Love breakfast? We do too. Everything from bottomless mimosas to all-you-can buffets. Here’s the best breakfast and brunch spots in Durham.
We’re about to take you on a mouthwatering journey through Durham, North Carolina, where breakfast dreams come true. Brace yourselves for the ultimate guide to the best locally owned brunch and breakfast spots in the Bull City. Scroll to the bottom for a map with every spot listed.
Guglhupf
Guglhupf is pure magic. Their German-style bakery serves up breads, pastries, and desserts, they’re an award-winning local favorite. You can also grab brunch, lunch, and dinner at their cafe and biergarten that features cuisine with southern German roots, emphasizing local and seasonal ingredients. They do all of them to perfection. We love their outdoor seating that’s accompanied by a water foundation and tons of greenery.
Must order: Eggs Benedict, pancakes
Location: 2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
Press, Coffee + Crêpes
Press, Coffee + Crêpes is the perfect spot to satisfy your cravings for both caffeine and crêpes. From savory fillings like ham and cheese to sweet delights like Nutella and strawberries, there’s a crêpe to suit every craving. Trust us, this place is a match made in breakfast heaven!
Must Try: Hashbrown waffle on the weekend menu
Location: 359 Blackwell St, Durham, NC 27701
Mad Hatter Cafe & Bakeshop
This charming spot serves brunch all day long and offers a delightful menu featuring creations like the Quiche + Arugula Salad, breakfast burritos, and creative coffee concoctions. Be sure to save room for their delectable pastries and cakes.
Location: 1802 W Main St, Durham, NC 27705
The Refectory Café
At The Refectory Café, you’ll discover divine breakfast creations made with locally sourced ingredients, such as their farmhouse omelet, chicken and waffles, or shrimp and grits.
Location: 2726 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
True Flavors
The atmosphere at True Flavors Diner is energetic and comfortable, designed like no diner you’ve seen before. An open kitchen greets guests as they enter and treats them to a true “behind the scenes” show complete with seating at the lunch counter. We love their modern take on classic Southern homestyle fare.
Must order: Chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits
Location: 5410 Highway 55 Suite AJ AK, Durham, NC 27713
Brigs
Brigs is a Triangle-based chain serving all-day breakfasts, burgers and all our other favorite comfort-food staples. The Belgian waffles are some of the best around- light, fluffy, and a little crispy. If you make it- try their weekday specials for $6.49- served Monday through Friday from 7am until 11am.
Must Order: Belgian Waffle, Stuffed French Toast
Location: 4900 NC-55, Durham, NC 27713
Beyu Caffe
Beyu is a local staple and they definitely allow everyone to Be-You. The environment, service and food are awesome. They’ve got ample seating so you can settle in and get work done or bring a crew and socialize.
Must Order: Sweet Potato French Toast, Shrimp and grits
Location: 341 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Geer Street Garden
Geer Street Garden is in a renovated former gas station and they have an awesome outdoor patio. They serve up comfort food, beers & cocktails. You have to go for the all you can eat Sunday brunch.
Must Try: All you can eat Sunday Brunch, Bloody Mary
Location: 644 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701
Foster’s Market
Foster’s is a Durham staple that is known for their scratch-made soups, salads, sandwiches, and casseroles. What I love about Foster’s Market is how convenient everything is. They make the simplest dishes extravagant and treat you like old-time friends.
Must Try: Farm Plate or Grits Bowl
Location: 2694 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
Parker and Otis
Parker & Otis is our one stop shop for coffee, good food, and all the knickknacks you’ll ever need. Plus lots of laugh brought to you by hilarious greeting cards. Everything on the menu is good and is $12.99 or less.
Must Try: #3- 2 eggs with bacon and whooping cheddar cheese biscuit
Location: 324 Blackwell St Bay 4, Durham, NC 27701
Dame’s Chicken and Waffles
Let’s be honest- chicken and waffles are good any time of the day- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We love Dame’s twist on the classic combo with their homemade flavor shmears. It really brings it to the next level.
Must Try: Their shmears with the waffles- it’s flavored butter that will make you forget syrup
Location: 530 Foster St Suite 130, Durham, NC 27701
It’s a Southern Thing
It’s a Southern Things serves up elevated Southern fare just steps away from Brightleaf. Come for their bottomless mimosas and stay for the southern fried French toast. Brunch is served on Sundays 10am-2pm
Must Try: Bottomless mimosas, Southern Fried French Toast, Pete’s Breakfast
Location: 605 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Elmo’s Diner
Elmo’s Diner has been a local Durham favorite for more than twenty years, they’re a family-friendly diner with a hometown feel. The menu consists of traditional morning fare with Southern favorites. There is almost an overwhelming selection of food, but we think that breakfast or brunch is the way to go here. They get extra points for being super kid-friendly!
