18 Essential Restaurants in Durham, North Carolina

"Since opening in East Durham, Ideal’s has had lines out the door for its Northeastern deli-style sandwiches like the Harlem chopped cheese (ground beef, onions, provolone, cherry peppers, chop sauce), Philly roast pork (broccoli rabe, provolone, roasted garlic mayo), and a classic Italian sub. All sandwiches are served on daily baked bread — when the bread runs out, so do the sandwiches. Half of the shop is taken up by a small, mostly Italian grocery offering frozen meals, pasta, fresh local veggies, wine, and more. Ideal’s joins a growing East Durham restaurant scene that includes food trucks, Rofhiwa coffee and bookshop, Bull City Sweet Shoppe, and more restaurants and bars to come in 2023." - Matt Lardie