The Terrace Cafes food has gotten so much better. We're here often, so it helps that the food is…read moredecent when you don't have any other food options at the moment. I like that the merchants change often so you get a variety

Terrace Cafe is one of three cafeterias located at UNC Hospitals' main campus in Chapel Hill (UNC…read moreHealth/UNC Medical Center). My wife regularly works at the hospital and will sometimes bring home leftovers of her food from Terrace Cafe. On occasion, she'll also grab us a takeout lunch or dinner. The food has always been tasty and I don't know exactly why, but I've always found it to be a treat, probably because it's hospital food. For me, I guess part of it is the novelty of it. The only other hospital I've had food from is Grady Hospital in Atlanta. UNC's hospital food blows Grady's out of the water. Terrace is located on the 2nd floor of the main hospital (Memorial). If entering the hospital from the main front entrance, you'll want to make a left to get to the cafe. There will be a sign for Terrace and a stairway leading up. The cafeteria isn't huge, but it's big enough to have a few different stations/counters. It's like a mini food court, but with only one set of checkout lanes for the multiple vendors/stations inside. The stations have names like "Continental Traders" and "Flatiron Grill." This isn't like a mall or airport food court with brand name vendors like Chick-fil-A and Sbarro. At the time of writing this review, my favorite meal from Terrace Cafe so far has been the fried chicken from Continental Traders. It's branded as "Carolina Chicken Co." I've had it multiple times now. The chicken is seasoned and spiced well. It tastes great. The dark meat is tender and juicy. There's a small additional charge if you want all white meat. The cabbage, collard greens, potatoes au gratin, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes and gravy sides are delicious. For healthy food, I thought the salmon with lemon jam was pretty decent. It was tasty even as leftovers. From Continental Traders, my wife has enjoyed almost everything she's tried. That includes chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, baked chicken, and sweet potato. The only thing she didn't like was the sweet potato side once. The other times, it's been fine. I've tried several of the "Fast Breaks" items. These are grab-and-go meals in clear, plastic, snap-shut containers near the entrance. They include things like salads, sandwiches, snacks, and desserts. I'd say most of these items are or look par for the course such as the spring mix salad and protein box (walnuts, pecans, cheddar cheese cubes, dried cranberries). Of the items from Fast Breaks, the ones I've liked most thus far have been the apple pie, cheesecake with strawberry topping, and Cobb salad. Also near the entrance, there's a display case of self-serve pastries and treats. I believe they're branded as "Great Beginnings." They consist of breakfast foods like bagels, muffins, and Danishes. There's a neat little contraption that blows air into a stack of disposable plastic gloves, allowing you to put on a glove with just one hand to then grab your pastry of choice. I tried the "Black and White Cookie" from this display and it was alright. It tasted like a cheap donut with chocolate and vanilla icing. My wife and I have had the breakfast burritos from Flatiron Grill many times. They're filling and yummy. My wife also likes to get the breakfast sandwiches such as the ones with avocado and egg inside. Those are good too. In general, the breakfast menu is arguably the best thing Terrace Cafe offers when you consider the combination of taste, variety, and price. Flatiron Grill also makes customizable omelets and burgers. Across the way, where they have sealed packs of cereals, there is sometimes a station that serves made-to-order crepes and waffles. "Red Ginger," to the right of Flatiron Grill, sells Asian food. I've never had it, but my wife said it's okay. She said it's like Chinese takeout food. Things like fried egg rolls, stir-fried noodle bowls, and fried dumplings. Sometimes, the station sells burrito bowls. My wife said the burrito bowls taste similar to Chipotle. In the middle of the space is a fridge with self-serve packaged sushi, like grocery store sushi. It's labeled "Sujin Sushi." Like Red Ginger, I haven't tried any of the Sujin Sushi for myself yet. My wife said it's mediocre. By the looks of what I saw, I'd have to agree with her, but I'd be willing to give it a shot sometime. I did try the seaweed salad and even though it looked a little discolored (light), it tasted better than I expected, so maybe I shouldn't knock it until I've tried it for myself. Additionally, Terrace Cafe sells other snacks like bagged potato chips (Frito-Lay, Carolina Kettle Chips) and bottled drinks (soda, tea, water). There are condiment stations and a place for you to heat up (toast, microwave) your food. My wife uses FreedomPay to pay for her meals at Terrace Cafe. With FreedomPay, she gets a discount on top of the listed prices so the food and beverage here end up being a nice value. The cafe has seating inside. If you want to eat outside, go to the courtyard outside Starbucks.

