A Raleigh Resident's Guide to Durham

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Lauren Barrett

Durham, North Carolina is right in my backyard, and makes up one of the cities in the Triangle - Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

I like to hate and say Raleigh is better, but that is highly debatable in the last few years as the Bull City is expanding, developing, and evolving into a hip, vibrant city for the whole family. We always enjoy going to the American Tobacco Campus to dine and catch a Durham Bulls game. 

I don't get to this city as often as I like, so I asked three resident experts to help me out. My friends, Stephanie and Kent, live in the city and have first-hand experience of traversing across the town.

​My other friend, Mindy, lives in Cary, but she's always in the know of what restaurants, breweries, and bars are good. Read on for their top recommendations. 

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Breweries and Bars

• Fullsteam Brewery - good food since they have opened their kitchen
• Ponysaurus Brewing - nice outdoor setup with their deck. 
• Bar Brunello - a cozy wine bar

Food

• La Superior - a Latin/Mexican food market with a cafe inside. The tamales and horchata are highly recommended. Super affordable, including quality cuts of meat already prepped and seasoned. ​
  
• Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas - a fusion of southern and Latino food with affordable prices. 
  
• Queen Burger
  
• Oak House Coffee Shop 
  

Activities 

• ​The American Tobacco Trail - a bike, walking, and running path that spans 22+ miles and crosses through 3 counties, including Durham. 
  
• Durham Bulls Athletic Park
• Durham Performing Arts Center
  
• Duke Gardens 
  
• Nasher Museum - the art museum of Duke University 

Events 

• Beaver Queen Pageant for fundraising for the Eno River Association 
• Smash Fest for Scrap Exchange where you literally smash things 

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My name is Lauren, and I was born in New Jersey, grew up in West Virginia, went to college in Pennsylvania, and now live and work in North Carolina. I'm a high school teacher of the deaf and hard-of-hearing by day, a cross country coach by the afternoon, a writer by night, and a full time mom to an amazing toddler. I love my faith, running, watching baseball, chocolate, scrapbooking, pretending I would actually do well on the Amazing Race, re-watching The Office, listening to Bobby Bones, and helping out all moms.