A sentiment shared during my riveting discussion with historian Jean Bradley Anderson has stayed with me for weeks: “If you could make a comment about life,” she said, “it is that things are connected in a very strange way, but they are connected. One thing leads to another, but you can’t possibly, at least in my case, steer. You just go.”
Not long after, while taking a rare peek through my personal email, I came across a message sent to my old neighborhood’s listserv. The Eno River Association and the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission had organized a hike at West Point on the Eno to offer a first look at a newly protected parcel of land now under the ERA’s stewardship – land that just so happens to sit adjacent to my current neighborhood. I’d wanted to visit this area since I’d learned of it, and suddenly, here was an opportunity to explore it alongside the folks who fought so hard to preserve it.
So I just went.
What I didn’t know beforehand: Kerstin Nygard and Jennifer Nygard, daughters of ERA founder Margaret Nygard, would join the hike. Along the trail, they paused to reflect on the work their mother and so many others – Jean, another founding member, included – undertook to protect the very ground beneath our feet; ground shaped by Indigenous communities, enslaved and formerly enslaved people, the Mangum family and generations of Durham residents who have cherished every season along the banks of the Eno.
The experience sharpened my awareness of what Jean described so perfectly: the strange, nearly invisible threads that connect us, that quiet feeling that, somehow, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
I felt it again while catching up with Megan, Brad and Graham Weddington at Seraphine and assisting photographer John Michael Simpson during his shoot with Daniel Sartain and Nellie Vail at Bar Virgile for their Best of Durham features (turn to page 24 to learn more on those wins!). I noticed it while chatting with Courtney Hayes as she masterfully styled the rooms in her home – perched along the edge of Best of Durham-winning neighborhood Watts Hospital-Hillandale – layering pieces from local shops with an effortless eye for detail (page 60). And it came to my attention during Downtown Durham Inc.’s State of Downtown event at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park when I received a baseball-style “trading card” featuring none other than the late Margaret Nygard herself.
These moments have given me a calm confidence that wherever I go, I’m meant to be there. I hope this Best of Durham issue inspires you this summer to follow your own threads across our city to revisit old favorites or discover somewhere new and simply go.
Trust me, there’s plenty waiting to be explored. – Executive Managing Editor Amanda MacLaren
BEST OF DURHAM
24 27 Best Bars & Restaurants
From celebrated Michelin-recommended standouts and longtime local institutions to impressive newcomers, inventive global cuisine and so much more, these reader-voted favorites represent some of the very best of the Bull City’s dining scene
44 Just Desserts
A sweet summer starts at four reader-favorite spots serving decadent, must-try treats
46 What’s New?
Step inside four of Durham’s best recently opened businesses and meet a mix of dedicated entrepreneurs reshaping hospitality, retail and personal care in the Bull City
54 Pet Shop
Get to know the furry ‘empawlees’ bringing charm, comfort and plenty of personality to some of Durham’s best businesses
60 Shelf Expression
Decorating with Durham’s best finds – from vintage treasures to modern accents, these retail favorites prove shopping local never goes out of style
70 Feeling Good
Clients share how these beloved health and wellness businesses help them thrive, from transformative treatments to trusted, compassionate care
80 Kitchen Think
Top designers reveal the inspiration, challenges and smart solutions behind beautifully reimagined projects in the heart of the home
96 Milestone Moments
Celebrating the institutions, creative spaces and local favorites that have earned readers’ votes – and shaped the Bull City community – for years
108 Best of Durham 2026 Award Winners
130 Threads of Kindness
Note in the Pocket receives the fourth annual Best of Durham Social Impact Award
FEATURES
134 Make a Splash
A backyard transformation elevates daily life for this busy family
144 Past & Present
Historian Jean Bradley Anderson reflects on life, learning and the evolution of the city she helped chronicle
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
10 The Big Picture
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
12 Go.See.Do.
Can’t-miss events this summer
18 Get Out of Town
Top Triangle events this season
20 News Bites
Now serving: the latest Bull City restaurant news
22 Tomorrowland
Triangle Land Conservancy Executive Director Sandy Sweitzer shares her vision for Durham’s future
PEOPLE & PLACES
148 Museum of Life and Science’s Invent the Night Gala
150 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
151 Kidznotes’ Harmonies in Bloom Gala
152 Angels Among Us 5K
153 Market on Market Street Grand Opening
154 Harper’s Home Groundbreaking Ceremony
156 Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting
158 Downtown Durham Inc.’s State of Downtown Durham
