Best of Durham 2022

Best of Durham 2022 winners

*All results listed in alphabetical order.
** The presence of five or more winners is the result of a tie

Welcome to the Best of Durham! Here, we showcase the best of the best of Durham, NC. We are celebrating the best in dining, entertainment, shopping and just plain living. This page is your go-to guide for all things Durham. Whether you're a local resident or just visiting, you're sure to find something to suit your interests and preferences. So, sit back, relax, and explore the best of Durham with us!

DINING

Overall Restaurant
Gocciolina
NanaSteak
Vici Ristobar
Vin Rouge

New Restaurant
Mr. Fries Man
Ideal’s Sandwich and Grocery
Press Coffee, Crepes and Cocktails
Vici Ristobar

Burger
Bar Virgile
Burger Bach
Bull City Burger and Brewery
Only Burger

Fries
Bull City Burger and Brewery
Burger Bach
The Federal
Mr. Fries Man
Only Burger

Sandwiches
Eastcut Sandwich Bar
Ideal’s Sandwich and Grocery
Parker & Otis
Toast

Breakfast/Brunch
Elmo’s Diner
Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten
Monuts
Press Coffee, Crepes and Cocktails

Coffee Shop
Bean Traders
Beyu Caffé
Cocoa Cinnamon Joe Van Gogh

Dessert/Pastries
Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten
Loaf
The Mad Hatter’s Café & Bakeshop
Sweets by Shayda

Place for a Date Night
Alley Twenty Six
The Durham Hotel
Mateo Bar de Tapas
NanaSteak

Place for Late Night
Accordion Club
Alley Twenty Six
Annexe
Cosmic Cantina
Queeny’s

Barbecue
Backyard BBQ Pit
Lawrence Barbecue
The Original Q Shack
Picnic

Place for Vegetarians
Goorsha
Happy + Hale
Pure Soul
The Refectory Café

Seafood
M Sushi
Saint James Seafood
Saltbox Seafood Joint
Skrimp Shack

Mexican Food
Cosmic Cantina
Dos Perros
NuvoTaco
Taqueria La Vaquita

Asian Food
Dashi
Juju
M Sushi
Thai Cafe

Sushi
M Sushi
Sake Bomb Asian Bistro
Shiki Sushi Asian Bistro
Sushi Love

Indian Food
Indian Monsoon Restaurant & Bar
Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar
Sitar Indian Cuisine
Viceroy

Latin/Caribbean Food
Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken
Boricua Soul
COPA
Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas

Greek/Mediterranean Food
Bleu Olive
Neomonde Mediterranean
Parizade
Saladelia Cafe & Catering

Italian Food
Cucciolo Osteria
Gocciolina
Mothers & Sons Trattoria
Pulcinella’s Italian
Restaurant

Pizza
Hutchins Garage
Pie Pushers
Pizzeria Toro
Randy’s Pizza

Place to Buy Frozen Treats
Locopops
The Parlour
Simons Says Dip This
Two Roosters Ice Cream

Kid-Friendly Restaurant
Bull City Burger and Brewery
Elmo’s Diner
Makus Empanadas
NuvoTaco

Food Truck
Bon Fritay Haitian Food Truck
Boricua Soul
Bulkogi Korean BBQ
Chirba Chirba Dumpling

Chef
Matthew Kelly, Mateo Bar de Tapas, Saint James Seafood and Vin Rouge
Shawn Holland, Sophisticated Catering and Event Planning
Carrie Schleiffer, Alley Twenty Six
Alejandro Uribe, University Club

Restaurant Catering
Foster’s Market
Makus Empanadas
Saladelia Cafe & Catering
Zweli’s Kitchen & Restaurant

Full-Service Catering
Angus Barn (Bay 7)
Indulge Catering
Sage & Swift Gourmet Catering
Sophisticated Catering and Event Planning

Cocktails
Alley Twenty Six
Bar Virgile
Corpse Reviver Bar & Lounge
Kingfisher

Craft Alcoholic Beverages
Bull City Ciderworks
Durham Distillery
Honeygirl Meadery
Mystic Farm & Distillery

Wine Shop
Hope Valley Wine & Beverage
LouElla Wine, Beer & Beverage
Total Wine & More
Wine Authorities

Wine Selection at a Restaurant
Mateo Bar de Tapas
NanaSteak
Parizade
Vin Rouge

Brewery
Fullsteam Brewery
Hi-Wire Brewing
Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.

