Nasher Cafe

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Address:
2001 Campus Dr.
Durham, NC 27705

Neighborhood:
Durham

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Cuisine:
Fusion / Eclectic

Price: $30 and under

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Nasher Cafe Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.nasher.duke.edu/museum_cafe.php
Email: aidan.peters@duke.edu
Phone: (919) 684-6032
Hours of Operation: Brunch: Saturday: 11:00am - 3:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm - 3:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Wednesday, Friday: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Thursday: 11:00am - 5:00pm; Dinner: Thursday: 5:00pm - 8:15pm
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Fusion / Eclectic
Executive Chef: Enrique Abreo
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Beer, Cafe, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Smoking Area, Smoking Area (patio only), Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine
Entertainment: Live and Local features live music and local products. Check out the calendar on nasher.duke.edu for further information regarding special programming and more.

Getting there

Cross Street: Anderson
Parking: Private Lot

A word from Nasher Cafe

The 100-seat indoor/outdoor Nasher Cafe overlooks the garden and sits adjacent to a Mark Di Suvero sculpture, providing a serene and beautiful ambience. The menu consists of soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts.

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerGreat for Brunch
Diners' Choice WinnerGreat for Lunch
Diners' Choice WinnerOutdoor Dining

Diner Reviews

"I took a friend to the Nasher Museum to celebrate his birthday, and it was his first time visiting the museum and eating in the cafe. We has an excellent time and really enjoyed the tasty food."
Dined on 2/27/2014
"If combining a meal with visiting the Nasher, this is sufficient. While the food is generally ok, we found a poor selection of wines and one taste was clearly from an old bottle. They often seem to continually switch servers which can be annoying."
Dined on 2/9/2014
"What a great way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon! The food was delicious, the wait staff was very attentive, and we thoroughly enjoyed the music."
Dined on 2/9/2014
"My daughter and I dropped in after walking around Duke Gardens. It was very crowded but we were seated in 15 minutes. What I had wanted to try was sold out by the time our waitress came to take our order and she made a point of saying that if she had come seconds earlier we could had our first choice. Our food was okay but nothing great and our service was lacking. We will probably try again before making a final judgement."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"Tired of going to the same restaurants for dinner, a friend recommended going here, and I was truly blown away by this hidden gem. The food menu changes every Thursday night which is great for those of us who get tired of routine, static menus and establishments that are always the same. Each server we were approached by was very energetic, enthusiastic, and more importantly honest about their menu recommendations. They told us that we couldnt go wrong with ordering a beautifully crafted cheese plate and a salmon entre. The food was absolutely astonishing. For a small space, you dont expect such beautifully prepared food with unique, savory tastes. We very very well taken care of by the staff and will definitely recommed to friends"
Dined on 1/9/2014
"I don't usually write reviews but felt compelled to express what a wonderful experience I had. When I made the reservation I had seen some recent negative reviews posted about service and food quality, but from my experiences the food is amazing and the servers are fabulous and super fun! I've been to the Nasher a couple of times because it's such a nice place to visit - being a museum cafe, it's a one-two punch for dining and entertainment. This time around I made a reservation because I know they are busy for brunch (they're almost always busy) and I wasn't wrong. But despite being busy and having such a small kitchen, the service is consistently satisfying and well-rounded. Make a reservation and try it out for yourself!"
Dined on 1/12/2014
"A group of us were looking forward to brunch at the Nasher Cafe. We left disappointed and it will not be a venue we return. Although the food was wonderful. The service was atrocious. There was just a lack of service. We had to flag the server down to order; drinks were not refilled; no checking back with the table; we had to ask for the dessert menu; then at least a 30 minute wait for the checks. It was not busy there either. I was the only one charged for my beverage as the rest of the table wasn't. The experience was just off and there are much better places to dine in the area."
Dined on 1/19/2014
"We will definitely be back! Servers were great with our children and were more than gracious in offering to provide food that was not on the menu or kids menu for our picky son--- Food was wonderful with surprisingly healthy options. Wish the museum had had more artwork but I guess one exhibit had just closed, so they were in transition. The only downside was that it is cold in there with drafts from the beams above so we were thankful we brought our jackets! Paying for parking isn't great either, but neither one of those things is the restaurants fault, so a definite four star experience!"
Dined on 1/4/2014
"I ordered a sandwich, but found grit (broken glass bits or sand) inside. I told the waiter, who brought another sandwich. It also had grit. Since we had waited almost an hour for service, we gave up and left."
Dined on 12/31/2013
