Food

Boricua Soul: a fusion of heritage and flavor

By Campbell Atterbury

May 6, 2024

Boricua Soul is a restaurant built on family and culture. “Boricua” originates from the Taino designation for Puerto Rico, Boriquen. “Soul” represents soul food which is cherished in African-American culture. Boricua Soul is a melding of Toriano Fredericks African-American heritage and Serena Fredericks Puerto Rican culture. An appreciation for food was instilled in Toriano from […]

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Durham’s only non-alcohol bar focuses on community and variety

By Hannah Collett

May 1, 2024

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 By Hannah Collett When you first walk into Da Kine’s Kava it feels like a mix between a bar and a coffee shop with a floral theme. The bar is exactly what you might picture after reading its mission to be “an alcohol-free social space, a quiet place to work remotely, […]

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New fermentation: The growth of breweries and distilleries in Durham

By Cade Carlson

April 29, 2024

Monday, April 29, 2024 By Cade Carlson The number of breweries in the United States more than tripled from 2012 to 2022, according to data from Statista.com, and Durham has seen its fair share of that increase. Darryl Russell never thought he’d be part of this trend. Russell is the general manager of Weldon Mills […]

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A personal touch: How relationships shape the catering industry in Durham

By Cade Carlson

April 24, 2024

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 By Cade Carlson Paris Mishoe, owner of catering company Chef Paris, has been in the food service industry since 2016. He got his start “by accident or by default” working in the back of the kitchen at a “fine dining” restaurant in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “I started as a dishwasher, […]

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Durham’s food pantries face challenges as demand surges amid rising costs

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

April 19, 2024

Friday, April 19, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera As the food bank deliveryman made his way inside the Iglesia Emanuel food pantry, carrying a dozen boxes, he stopped as he saw Margaret Rubiera, the volunteer manager. He told her there is less than usual, and he isn’t sure why. “It’s definitely less, but we’re grateful,” Rubiera […]

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Dame’s owners share recipe for growth, success

By Cade Carlson

April 16, 2024

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 By Cade Carlson Dame’s Chicken and Waffles has grown from a small, local establishment to a successful regional chain in the span of a decade. Since it opened the first location near the Warehouse District in downtown Durham, Dame’s has shown what can be accomplished with a unique idea and a […]

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Q&A: Leslie Matista seeks to foster community at The Velvet Hippo

By Hannah Collett

March 7, 2024

Thursday, March 7, 2024 By Hannah Collett Leslie Matista is a longtime Triangle bartender who opened The Velvet Hippo in July 2023 with her partners hoping to make it a place where anyone would feel comfortable. The Velvet Hippo, located on Orange Street, has both indoor and outdoor spaces and regularly hosts events and fundraisers. […]

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‘I’m just so happy that I get to make a difference’: The Story of Elijah King

By Audrey Kashatus

December 11, 2023

Elijah King was born and raised in Durham with his mom and little sister. By the time King turned 18-years-old, he had moved 11 different times.  King grew up witnessing things most kids his age couldn’t have imagined. He saw eviction, moving places under 24 hours, crashing at his grandparent’s house and even different pastor’s […]

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Durham restaurant hosts Warren campaign event for locals

By Carl Kenney

February 27, 2020

Most people come to Zweli’s for the only Zimbabwean food in town, but some come to talk politics. On Friday, Feb. 21, Zweli’s, located in Durham, hosted an Elizabeth Warren presidential campaign event as part of its Dinner Table Talks speaker series. Leonardo Williams, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Zweli, said events like […]

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Durham community kitchen offers free meals and smiles

By Carl Kenney

Beneath the faded New Visions of Africa sign, inside the unassuming barred building, Karen Santoro-Abdullah put a hand to her heart and choked back tears. “I love helping these people because it makes me feel good to give them respect,” Santoro-Abdullah said.  “Respect gives people hope; if people are treated with respect and a smile, it could encourage […]

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Doing good together: Durham Tech food pantry fosters community

By Carl Kenney

Erin Riney always knew that some of her students at Durham Technical Community College struggled with food insecurity. But eight years ago, when the college’s Student Government Association hosted a giveaway with 50 free food bags and ran out in less than 10 minutes, she knew it was a more pressing issue than she had […]

