I met up with a girlfriend during lunch. She ordered a delicious looking chicken sandwich. I ordered a salad- romaine, chicken, avocado, bacon, eggs, cheese and tomato. It could have been better- had the chicken not been black on the outside, or had it had two times the burned chicken. With that said, $15 was too much for this salad. However, service was excellent! Very polite staff! The dessert- cake and pies, look amazing! Unfortunately, ya’ girl is on a diet. Otherwise, I’d of gladly tried one!

Went here today for the first time. Loved it. Sitting outside reminded me a lot of Mt Pleasant outside of Charleston. I had one of the specials, the meat quiche which was ham, bacon and spinach that came with a side salad. Also ordered the cheesy grits. They were great. A little bit on the peppery side. Seating was a bit confusing so I asked: the hostess stand is for dinner. You go through the line and place your order and sit down any other time.

Soooo this is my 2nd time dining at this ABSOLUTELY AMAZING CAFE! From its sweet modest character, to the stellar service and the amazing attitudes of the people (everyone) who helps run this freakin rad bad restaurant, to the most delish brunch items around town! They also have a great mimosa flight special which you cant beat! I love this place! The 2nd time we came we brought a few new folks and they fell in love too! Keep those chefs and the amazing front of the house staff! See you this wknd! 😊😉

Great southern food with friendly and helpful staff. We enjoyed their shrimp and grits With mushrooms and the tomato soup. They did have a few vegetarian options, we ordered the one with scrambles tofu. The portion sizes were very generous.

Finally found a great spot in Durham since we moved from NYC. The ingredients are very fresh and delicious. The Huevos Rancheros were delicious and filling. My chicken and waffle was lightyears ahead of what they served me at Dames. Beyond what you expect for a Cafe in the South. This place has earned some new RegularsAlso they have the Cholula from Mexico ; the better one 😊

Very nice upscale cafe feel. Food was amazing! To read the menu was enough, then unlocked at photos and was completely sold on going!

Great vegan options! The vegan pancakes were delicious. I also tried the vegan passion fruit cheesecake and it was delicious. Even the non-vegans at the table found it delightful.

I ate outdoors in a group of 9, and it was the best experience Ive had at this restaurant. We felt completely safe and comfortable. The food and the service were excellent. I was especially pleased with the wonderful vegan dessert I had. Im used to being jealous of the milk and butter filled desserts my friends enjoy, or trying a less than satisfying substitute. What I had was the best vegan dessert ever. Also in some places a group of elderly females are not the favorite customers and it shows. Michael was ever attentive and knowledgeable about the food as well. A wonderful evening.

Fresh, excellent food every time. Kudos to “Faustine”! She is always caring, patient, efficient, and goes the extra mile even on days like this (Duke Family Weekend). The waffle and chicken, so delicious. It’s a little on the expensive side but that’s not a complaint because it’s worth it. Try their desserts, all are delicious. On weekdays, I love their soups with a grilled cheese.

Lovely! I went here for breakfast and really enjoyed my food and experience. The service was very fast. The employees were very friendly and helpful. The food was delicious. I got the crispy duck and waffles which was outstanding. They also have an excellent drink selection. I would highly recommend this place.

Went to Refectory Cafe with my cousin and we ordered the breakfast burrito, vegan pancakes, and challah french toast. The cashier was informative, the owner was very pleasant, and the service was fast. Everything we ordered tasted great! For a meat eater, I was pleasantly surprised by the vegan pancakes. So much so that I took an order back to New York with me. I would recommend this cafe to any visitors and would also return if I visit Durham in the future.

The Refectory Cafe is amazing! The have a great mix of food for all types of eaters. My family is vegan and the people we were dining with are not. They really enjoyed their food and my family really loved the Vegan Pancakes and Tofu Scramble. The pancakes were so amazing! I wish I had the recipe! Well definitely be back.

