Diners' Choice: Great for brunch restaurants in Durham

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that are great for brunch in Durham? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Vin Rouge

4.8

4.8 (4549)

$31 to $50

French

Durham

About the restaurant

Vin rouge is a French Bistro. We focus on classic preparations served in a true bistro atmosphere. We have beautiful patio and garden areas for those who prefer to dine outside. Please indicate your preference for dining inside or out. We look forward to cooking for you soon!

Top review

oscarVIP

Dined 4 days ago

approximately our 10-12th visit. An excellent, well paced meal on the (indoor) patio. "Jax" our waiter - was great, honestly, I am always impressed by the understated - he and the rest of the staff managed a busy evening with quiet panache. well done. plus he chased us down as we were leaving with our leftovers. The mussels were delicious (we should have asked for our baguette early to dip but next time!), The roast chicken and macaroni and cheese (shared - more than plenty for 2) was delicious. still our favorite in Durham!

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Popular dish

French Onion Soup Gratinée

Popular dish

Hanger Steak

Experience

New Year's Eve Celebration!

Fairview Dining Room

4.8

4.8 (1867)

$31 to $50

American

Durham

About the restaurant

The AAA Four Diamond Fairview Dining Room has been reimagined as a lighter, brighter backdrop for our renowned fine dining experience. Featuring custom details hand-crafted for the space by regional artisans, this new design simply enhances what you have loved for years.

With the reopening of the new Fairview Dining Room, our Area Executive Chef Troy Stauffer and his imaginative culinary team have introduced a new Fall menu, perfectly complementing the elevated look and feel of the space. Indulge in a savory Cheshire Pork Tenderloin or delicious Duke of Crabcake with a sommelier suggested wine and finish with a decadent hand-crafted dessert from our pastry team, each dish embracing cozy flavors perfect for fall.

Top review

Elizabeth

Dined 5 days ago

Great. Love dining at Fairview Dining room. Great food, service.

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CHOCOLATE MOLTEN CAKE

Local 22 Kitchen and Bar

4.8

4.8 (1034)

$30 and under

Southern

Durham

About the restaurant

A Southern-accented gastropub with a strong local focus.

Top review

christopherVIP

Dined 4 days ago

This is a fantastic place. The food is delicious and creative. The service is top notch and simply wonderful. We will return soon.

Nasher Cafe at Duke University

4.7

4.7 (855)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Durham

About the restaurant

The 125-seat indoor/outdoor Nasher Cafe overlooks the garden and sits adjacent to the Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen "Corridor Pin" sculpture, providing a serene and beautiful ambience. The Nasher Cafe offers local and sustainable products forged into creative lunch, brunch and dinner menus. Guests can experience a world class museum as well as restaurant in one stop.

Top review

JayneVIP

Dined on Dec 10, 2024

This cafe is a great little find at the Nasher. Been here a handful of times for lunch. It’s always busy, well executed inventive menu. Had the Vanilla matcha tea with Oat milk- very good. Panini with turkey,cucumbers, carmélized onions and quinoa salad was a great choice. My friend had the goat cheese BLT minus the tomato along with an aioli sauce; basil pesto pasta salad. She said it was very good. I would definitely return for an evening meal with wine. The museum cafe is worthwhile to visit. Even on a weekend while visiting.

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4.7

4.7 (2043)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Carrboro

About the restaurant

Tandem offers modern American cuisine in a sophisticated, yet comfortable atmosphere.

Top review

rachael

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

The food here is always reliably good and was on my visit. Beet and Brussels salad with goat cheese was delicious. The salmon I ordered with it (add protein) was good but it was not served as a cohesive dish. I expected it to be served on top of the salad vs on a separate plate and with more seasoning. Service was attentive. I’ll. Be back.

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Emmy Squared - Durham

4.7

4.7 (64)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Durham

About the restaurant

Founded on an unconditional love of well-made food, we use only the highest quality ingredients for our famous Detroit-style pizzas. As Emmy Squared has grown, we’ve continued to make fans and receive accolades along the way, including winning Nashville’s Battle of the Burger, being recognized as one of "The Best New Burgers in NYC" (Gothamist) and one of the "20 Best Burgers in NYC" (Infatuation). Besides award-winning pizzas and burgers, you’ll find delectable appetizers, sandwiches, and salads on our extensive menu. We look forward to welcoming you to Emmy Squared Durham and sharing our unique take on American “comfort food.”