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Family-owned Durham cafe is welcoming a set of wheels

By Carl Kenney

February 13, 2020

Son of the Tater Bread Cafe owner hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps by launching a food truck He started working in his father’s cafe when he was 15 years old. Now, he plans to open a restaurant of his own — on wheels. Harrison Sneed, 24, runs Tater Bread Cafe at 1108 Morning Glory […]

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Documenting Durham’s Voices: Everybody eats at Zweli’s

By Carl Kenney

This is a video series produced and reported for The Durham VOICE. “Documenting Durham’s Voices” will elevate the voices of and put a face to community members in Durham who are working in the community. The video series will also feature notable events that truly define what Durham is. Following the carbon monoxide crisis at […]

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‘We want to be a resource’: SEEDS aims to serve Durham community

By Carl Kenney

January 30, 2020

As South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable Spaces (SEEDS) rings in the new year, Interim Executive Director Abby Goodman hopes to make their urban gardening programs more meaningful to all members of the Northeast Central Durham community. Founded in 1994, SEEDS is a two-acre urban garden and kitchen space located at 706 Gilbert St. The organization […]

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Sofia’s offers neighbors a new slice of Angier Avenue

By Carl Kenney

October 8, 2019

Angier Avenue in historic East Durham has seen its fair share of added concrete, construction, and changes to the neighborhood within recent years. This ever-changing landscape we call Durham is becoming a host to new faces, housing spaces, and local businesses at a dizzying pace. One of those newcomers, Sofia’s Pizza, opened its doors to […]

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Zweli’s restaurant: a saga of love lost and found again

By Carl Kenney

April 10, 2019

  The worlds of the elders do not lock all the doors; they leave the right door open. — Zambian proverb   Zambia borders Zimbabwe to the north. And although the proverb above is not from Zimbabwe, it fits remarkably well with Durham couple and restaurant owners Leonardo Williams and Zwelibanzi Moyo-Williams (Zweli). The two […]

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Don’t Waste Durham engages the community to seek sustainable alternatives to plastic and Styrofoam

By Carl Kenney

Between 2010-2011, Crystal Dreisbach wrote 200 letters to businesses throughout the Triangle. Her mission toward a more sustainable Durham was just beginning. The restaurants Dreisbach wrote to used Styrofoam, and she wanted to talk to distributors about sustainable alternatives, she said. She was working in public health research at the time, and Styrofoam takeout containers […]

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Friday blessings: Free food provided by Salvation Army

By Carl Kenney

February 28, 2019

Everyone goes through ups and downs in life, and Suzanne Clark openly shared that things have been very rough since she became homeless in September. Fortunately, the Salvation Army is helping her. On the morning of Friday, Feb. 22, she stood in a line outside the Salvation Army along with about 50 other people with […]

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DIG program empowers youth through urban farming

By Carl Kenney

On a cold and rainy February afternoon, 17-year-olds Samantha Vazquee and Demonte Bolden are not hiding inside – they’re hard at work repotting dozens of plants after a day at school. Vazquee and Bolden are two youth members of the DIG program, a youth-driven, urban farming and leadership development program started by South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable […]

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Nzinga’s Breakfast Cafe isn’t just for breakfast anymore

By Carl Kenney

February 27, 2019

Zuri Reynolds-Hester, from Durham, 29, hosted Nzinga’s Got Soul Tasting Party on Feb. 21 to celebrate the launch of Nzinga’s Breakfast Cafe’s new menu items and longer business hours. Reynolds-Hester opened Nzinga’s Breakfast Cafe, located at 828 Fayetteville St. Suite 110, in 2014 with a specialty in Southern breakfast and lunch food. Now, she is […]

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Durham’s black community shines at Black History Month parade and party

By Carl Kenney

February 13, 2019

  On an unseasonably warm Saturday morning, Fayetteville Street was even busier than normal as hundreds of Durham residents showed up for the 17th Annual North Carolina MLK Black History Month Parade & Block Party. The event, presented by Spectacular Magazine, is held on the first Saturday of every February. For entertainment columnist Tameka Nichole, […]

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A day at the Black Farmers’ Market

