Diners' Choice: Best Value restaurants in Durham

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best value restaurants in Durham? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Blue Corn Cafe

4.8

4.8 (414)

$31 to $50

Latin American

Durham

About the restaurant

Blue Corn Cafe has been serving the Triangle area since 1997. We offer a locally sourced twist on Latin American cuisine. Our passion for locally sourced food and beverage has allowed us to offer our unique twist on Latin and South American recipes. Both owners Danielle and Antonio Rios have a passion on bringing their culture to your table with unique quality products.
Our warm atmosphere and kind servers make you feel comfortable upon entering and that is only where it begins. We look forward to serving you. Prevecho!

Top review

Rosevip

Dined on Sep 2, 2024

BCC never disappoints. The food is always delicious (don't skip the chips n' queso, but save room for the Ropa Vieja! The service is always excellent. We brought out-of-town family here for lunch on Labor Day, and they were impressed! Plus, this is one of the few places you can find open on Mondays at lunchtime that takes reservations.

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Carolina Brewery - Pittsboro

4.7

4.7 (91)

$30 and under

Southern

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

Carolina Brewery is a brewpub located in Pittsboro, North Carolina that specializes in serving craft beers and American pub fare. The restaurant features a lively atmosphere with a full bar, patio and numerous televisions broadcasting sporting events. Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro serves lunch and dinner daily and offers a variety of menu items made using fresh, in season fruits and vegetables and locally raised beef. The restaurant offers an extensive menu of starters, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, typical pub fare and desserts. Featured entrées at Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro include chicken mac and cheese, down East BBQ plate, crab cakes, shrimp and grits and fish and chips.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Aug 17, 2024

ZOE was awesome and very attentive to our needs always with a smile on her face! She made some wonderful food and beer suggestions. It was our 1st time there and we will go back.

Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar - Durham

4.6

4.6 (177)

$30 and under

Indian

Durham

About the restaurant

Rated as the # 1 Indian Restaurant in Triangle, Lime & Lemon Indian Grill offers an immersive dining experience with exquisite dishes that will take you on a journey through India's many regions, traditions and festivals. We meticulously curate using only the best ingredients to create dishes that are authentic, unsurpassed, and timeless. All this in an ultra-modern setting to ensure your dining affair is nothing short of perfect.

Featured in the October 2019 edition of News & Observer and received a 4 out of 5 star rating. It has been consistently voted as one of the Top 10 Ethnic restaurants and has also been recognized as the Best Indian Restaurant in the Triangle for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Top review

Sean

Dined on Aug 24, 2024

We come here a couple times a year from MN, always a good value with good service and excllent food! This is a no brainer to try.

M Tempura

4.9

4.9 (572)

$50 and over

Japanese

Durham

About the restaurant

M Tempura is Durham's traditional Japanese tempura restaurant offering Tempura as well as Kaiseki Omakase offerings.

For the multi-course menu items, all members of your party must choose the same option please.

We currently cannot accommodate shellfish, vegetarian (egg in batter), gluten, and seafood allergies. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Top review

Ericavip

Dined 2 days ago

Every dish in the kaiseki tasting menu was exquisite. Perfectly paced meal with exceptional service.

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Experience

M Omakase Tasting Menu

Experience

Kaiseki Omakase Menu

Nomad

4.8

4.8 (320)

$30 and under

Global, International

Hillsborough

About the restaurant

Nomad delivers traditional ethnic dishes and craft cocktails with a unique spin, all in a cozy, rustic interior. It’s a modern neighborhood spot that lets you travel the world without leaving Hillsborough.
You may find yourself nestled at Nomad for the entire night, enjoying the atmosphere, the noteworthy dishes and the multi-layered drinks.
In the hands of the locally based, welcoming owners, Nomad brings a diverse dining experience to the Hillsborough area that has yet to be seen.

*Tables are limited to 1 hour and 30 minutes*

Top review

Kimberly

Dined 4 days ago

Great food and amazing service! Will be going back!

Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria

4.8

4.8 (88)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Carrboro

About the restaurant

Offering small plates, True wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, housemade gelato, local beer on draft, wine & cocktails in downtown Carrboro!

