We're Getting Married!
Things To Do
LouElla Wine, Beer & Beverage
We play cards here at the bar almost every weekend, plus had a reception of friends here after Margaret first proposed to Katie. If you got a text message from one of us asking you to fill out a form with your contact information for wedding invitations, we sent it to you from the corner seat of this bartop.
Littler
Littler is, quite literally, little -- so please plan to go in smaller groups and make a reservation as far in advance as possible to splurge on a delicious meal at our first real date night spot. If you go, you must get the carrot cavatelli.
Corpse Reviver Bar & Lounge
One of the first places we ever met up downtown together. Shout out to Sutton and Ryan who were the best moral support hanging out with us as friends!
Little Bull
If you haven't been to Durham in a minute, it's one of the hottest new spots in town. It's also about a 5-minute walk from our house, so a bit of a neighborhood hang! Go big on the small plates. There's also a beer garden opening next door.
The Roof at The Durham
The Roof at The Durham Hotel has the best, panoramic views of downtown. There's a small food menu with craft cocktails and select beers available, and the sunsets are tough to beat. When Katie proposed to Margaret in Durham, this is where we had a reception with friends.
21c Museum Hotel Durham, Counting House Restaurant and Bar
21c Museum Hotel is a boutique hotel across the plaza from The Durham Hotel and the Marriott. It lights up a fuchsia color at night and has fun penguins standing around. If the building's architecture looks familiar, it was designed by the same architects as the Empire State Building. The second floor is a progressive modern art gallery that's free and open to the public 24/7. It's also a historic building, so a very cool bank vault still stands in its original form in the basement that doubles as a lounge for you to take down a drink from the bar. The first floor has the Counting House restaurant and bar -- it's where Katie took Margaret for dinner on the night that Katie proposed, where we've had drinks with a group of friends in one of the lounge booths on New Years Eve, and where we sometimes just go quickly to grab a drink before a show or after work. 21c hotels are a regional chain that started in Kentucky, so the bar program specializes in bourbon, scotch and whiskey.
Cocoa Cinnamon
Durham has an exceptional coffee scene, with Cocoa Cinnamon as the headliner. Microroaster of the year in 2022 by Roast Magazine, they roast their own beans that we make at home. There are three Cocoa Cinnamon locations throughout Durham, the Geer Street location is the closest to downtown, though if you feel like venturing out farther, their Lakewood location at 2013 Chapel Hill Road, offers house-made churros in addition to coffee. Other great coffee spots that are convenient to this wedding party and the hotels downtown include The Lobby at The Durham Hotel, frequently featured in national magazines, and The Oak House (just a block away from The Durham and The Marriott). If you're staying at the Aloft, try Press, see the standalone listing somewhere else on this page, or Parker & Otis, located within the American Tobacco Campus.
PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails
Particularly for those staying at the Aloft Hotel at the American Tobacco Campus, Press would be a beautiful breakfast or lunch option. On the weekends it is quite popular (there's a hashbrown waffle special, in addition to all the delicious sweet and savory crepes they usually offer during the week), without reservations available. If there is a wait, you can put your name on the list, grab a mimosa or coffee to go, and then explore the rest of the local shops under and around the Lucky Strike tower.
Geer Street Garden
Geer Street Garden offers a low key, local and laid back atmosphere with more causal (but delicious) eats. Get "The Pile" to say you've been -- our favorite sauces to dip the fries in are 'srirachanase' and homemade gravy. It's located near The Rickhouse wedding venue, plus in a neighborhood with lots of our favorites (Cocoa Cinnamon, LouElla, Hutchin's Pizza, Accordion Club, Surf Club, etc.). Don't sleep on the specials menu. If you can snag the corner seat of the bar when the garage doors are open on a nice day, there are few greater spots.
Durham Food Hall
The Durham Food Hall is a solid option for groups! Our favorite vendors are: Locals Seafood (Margaret loves the oysters and shrimp sandwiches), Ex Voto (their Crunchwrap Supreme is something we both crave... it was the last meal we wanted before starting our Whole30 food plan in January -- as featured in the photo), and Napoli Pizzeria (save room for gelato). It's a wonderful spot after the Durham Farmers' Market at Durham Central Park on Saturday morning, which we highly recommend.
Ponysaurus Brewing Company
There are a million fantastic pizza options in Durham (Pizzeria Toro, Hutchins Garage, Pie Pushers, and Cugino Forno are also delicious), but Pony is our most consistent favorite. It's mostly outdoor with picnic tables, so most enjoyable with nice weather. It is a brewery first -- brewing "the beer that beer would drink if beer could drink beer" (the Don't Be Mean to People or Biere de Garde are Margaret's favorites) -- but also offers options like mulled wine in the fall (Katie's favorite) and basic spirits. It's a bit of walk from city center and parking is a nightmare, so consider taking a short Uber. Mezcalito is a vibe across the street with huge Mexican dishes and over-the-top margaritas, plus Lonerider Distillery and Taproom, so you could totally make an afternoon of it. If you wanted a brewery closer to downtown or within walking distance, try The Glass Jug (across from the Durham Food Hall) or Fullsteam and DSSLVR (near LouElla, Geer Street Garden and other recommendations).
Boxcar Bar + Arcade
We enjoy playing the occasional game of ping pong here on their big patio! We don't go here quite as often as other places (in full transparency, the picture was ripped from their Instagram account vs. all the other spots included her being photos of our own), but it is pretty cool if you've never been to a barcade before -- it's also located on the same block as The Rickhouse (our wedding venue) and in the fun neighborhood of the Geer Street/Rigsbee Street area with plenty more to do around. Pro tip for gluten-free people: apparently, the gluten-free pizza crust at Boxcar is surprisingly legit.
Durham Farmers' Market
You can't beat the Durham Farmers' Market on a beautiful Saturday morning! There are a few bakeries you could grab breakfast from -- there's usually a food truck or options at the Durham Food Hall or Rise Southern Biscuits available. So much more than just produce, stroll through the art market side for a souvenir or try Cecy's Gallery for locally made gifts just adjacent to the market.
American Tobacco Campus
One of Durham's most iconic backdrops, stroll through on a lovely fall day following a man-made river that runs alongside locally owned shops and restaurants with plenty of green space and places to sit to people watch or catch up together.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
One of the best public gardens in the U.S., purposefully planted so that something is always in bloom year-round. Duke Gardens is located outside of downtown, but has ample parking available for a nominal cost and free admission.
Al Buehler Trail
We don't blame you for wanting to get outside and enjoy our temperate climate! We truthfully don't do *as much hiking as we could. There are plenty of great trails at Eno River State Park, but I (Margaret) didn't feel comfortable enough to recommend one over another or not get someone lost. The Al Buehler Trail is a great option -- it's a 3-mile-loop that takes you around the Duke University Golf Course, easy enough for Charlie and Margaret on a nice day to tackle and not too far from downtown. It can be a little bit hilly at times and is a mostly gravel pathway.