Always a great meal! Whether it's a hot meal on a chilly evening, a sandwich on the front porch in the shade, or a box lunch to take to a concert, you're sure to find something you'll like on their menu. I came tonight to a meetup group on the patio, but there were no members here. I enjoyed the meal anyway, and took some home for lunch tomorrow. read more

I'd go back! I liked the food a lot. I got a breakfast plate, with potatoes, avocado, biscuit, and eggs. The avocado was really fresh and ripe. And I really liked the biscuit. The potatoes were good too, but I would love the option to get sweet potatoes (I saw other people eating what I thought looked like sweet potatoes and I couldn't figure out what they ordered). One criticism I have is that I'd love to get to choose my type of eggs! They only offer scrambled for the breakfast plate. Service was good and ambiance was good! Be ready to order at the counter and get your own water. The parking lot is pretty big too! read more

Foster's Market - Front porch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I lived in Durham over a decade ago and Fosters was always one of my favorites for breakfast. Came to town for a long weekend so this had to be my first stop, and it did not disappoint! I pretty much always order the omelet special, which is always delicious. This was hubby's first time here, so we shared that and an avocado toast. The toast was yummy. Kiddo got the breakfast biscuit which was also great. Food is ordered at the food counters, then the order paid at a separate register where you can also pay for any goodies from the market (chocolates, jams, cookbooks). The market and restaurant are cute. There is seating inside and out. read more

Foster's Market is an absolute must visit and I will be back! We went for breakfast & all of the food was excellent - fresh, made to order & delicious. You walk into a cute little market area, where there's pastries, premade dishes to take home, condiments/sauces, old time candies, beer/wine and so much more. You order at a counter where there's plenty of people waiting to take your order & they give you a ticket that is like a running tab in case you want to add more. There is ample seating, both inside and out; as well as plenty of parking. read more

See all

Food is good and I get that it makes it crowded...but the system of the food runners wandering around yelling a name to try to find the customer really kills the vibe. Also, a 30 minute wait just for a latte (even without ordering no food) is a hard pass. read more

I'd say more about the sandwiches at Foster's but I can't get past the BLT! I love Merritt's Grill BLT (who doesn't?) but it's too far for me to go on the regular. Foster's fits the bill, and adds delicious sides and nice treats like the coconut cake. I love the eclectic seating and the nice big porch. read more

Warm, cozy place to enjoy breakfast/brunch on your own or with friends! There is plenty of character and personality sprinkled throughout with lots of indoor or outdoor seating. The food was delicious and iced latte hit the spot. Perfect place to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. There is gravel lot parking near the restaurant as well as street parking for overflow. You order and find a seat, then an employee will bring your food to you. You pay as you walk out after you're done eating. read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Ordering the breakfast burrito at brunch today was a good call!! It was a great size, fresh, and packed with yummy ingredients like scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, and black beans. I also added avocado for an extra charge. I also ordered an iced vanilla latte with almond milk and loved it! Service was a little slow. It was absolutely packed this morning and the ordering system (ordering and paying at two different counters) didn't help. Overall, I'd 100% come back to Foster's Market-- maybe just not on a busy Sunday. read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast burrito with avocado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This place is so cute! I went on a Sunday morning 30 minutes after they opened and it was already busy! My friend and I each got the Breakfast Burrito. I also got a latte. Service was fast and the staff was super friendly and hard working. Diego took my order and was very nice. You order at the counter and then the staff bring your food to you. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Because it's a market they also sell a variety of goodies (ie day old biscuits, candy, etc). Overall, I was really happy that I checked this place out. read more

See all

Lovelovelove this place for breakfast, lunch. And brunch!!! Their items are no nonsense super fresh homemade classics. I love their homemade chorizo. My go to is their grits bowl for brekkie or their salad plates for lunch. Their salads are seasonal. Love that. Their biscuits are big and fluffy. I know they are known for their desserts but we are always too full to order one. But they do look sinfully delicious. Their coffee and coffee drinks are outstanding. I love sitting outside as it can get noisy inside with the amount of traffic they get. We used to go every weekend when we lived in Durham. Miss it so much. I make my husband make the haul from wake forest once every six weeks to satisfy my craving. And I definitely take out of town guests that come to visit. It's a NC institution. read more