By Carl Kenney

November 23, 2018

On the Sunday afternoon of Nov. 18, excited members of the Durham community assembled at 411 West Chapel Hill St., across from the bustling Greyhound bus station for an organic occasion. The upbeat sound from the DJ assisted farmers, entrepreneurs and small business owners in conversation as they gathered under the brightly patterned canopies which […]

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Romanztea: the hidden destiny and liquid sunshine

By Carl Kenney

November 15, 2018

On the outskirts of the Durham Farmers’ Market – where Foster Street meets Hunt Street, one of the friendliest vendors greets people with samples of liquid sunshine – the best sweet tea. Roman Gabriel, the founder of Romanztea, has traveled thousands of miles physically and spiritually to find himself in Durham, sharing the tea he […]

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Meals on Wheels fights hunger and loneliness

By Carl Kenney

November 14, 2018

With the holiday season approaching, many look forward to their once-a- year rituals, but this may not be accessible to everyone. For 40 years, Meals on Wheels  has been combating food scarcity among Durham’s  senior population. Community Outreach Director Arnette Read explained, “Usually clients are homebound, living alone, unable to cook, and unable to shop.” […]

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Baking in the community: The East Durham Bake Shop

By Carl Kenney

April 16, 2018

A new pastry restaurant has opened up on Driver Street. Helmed by an award winning owner and a trained staff, this new shop aims to provide the neighborhood with a space where neighbors could meet, grab coffee, and hang out. Enter Ali Rudel and Ben Filippo. When expecting their first child, the couple moved to […]

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Piri brings African roots food to Durham

By Carl Kenney

April 11, 2018

After taking a break from the food industry, Courtney Smith knew that she wanted to start her own food business, but this time Smith said she wanted to have her family involved. After talking with her sister Erika Smith-Punches and their mother Camryn Lawrence Smith, they launched Piri – a food catering business that creates a […]

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Durham food truck Boricua Soul unites histories and good tastes

By Carl Kenney

Husband and wife team Toriano and Serena Fredericks travel around the Durham area serving a unique combination. Their food truck, Boricua Soul, offers Puerto Rican-influenced soul food. Toriano Fredericks’ inspiration to start a food truck came from being at sea. “I spent years on ships,” he said. “I worked as a merchant mariner going to […]

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Durham nutrition programs stand to lose with proposed tax plan

By Carl Kenney

November 23, 2017

Durham food security may take a blow due to policy changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Community members, policymakers, and experts met last Thursday in Durham to discuss the federal policy changes and outcomes. The meeting, entitled, “Can SNAP End Hunger? A forum on food justice,” was held at Westminster Presbyterian Church […]

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Chef Educator, cooking with nature

By Carl Kenney

November 8, 2017

Raise your hand if you have eaten sweet potato leaves before. Sumi Dutta’s request was met with silent, but inquisitive stares. SEEDS, located at 706 Gilbert St., is a nonprofit garden that imparts the importance and knowledge of co-existing with nature through the growing, cooking and sharing of food. SEEDlings is SEEDS’ after-school enrichment program. […]

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Ungraded Produce: an oasis in the Durham food desert

By Carl Kenney

October 18, 2017

Produce is a tough industry. Ungraded Produce was the winner of Duke’s 18th Annual Startup Challenge earlier this year. It was co-founded by 22-year-old Courtney Bell from Rockville, Md. and 22-year-old Saranya (Anya) Ranganathan from Skillman, N.J. Bell and Ranganathan are Duke graduates from the class of 2017. Ungraded Produce is an online service that […]

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The South Durham Famers’ Market has a barn-good time

By Carl Kenney

The South Durham Farmers’ Market is hosting their second annual barn dance fundraiser this Saturday. The fundraiser promises to bring an energetic mix of live bluegrass music, picnic-style barbecue, homemade desserts and a silent auction. The market is located in the Greenwood Commons Shopping Center. The barn dance will help raise money to repair and […]

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Bull City Ciderworks takes Durham by the horns

By Carl Kenney

October 6, 2017

  Downtown Durham is expanding more and more every day. New apartments are in the process of being built, family-owned and small businesses are almost taking over the Durham area. There is also a new taproom that is taking the Bull City by the horns, Bull City Ciderworks. Bull City Ciderworks began with four childhood […]