Food was good but amazed at all the servers ( 4 different pol) that past by the plates with empty hands and did not bother the pick up the dishes while we were sitting outside. Food attracts bugs. These plates which was appetizers and salad that stayed there thru our entire meal. It is the little things that defines good service.

Love this cafe! The food was delicious (the blueberry mimosas are magnificent), service was fast, and the fresh flowers on each table are much appreciated. I ate inside due to humidty/heat, but the tables surrounding the outside looked like a very pleasant atmosphere. Definitely recommend!

Every menu item looked exquisite, wonderful selection of entrees. Each one was delicious with different yet abundant flavors.

The flavors and quality of both the burger and the Carolina Cobb salad were delicious, but we were very put off by the lack of distancing between tables, especially indoors. The service was good, and quick.Will likely consider eating here again once there is less concern about COVID risk.

Great food and overall atmosphere. Super friendly staff that helped me make a reservation for my family. Definitely recommend the mimosas and oatmeal.

Great selection of healthy sandwiches, friendly staffs, and quick service. Salmon avocado sandwich that I tried was a classic homemade style sandwich with fresh veggies. The proportion of veggies and salmon was also on point, and I would definitely return to try their other sandwiches. Highly recommend to people who enjoy traditional style sandwiches and soups.

Found this place on a Vegan restaurant list for Durham, definitely not the case.Only a few vegan items, and they are not unique in any way. They have a vegan soup, black bean burger, and a tofu scramble. Tofu scramble has NO flavor whatsoever, the broccoli overpowers all of the other ingredients in the dish. Definitely not worth $12, does not come with a side.Also tried the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, lemon flavor was strong, but just your typical pancakes. Again, not worth the price of $13.Atmosphere of the cafe is very judgmental, even from the staff. They did the absolute bare minimum, and did not go out of their way for anybody. Waitress with dark red hair in a bun especially behaved this way. Waited about 20 minutes for our 2 plates, wish I could get that time back. Just an overrated place, super busy, and expensive.Overall we spent around $30 for 2 flavorless, basic meals. We will not be coming back.

Service and food are superb. Make a reservation if you can, but they do take walk-ins. We loved the specials.

Had a great breakfast at the cafe. Made reservations on Saturday night for 9:30am Sunday. It was our first time so the set up was a bit confusing but we then found our names on a tagged table. The French toast was great, as was the biscuit and fried filet. Scrambled eggs were a bit over done. Baked goods looked amazing too.

The shrimp & grits and Greek yogurt cheesecake at Refectory cafe are to die for! We stopped by for a quick bite and completely fell in love. The shrimp was perfectly seasoned with a hint of spiciness. The cheesecake was not too sweet so I can eat a whole slice and still want more.

This is a great place for a nice breakfast with friends. It has counter service but you are able to reserve a table online. We tried the egg bowl with potatoes and grits as well as the vegan avocado toast. The service was warm and friendly. Highly recommend.

Delicious food and super accommodating staff. As a group of 12, things still went smooth and quick. Glad we chose here on our way out of town.

Very busy, great staff, menu has varity of different creative dishes.

The shrimp and grits are amazing! All of the food is fresh and well-seasoned… I highly recommend this place.

I got the ricotta lemon pancakes and the bacon side and I loved them! My sister is a vegan so it was a good place for our brunch. Also the staff are nice

Dine in. The reuben was good but the corned beef should be sliced thin. Pricey and crowded.

Food was delicious. I had the stuffed burrito, strawberry smoothie, and cheesy grits. Everything went together so well. The arugula tomato jalapeño onion side salad was a very refreshing partner to the meaty burrito with potatoes and avocado and beans. I loved how I could really taste the honey in my smoothie, and the grits had a nice kick to them, delectable.

Local diner. Excellent choices for brunch and weekend breakfast

Loved my first visit to & meal at The Refectory Cafe! The staff was friendly & helpful. The cocktail, starter, entrée & dessert I had were all amazing. The service could be brushed up a bit, but overall everything was terrific.I would definitely recommend The Refectory Cafe.