So Fosters Market is known as a staple and a place you hear get recommended when referring places you should go for Durham and I can definitely see why. They have sooo much space indoor and outdoor for seating as well as a little food/ candy market on the inside where you can also purchase. Even though chaotic the staff seemed really nice and didn't rush you when you're up ordering. (Which I'm not going to lie was pretty stressful as I didn't know how it worked- it's not a serving place- you order at the register, they write you a food ticket, when the food is ready they'll go out yelling the name you gave when ordering. When finished, you take your dishes to the dirty dishes bin and pay at a register up front) Now the reason for being 3stars- 1) the food and coffee are pretty lackluster. There was no flavor or seasoning in my farm plate. The only thing that was worth eating was the lox bagel. Everything else was meh. My boyfriend said his avocado toast + egg was bland and seasoning wasn't readily available (i.e. hot sauce or even salt and pepper) 2) I definitely agree with previous reviews on suggesting a number that you can take and the food runners can just look for that when delivering the food instead of yelling out the persons name. When we were there a "Nicole" was nowhere to be found and you just hear the poor worker yelling for her and that her pancakes were ready. It kind of killed the mood just constantly hearing that. This can be solved and improved. I'll give it another chance and try their pastries next time but I had high hopes for this place and I'm sad to write this cause I know it's a local favorite read more

See all

I heard on a local foodie page that Foster's was offering any slice of pie for $3.14 on pi day so I skedaddled right over not long before closing time! I got the last piece of chocolate peanut butter pie and a slice of pecan pie to take home for dessert. The chocolate PB pie was so good, but be forewarned, it's extremely rich! The pecan for my spouse turned out to be bourbon pecan. While that may be great for some, it was an unpleasant surprise for her. It is advertised a such on their web page, which I found out later. Oh, well. It's not like I haven't been to Foster's before, I used to dine there quite often when I lived nearby long ago. Even tho it was just a half hour before closing, they were just as busy as I remember! read more

Foster's Market - Chocolate peanut butter pie. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

This place is absolutely incredible. You'll walk up to the counter and order, then your food will be prepared abs you can eat at one of the picnic tables outside when the weather is nice. There are plenty of places to sit outside and a great place to meet friends. The sandwiches are terrific but my favorite item is the chive and cheddar biscuit!! They are incredible and just as good the next day toasted with a little butter. There is a sweets counter that you shouldn't miss out - you can get a brownie the size of your head. If you're looking for a place to grab brunch and sit outside, this is a perfection option. It is a bit of a drive from downtown, but really worth it!! read more

Went here for brunch with some friends and enjoyed it a lot. I ordered the day's special - an omelette with caramelized onions, butternut squash, kale, and goat cheese with a cheddar biscuit on the side. The biscuit was definitely the highlight! The iced pumpkin spice latte was also very good and not overly sweet. Service was fast and the outdoor seating area is nice, even in rainy weather. read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So this place was recommended by a friend. It's the cutest country market type of place. Good for sitting on the porch, writing or watching kids run around. Plenty of outdoor/indoor seating. Fosters closes early. Atmosphere is a 5 - but remember to bring your silverware, water and condiments to your seat. Food- a lot of cheese here. Vegan options are limited. Portions are Huge! Prices are fair. I wanted to try the grits but they are all cheesy grits with added cheese. I had the country plate breakfast. Chicken sausage were not good. Eggs were fresh and delicious! Biscuits and potatoes were good and heavy! Biscuits may also have a little cheese and jalapeños baked in. Iced mocha w almond milk was great! You can purchase jams, granola and wine here. Fresh deli type salads were also available. I would definitely recommend this place - just don't order the chicken sausage. Go check it out! read more

See all

I Love this place it has a great vibe and the food is always fresh and tasty....Outdoor seating as well as indoor...Customer Service is also 5 stars. read more

Lovely brunch on Christmas Eve. Lots of outdoor seating. The food was really good and loved that they had items to take to go as well. Want to come again for lunch in the future. read more

See all

Would recommend the grapes!! Also give Simon a raise! The grape was so delicious and juicy. The sweetie behind the counter Donovan was very nice. Although the pineapple price was kinda steep. read more

