating take-and-bake dinner options, perfect for a night you’re rushing off to a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

Food halls are perfect for large groups and people with different tastes, and Durham Food Hall is no exception. The half a dozen stalls have you covered for something at any hour, beginning with Old North Meats’ $5 breakfast sandwich, which you should definitely add pastrami to. Lunchtime belongs to Ex-Voto, specifically the hearty crunch wraps packed with roasted chicken thighs and chipotle crema. Grab a wood-fired pizza from Napoli for dinner and stick around for a drink at Auctioneer Bar.

If a local film crew wanted to shoot a secret meeting between a private investigator and a client, they’d choose M Sushi. Located below street level in a low-ceilinged dining room with exposed beams overhead, M Sushi is a great spot for a working lunch, weeknight dinner date, or, you know, meeting a private investigator. Order the unagi don, some a la carte nigiri, and some mochi donuts if you’re there during the day, but at night it’s all about the omakase and the rolls.

When you think of Southern food, you’re probably picturing the menu at Chicken Hut, one of the oldest restaurants in the city—they’ve been cooking soul food classics in a space that feels like a school cafeteria since 1957. The fried chicken is the best we’ve tried in town, but everything from the sweet tea and pound cake to chitterlings and pig’s feet is fantastic. They’re only open for lunch, so come here for a quick pit stop before a walk along the American Tobacco Trail.

Saltbox is the kind of place you want to bring people to without telling them anything about it—just walk up to the unassuming roadside box, and watch as they freak out after one bite of lightly fried and incredibly fresh seafood. There is simply no better seafood in the region, and when presented on a humble roll, everything from North Carolina striped mullet to king mackerel shines. Enjoy the accompanying honey-drizzled hush puppies along with the house tea and a lemon punch combo drink.

There are three locations of Cocoa Cinnamon, the city’s best coffee shop, but we like the Old North Durham flagship best. It’s just a few blocks from the center of downtown, in a single-story brick building that’s become a community hub where you’ll probably run into a local musician or freelance writer set up in the corner. The espressos and lattes come from the company’s own Little Waves Coffee Roasters.

Whether you’ve never had our state’s BBQ, or you grew up on it, you should visit Picnic for a plate of whole hog that holds true to North Carolina’s barbecue traditions. This northwest Durham outpost is a bit more expensive than some other options in town, but the slow-cooked pork is extremely high quality and the sides are fantastic. Try the fried okra and coleslaw, and save room for dessert staples like the banana pudding and chocolate chess pie.

We're willing to bet that Dame's makes the best plate of fried chicken and waffles in the world. If you’re feeling like the Hungry Hungry Hippos incarnate, bring a group and get the Orange Speckled Chabo, which comes with a chicken cutlet the size of your face and a sweet potato waffle. Douse it with syrup and hot sauce, add on some spicy collard greens and mac and cheese, and you’ve got a truly excellent brunch that will definitely inspire you to take a nap.

Zweli's bills itself as the only Zimbabwean restaurant in the country, serving up dishes like braised oxtail, piri piri chicken, and jollof rice with sadza, a starchy, cornmeal-based staple used to scoop food with your hands. It’s in a strip mall just off the highway, with a casual feel that makes it perfect for a big group meal. Whatever you do, make sure you finish your meal with the magwinyas, sugar-coated doughnut balls that are perfectly bite-sized.