Beer Shop
Beer Study
The Glass Jug Beer Lab
Growler Grlz
Sam’s Bottle Shop

Draft Beer Selection
Bull City Burger and Brewery
Bull McCabes Irish Pub
Namu
Town Hall Burger & Beer Durham

Artisan Food Product
Big Spoon Roasters
Durham Toffee
Melina’s Fresh Pasta Wonderpuff

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Dance Studio
All In Dance Academy
Barriskill Dance Theatre School
Empower Dance Studio
Threehouse Studios

Venue for Community Theater
The Carolina Theatre
The Fruit
Hayti Heritage Center
Walltown Children’s Theatre

Venue for Live Music (Large)
Boxyard RTP
The Carolina Theatre
Durham Central Park
Durham Performing Arts Center

Venue for Live Music (Small)
The Blue Note Grill
Hayti Heritage Center
Motorco Music Hall
The Pinhook

Art Gallery
21c Museum Hotel Gallery
Golden Belt Artists
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
Steven Ray Miller Gallery and Frame Shop

Museum
21c Museum Hotel
Museum of Durham History
Museum of Life and Science
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

Event Space
The Cotton Room
Museum of Life and Science
The Rickhouse
Sarah P. Duke Gardens

RETAIL

Gift Store
MagikCraft - Bull City Magic
Parker & Otis
Smitten Boutique
Vaguely Reminiscent

Jewelry Store
Hamilton Hill Jewelry
Jewelsmith
John David Jewelers
Light Years

Clothing Store
BB Boutique
Smitten Boutique
Vaguely Reminiscent
Vert & Vogue

Thrift Store
Durham Rescue Mission Thrift Store
Pennies for Change Thrift Boutique
Scrap Thrift
TROSA Thrift Store

Home Furnishings & Accessories
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Once & Again Consignment Gallery
TROSA Thrift Store
Vintage Home South

Durham-Made Product
Big Spoon Roasters
Bright Black
Conniption Gin
Fillaree

HOME & GARDEN

Commercial Builder
BridgePoint General Contracting
CT Wilson Construction Company
Gateway Building Company
Joe F. Berini Construction Co., Inc.

Residential Builder
BuildSense
CQC Home
Project 9 Designs
Unified Custom Homes

Architect
BuildSense
Ellen Cassilly Architects
Grant Group Architecture
SoliDeo Design Studio

Landscaper
Carolina Garden Company
For Garden’s Sake
Lawns by Carlito
TROSA Lawn Care

Landscape Architect & Designer
Carolina Garden Company
Coulter Jewell Thames, P.A.
For Garden’s Sake
Tributary Land Design + Build

Roofer
Alpine Roofing
Baker Roofing Company
Gonzalez Painters & Contractors
Pickard Roofing Company

Painter
Gonzalez Painters & Contractors
Hansell Painting Company
Steve Biddy Painting
Zarazua Painting

Home Maintenance & Repair
Gonzalez Painters & Contractors
Rafiki Handyman, LLC
Zarazua Enterprises

Storage Facility
Ample Storage Center
Brassfield Self Storage Public Storage Triangle Mobile Storage
TROSA Moving and Storage

Kitchen Designer
CQC Home
The Kitchen Specialist
Linda Dickerson Interiors
Little Corner Construction

Interior Design
Linda Dickerson Interiors
LK Design
Max Hugo Interior Design
True Design

