These international offerings get along just fine with long-standing local institutions, making for a dining scene where lunch can easily be some comforting Carolina barbecue before moving onto a shared plate of Ethiopian doro wat and awaze tibs for dinner. There’s Indian, Thai, Cuban, Japanese, Zimbabwean, and Salvadoran - and the list could go on. Where else could one find a bakery-slash-noodle shop-slash-dumpling joint?ĭrawing from an international pool of residents thanks to both Duke University and Medical Center and nearby Research Triangle Park, Durham’s restaurants offer a wide array of cuisines that diners could literally eat their way around the world without ever leaving the city. ![]() Far from being a staid bastion of steakhouses and chain restaurants, Durham’s food scene runs the gamut of both cuisines and styles. Wash it all down with on-tap offerings including craft suds from Asheville’s Burial Beer Co., pineapple cider from Austin Eastsiders, or Prosecco.When it comes to dining in the Triangle, Durham has stolen the spotlight for nearly the past decade. There are salads too, but you’re better off skipping standard romaine in favor of farmers market-inspired takes, such as a recent special crafted with peaches and golden beets. Sandwiches focus on classics such as eggplant or chicken Parmesan. Specialty pies include Eggplant alla Norma layered with fried eggplant, or a broccoli rabe and fennel sausage pie scattered with Gaeta olives (cured Italian black olives). ![]() Menu: Crisp, thin-crust pizzas anchor the menu the Margherita is topped with a San Marzano tomato-based sauce and fresh and aged cheeses, but can be customized with toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, roasted garlic, or extra cheese. Service is a bit confusing, as it is neither fast food nor sit-down: Order at the large counter under the HOT sign or at the bar, and pies will be delivered to your table. When the weather cooperates, the large bay doors can be opened to create patio seating and an airy vibe. ![]() Some of the original garage elements remain, such as automotive signage and a mechanic’s tool chest, but the elegant lighting and European tiles keep it from looking like a theme restaurant. Vibe: As you’d expect from a garage-turned-restaurant, the design is straight-up hipster industrial, from the exposed brick walls and vintage submarine phone to the cheeky Instagram-ready neon “Pizza Made Me Do It” sign and ironic Schwinn exercise bike by the door. Hutchins Garage, helmed by Pizzeria Toro alum and chef Michael Morrone, answers the call with New York-style pies until midnight on weeknights, 2:00 a.m. Summers in Durham are hot, but no matter what time of year you visit, you have to indulge in at least one ice cream treat. The block’s lunch and dinner options have long offered variety, and while it wasn’t without late-night food options, per seFullsteam Brewery started serving small plates last year, and late-night revelers can always get a chili dog or Frito pie at Accordion Clubthe line-up was clearly missing another staple: pizza. ![]() The latest addition to the neighborhood is Hutchins Garage, which the Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub team opened earlier this month, naming it after the previous tenant, an automotive-supply shop and showroom that was a decades-long neighborhood fixture. The Pit’s whole-hog barbecue is cooked in a former 7UP bottling plant, Geer Street Garden and Cocoa Cinnamon transformed old gas stations into reliable neighborhood standbys for comfort food and caffeinated beverages, respectively, and Motorco’s Parts & Labor honors its earlier incarnation as a car dealership with its name while slinging globally inspired street food from poutine to tacos. Durham’s West Geer Street is known for successful building conversions, especially when it comes to dining and drinking establishments.
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