Diners' Choice: Best Food restaurants in Durham

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall cuisine in Durham? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit.

Blue Corn Cafe

4.8

4.8 (425)

$31 to $50

Latin American

Durham

About the restaurant

Blue Corn Cafe has been serving the Triangle area since 1997. We offer a locally sourced twist on Latin American cuisine. Our passion for locally sourced food and beverage has allowed us to offer our unique twist on Latin and South American recipes. Both owners Danielle and Antonio Rios have a passion on bringing their culture to your table with unique quality products.
Our warm atmosphere and kind servers make you feel comfortable upon entering and that is only where it begins. We look forward to serving you. Prevecho!

Top review

LizaVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Great fresh take on Quesadillas and their plantain sampler was excellent!

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4.8

4.8 (601)

$50 and over

Japanese

Durham

About the restaurant

M Tempura is Durham's traditional Japanese tempura restaurant offering Tempura as well as Kaiseki Omakase offerings.

For the multi-course menu items, all members of your party must choose the same option please.

We currently cannot accommodate shellfish, vegetarian (egg in batter), gluten, and seafood allergies. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Top review

KrisVIP

Dined 4 days ago

love m restaurants, can't get better tempura anywhere else in the area!

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Experience

M Omakase Tasting Menu

Experience

Kaiseki Omakase Menu

Durham - M Sushi

4.9

4.9 (2999)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Durham

About the restaurant

M Sushi is triangles first dedicated sushi and seafood restaurant. We concentrate on raw and cold applications of fresh exotic seafood as well as cooked and vegetarian courses utilizing the same high quality ingredients. We are creating simple and traditional sushi cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences. We are the only restaurant in NC to make the Opentable top 100 restaurants in 2021.

Top review

Jack

Dined 3 days ago

M Sushi - Durham has sushi, appetizers, and sake that will make you feel like Trans-Siberean Orchestra is playing a personal concert for your taste buds. Service was great, too.

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4.8

4.8 (339)

$30 and under

Global, International

Hillsborough

About the restaurant

Nomad delivers traditional ethnic dishes and craft cocktails with a unique spin, all in a cozy, rustic interior. It’s a modern neighborhood spot that lets you travel the world without leaving Hillsborough.
You may find yourself nestled at Nomad for the entire night, enjoying the atmosphere, the noteworthy dishes and the multi-layered drinks.
In the hands of the locally based, welcoming owners, Nomad brings a diverse dining experience to the Hillsborough area that has yet to be seen.

*Tables are limited to 1 hour and 30 minutes*

Top review

Maddie

Dined 4 days ago

Amazing service, cocktails, and food!! We love coming to Nomad and as always, had a great experience. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a nice night out.

Fearrington House Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1815)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

The intimate dining rooms within The Fearrington House Restaurant welcome guests with exceptional service and a seasonally changing menu. Executive Chef Paul Gagne commitment to exceptional farm-to-fork cuisine is woven throughout the dining experience.

From partnerships with local farms, including Harland's Creek Farm in Pittsboro and Lil Farm in Timberlake, to herbs harvested from gardens on the property, to dishes that celebrate North Carolina’s seasons, The Fearrington House’s mission to provide Relais & Chateaux level cuisine and service to guests has remained constant since opening in 1980.

Our menu is complemented by a beverage program featuring an extensive wine list, a full cocktail bar, and beers celebrating North Carolina breweries.

Any Allergies and Food Preferences are to be provided in advance. If not provided, not all requests can be accommodated.

Should you not find a desired time available online, please contact the restaurant directly at 919 542 2121.

Top review

CynthiaVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Such an excellent dining experience! Can’t wait to go back!

Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria

4.9

4.9 (103)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Carrboro

About the restaurant

Offering small plates, True wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, housemade gelato, local beer on draft, wine & cocktails in downtown Carrboro!

Top review

GRANT

Dined 7 days ago

Great food and service. The pizza is authentic tasting and fresh. We will be back!

Elements

4.8

4.8 (2442)

$31 to $50

Fusion / Eclectic

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

Elements is OPEN for DINE IN & TAKEOUT!

From the moment you walk in to the last delicious morsel you will taste, we promise to deliver a unique and exquisite dining experience. Our cuisine combines classical as well as modern Asian and European cooking techniques to enhance the flavors of local and sustainable ingredients. Our menu changes often to capitalize on the freshest and most seasonal fare. We believe George Barnard Shaw said it best when he said. There is no love sincerer than the love of food." We couldn't agree more. From fork to mouth, we wish you good eats.

Elements Team

Top review

Joan

Dined 2 days ago

We had a great meal at Elements. My friend had the Salmon Wellington and I had the peppered tuna special. We also ordered the Chinese buns to start which were just incredible. Our server Lizzie was wonderful.

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Popular dish

Crab Cakes

Bleu Olive

4.8

4.8 (1271)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Durham

About the restaurant

For parties of 5 or more, pease give us a call.

A family operated - Mediterranean Bistro serving a fresh & local ingredient inspired menu.

The Papanikas family first opened the doors at this location in 1994 under the name Papas Grille, a fine dining Greek and Mediterranean restaurant. With “Papa” and Sam in the kitchen and Angelika, Chris & Yianni running the front of the house, Papas Grille turned into one of the finest and well-respected restaurants in the Durham food scene. After eighteen successful years as Papas Grille, it was time for a makeover and with that came a new brand as well. The reconstruction took place in 2012 in which the changes brought a more casual setting and modern feel. With “Papa” retiring during the changeover, Sam took over the realms in the kitchen fine-tuning his craft which is highly focused on quality ingredients and consistent execution. The front of the house continues to be overseen by Angelika and Yianni.

Top review

SandraVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Another wonderful evening at Bleu Olive. The lamb loin was cooked to perfection and they accommodate food allergies very well. The staff is professional and caring. We had a lovely dinner and will definitely return.

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Popular dish

Moussaka

Metro 8 Steakhouse

4.7

4.7 (914)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Durham

About the restaurant

Metro 8, located in Durham, North Carolina, serves American cuisine in an upscale steakhouse that is perfect for date nights or work meetings. Each meal is made to order with fresh ingredients by professionally-trained chefs and cooks. Metro 8 has a full bar which features an extensive wine selection, including both domestic and imported wine.

Start out your meal at Metro 8 with an appetizer such as the crab stuffed shrimp or the empanadas. Choose from dinner entrées like the filet mignon or the lamb chops. For the vegetarians in the group, try items like the fettucine porcine or the Caesar salad.

Top review

Samantha

Dined 1 day ago

We had a wonderful time! It was our first experience at Metro 8, and after that meal, there will definitely be others.

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4.8

4.8 (2597)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Durham

About the restaurant

NanaSteak offers high-energy upscale dining at its finest. Enjoy drinks and appetizers with friends at the beautiful and well appointed bar or dine from a menu full of local North Carolina fare. The award wining wine list offers many unique and interesting selections to compliment any meal. With an impeccable attention to detail, this is the perfect backdrop for an extraordinary evening. In short, NanaSteak is more than just Durham's finest steakhouse.

Top review

Kevin

Dined 1 day ago

We love the Nana Steak experience before every DPAC show we go to.

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