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Obie preaches the importance of organic foods at Durham Farmers’ Market

By Carl Kenney

October 4, 2017

C. Bernard Obie stands behind his turnips and mustard leaves. His hands are pressed into the pockets of his grey sweater, his legs spread two body widths apart from each other. He engages with a young man who has been lingering by his tent. At first, the conversation pertains to the food on his table […]

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Durham Parks and Rec hosts free farmers’ market

By Carl Kenney

  On a sunny Thursday morning, Clarice Page walked down the hallway of the second floor of the Holton Career and Resource Center, home to Durham Parks and Recreation. Page was one of many Durham residents walking down the hallway that morning headed for Parks and Recreation’s farmers’ market event for seniors over the age […]

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SEEDlings nurturing the next generation

By Carl Kenney

September 20, 2017

How did the meal start? Where did it come from? For many, these are not questions that would cross people’s minds before a meal. But it’s the norm for the children at SEEDlings. In front of them are scrambled eggs and fried rice with eggplant, topped with mint, basil and marigold. The children helped cook […]

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Kasib Abdullah is all about the community

By Carl Kenney

September 19, 2017

  From owning New Visions of Africa to founding Believers United for Progress, Kasib Abdullah has done a great deal of work in the Durham community. Abdullah was born in New Jersey. He moved to Durham in 1995. Along with two other men, Abdullah opened a restaurant called New Visions of Africa in 2004 at […]

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New generation revitalizes Angier Avenue Neighborhood Farm

By Carl Kenney

  There’s a new generation among Northeast Central Durham trying to make their community brighter and healthier through gardening. Angier Avenue Neighborhood Farm is a community farm located on the corner of Maple Street and Angier Avenue. It was started by Bountiful Backyards, a Durham-based edible landscaping business in 2012 when they raised money through […]

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Fish Fry Friday back at Antioch

By Carl Kenney

April 5, 2017

  Some churches are content holding a few services a week with some philanthropy thrown in here and there, but Antioch Baptist Church has bigger fish to fry. Fish Fry Friday is back at Antioch, open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1415 Holloway St. The church’s fish fry has been serving locals and […]

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Commentary: My Ride with Meals on Wheels

By Carl Kenney

The second I set foot inside Meals on Wheels of Durham, I was immediately greeted with an air filled by the smell of sizzling hamburgers, the sound of animated chit-chat and the sight of dozens of smiling faces. After hearing about President Trump’s proposed budget cuts that endanger thousands of local Meals on Wheels agencies […]

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Children learn, grow in SEEDS

By Carl Kenney

March 1, 2017

  The school bus driver drops the kids off at the entrance of the garden. Kareemah Abdusamad rushes out of the building on 706 Gilbert St. to greet all of the children who are running down the dirt pathway. Abdusamad welcomes each child and asks about their day. She notices that 10-year-old Adrian Platt has a hole […]

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Q&A with Joe’s Commissary owner Joe Bushfan

By Carl Kenney

Joe Bushfan has lived in Durham for about 13 years, and he has nearly seen it all. The owner of Joe’s Commissary and Commercial Kitchen, the Boston native also owns the now-closed Joe’s Diner, located at 2100 Angier Ave. on the corner of Driver Street. In addition to running the commissary, Bushfan sells hot dogs […]

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Rubel looks to engage community with opening of first location

By Carl Kenney

February 22, 2017

  After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Ali Rubel is taking her passion for baking to the intersection of Angier Avenue and Driver Street with the opening of East Durham Pie Company’s flagship location. A linguistics major in college at William & Mary in Virginia, Rubel got her taste for baking after college as a part-time […]

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New Visions of Africa serves Hayti community

By Carl Kenney

February 15, 2017

Reuniting the Hayti community is Kasib Abdullah’s vision. Kasib opened his restaurant, New Visions of Africa, in 2004 with his former partners Raheem Muhammad and Rasheed Muhammad. The restaurant is located on 1306 Fayetteville St. in Durham. Today, Kasib runs the store on his own. New Visions serves free food to people in the community […]

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