Top review

Tom

Dined 3 days ago

We lived in Italy for many years, and Napoli's pizza is the real deal, with a terrific Italian-style crust and a perfect char on the edges. The joint was hopping when we were there, but our server, Madison, took very good care of us. Pro tip: Don't skip the gelato for desert - another authentic taste of Italy. Viva Napoli!

Metro 8 Steakhouse

4.8

4.8 (894)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Durham

About the restaurant

Metro 8, located in Durham, North Carolina, serves American cuisine in an upscale steakhouse that is perfect for date nights or work meetings. Each meal is made to order with fresh ingredients by professionally-trained chefs and cooks. Metro 8 has a full bar which features an extensive wine selection, including both domestic and imported wine.

Start out your meal at Metro 8 with an appetizer such as the crab stuffed shrimp or the empanadas. Choose from dinner entrées like the filet mignon or the lamb chops. For the vegetarians in the group, try items like the fettucine porcine or the Caesar salad.

Top review

Daniel

Dined on Aug 27, 2024

I don’t know how many times I’ve eaten here, but I have never had a bad meal. Everything on the menu is delicious. And Cassie is outstanding with customer service.

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Popular dish

Churrasco

Popular dish

Filet Mignon au Poivre

Popular dish

Caesar Salad

Elements

4.9

4.9 (2400)

$31 to $50

Fusion / Eclectic

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

Elements is OPEN for DINE IN & TAKEOUT!

From the moment you walk in to the last delicious morsel you will taste, we promise to deliver a unique and exquisite dining experience. Our cuisine combines classical as well as modern Asian and European cooking techniques to enhance the flavors of local and sustainable ingredients. Our menu changes often to capitalize on the freshest and most seasonal fare. We believe George Barnard Shaw said it best when he said. There is no love sincerer than the love of food." We couldn't agree more. From fork to mouth, we wish you good eats.

Elements Team

Top review

Marthavip

Dined on Sep 3, 2024

This is my favorite! Food, staff, service — all perfection!

Local 22 Kitchen and Bar

4.8

4.8 (994)

$30 and under

Southern

Durham

About the restaurant

A Southern-accented gastropub with a strong local focus.

Top review

John

Dined 4 days ago

We made reservations online and accepted outdoor seating. The service was perfect. Very attentive staff. I decided on the daily catch. It was cooked perfectly.

Parizade

4.8

4.8 (3260)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Durham

About the restaurant

Parizade is Mediterranean inspired culinary creations. A vast open kitchen spans the length of the restaurant. Surreal art by Henryk Fantazos adorns the walls and ceiling. Parizade is truly the crowning jewel of Giorgios Hospitality Group. *Large parties, please call the restaurant at 919-286-9712*

Top review

Christopher

Dined 2 days ago

We enjoyed our evening at Parizade. We entered from the convenient parking deck and were greeted warmly by servers and support staff as we approached the host desk in the front. My wife and I dined on the front patio with our dog, and the cool weather was perfect. Our server was Katya, who said she was fairly new to Parizade. She was laid-back, confident, and prepared. We began with a glass of Cava, and a scotch-based crafted cocktail. The burrata was surrounded by prosciutto, cantaloupe, baby arugula, and aged balsamic. We shared the marinated lamb chops served over creamy polenta. Sliced eggplant and sweet peppers marinated in sherry vinegar were placed by the lamb. The subtle vinegar was a pleasant surprise. Grated Pecorino Romano tied the dish together. We also shared the new Mezze Rigatoni with house made Italian sausage. This pasta included sautéed onions, roasted red peppers, chili flakes, spinach, and fresh herbs. The ingredients were distinctly identifiable--both visually and by taste. Parmesan generously tops this pasta. We finished our dinner with a peach cobbler immersed in cheesecake. Our evening was enhanced by seeing familiar faces, and visiting with other guests in the dining room and courtyard. This is a warm and cheerful environment, and we are grateful Parizade is here for us in Durham.

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Herb Stuffed Branzino

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