Great customer service! We had the Philly, chicken and cheese biscuit, with fries and chips. All were really good but the gfood had no seasoning. We had to add salt/pepper to everything and its not we normally do that to food we order elsewhere. It had good natural flavors but not seasoned. They must know that bc they immediate offered us salt and pepper?! Would have been a 5 if the food was seasoned.

Amazing coffee and beautiful atmosphere. Great place to sit and talk with a friend or read a book. Very friendly staff!Didnt try the food but it looked good.Oh and they pet friendly!

This restaurant delivers. Our new favorite place. Delicious food, beautifully prepared with excellent service. Their desserts are a must. We are from the Pinehurst area but have found nothing like this restaurant in the area. I can’t imagine a trip to Durham without a visit to The Refectory

A quaint and quiet place to eat out for any meal time.With a wide variety of healthy options, and deserts too, the menu is diverse. The price is on the higher side, but the portions and quality reflect that.

Terrible service. Double charged a meal and made it difficult to fix. Tomatoes were inedible (were pale and all had the hard green bit in the middle). Gave the wrong item and did not replace with the right one even after being informed several times and them saying they were going to bring it right out. Had to ask 3 times for the bacon that was supposed to come. It did finally come. Never got a coffee refill. Tried to speak to somebody about my issues to resolve them and nobody would talk to me. Mediocre expensive food otherwise.Avoid this place.

Good food, nice beer and cocktail selection

First time going and LOVED it! My daughter and I went for a late lunch and it was perfect. Everyone was so extremely nice and helpful. The food was fresh and hot. I had the open face bacon avocado sammy (multi-grain bread from 9th st bakery topped with mashed avocado, tomato, crispy bacon, red onions, and arugala(I think) and my daughter had the French toast. We also shared the breakfast potatoes(seasoned potatoes, red bell peppers, and onions).

The food is yummy and beautifully presented. The staff are terrific. And the menu appeals to meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans too. They also have cocktails, wine, beers, and delicious desserts. Thank you Refectory Cafe!

The food and staff were great! We arrived on a busy afternoon and there was enough parking. We had a lot of food and were able to take some home. I loved the laid back atmosphere.

Good food. I ordered the club sandwich, which was very good and also huge. My daughter got the grits with her breakfast plate and she loved it.

Very cute place! Lovely food! Chicken MARSALA IS GREAT!

The food was delicious! The seafood was great quality and they have a great selection of vegan and vegetarian meals as well.

This place is doing a great brunch. Reserve ahead. It works in a fast casual style where you wait in line, order, and carry a number back to your table. Before you get through a third of your Bloody, you get the brunch youre hungry for brought to you too enjoy at a picnic table in the shade (almost always). Friendly staff. Exceeds expectations. Why dont I go here more often? Must fix that. Enjoy!

Nice service, good atmosphere, and outdoor seating.

First time visitor. The food I ordered was Good. A chicken sandwich with bacon, Avocado, aioili, tomato, etc. and shrimpngrits is what we ordered. My friend polished off hers, and I got through 2/3 of mine before satiety set in.THE number one problem at the Refectory--at least at lunch on Sundays--is p-a-r-k-i-n-g. If your goal is a pleasant meal with friends, and sincerely made and served food this is a spot to try, but you may have to wait a while.

A lil pricey for a regular lunch stop, but food is ready pretty quickly and amazing every time! Theyve got something for adventurous and picky eaters, so a safe bet for a work lunch!

Very well prepared meal. Delicious crab cakes and excellent salmon. First rate service. Casual atmosphere.

Delicious food. Friendly, knowledgeable, and conscientious waitstaff made the experience for us very pleasurable. Champagne vinaigrette is an awesome surprise.

Great food. Great service. Extremely nice people. Terrific outdoor seating. I like because as a vegan, they have a good selection for me. But vegan it not, everything is fresh and beautifully prepared. Their fresh fish dishes are especially outstanding.

