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It has been too long since I have hung out in Durham and I hope to make up for it by heading over there tomorrow evening after work. I have a copy of the latest Indy Weekly and am combing through it to find some good music to go listen to, but thought I would see if anybody had the inside scoop on places to check out. My wife and I mainly frequent the 9th Street and Brightleaf Square Area and are looking for somewhere new and different to grab some cheap eats ($10-$15 bucks a person) and then walk somewhere to maybe catch a decent band or open mic. Any thoughts?
Blue Corn Cafe on Ninth Street serves South American dishes at about the price range you're looking for. (More of course if you get margaritas or another drink...heheh.)
If you got leftover money dessert at Francesca's is always a real treat.
I dunno about music venues there that much, but I did see something about an African Dance troupe doing a live performance at the Carolina Theatre that night. That's something to think about.
It has been too long since I have hung out in Durham and I hope to make up for it by heading over there tomorrow evening after work. I have a copy of the latest Indy Weekly and am combing through it to find some good music to go listen to, but thought I would see if anybody had the inside scoop on places to check out. My wife and I mainly frequent the 9th Street and Brightleaf Square Area and are looking for somewhere new and different to grab some cheap eats ($10-$15 bucks a person) and then walk somewhere to maybe catch a decent band or open mic. Any thoughts?
Yes, Blue Corn Cafe and Francesca's are both awesome places (though Blue Corn is a little pricier at dinner). You've probably already been to Cosmic Cantina (on Perry, just off 9th), which is very good Mexican at very cheap prices... mmm!
There's a few new places in Durham, but most of them (Alivia's Durham Bistro, Piazza Italia - restaurant and Italian market with homemade gelato and pasta, Rue Cler and Piedmont) are all on the pricy side.
The Broad St. Cafe at corner of Club and Broad has become a very happening place for coffee, wine/beer, and live music. Up-to-date schedule at www.broadstreetcafe.org. No dinner options really, though.
If you're in the mood for some soul food/seafood/good ol' Southern cooking, Pan Pan Diner (famous in Durham, but lost to I-85 construction) has re-opened in Northgate Mall. And of course, there's always the Federal, which has great food with a mix of affordable and pricy options.
Hey BCR--can't believe we both forgot Elmo's Diner....best cheap eats in Durham probably.
It's on Ninth Street too, NRG, you'll like it....and if anyone here is ever in Carrboro, there's one there too. (Now if we can only get them to open a third one in Raleigh, I'd be a happy guy!
Thanks for the recommendations Raleigh Rob and Bull City. Sounds like I have plenty of great options to choose from! No matter where we eat, I am definitely going to check out Francesca's!
Hi guys was thinking of moving to durham and was worried about finding cool places to hang out and have a bite to eat. It seems to me from these posts there is a lot going on down there. I can't wait to try out these places. I will be visiting in March to find a place. I look forward to Durham. I got so tired of everyone giving the place such a bad rap. You know "different strokes for different folks" Bad things happen everywhere. I love this site. A few months ago when i was planning to move to NC I had no idea of what it would be like and which neighborhoods were best for me. But this site has truly enlightened me. i already have a mental pic of what it's like down there. I live in the Bronx In NY and if you can live there Man you can live anywhere.
So Durham here I come
Hi guys was thinking of moving to durham and was worried about finding cool places to hang out and have a bite to eat. It seems to me from these posts there is a lot going on down there. I can't wait to try out these places. I will be visiting in March to find a place. I look forward to Durham. I got so tired of everyone giving the place such a bad rap. You know "different strokes for different folks" Bad things happen everywhere. I love this site. A few months ago when i was planning to move to NC I had no idea of what it would be like and which neighborhoods were best for me. But this site has truly enlightened me. i already have a mental pic of what it's like down there. I live in the Bronx In NY and if you can live there Man you can live anywhere.
So Durham here I come
Come on down! It's not for everyone, but nowhere is... and I agree with you, I hate for it to get an "unfair" bad rap (which is why I post so much... :-) Personally, living in a place like the Bronx -- or anywhere in NYC -- would be waaaay too much "city" for me in terms of bustle and noise. I like a smaller place with urban amenities, and Durham is great for that.
But the awesome thing about the Triangle -- and I've said it before and will again -- is that there are different communities with different lifestyles, all in the same area. That's pretty unusual among the places in the US I've lived.
Thanks again for the great recommendations. My wife and I had a great time in Durham last night. When we first got there, we happened upon a free wine tasting at whole foods, and then stopped by the Cosmic Cantina for chips/salsa and a beer to warm us up. After hitting some of the shops on 9th street we went into George's Garage and had a glass of wine at the Bar before heading over to Elmo's Diner for a great dinner. I loved the food there and highly recommend the spinach artichoke dip as an appetizer.
We ended the evening at this desert/coffee cafe called the Broad Street Cafe. I thought they were going to have some jazz music, but I had read the calendar incorrectly and they were actually having a big poetry reading event. I was amazed at how many people showed up. The cafe is quite large and has lots of comfy couches which was nice since almost 100 people showed up! Fortunately my wife and I were able to snag a couch and relax for the remainder of the evening. I have never been to a Poetry Reading like that and I must say it was pretty cool. It was definitely a great time and my wife and I are looking forward to going back soon. Next time we will try and hit some of the other places you guys recommended. Thanks!
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