Top review

Louise

Dined on Dec 5, 2024

Great place for a pizza and salad - good service, delicious food, and nice atmosphere.

Nikos

4.7

4.7 (427)

$31 to $50

Greek

Durham

About the restaurant

NIKOS offers a treasure trove of flavors distilled from Greece and the surrounding regions — spanning from the southern coast of Crete to the north of Mount Athos, and from the Ionian islands to the Aegean Sea.

We invite you to embark on a culinary journey that encompasses health, wisdom, dreams, passions, and the timeless pursuit of ideas that transcend boundaries.

Top review

JessVIP

Dined 1 day ago

I had a fantastic experience at Nikos! The zucchini cakes were incredibly tasty, crispy on the outside and soft inside. The roasted cauliflower was full of flavor and perfectly cooked. The falafel was packed with flavor and cooked just right, and the chicken shawarma was absolutely delicious. Our server, Lauren, was amazing—friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. The restaurant is charming and beautifully decorated, making for a lovely dining atmosphere. I highly recommend this place for a wonderful meal!

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Opa! Hour @ The Nikos Bar

It's A Southern Thing Ellis Crossings

4.6

4.6 (50)

$30 and under

Southern

Durham

About the restaurant

It's A Southern Thing is our owner's personal love letter to The South. We've proudly served Downtown Durham since 2017 and are thrilled to expand and open up our second location here at Ellis Crossing. Known for our unique take on traditional Southern fair, we welcome you with a laid back atmosphere, Southern hospitality, delicious craft cocktails and thoughtfully created, scratch made dishes. From our best-selling Shrimp and Grits to Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chops, Fried Green Tomatoes, Collard Greens, Chicken and Waffle Skewers and everything in between, you will find familiar flavors presented in an original way. Offering brunch and dinner seven days a week, with extended bar hours and a private dining area for small functions, we invite you to come in, stay a while and let us show you why so many customers love being part of our It's A Southern Thing family.

Top review

Carolyn

Dined on Nov 21, 2024

The food was amazing, the restaurant was quiet during lunch on a weekday, I will definitely return! The flapjacks charcuterie board, biscuits, and sausage gravy were delicious!

Kanki Durham

4.4

4.4 (442)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Durham

About the restaurant

Since 1972, Kanki has been the Triangle’s favorite Japanese steakhouse and sushi house.
Located in West Durham on Mount Moriah Road, Kanki Durham serves up delicious hibachi lunches and dinners, sushi and much more.

Our Durham, NC Japanese restaurant is the only Kanki location with a To-Go number, and we make picking up take out orders fast and simple with designated parking spaces and an easily accessible “Take Out” door.

Kanki will only seat complete parties. Please have all your guests accounted for prior to seating. Incomplete parties must wait to be seated until all has arrived.

An 18% gratuity will be added to parties of 6 or more.

Top review

MarkVIP

Dined on Nov 27, 2024

Always a favorite for over 40 plus years. My wife and I moved away from Raleigh and are only able to go to Kanki when we visit our children in Raleigh. We’re moving back soon to the area to retire to be closer to our family and are looking forward to being regulars at Kanki again in near future!

Carolina Brewery - Chapel Hill

4.0

4 (213)

$30 and under

Southern

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

Since 1995, we have been proudly serving the locals, students and visitors to Chapel Hill. A lot has changed in both our town and the craft beer industry since we opened our doors as the culmination of a business school plan I wrote my senior year at UNC. Today, we celebrate our North Carolina roots with a made-from-scratch menu focused on Carolina foods in a newly renovated building. I hope you enjoy a true Carolina experience here at Carolina Brewery and will look for our award winning beers on your travels throughout the Carolinas.
Cheers,
Robert Poitras
Owner/Founder

Top review

robertVIP

Dined on Oct 18, 2024

Had reservation but ended up sitting in bar area high top where it was louder than normal due to some baseball fans really into the game. We liked the Octoberfest specials: good beer and the roasted apple kraut was outstanding. Overall was fine but would have preferred to have been seated at a regular table upstairs especially now that reservations are more or less required if you don't want to wait an hour on the weekend.

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