This place is a gem! I love the food! The Vegan pancakes are to diiie for! I would recommend this place 1000 times over. Check it out for yourself!

This was my first visit here and though I had a nice time with my friend for brunch, I dont think Ill be back any time soon. I ordered the huevos rancheros and was a bit disappointed ... its usually one of my favorite brunch items. It was edible and I ate about half of it, but there wasnt much flavor. I guess I expected the ribs to be seasoned, or maybe marinated and saucy but they were quite bland (although they were cooked nicely and tender). It didnt come with a side, but I ordered a fruit cup as well which was pretty good. The service was nice. They were very busy. We sat outside on a hot day and I was never offered a refill of water. That was the only feedback I have about the otherwise excellent service. (Im sure I couldve asked for more water, as the staff was quite friendly... They were just so busy and I wasnt dying of thirst so I chose not to ask.) I also chose this place because it had a parking lot, but it was full when I arrived (made a reservation for 1 pm on Saturday July 5) so I ended up have to drive around and find parallel parking. I wasnt thrilled about that, but there was plenty of parallel parking along the street in front of the restaurant. The best part about this dining experience was the service staff, and that would be my only reason for giving this place another chance down the road.

Delicious food offering but can get busy!! I got avocado toast and a coffee. Reasonable prices and plenty of vegan/gluten free options!

A little cafe that we enjoyed a delicious breakfast out on their patio. It was a gorgeous day outside and the birds were chirping. The breakfast burrito is huge, so plan on sharing it! My wife and I shared the burrito and a large grits. It was more than enough food for the two of us. The grits were pretty spicy, so beware if you cant handle spicy foods! If we lived here, wed totally come back for more!

Food was very good a bit pricey. Very small inside for seating but still a nice clean environment and everyone was nice.

To go lunch during Covid-19...Our company ordered lunch for us today. There were a lot of options to choose from...Salmon, veggie burger, turkey reuben, chicken sandwich and a salad. I selected the NY Turkey Reuben. It was delicious.... pretty thick and filling with lots of flavor. I would definitely get it again.

The food was a little overpriced for the amount and quality, but it was good. The desserts in particular looked amazing so if youre looking for a coffee and dessert cbo i would recommend that. Eating a meal though might be hit or miss depending on the day.Still enjoyed our time there and the staff were super friendly!

Great food with both vegiterian and vegan options. The desserts are to die for. Dont forget to check out the wine, beer and cocktail menu. First time that I have seen a local cafe with cocktails. Impressive. Be sure to check the specials menu on the info board at the restaurant as these dishes are not listed on the online menu.

Amazing desserts, friendly staff, great menu. Salad was fantastic too. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

The food here is always fresh and tasty.

In town for doc appointments and decided to stop in because they serve breakfast until 3pm. Wont make that mistake again! 2 people, 2 breakfast orders and over $49 later...the food was horrible! Scrambled eggs were like thin sheets of rubber! Potatoes were hard as rocks! Toast was cold and hard! It takes effort to make a breakfast this bad! The only good thing I can say is that the staff were very nice.

It was my first time here. Visiting from Los Angeles. I had the French toast and pork sausage which was so amazing. The flavor was great. Thank you.

A lot of great variety on the menu - something for everyone! Desserts were great too! Definitely a neat place to check out!

Awesome customer service. Food was great. Pastries are divine! Definitely the spot to go to in Durham! I went twice in, for two consecutivedays. -MatitYahu (culinary graduate 05)

Great food. Decent prices. Very welcoming service. Was a bit busy on Sunday breakfast.

Food tastes very good. They are very accommodating to any food intolerances which I very much appreciated. I would definitely go back again.

Great menu and food. Excellent service. Very friendly staff. Looking forward to the next visit. 😀

Pretty good food. Very large lemon ricotta pancakes, a little light on the lemon flavor for my liking but fresh, juicy blueberries. Kind of a small space, but staff are busy-busy clearing tables.