When in Durham, you have to check out Benetis in the Greenwood Commons. The restaurant reopened…read moreunder new management last year after one of its longtime servers, who had been there for about 20 years, purchased it. It now feels like a true family operation, with everyone pitching in. The owner is the one who usually waits on us. The service is consistently friendly and attentive. I especially enjoy the omelets! One of my favorites is the Omni omelet, while my wife likes the Greek omelet. I like that the meats and vegetables are cooked together with the eggs rather than simply added at the end. It makes the omelets feel more flavorful. The skillets are also very good, particularly the John Wayne. The updated interior is bright, colorful, and welcoming. What can I say... I'm a fan.

A nice Diner located in a quiet south Durham strip mall…read more I recently went to Benetis for Mother's Day breakfast with my wife's family. We got there at 9am and were seated promptly and beat the big Mother's Day rush, which everywhere tends to be crowded in the area for Mother's Day. The waitress was very quick to get our drink orders, slightly a bit too quick to ask for food orders given the size of our party and most having just arrived. I got the steak and eggs with home fries and an English muffin. I split the blueberry pancakes with my wife since we both didn't want a full stack. For the price everything was a very hearty portion of food that made for solid leftovers too. Everything was cooked to specification. The food for the table came out relatively quick for a packed house on Mother's Day. It was a bit noisy at times but that couldn't be helped given how busy they were. A really solid breakfast spot for people looking for a casual diner atmosphere.

This is now my favorite coffee place to visit in Durham! I had a lovely time here with a dear…read morefriend. It's such a cute place, lots of comfy seating, the breakfast sandwiches are absolutely delicious, and the coffee is superb. Service was wonderful. We got the Jebena coffee and shared it, and the setting was so beautiful. Will definitely be coming again.

Perfect spot for a flavor-packed lunch break. If you've had Goorsha's food, it's the same delicious…read morefood, just repackaged in clever ways, as sandwiches (panini) and bowls. We tried the Gojo panino (chicken, roasted red pepper, sauce) and a protein bowl with chicken, tekil gomen (cabbage, potato, carrot), fosolia (green beans & carrot), and beet salad. The food came out super quickly (there were only a few other folks in at the time). While the panino was tasty enough, I would recommend/reorder the protein bowl more. The portioning is super generous on the bowl: the bottom is layered with injera, and the scoops of protein and sides are massive. I ate my fill and still had leftovers to take home. They also have coffee and pastries, though we did not try that on our visit.

Let me start with the negative, and it is a big one. My wife and I wanted to come here maybe a year…read moreago and we didn't get around to it until today. Huge mistake. This place is freakin' delicious. So, we had a great meal from the food truck once. And Gussy's catered a wine pairing dinner at Peak of the Vine in Apex which was spectacular. We decided then we had to visit the brick and mortar location, but one thing after another delayed us until today. We went with our (adult) kids and everyone loved every bite. I had a new pork gyro and their amazing lemon rice (do not sleep on the lemon rice, it is a stealth amazing side), my wife had the fried shrimp platter and the shrimp was great. Somehow more shrimpy than most fried shrimp. I don't know what that means, but there you go. My daughter got the chicken gyro with fries and declared the fries her new favorite fries. The veggies were so crisp and fresh in the gyro that even though she finished all the chicken, she brought the last few bites of pita and veggies home because she didn't want to waste them. My son is a limited-taste eater, but was relieved to see some Italian classics on the menu. He went with his favorite sandwich, a chicken parmesan hero. He didn't have super high hopes for an amazing experience, because outside of a pizzeria chicken parm is usually just good, never great. But he was shocked, "This is better than most pizzerias. I'd have to get one here and one at Mezza Luna and have them side by side to judge them, it's that good." So yeah, Gussy's. Don't wait around like we did. If you find yourself close to RTP, plan lunch at Gusssy's. Or make the trip special during the week. You won't regret it.