Very good overall. Scone: outside was nice and crunchy; inside was moist and mildly sweet. Omelet: I appreciated the slightly tougher cook on the egg. Personally, the sauce was for me. Really good ham bits. Chilaquiles: Pretty good, not spicy, somewhat mild sauce. The pork could use more flavor for my taste. The cream cheese was not for me. Grits: Creamy; perhaps my batch was a bit undercooked read more

See all

Kind of a Durham staple, kind of needs an upgrade/facelift. Fosters has remained relatively unchanged for about 20 years. For better or worse the Fosters experience has remained the same since Clinton was in office. Same floors, same cash register, same wonky ordering process. The food is very good, I tend to lean towards the sandwiches and breakfast items while my wife loves the salads. You can't go wrong with the chicken caesar wrap with bacon. Also a big fan of the grits bowl too with sausage patties. The seating is kind of a cluster on busy times where folks are not sure if they should pay for food before being seated or pay for food after (folks, I can honestly tell you I don't know if there's a right or wrong way to do this?) Fosters is a reliable breakfast and lunch spot in Durham. Services is typically very quick and efficient. One of the few OG Durham spots that remains that is respected by Durham natives and transplants. read more

Food and service always excellent. Weekends are always super busy but worth the wait. Outside seating on picnic tables. read more

We came here on Labor Day and it was packed!!! We waited 45 minutes to an hour for our food. It was good, but I wouldn't wait that long again. We got breakfast items and they were good, but nothing over the top. Their smoothies sound good but it was so liquify when it came out. They ran out of ice at the fountain machines, so people got warm drinks. An employee was putting out cups but didn't bother to notify us more ice was coming or anything, but it did come. It was a mad house. I'd come back again and give it another shot (not on a holiday) and try their lunch menu. read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Notes: 1) went before COVID 2) ordered at front and then pay before leaving restaurant 3) combined restaurant and also store 4) get your own drink location 5) it was during the winter and cold 6) check their site for Covid updates! Pros: 1) food was amazing (+2) 2) great staff and service (+2) 3) good decor and venue (+1) Cons: 1) crowded seating Total: 5/5 This place was recommended to me by my friend who lives in Durham. He said that this place has great food and is also a decent place to get local and natural stuff. When we arrived, the whole restaurant seating area was full and the cash register was down. We came in a little bit past breakfast time; however, the cashier allowed us to still get some of the breakfast food if we wanted. We lined up in front of the cashier and ordered our food. The cashier was extremely nice and efficient at her job and took our orders even though they were having issues with the cash register. She also took almost 5 or 6 other people's orders as well. It was amazing how they were still operating with so many customers and technical issues. When we finished, we got our drinks and managed to sit at a table that someone just left. Pre-COVID, we were pretty close to others and had little room. This back area also connected to the bathrooms and was a bit of a squeeze to get into with the amount of people. However, we made it work and were lucky to find a seat. The waiters got the previous occupants' orders out of the way and did a quick cleaning as well. This was really nice. The food arrived, and they took away our table number. I ordered a Greek Grilled cheese wrap. The Greek grilled cheese was a vegetarian wrap and had artichoke, spinach, roasted red peppers, grilled onions, provolone, and feta spread. It was an amazing combination. The artichoke provided some flavor and a lot of the texture. The spinach provided a lot of the flavor along with the roasted red peppers and grilled onions. It was amazing. The feta spread combined it all together nicely. It was an amazing sauce. The sandwich was so tasty that I ate it too fast and wanted more. After eating, we sat and chat for a bit. Then, we went to purchase some stuff from the store such as coffee beans and some locally made snacks. After getting everything, we paid for our meals and left. This place is definitely an incredible place to go try out some tasty food. My friend enjoyed his meal, and I truly enjoyed mine. I would come back here in a heartbeat if I was in town. I see that they are still open and doing takeout and outdoor dining now. Definitely worth the trip to Durham for me! read more

Foster's Market - Greek Grilled Cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

5-star experience at Foster's this weekend. We picked up an assortment of picnic items for the family and headed out for a day of travel baseball. The food was excellent. We enjoyed sandwiches, various salads and homemade cookies. The service was excellent. We highly recommend. read more

