It’s time for the annual end-of-year recap of Durham’s newest restaurants, bars, and cafes! As you’ll see from 2021’s list below, even a pandemic can’t slow down the local food and beverage scene. Have you had a chance to visit all these new spots for dine-in or take out yet?
Restaurant Moves and Expansions
After closing Trattoria Salve in Brightleaf Square during the pandemic, the owners (who also have Vivo in Raleigh and Vieni Ristobar in Holly Springs) took their talents to South Durham, opening Vici Ristobar in the former Tre Forni location at Hope Valley Commons. The restaurant features homemade Italian food and a craft cocktail bar.
The owners of Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas have opened a live music venue, bar, and event space just down the street: Rubies on Five Points is located in the former Criterion space at 347 W. Main Street and is already busy hosting musical talent and special events.
In more expansion news, Kingfisher in downtown Durham has officially opened their new spot, Queeny’s, right above the bar. This burger, salad, sandwich and coffee bar offers a little bit of everything in a cool, casual atmosphere.
Fullsteam Brewery’s expansion to Boxyard RTP includes the addition of thick square pizzas that pair perfectly with beer, and at Ponysaurus Brewery, pizza from Raleigh-based Oakwood Pizza Box is now available for order under the name Little Pizza Box.
In more amazing pizza news, Cugino Forno, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria with three other locations around Greensboro, NC, opened it’s first Triangle location at Durham’s Golden Belt campus next to Hi-Wire Brewing.
It was sad to see The Palace International close on Broad Street. The space has now become the location of Sho Nuff Seafood, which started out as a popular a food truck.
A couple small to mid-size chains have also opened up in our vicinity, including The Loop, American Grill on Broad Street where Deeluxe Chicken used to be and The Goat, restaurant and bar, in Brier Creek.
Press, a modern cafe serving coffee, crepes and cocktails, originated in Graham, NC and opened their second location this year at American Tobacco, right next to the ballpark.
Heavenly Buffaloes expanded from their bustling wing shack into a second Durham location on Erwin Road.
The Triangle also landed a new ice cream truck full of Northeast nostalgia: Mister Softee’s ice cream truck is roaming streets around the Bull City, offering classic soft-serve, sundaes, and ice cream sandwiches.
Beautiful New Bars
The Glass Jug also opened their second location in the city, a spacious taproom on the ground level of the Foster on the Park Development at Durham Central Park.
If you’re looking to enjoy a good glass or bottle of wine, check out newly opened Killer Queen Wine Bar on E. Main Street (the space was formerly Bar Brunello), or visit Melanated Wine, a new wine shop at 4608 Industry Lane.
The Chesterfield building in downtown Durham is now home to the second location of Raleigh-based bar Dram & Draught, perfect for whisky, cocktail, and craft beer enthusiasts.
Also downtown on W. Main Street, there’s a new frozen daiquiri lounge called The Slush, serving colorful Instagram-worthy frozen boozy drinks.
Cafes, Coffee, and More
Whisk & Rye grew from a mobile coffee truck into a beautiful new brick and mortar cafe at 3401 University Drive with plenty of space for making and selling all kinds of scratch-made treats along with their coffee.
In a little plaza off HWY 55 there is a new healthy fast casual cafe called Anissa’s Spot, offering fresh Acai bowls, smoothies, avocado toast, coffee, and tea.
For more caffeine cravings, Everlou Coffee Co. opened a welcoming new cafe downtown on N. Mangum Street.
Yaya Tea, serving fruit and milk tea and light appetizers like riceballs, has opened a location in Durham’s Golden Belt Campus.
Brand New Businesses
2021 pizza news continues over in Patterson Place where Bella Napoli, a New York style pizza and Italian restaurant, opened late this year.
East Durham welcomed the addition of a new sandwich shop. Ideal’s Sandwich and Grocery on Angier Ave. bakes their own bread fresh and has built up a quick, loyal following.
Also in East Durham, Rofhiwa Book Cafe, a black-owned independent bookstore and coffee shop, took over the space that was formerly occupied by East Durham Bake Shop.
There is a great little comfort food vegan cafe called Pure Soul tucked in the plaza near South Square on Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
Over on Page Road near RTP, there is now a healthy, fast casual grain bowl and salad spot called Farmside Kitchen, as well as a new restaurant from The Chapel Hill Restaurant Group: Pan-Asian street food and tiki drinks called LuLuBangBang.
For dessert, there are two new sweet shops in Downtown Durham: Sweets by Shayda, a dessert cafe best known for their colorful macarons, and Simons Says Dip This for fun dipped soft-serve flavors, freeze-dried candies, and artisanal nut butter spreads.
To compare to last year’s openings, view the 2020 recap here.
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