I cut my vegan teeth on hole in the wall places like International Delights where you can get the very best hummus/babaganoush/falafel on a bed off lettuce and veggies with tahini sauce and hot sauce on the side. It brings me back to my baby vegan days when I was broke and hungry and all I really cared about in life was the welfare of animals. A little has changed since then. I'm thankfully less broke (good thing, because eating vegan these days is usually expensive) but I still care deeply for the welfare of animals and I still crave a good Middle Eastern platter. My husband ate here regularly when he lived in Durham decades ago. The owner proudly refused to serve ketchup, even with fries and I deeply respect that. If the flavor is good, you don't need it (plus I find it in general to be a weak condiment. Give me hot sauce or give me death). I ordered a vegan bowl, though it is more of a hearty platter with hummus/babaganoush and beans over a bed of romaine and quinoa. It involved some of the best hummus/baba that I've ever had, dreamy dips with perfect flavor and generous amounts of tahini. The eggplant was sweet and roasted, not a hint of bitterness. I don't even really like quinoa, but I couldn't resist it here, as it was seasoned perfectly. Service was so dang nice (they were expertly training a new employee and it was cool to hear a little about the process). I just love this place and will return whenever I'm back in Durham. read more

Great fresh food made on demand, amazing service and vibe!! Must visit when in Durham read more

International Delights - Outside of the restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So sad I'm just now discovering this place! This is family owned business and the longest running restaurant in 9th street. The food is made to order and you can tell the staff all truly love what they do. I had the beef and lamb gyro platter with a salad and fries. Everything from the meat to pita bread to salad all so so fresh. I am also impressed by their selection of in house made desserts, some of the best I've had in a while: biscoff tiramisu and baklava cheesecake. They also serve rice bowls, cheesesteaks, and gyros. They're also located in a good part of downtown Durham. Highly recommended for lunch or dinner. They're also available on DoorDash too. Parking available on the street or across the street in the lot. read more

See all

Awesome food, great service and the perfect vibe for our family. The Pita cheese pizza was perfect for our 5 year old.

Somewhat of a Duke/Ninth Street Institution..just had a Door Dash Delivery from here and it was delicious..Always great sandwiches and the Salad is always on point...Definitely recommend..when you go in person staff is wonderful also. read more

The food was great!! The service was also really good. The biscoff cheesecake was also really good.

Only authentic gyro in the area that I know. If they don't carve lamb off a rotating grill it's not a real gyro. Meat was great with tasty tizki sauce. Fries were hot and fully cooked. Best I've had since the last time I was here read more

Came here for the first time a week ago, it has been highly recommended. When we arrived we were provided with tea and coffee, which was outstanding considering it was chilly outside. The owner waited on our table and since it was our first time there he asked us what we liked and created some custom dishes for our table. Food took about 15 minutes to prepare and when he brought us our dishes we were not disappointed. The food was fresh, light, healthy and delicious. If you appreciate Middle Eastern food that has heart and soul built into it, than you will enjoy International Delights. The ambiance is nice, they have about 5-6 tables to sit inside and a few small tables outside when the weather is nice. The night we came there was a ton of 'to-go' orders being picked up. Outstanding place, I'll definitely be going back. read more

See all

After an appointment at Duke we searched for Mediterranean and found this location nearby. I definitely recommend to anyone not from the area that may be looking for quick, easy and very reasonably priced Mediterranean meal! You can scan the menu QR code and order your food and have a seat in the indoor dining room or the outdoor tables. You get your drinks from the fountain and they'll bring you your food. I was disappointed that they were out of stuffed grape leaves when I visited. That is my all time favorite Mediterranean food! However, once I got the lamb gyro platter, my disappointment was gone. The food is SO FRESH!!! Not just the salad but also the lamb. So tender and full of taste. My daughter also enjoyed her chicken sub and fries. If I lived in the area, I would most definitely be frequenting this location often! I would love to try all of their dishes in the relaxing atmosphere they provide. read more

See all

best authentic middle eastern food in durham area. additionally, the service was really good and the deserts are all homemade

The International Delight is place to go for a delicious dinner! Me and my wife enjoyed the food, it was very good; we had the lamb and a dessert. The owner and workers were very welcoming. I highly recommend this place to go when in Durham. read more

