I’d Like to Thank the Restaurants of Durham, NC, for Getting Me Through My Twenties
This is part of our series that celebrates America’s Favorite Neighborhood Restaurants. We asked 80 of the most interesting people we know to reveal the local spots they love the most.
When I was 24, I left the bedbug-infested apartment I was sharing with six roommates in Brooklyn and moved to Durham, North Carolina. Another thing I left in Brooklyn? A relationship. “Why break up when you can leave the state?” was my mantra those days. Hey, it worked!
My rent in Durham—for a large portion of a three-bedroom house with a wide front porch on a tree-lined street—dropped in half. For the first time as an adult, and despite being grossly underemployed, I had a little money, so I used that money to eat out and to date people, usually at the same time. My life, as one can only say about their twenties once they’ve survived them, was both a disaster and amazing.
It helped that Durham’s food scene circa 2012 was also in a golden age: reliable and affordable, thriving but not out of control. A handful of local restaurants played key supporting roles in my various romance-sagas. I’d like to endorse them here.
1. Cook Out
Vibe: 1950s trans-fat-casual
Order: Watermelon milkshake, two straws
Great for: Innocent, retro first dates; convincing yourself that dating will be easier down here.
2. Happy China
Vibe: Luxe suburbia—dark wood, tall pleather booths, instrumental covers of ’90s hits
Order: General Tso’s tofu, dry sautéed string beans, extra fortune cookies
Great for: Letting your two best friends know that you’ve met your soulmate and what he’s like in bed.
3. Bull City Burger and Brewery
Vibe: Tech bros in Rainbows with screaming toddlers, something called the Tower of Beer Power
Order: Joan Jett veggie burger for him, cheeseburger in a lettuce wrap for you, sweet potato fries
Great for: Seeing yourselves 10 years from now; quietly panicking.
4. Fishmonger’s [NOW CLOSED]
Vibe: Linoleum fabulous, Bulls game blaring, reportedly unpaid back taxes
Order: Grilled whatever’s-on-the-specials-board, baked potato, buttered snap peas
Great for: Staring across the table on Valentine’s Day and knowing it’s only a matter of time.
5. Geer Street Garden
Vibe: Converted gas station–chic, makes parents feel cool
Order: Cobb salad, creamy vinaigrette on the side; glass or three of Chardonnay
Great for: Meeting your two best friends immediately post breakup and smoking cigarettes on the patio even though you definitely quit.
6. Dos Perros
Vibe: Getting drunk alone, but in a classy way
Order: Three tacos for $12 and at least two $5 margaritas (Sunday and Monday nights only)
Great for: Convincing yourself that you’re fine, totally fine, you just need to be alone for a while, and hey, who is that very attractive bartender who is definitely new in town?
7. Pizzeria Toro
Vibe: Wannabe Brooklyn, including the wait; eye-rollingly worth it
Order: Pizza with Meyer lemon, Saracena olives, dried chiles, and Crescenza; wishing they had pepperoni
Great for: Snagging a window seat with the person you met on Tinder, hoping your ex (or at least his friends) walk by.
8. The Federal
Vibe: Apathetically cooler than you, just townie enough
Order: Nachos (add guacamole); whatever draft beer is cheapest tonight
Great for: Running into your ex totally by accident, you swear, you had no idea he’d be at this place that happens to be his favorite, then letting him buy you a drink because it’s Wednesday, and why the hell not? You’re moving back to New York soon anyway.