Must Try: Baked French Toast, Quiche
Location: 776 9th St, Durham, NC 27705
Nosh
Nosh is a little bit of a hidden gem that is popular with Duke Students. They serve eclectic comfort grub such as burgers, brisket & breakfast biscuits. Their breakfast is awesome and affordable.
Must Try: Breakfast Pizza, Buttermilk Flapjacks
Location: 2812 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Hope Valley Diner
One of the few diners around, Hope Valley Diner offers an all-day menu, including blue-plate specials & family dinners to-go.
Must Try: Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast
Location: 3710 Shannon Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Bull and Bean
Bull and Bean is a great spot for breakfast, brunch, and lunch any day of the week. We love that they serve Counter Culture coffee and if you want to grab an iced coffee, the ice cubes are made from coffee so your drink doesn’t get watered down. Score!
Must Try: Famous Loaded Hash Browns
Location: 3710 Shannon Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Nzinga’s Breakfast Cafe
This spot is truly a hidden gem. It’s affordable Southern comfort food. You’ll find most of Nzinga’s menu is under $10. The must try is the chicken and waffle combo and it’s just $7.99.
Must Try: Chicken and Waffles, Shrimp and Grits
Location: 826 Fayetteville Street #110, Durham, NC 27701
Grub
Grub is an old gas station turned Southern eatery with a rooftop bar. Most breakfast plates and bowls hover around $8, with great serving sizes. Pretty much everything on the menu is under $10. Breakfast is served until 3pm.
Must Try: Best Bird Biscuit (Fried chicken, bacon, pickles, and honey butter drizzle on a biscuit), Cinnamon rolls
Location: 1200 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
NanaSteak
Located in the building that houses DPAC and Aloft Hotel, Nanasteak offers all the steakhouse classics with their own unique feel and taste. The reviews are right- this place is all it’s cracked up to be. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 10:30am-2pm.
Must Try: Braised Beef Short Rib, Flatiron steak and eggs, Quiche
Location: 345 Blackwell St, Durham, NC 27701
Monuts
Monuts takes a more modern approach to breakfast, staying in tune with the Durham trends. They have donuts, muffins, and bagels as well as a build your own egg sandwich and quiche.
Must Try: Donuts (obviously) Build your own bagel sandwiches, chicken and pickle biscuit
Location: 1002 9th St, Durham, NC 27705
Early Bird Donuts
Small batch, California- style, made-from-scratch donuts. The donuts come in a variety of flavors, including glazed, chocolate glazed, peanut butter cup, Oreo and many more. You can even personalize your donuts with the fillings! Vanilla and chocolate, along with lemon, cherry and raspberry can be hand-pumped into each donut at the time it’s ordered. Do yourself a favor and say YES to the biscuits!
Early Bird Donuts is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon.
Location: 2816 Erwin Rd Suite 101, Durham, NC 27705
Vin Rouge
Vin Rouge is an authentic French bistro off 9th Street. We love the ambiance of this spot, it’s great for date night or even family gatherings. The menu offers a range of French cuisine, seafood, and salads. If it’s a warm night we highly recommend their patio.
Must Try: Eggs Benedictine
Location: 2010 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Picnic
Serving up locally sourced whole-hog BBQ & Southern fare, with craft beer & cocktails, in hip-rustic digs. Not the first place you’d expect to have brunch, but you won’t be disappointed. Come for the $2 mimosas and stay for the chicken and waffle sandwich. Brunch is served on Sundays.
Must Try: Chicken and waffle sandwich, Fried chicken biscuit sandwich, $2 Mimosas, $3 Bloodies
Location: 1647 Cole Mill Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Ninth Street Bakery
You really can’t go wrong with this place. The pumpkin bar and the cruffin (a croissant and a muffin…I know!) are absolutely delectable. The bakery itself is a dream come true and you can smell the sweet goodness from a block away. Other things to try: Vegan coconut banana chocolate chip ball or the Sourdough French bread.
Must Try: Cinnamon rolls, Cruffin, DURM country loaves
Location: 136 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
Loaf
From sweet Danishes to crème puffs, cinnamon buns, scones, and apple frittatas, there is no wrong choice ever when it comes to items at the Loaf Bakery. It’s more of a walk-in, walk-out establishment, so you’ll probably be taking it to go but you might just devour your pastries before you even get to your car.
Must Try: Really anything but we especially love the danishes
Location: 111 W Parrish St, Durham, NC 27701
Up Next: Best Patios and Rooftop Bars in Durham
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Author: Best of the Bull Staff
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