Foster's Market - Outside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Cold scrambled eggs and biscuit, and when I remarked to the MOD that the eggs were cold he had another order made and they were overcooked!! Yuk! I don't know why people eat here. totally disappointed. Wait staff were okay. read more

A Sunday brunch favorite spot. Omelettes and breakfast sandwiches are my go to's, and occasionally I treat myself out to a yummy pastry as pictured! read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Let's start with a positive. If you are looking for a nice place to sit and knock some work out, Fosters market is a good spot. They have the option of indoor seating and then have a nice outdoor patio area. There is a large parking lot with ample space, which is a rarity in Durham. Now to my experience, I am giving Fosters market a two for several reasons. The first of which being that things are very unorganized. It is counter service but little to no direction is given on what to do after your order is placed. Typically at counter service restaurants you are given a number but that is not the case here. Once your food is ready the workers have to walk around the restaurant shouting each specific order hoping to find who it belongs to. By the time they found me to give me my order, my food was already cold & I only received one of my two plates. I ordered a breakfast plate which came with eggs, bacon, potatoes, & a cheddar biscuit. Outside of the food being cold my potatoes were undercooked. Overall, I hope they are able to make improvements to their dining process to improve both the customer experience & make things easier for their staff. read more

Great food, grocery products, and service as advertised. I ordered the hot turkey club on a fresh baguette which was phenomenal. Comfortable in-door/ outdoor setting and lots of tables to spread out. In-dining drink options are solid which serve yourself ice tea, lemonade and soda too. This place e is doing all the right things, will certainly be back. read more

Atmosphere: Foster's Market sells a variety of dishes that can be enjoyed inside or right outside of their store, as well as some grocery items. The seating outside was nice especially since it was a temperate and bright day in Durham. Service: Ordering can be a bit confusing the first time around. You order at the counter, wait for your food to come out, and then pay at the cash register by the door. Although ordering our food was easy, waiting for our food to come out took quite a long time -- around 20-25 minutes. Food: We ordered the Farm Plate and the Polish Sausage Special offered that day. The Farm Plate came with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage patties, cheese grits, a biscuit, and 2 small pieces of fruit. The chicken sausage patties were almost inedible since they were so peppery and salty. The texture was also very rubbery and dry. It must've been some of the worst breakfast sausages we have had and made hotel breakfast sausages elite. The Polish Sausage Special was also rather disappointing. Firstly, the sausage was cut up, so we didn't get the juiciness and snap desired in a good Polish frank. The bread was boring, and the cheese was gummy and bland. For a self-proclaimed "special," it was anything but that. Overall: While the concept and ambience of Foster's Market were nice, the service and food were very underwhelming. We have heard many positive things about Foster's Market, so it is disheartening to give them a poor review. read more

Foster's Market - Farm Plate with Scrambled Eggs, Biscuit, Chicken Sausage Patties, Grits, and Fruit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

Tl;dr: This place won my "this is the best thing i've had all month" award! Great service, efficient flow, and VERY tasty food. We came here for breakfast one morning before doing some weekend errands. We decided to share a scone and their pork shoulder hash. First off: they have a lot of pastries in their case ready to go if you are in a rush! They have more than enough staff to help you out. While we were reading the menu, a few people asked if we needed assistance or recommendations which we appreciated but didn't need. We ordered at the counter, got our black and white scone, then went to get coffees and water at the station before finding a seat outside. There is a main road right outside which may make it noisy, however there are hedges off to one side that can help filter that noise out. Inside has a good amount of seating, but the weather was so nice that we couldn't NOT sit outside. The pork shoulder hash came out and we were ASTOUNDED. The plating was NOT what we were expecting for a counter service marketplace. The pork shoulder was tender and SO tasty. The potatoes were well seasoned and the sauce that was paired brought it all together. This was the best hash I have ever had, and I have been dreaming about it since I had it. read more

Oh the choices you will find. They have sandwiches, wraps, all sorts of salads and the desserts are spectacular. I had the tai chicken wrap with peanut sauce. All the selections my party had looked fresh and healthy. This was my 1st time and it felt a little disorganized. It was a busy time and I'm sure I'd figure it out more next time. A little like Grand Central Station. Noisy. read more