"Although I usually like this place a lot, my last visit was a major disappointment. The food was advertised as a special Middle Eastern menu and it looked good on paper, but it turned out it was so poorly described that we received was not what we expected. The main course was skimpy, and the advertised lamb in the stuffed tomatoes was miniscule. The service was appalling - no silver brought, no waiter around to ask for it, the soup (which was described as a stew) too cold to eat by the time we got a spoon, and the whole thing so slow we had no time to visit the exhibit before the museum closed. Here's hoping they were just having a bad night."
Dined on 12/26/2013
"Our order was lost. We waited about an hour for the mistake to be corrected. I spoke to the waiter twice before they could find sme food. Noise level was very high. We won't go again during holiday season."
Dined on 12/13/2013
"Museum restaurants are usually a safe bet to try and this one is no exception. Delicious food in a pretty setting make this worth your while."
Dined on 11/29/2013
"The food was good but they were out of several desserts. They said they made them at the other store wherever that was. The service was not good but they had only two waiters which was not enough. We would go back because it was in the Nasher Museum. However, it does not meet the standard of other museum restaurants. Blake"
Dined on 11/19/2013
"We sat outside with a group of 5 adults and 2children, overlooking a broad green lawn. Service was very friendly and efficient, even though they were busy. We asked the server to bring orders for the children first, which they did. They were able to accommodate my gluten-free, dairy-free diet with no difficulty. There were healthy choices among the vegetable omelets and other offerings, as well as a decadent French Toast casserole and corned beef with eggs Benedict for those who wanted to indulge. The children loved the crisp, soft toast which came with a charming pot of butter and individual dishes of preserves, but they also liked and ate their eggs! The staff was also able to accommodate a late arrival to our group with grace."
Dined on 11/17/2013
"Very pleasant and very welcome, because the Nasher Museum is not near any other restaurants."
Dined on 11/16/2013
"The Nasher Cafe is tucked in Duke's Nasher Art Museum and offers a wide selection of different dishes. The food is well made and the portions adequate. You will run into students, tourists and locals alike. Service is friendly though sitting for reservations is a little confusing, sometimes someone sits you sometimes you choose a table. The outdoor dining is just a good as the indoor and the service does not suffer with the change in location."
Dined on 11/16/2013
"Party of four had lunch before seeing exhibits. Our friends complained about the type of music coming from speakers. They are sensitive classical musicians and hate the pop or rock type. My husband and I also would have preferred more subdued music or no music at all! If you need music, just turn on WCPE, the Classical Station ! At arrival, nobody at hostess desk. Had reservations but had to find a cleaned table to sit down. Waited until finally waiter came to take our orders, waited a long while before food arrived, although we were the only guests left. Would appreciate. Please instruct your personnel on speedier and better attention to guests. Otherwise, restaurant has an airy and bright appearance. Lunch selections were good."
Dined on 11/13/2013
"The wait staff practically ignored us. We finally got our to place our order after sitting there for half a hour. Then we waited on the food. We tried to get someone's attention and finally they told us they were making more pesto for the pasta. After over an hour our food arrived. The good was good, but not worth the wait."
Dined on 11/8/2013
"Went for brunch on a busy Sunday. Noise level inside the museum was very high. Outside on the protected patio it was sunny, warm and much quieter. All of us enjoyed our brunch entrees."
Dined on 10/27/2013
"Noise level wasn't "energetic" it was extremely noisy due to lack of any noise mitigation in the space. Clattering dishes, chatter, din. And I wasn't wearing my hearing aid. Very annoying. Waiter seemed inexperienced, unresponsive, and started to take my plate without asking before I was finished. Furniture institutional, not elegant or appealing. Nothing "fine" about dining here. Your questionaire, btw, is biased toward a positive review. Although the food was pretty good the overall experience was poor to unacceptable."
Dined on 10/25/2013
"A friend and I ate there at lunch one day before seeing an exhibit. I ordered the burger w/quinoa side and she had the veggie sandwich with chips on the side. We both wanted to try each other's food so the waiter offered for the kitchen to cut our sandwiches and place the two halves on the plate. We ordered burger med-well but it over-cooked and so dry it was hard to swallow. The quinoa was just unremarkable. The veggie sandwich was okay but not memorable. And although the staff was kind, they hardly came around--we had to flag them down twice for refills."
Dined on 10/25/2013
"Sound bounces off marble and tile surfaces, making conversation hard when crowded. Service courteous and fast, got to lecture on time. Food fine for lunch and snacks, dinner expensive..much better available in Durham for same price."
Dined on 10/25/2013
"I love the Nasher for Sunday brunch on a lovely sunny day when sitting outdoors is possible. Food is enhanced by the view and a tour through the inspiring art work after eating."
Dined on 9/29/2013
"Got brunch for the first time here, it was delicious! The staff was so helpful and did I mention the food was delicious? Because it was. Got the Veggie Benedict, not sure if I even liked eggs benedict in general, and I was convinced that I definitely do!"