This place is OUTSTANDING. Everything. The food, the staff, the service... the desserts. So good! We are in town for a few days and have eaten here twice already. Have had breakfast and lunch and both were excellent. We plan on going back tomorrow!

Awesome dining experience!! Shrimp burger and ratatouille are great!!

My sisters and I went to Sunday Brunch here and have not one regret! Social distancing was taken seriously and we chose to eat outside. The food was delicious. We had the chefs special which was crispy duck over a waffle and sour cherry compote. One sister had the lemon ricotta pancakes which were AMAZING! We will definitely be back!

Crowded but our delightful take out was ready in 15 minutes.

Went for breakfast and i order a BLAT and strawberry smoothie, it wasnt busy at all . But i received a old bread sandwich, cold bacon, and a smoothie the was made probably a few days before and put back on the blender and serve, all that for 22 dollar . If in a not busy day they cant offer a fresh smoothie and a good sandwich, Im not sure what you would eat when they are busy . I would not recommend this place to eat

Just, wow. The first bite of crispy duck leg with waffles and sour cherry jam literally brought tears to my eyes it was so good! I’m not even kidding. The flavors were unexpected and delightful. My boyfriend had the Rise & Shine and says he could taste the care they put into making and presenting it, it’s a pretty standard breakfast dish but even the eggs and the fruit seemed tastier than what he’s used to having from a restaurant. It didn’t even take 3 bites in for us both to be declaring it our favorite new place. They have a full bar, really awesome coffee, super delicious desserts that are dangerously reasonably priced, nice atmosphere, excellent staff, and the chef gets major respect and kudos. If you’ve never been, you might make the assumption that the menu might be too eclectic, but there’s something for meat-and-potatoes types to food snobs alike, not to mention accommodating to all dietary preferences. I’m so super excited that we finally tried this place. We are obsessed!

Great cozy place. Great service & food. The avocado bread breakfast was awesome.

Man oh man. This was a great pick. The good was amazing and the desserts was just as good. Very friendly and comfortable environment. When in Durham this is a must go place.

Went for a date night and thoroughly enjoyed this place. It sends to be gaining a lot of favor locally and I can see why. Genuinely enjoyed everything we ordered, and portions were generous enough to have some leftovers.Will try the famous pistachio cheesecake next time. They were out.

Brunch with a few friends at The Refectory Cafe today and found the service exceptional. Placed my order and went outside to get a table and before I sat down with my coffee, my order was at the table. I have dined here prior to the current environment, but I found the service to be better than previous visits. Food is always good. The Open Face Salmon on Avocado Toast was divine! There are excellent Servers here. Great dining experience !!

Lots of vegetarian options! Super cute inside and very friendly staff. Lemon ricotta pancakes were absolutely delightful, definitely going back for brunch again. Great for any special occasion or casual dining.

Went here for lunch with some co-workers and the only real issue I had was the lack of indoor seating. The food was delicious, though on the pricey side the quality is excellent.

Dont let the cafe fool you - this place does it all, and does it amazingly! My fiancee and I got very different meals, but both were excellent. Definitely be back next time were in the area!

Over the last month, the Refectory Cafe has hands down become my favorite place to go for a coffee or a bite to eat. I have gone here more times than I can count now and Ive never had a bad meal or drink there. The wait staff is always very friendly with quick service. Easily my favorite place to go to in the area.If they have the Pecan Pie it is a must eat.

The ambiance and system of ordering really made for a cramped experience, but not in a good way like an old school diner. Both of our orders weren’t totally right either.

Overall, its overrated for us, the only thing that is good is they have a parking lot. The fried potato tasted like stone, not fresh cooked. Potato and sausage were cold, stale. The service was soso. The coffees was okay. For this kind of food and price, wed rather go to waffle house.