Florist
Blossom and Bone Florals
Flowers by Gary
Ninth Street Flowers
Pine State Flowers

Neighborhood
Duke Park
Hope Valley
Northgate Park
Trinity Park

SERVICES

Veterinarian
Bahama Road Veterinary Hospital
Cornwallis Road Animal Hospital
Eno Animal Hospital
Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care

Pet Boarding
Camp Bow Wow – North Durham
Creature Comforts Inn
Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care
Sunny Acres Pet Resort

Pet Sitting
Barbie & Company Pet Services
Bull City Pet Sitting
Kate’s Critter Care
Very Important Pets (VIP) Professional Petsitting

Car Wash
Bull City Car Wash
Lightning McClean Carwash
Spiffy
TC’s of Durham

Audiologist
Better Hearing Rehabilitation Center
Duke Otolaryngology
Hearing Health Care Services
North Carolina Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat

Optometrist/Ophthalmologist
Academy Eye Associates
Duke Eye Center
Dr. Tonica Johnson, Eye Physicians & Surgeons of Durham
North Carolina Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat

Cosmetic/Plastic Surgeon
Duke Aesthetic Center
Duke Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Gunn Plastic Surgery Center
New Image MD

Dermatologist
Dr. Garrett S. Bressler
Regional Dermatology of Durham
Skin Wellness Dermatology Associates
Triangle Dermatology Associates

Chiropractor
Bella Vita Chiropractic
Carolina Pain and Performance
Chiropractic Partners
Peterson Chiropractic

Accountant
Anthony F. Armento, CPA, PC
Balentine & Borg, PLLC
Bridget A. Ryan, CPA, PLLC
Thomas, Judy & Tucker, PA

Financial Advisor
Bryan L. Piccirillo
Kuhn Advisors
Sycamore Financial Planning
Tamra K. Ellis

Bank
Coastal Credit Union
M&F Bank
State Employees’ Credit Union
Wells Fargo

Place to Get in Shape
Arrichion Hot Yoga + Circuit Training
The BodyGames Center
Neighborhood Barre Durham
Synergy Fitness for Her

Yoga/Pilates/ Barre Center
Arrichion Hot Yoga + Circuit Training
InsideOut Body Therapies
Neighborhood Barre Durham
vyb studio

Sports Club
Hollow Rock Racquet & Swim Club
Tobacco Road Rugby Club
Umstead Pines Golf and Swim Club
Triangle Rock Club

Spa
Bella Trio Salon & Spa
Fluffy Tiger Massage
Fuzion Professional Massage Therapy
The Retreat at Brightleaf

Hair Salon
Atmosp’hair Salon
Bella Lane & Company
Fuss & Bother
Posh The Salon

Nail Salon
Bliss Nail Bar
Harper’s Parlour
LA VIE NAIL SPA
Natural Nails by Nancy
Posh Nail Spa

Professional Photographer
G. Lin Photography
Morgan Crutchfield Photography
Nikki Whitt Belch, Fancy This Photography
Ripptowne Photography

Event Planner
Enchanting Events & Designs
Sabrina Seymore Events
Socialite Events
Virtue Events

Lawyer
Ellis Family Law
Hopler, Wilms, & Hanna, PLLC
Patrick Law, PLLC
Richberg Law

Real Estate Agent
The Boone Team at Real Estate by Design
Lisa Ellis, Lisa Ellis & Company, Real Estate by Design
Kevin Fairfax, RE/MAX One Hundred
Carl Johnson, Carl Johnson Real Estate at Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston
Theresa Olson, Real Estate by Design

Real Estate Company
Inhabit Real Estate
Real Estate by Design
Right Time Realty
West & Woodall Real Estate

Hotel/Bed and Breakfast
21c Museum Hotel
The Durham Hotel
Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

Travel Company
AAA
Maupin Travel
Worldwide Adventure Guides

New Business
All In Dance Academy
Melanated Wine
Midtown Yoga Durham
Neighborhood Barre Durham