Dined on 9/29/2013
"A beautiful sunny Sunday on the patio. The Asian salad was unique and delicious. We loved the beet salad. And the smoked salmon platter was the lox I remember from my youth in Baltimore. Yes, two of us are seniors. Too full for dessert. Would have liked more attention to coffee refills. There was live music which we could not here outside, but that was ok because we had a lot of catching up to do."
Dined on 9/22/2013
"What a wonderful large bowl of Tomato Basil soup. Not too heavy, perfect spices, Yummy. Plenty of salad on the side, deliciously dressed and a wonderful piece of light fresh focaccia. It was a hit as usual. Friends loved their lunches too."
Dined on 9/17/2013
"The noise level at lunchtime was so loud that my two companions and I could hardly hear each other talk until after most of the other diners had departed."
Dined on 9/14/2013
"good variety of breakfast dishes; nice outdoor dinning; service OK"
Dined on 9/14/2013
"I like to bring visitors to Durham here. It's easy to find, the food is good, and the museum is small enough to enjoy in an hour and always has something interesting."
Dined on 9/6/2013
"Food was fresh, prepared with care and attractively presented. Service was excellent (bright Duke students?). Prices were very moderate so all in all our meal and experience was very high valued."
Dined on 9/1/2013
"Nestled next to Duke campus is Nasher cafe right across from the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. You are sitting in a beautiful modern museum with tons of natural lighting with floor to ceiling glass walls looking out on the rolling hills and sculptures on the Nasher grounds. The translucent architecturally significant ceiling is awe inspiring especially when it rains! I must point out you don't have to pay for the Nasher museum to eat there. Just walk right over to the hostess stand. All the sauces are too die for, diverse great gourmet foods with yummy meat and cheese pairings, and the freshest vegetables with interesting and delicious flair. Have fun!"
Dined on 8/24/2013
"Good food, whether dining in or catered (have experienced both). At this recent lunch we enjoyed the club and veggie sandwiches. Service is attentive - this spot is perfect for a lunch during the workday or something more leisurely. Eager to try the patio sometime."
Dined on 8/27/2013
"I love the setting, museum and location. The servers are friendly but on every visit we have to ask to be waited on, ask for more water, ask for our food and ask for the bill. Our appetizer was brought out at the same time as the meal. The servers seem very unorganized and not trained. The food was good but don't go there unless you are very patient and in no hurry. We ordered 2 salads with nothing cooked and the cheese tray and it took us an hour and half from the time we were seated until we finally asked 3 different servers for the bill."
Dined on 8/23/2013
"Guest Chef Carrie Schleiffer of G2B in Durham. The food was very creative and attractively presented, and mostly very good, except for the steak being extremely fatty and not cooked to order: I had asked for medium rare with just a hint of pink, but it was served very rare, just barely seared on the outside. The dessert was outstanding for originality (peach and plum tart with rosemary meringue) and taste. The service was rather wanting. I was served the wrong dish to start with, and a request for more bread was totally neglected until I called over another waitress who delivered the last lonely slice from a basket. The help seemed more interested in horsing around and banter with each other rather than keep an eye on possible guest needs."
Dined on 8/16/2013
"Great staff, outstanding menu items...arugula salad fantastic, loin entree excellent, and desserts amazing."
Dined on 8/16/2013
"The food and service is wonderful. The acoustics are so poor that you can't hear your tablemate - especially when a band is playing as was the case on our visit Sunday for lunch. If the area was sound buffered, I'd come back. As it is now, I don't see it."
Dined on 8/11/2013
"I was meeting with six visitors from the central office of my fraternity and recommended we go to the Nasher. The table was already set up for us when we arrived, and the waitstaff came up just after we sat down to provide menus and descriptions of the specials. We received our starters quickly, followed by the main dishes. The food was excellent and uniformly praised. I had the chilled cucumber soup, which was fantastic. (I'm also a fan of the soup spoons...which I realize is a strange thing to be a fan of, but having artsy spoons in an art museum is a good thing). I followed that with the club sandwich and a side of pasta - the sandwich was piled high with meat, cheese, and veggies and made for a very satisfying lunch."
Dined on 8/1/2013
"Food was ok , but I had higher expectations based upon operator and his history in the local food business. But it was a NNO night which was not very clear as to the very limited menu choices. Overall a disappointment . Making things worse was poor service. No bread offered, no checking on orders, no refills on water, or asked if we liked any more wine. Unless things were to change why would I or anyone want to visit this place."
Dined on 8/2/2013
"We particularly recommend sitting outdoors when the weather permits. The high elevation of the restaurant affords very nice views of the forest across the street. Our waitress was excellent."
Dined on 7/31/2013
"Meeting someone for the first time? Take them somewhere classy. Sit and have a light repast at the Nasher Cafe, then choose any exhibit that might interest your date. Always shows what impeccable taste you have."
Dined on 7/21/2013

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