I come here almost every weekend after a run because of the outdoor seating and great food. I love their biscuits they are unreal!! Pastries are so good too and free refills on coffee is an added bonus. I will never stop coming. Everyone is so friendly and you can always see the cutest dogs outside. read more

Foster's Market - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

This is a fusion between a country market, bakery and cafe. Charming environment. You can shop the small market when you first enter, pursue the many delectable baked goods and enjoy the high quality food at the cafe. We have only eaten breakfast here but the afternoon fare looks fantastic as well. We eat breakfast here most every trip we make to Durham. Upscale, quality, absolutely delicious food with reasonable prices. FAVORITES - Breakfast Bisquit with sausage. The cheddar herb bisquit is their signature and oh so good! Fluffy light biscuit with crisp crust. The sausage is a really good sausage patty. - Cinnamon crumble cake. I really enjoyed it. Light and not too sweet (but is sweet). The cinnamon crumble is crunchy. TIPS - I hear there can be a long wait (weekends) but we normally go on Monday mornings and never had problems. There is plenty of seating. - Order at the counter, they call your name when food ready. Take your check and pay and market counter up front when finished. - Coffee is self-serve. Pick a real coffee mug if eating in, and fill you mug and refill it when empty (free refills) - They serve local beer as well as a selection of wine for those choosing to eat here in the afternoon read more

See all

So many choices of scrumptious food. Order at the counter, find a seat and they will bring it to you. Pay before you leave. Indoor and outdoor seating in a relaxed atmosphere. ALSO... lots of locally made products for sale. Great place to fill a basket of goodies for a gift.... or yourself. And if you don't have a Sara Foster cookbook you better get one! read more

This was my 4th time visiting. I was spending the day at Duke Gardens and wanted to get something to enjoy in the Garden. I ordered online, which had limited offerings. I got the Greek grilled cheese. All over the menu and in the store it said that tomatoes are out of season so there wouldn't be any on sandwiches except BLT. Fine by me. I don't like tomatoes. Guess what was the first bite I got? A tomato- of course. The sandwich was huge and very tasty. The dipping sauce was on it. Not on the side as the name implies. Now for why I chose only 3 stars. My $11 sandwich turned into $15 because of a .75 carry out fee and 1.50 convenience fee. I have never seen that before and would not have ordered online. Won't do that again. read more

We love Fosters and have been going there for over 20 years! Today we noticed it was so loud - curious as the way it's set up the runners being out the food and scream your name... I am sending this as I heard at least 4 tables say " wow it's so loud here" some had young kids and they agreed they should change the way they deliver your food - the yelling is intense! Had to share this ! read more

My co-workers and I have been placing pick up orders here once a week for the past two years. Today when I called the gentleman I spoke with said he couldn't write down more than 3 items because they were just too busy. I explained he could have written down the entire order in the time that it took for him to argue that he couldn't write it down. Fosters you guys lost at least a $150 order once a week. Very disappointed. read more

Fosters is almost always busy, but for good reason. This feels like a neighborhood establishment in the best way. There's plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. The food is always so fresh and the service is so friendly and laid back. Almost feels like you're stepping back in time to simpler days. There's a reason Foster's is well-loved, and you should join in! read more

I wasn't sure what to expect a Foster's, because I'm commonly disappointed by overpriced breakfast restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the prices are fair ($7-11) and the portion sizes are quite large for the price. The overall ambience of Foster's is delightful, it's open and airy, half market/bakery and half restaurant. The food was delicious, not the best breakfast I've ever had in my life, but more than worth the $11 price tag. The omelette was enormous, it seemed like there were at least five eggs, and there was no skimping on the amount of filling, either. The potatoes were delicious, and the fresh squeezed orange juice was on point. Overall, would definitely come here again! read more

Foster's Market - Daily Omelette Special (Pulled Pork, Mozzarella, and Spinach) with Potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Ordered the hot Italian grinder and a side of pasta salad. Sandwich was fine, but the lettuce as hot and smooshed on it. Ordering here is a hot mess with people milling about standing in clusters with like 4 ordering windows that you can only order specific items from. Really unorganized and chaotic. read more