Where Culinary & Culture Meet Cool: Explore Durham Like a Local with Chef Ricky Moore

Hey there — Chef Ricky Moore here: owner and chef at Saltbox Seafood Joint, wannabe DJ, artist, bass guitar player and proud Triangle local. When you step into Durham, you’re stepping into a city that’s as flavorful as it is cool. My wife, Norma, and I have called North Carolina home for nearly 20 years, and a lot of that time has been spent in Durham with my businesses. And Durham is special. It’s where the restaurants are the nucleus of the community — where stories are shared over sweet tea, barbecue, slaw and seafood. It’s a place where history, like the legacy of Black Wall Street, feels alive, and where culture thrives, from Broadway shows at Durham Performing Arts Center to the charm of the farmers’ markets. Savor your visit here — because Durham is cool, but it’s also much more than that; it’s unforgettable.

The heart of Durham: restaurants 

Most places I go have been around for a long time, and I always try to go out to eat and support my friends. These places are Durham. They dial in the sense of place and aren’t artificial.

Breakfast

• Cocoa Cinnamon: They’re great people. I usually order a simple cafe au lait, and I like to stop by on a regular basis.  
• Guglhupf: I pop in here for breakfast a lot. I like to order the omelet.
• Loaf: I love the breads and pastries and artisanal craftsmanship of everything they do.

Lunch & dinner 

• The Chicken Hut: It’s Durham history. It’s still family owned and operated, and it’s a legacy that’s so important in our community. 
• Toast: Billy and Kelly Cotter are always so welcoming and friendly. It’s just what I want to eat. My go-to order is the crostini — goat cheese with honey, chicken livers and bacon — and then an egg sandwich with a salad. Kelly will always give me a piece of cake that she makes. 
• Bar Virgile: It’s like a boutique Cheers. Everybody’s real, everybody’s enjoying themselves, greeting one another, having a cocktail, a plate of food. There’s no pretense. 
• Namu: I enjoy the beautiful environment at this Korean restaurant. You can eat, but you can also spend time there and feel comfortable just hanging out in the outside garden area. It’s very relaxed. I love the way it feels — it’s surprising when you walk in to find such an oasis. The room temperature glass noodles with vegetables hits the spot when I want something clean and satisfying.
• Boricua Soul: This is another family-owned business with a great, compelling story. It’s Southern cooking mixed with Caribbean and Euro-African roots.

The new kids on the block I'm loving

• QueDogs: This is a family-run business that started with just a pop-up table and has grown into its own space. They’re very passionate about what they do, and I love a hotdog concept that’s homegrown. 
• Little Bull: Oscar Diaz is doing a great job here. He’s authentic, and I really enjoy what he does with flavor and pulling inspiration from the different aspects of his background.  
• Cheeni: Preeti Waas has this ability to create hospitality that makes you feel good. She has done a wonderful job delivering on the food from whence she came. Her storytelling is wonderful.

Summertime, Durham edition

Go at your own pace, but major things for me are: 

• Festivals: There are a lot of smaller festivals in the summer in Durham that showcase the area’s culture and community, like Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival, North Carolina Juneteenth and the Festival for the Eno around the Fourth of July. There, I get to run into folks I know and reconnect with people I haven’t seen in a while, and there’s always good music and food.  
• Durham Farmers' Market: I also always go to the farmers markets, of course. Not just to shop for the restaurant but to connect with folks. 
• Missy Lane’s Assembly Room: This is a great place to hang out. Durham has a really cool jazz scene that’s been around for a long time. A lot of really talented musicians play here or come through here to perform. Missy Lane’s created a home for the music scene that’s stylish and welcoming. 
• American Tobacco Campus: Check out the landmarks in this revitalized tobacco manufacturing campus so you can learn Durham’s story, then go to a Durham Bulls game after. 
• Outdoor music: We always have outdoor music going on in the summer. Playlist in the Park in Durham Central Park happens on one Friday night per month and it turns into a real party with DJs after the bands finish. It’s something I look forward to.