Our server was a nice person, but the staff initially ignored our table for the first 5 to 10 minutes after our party arrived. We sat at our table with no drinks or menus while I attempted to contact the host repeatedly.The host kept walking/bobbing around with his arms crossed behind his back and looked directly at me while I was asking for service but just wandered past me while ignoring the fact that we still hadnt even been seated with menus, silverware, or water. It got to the point where I basically yelled at this guy to get his attention. There were three seated tables in the entire restaurant and it was very quiet. The staff was standing behind the register watching it happen and did nothing.To put it kindly, it was a very odd interaction. Guests shouldnt have to work to be served.When drinks were finally offered, they only handed out one glass of whatever was requested. So if someone requested tea, they got tea alone and no water. Seems like the service staff didnt really feel involved in serving our table.The food was overpriced and the vegetarian options were quite unremarkable. Apparently the trick to making Award Winning Dal is to combine lentils with veggies and no seasoning. Weaver Street Market sells dal that is 5 times better for 1/2 the cost. The chili was absolutely bomb and is good by any metric. The vegan cheesecake, however, was okay when fresh but quickly disintegrated into a weird fluffy paste by the time we brought it home.Its no wonder Guglhupf gets all of the foot traffic, to the point where this restaurant needs to put signs up on its own parking lot reserving the spaces for their establishment. The owner(s) would probably make more money if they charged for Guglhupf parking than continuing to reserve the spots for patrons who rightfully dont exist.

Food is decent but dont order take out. Ive called in an order on three separate occassions and arrived to find the order was never entered. Had to wait another 20 minute for food to be prepared. Walked away from it the last time.

Food is alright and at times the most convenient, however recently when you place a pick up your food is not ready. Or even put in the system.

Let me tell y’all this! Their Challah French toast is hand downs the best!!!!!!! The grits in my opinion should be seasoned a tad bit more, literally a small dash! The tofu scramble is something Jedi Star Wars amazing! This place is literally one of the bull city’s best spots!Take a chance on this you will not regret it!

The service was great. The good was just ok. And it was really hot in there.

Though costlier than expected, the food was phenomenal. Highly recommended!

Pancakes were great! Hibiscus tea great. Lovely girls at register who took order, gave great suggestions

So many great vegan options and the employees are always so kind. Ive never had a bad experience here, and I go quite a lot!

Amazingly handcrafted dishes that delight the pallet. The ribeye platter was on point and highly recommended. Additionally the coffee was simply amazing. You can spend big money at Starbucks but you still will not get the same flavors and depth.

Great options for brunch and when we went they had specials that were very tasty. Would deff go again.

Very clean and COVID prepared/safe. Super friendly staff. Plenty of nice pasties

A little on the pricey side, But very delicious

Refectory Cafe is FABULOUS!! At least for take-out. I recommend calling ahead with your order as there is no good place to stand or sit while waiting. The food is excellent! And you cannot miss their dessert case. Unbelievable desserts, but the BEST part is they offer KETO desserts!! I just started Keto, so imagine my surprise to find KETO desserts. The Keto choc chip is ok--I mean, lets be real. When you veen an officianado of Toll House, Pepperidge Farms, Famous Amos, & most of the other drop-dead sugary choc chip cookies, a Keto choc chip is never going to be in the upper levels. But this one wasnt terrible. I managed to scoff one down. Of important note is the Keto blueberry cheesecake I had tonight. OMG, it was pretty damn good, especially of you are not eating sugar!! Now, dont go & compare it to a New York cheese cake! But for those of us trying to live a Keto livestyle, its pretty freakin good!!!

Absolutely flawless food. The black bean burger and the Indian dal were amazing. The Refectory Cafe does vegan food right.

Refractory cafe is a great spot with plenty of vegan options, they have vegan chocolate chip pancakes and tofu scramble for brunch as well as several options for lunch. Also good solid coffee/tea options

Staying in Durham North Carolina for the evening and found this fantastic restaurant near where we were staying. Service was fantastic, the food was absolutely best in taste. My wife had a ratatouille, and I chose a fantastic gumbo soup and salad, all of which was fantastic. I would recommend this local restaurant to anyone in the area.