This place is a bit unassuming, located in an older strip mall next to a Sheetz off Miami Blvd in…read moreDurham. There are a lot of great little shops in this plaza that deserve recognition--I never would have found them without a Yelp search. I walked in to get a quick takeout order because I had to be back for a meeting in 30 minutes. I almost left because there were about eight people ahead of me waiting to order. I also just started a keto diet, so I was hoping they had something I could actually eat. The menu looked incredible. If I weren't on this diet, I totally would have gotten the gyro and fries that I saw delivered to a nearby table; I was literally drooling. I settled for a Caesar salad to go. I forgot to ask for no croutons, but that is on me! It came with fresh pita and tzatziki, which looked and felt awesome. I tasted the tzatziki before giving them both away, and it was delicious--probably the best tzatziki I have tasted in a long time. For my salad protein, I chose the chicken skewers (you get two). The salad was dressed, and I had to sprint to my meeting. I opened it and took a bite at the office, and let's just say I kept my camera off and my microphone on mute for most of the call! The chicken had such good flavor, and the salad had a generous amount of shaved parmesan with a nice dressing. They also did what I always do with a Caesar: added lemon. There were two big wedges of lemon in the container, which provided that perfect extra hit of acid I always look for. While I didn't get to interact with everyone, the woman running the front of the house (and probably the back, too) was incredibly nice. I wish I experienced that kind of service everywhere I went; the world would be a much friendior place. I think I'll be a regular here.

Dope music and vibe: Sunlight, warm lights, walls adorned…read moreWith nature's beauty. Enjoy a beer and Sandwich, side of dill salad. I'll be coming back, For coffee and flowers.

Visited Yonder Coffee inside Daily Beer Bar with a friend this weekend. It was the second Saturday…read morein January - so a pretty random weekend, but surprisingly the place was absolutely popping and so packed. There were 5-6 people waiting for a single table. After fighting for a table, we both ordered hot drinks: my friend got a latte and I ordered the rose chai latte, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, after my friend placed her order, the barista mentioned they were "out of espresso" and offered to "top it with milk" instead and she wouldn't taste a difference. That was disappointing and felt a bit unfair that my friend essentially ended up paying for milk rather than a true latte. We also tried the Tepuy donuts, which were tasty (love Tepuy sourdough donuts!), though I wish they had been warmed up. Given how busy it was, service felt a bit rushed and less attentive than expected--understandable, but still noticeable. The space itself is nice, with a variety of table sizes, and I can tell it would be a great spot to sit and chat on a slower day. I would look forward to giving it another try on a less hectic day!

This is a great little bistro/wine bar/neighborhood spot. It's definitely upscale in feel, but…read morestill reasonably priced. Most of the seating is on a second-floor covered terrace, though there are tables inside as well. It has interesting city views of the University Hill area over South Square towards the "hypodermic building." There are parking options on all sides. The wine list is nice, but I like trying their specialty cocktails. These tend to have interesting additions such as tea-infused syrups and other creative ingredients. I've always had great sandwiches here at lunchtime, particularly the Santorini (a take on a gyro) and the Yacht Club, which is similar to a club sandwich but brightened up and made scrumptious by apricot jam. Their side of Caesar salad is always nice and crisp, with just the right amount of dressing and flavorful cheese shavings. The staff is engaged and attentive without going overboard. There's really no better lunch experience in the area on a nice warm day when you can just hang out and relax with a varied, delightful menu.

Casual spot to grab cocktails before (or after) dinner. Nice outdoor patio with friendly service…read more We enjoyed the White Dove and Bramble On. Both were good.

Very unique and delicious bites at the olive. A little spendy, but the chefs clearly pour plenty of…read moreeffort into each dish to make them delicious. Some of the flavors are a little off and there were a few elements of our meal that weren't quite perfected.

Stopped by to get gas from a long car trip. Family was feeling hungry so we noticed the Bleu Olive…read morerestaurant across the street. We decided to check it out. Ambiance: When we arrived, it was rather full but we were immediately seated. Our table was sitting right near the door. Since it was rather chilly that day, I felt the chill breeze everytime someone would go in or out. We couldn't move since the restaurant was rather packed. Food: I ordered the falafel wrap with a side salad, bistro burger with a side of fries, and calamari. The food tasted great. Service: The service was not as impressive. I believe that good customer service should make you feel welcomed. We had to flag our waiter for a few things such as straws and refill on waters. Either way, we had a good experience.

My wife and I visited Durham for a convention and stumbled upon Cafe Ferdosi. It was tucked away in…read morean area of business offices, where you wouldn't expect to find a restaurant. Despite its small size, the place was clean and comfortable, making it a great spot to relax. We ordered the Ghormeh Sabzi, which was absolutely incredible. The flavors were rich and authentic, and the dish was cooked to perfection. The chicken koobideh wrap was equally delicious, with tender chicken, fresh lettuce and tomato, and a flavorful sauce. The food was of exceptional quality and reasonably priced, making it a great value for money. It was the best Iranian food I've ever had in a restaurant. The servers at Cafe Ferdosi were incredibly courteous and polite, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. We had a fantastic time and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great food experience.

First time here. Friendly staff and great service…read more Authentic Persian food. One of the best in North Carolina. Open a cafe in Charlotte!