Ideal's Sandwich Shop in east Durham puts broccoli rabe in basically everything. It’s smashed into the signature chicken cutlet sandwich and Philly roast pork alike, both of which make for an excellent quick lunch. Ideal's also has some grocery staples, including pasta, fresh-baked bread, and a few rotating take-and-bake dinner options, perfect for a night you’re rushing off to a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

Food halls are perfect for large groups and people with different tastes, and Durham Food Hall is no exception. The half a dozen stalls have you covered for something at any hour, beginning with Old North Meats’ $5 breakfast sandwich, which you should definitely add pastrami to. Lunchtime belongs to Ex-Voto, specifically the hearty crunch wraps packed with roasted chicken thighs and chipotle crema. Grab a wood-fired pizza from Napoli for dinner and stick around for a drink at Auctioneer Bar.

If a local film crew wanted to shoot a secret meeting between a private investigator and a client, they’d choose M Sushi. Located below street level in a low-ceilinged dining room with exposed beams overhead, M Sushi is a great spot for a working lunch, weeknight dinner date, or, you know, meeting a private investigator. Order the unagi don, some a la carte nigiri, and some mochi donuts if you’re there during the day, but at night it’s all about the omakase and the rolls.

When you think of Southern food, you’re probably picturing the menu at Chicken Hut, one of the oldest restaurants in the city—they’ve been cooking soul food classics in a space that feels like a school cafeteria since 1957. The fried chicken is the best we’ve tried in town, but everything from the sweet tea and pound cake to chitterlings and pig’s feet is fantastic. They’re only open for lunch, so come here for a quick pit stop before a walk along the American Tobacco Trail.

Saltbox is the kind of place you want to bring people to without telling them anything about it—just walk up to the unassuming roadside box, and watch as they freak out after one bite of lightly fried and incredibly fresh seafood. There is simply no better seafood in the region, and when presented on a humble roll, everything from North Carolina striped mullet to king mackerel shines. Enjoy the accompanying honey-drizzled hush puppies along with the house tea and a lemon punch combo drink.

There are three locations of Cocoa Cinnamon, the city’s best coffee shop, but we like the Old North Durham flagship best. It’s just a few blocks from the center of downtown, in a single-story brick building that’s become a community hub where you’ll probably run into a local musician or freelance writer set up in the corner. The espressos and lattes come from the company’s own Little Waves Coffee Roasters.

Whether you’ve never had our state’s BBQ, or you grew up on it, you should visit Picnic for a plate of whole hog that holds true to North Carolina’s barbecue traditions. This northwest Durham outpost is a bit more expensive than some other options in town, but the slow-cooked pork is extremely high quality and the sides are fantastic. Try the fried okra and coleslaw, and save room for dessert staples like the banana pudding and chocolate chess pie.

We're willing to bet that Dame's makes the best plate of fried chicken and waffles in the world. If you’re feeling like the Hungry Hungry Hippos incarnate, bring a group and get the Orange Speckled Chabo, which comes with a chicken cutlet the size of your face and a sweet potato waffle. Douse it with syrup and hot sauce, add on some spicy collard greens and mac and cheese, and you’ve got a truly excellent brunch that will definitely inspire you to take a nap.

You just graduated from Duke and your extended family is in town to celebrate. Take them to Mediterranean staple Parizade. The busy dining room feels like a cross between the set of Legends of the Hidden Temple and a music video in a museum, while the back patio feels like a piazza. In other words, Parizade is probably the most eccentric restaurant in Durham. Be sure to order the linguine with clams and chorizo, the herb-stuffed branzino with broccolini, and an Aperol spritz.

North Carolina is littered with breweries, making it easy to find a good pint just about anywhere. But it’s worth checking out Ponysaurus first thanks to its expansive lawn covered in picnic tables and umbrellas. They’re not a place that only focuses on hoppy options, as you can get a lot of choices like its superior biére de garde, Mexican-style lager, a cherry sour, and the brewery’s signature Don’t Be Mean to People saison, benefitting local LGBTQ organizations.

Durham’s newest wine bar has bright blue walls and multi-colored bohemian-style lounge chairs, and throws Prince tribute parties. Moreover, Killer Queen feels like the perfect place to bring your tattoo artist for a glass of wine on the back patio, or somewhere to come solo and make a new friend behind the bar. The rotating wine list includes rare vintages from Tasmania to Germany, and you can snack on some things like a burrata plate with watermelon and a microgreens salad.