The best vegetarian subs you will find. A Ninth St- Durham NC establishment for 34 years. Great service and consistently great sanitation scores. Become a regular just like so many others. read more

I really liked this restaurant! I especially liked the prices. It is hard to find good prices on a menu these days! I really appreciate that they are serving real portions of food for less than $10. Love that!!! Thank you!! I also liked the food. I really liked the falafel. The pita was not my personal favorite but that's okay. (I'd love it to be warmer or thicker, maybe?) The reason they are only 4 stars is the way they use single-use plastic. They give out plastic forks and spoons, and plastic cups for water. I would love for them to transition to reusables if possible. read more

International Delights - Hummus with Pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

Best hummus, best falafels. I've eaten here just a handful of times but now that I live in Durham I look forward to many more. I like that it's owned locally and the owner seems to care about his business. read more

The hummus was smoother than a ceramic vase and the perfect amount of garlic! The falafal was great and the chicken rice was a meal unto itself! We will definitely go back. The portions were generous enough for another meal! read more

We had the pita falafel and the pita was More like a tortilla. It was very thin and tough. The falafels were good as usual. Not sure if this is their new normal. read more

GREAT TO STOP IN WITH A HUNGRY GROUP LOOKING FOR A FILLING MEAL/SNACK. Used to live right across from this place and finally stopped in to discover tasty food at a great price. This small and cozy spot on ninth street serves up some great comfort Middle Eastern cuisine. The falafel is nicely crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with a rich and nutty flavor. The lamb shawarma is also great, with tender and flavorful meat and plenty of fresh veggies. One thing that sets International Delights apart is the incredible homemade sauces and dips. The garlic sauce is a must-try - it's rich and creamy with just the right amount of garlic. And the hummus is creamy and smooth, with a nice balance of lemon and tahini. The atmosphere is simple and unassuming, with plenty of seating and friendly service. It's the perfect spot for a quick and satisfying lunch/snack/dinner. The portions are generous and shareable - you definitely won't leave feeling hungry. Overall great food, cozy atmosphere, and friendly staff. read more

International Delights - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Gyro was solid, fries crispy and grape leaves fresh. Must have prepared quickly or the DoorDash person was efficient.

Amazing gyro. Very fresh ingredients and plenty of filling. Would recommend to anyone

I'm a sucker for the falafel and baba ganouj here! My carnivorous family members always get the shawarma, of various kinds (chicken, lamb, Plus, the baklava is outstanding! I also love the international murals on the walls, the framed currency, and general "not-just-another-hole-in -the-wall" Mediterranean restaurant!" vibe. The family that owns International Delights is friendly and generous, and once donated a platter of baklava to a fundraiser for brain cancer research I organized. read more

Thought I had written a review of this place a while ago but I guess I didn't. We popped in at dinnertime on a Wednesday and perused the menu handouts. We got two bowls (one Signature bowl and veggie) and two waters since their soda fountain was not working. We ate at a socially distanced table. Food was good, price was reasonable, portions were good, and they seem to do a fair amount of takeout business. Staff was also pleasant and even offered to take our empty trays as we were headed to the disposal area. I also recall seeing a story of the family that owns this business -- they are refugees who have become an American success story. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for some Mediterranean food on Ninth Street. read more

International Delights - Signature Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

My food was good, had a steak and cheese sandwich with fries and a lemonade, the customer service was great, and the ambiance is very nice. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor dining. read more

Ok so first off I think I accidentally got extra cheese, hence the very large amount of mozzarella. We ordered on Door Dash, and having never eaten here before I hit "+mozzarella" and the rest is history. That being said it was a very nice, light little naan pizza. The sauce tasted good and I would order it again! I decided to deduct one star just because I didn't have the full in-person experience, which was reflected in my food. Next time I will dine in :) read more

International Delights - 7" Pita Cheese Pizza - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food is freshly cooked usually by the owner or his head cook. The falafel is outstanding, humus even better. All the food is outstanding and fresh. I know the founders, hard working Palestinian's husband and wife. All their kids worked in the restaurant. One of their sons purchased the restaurant from them. read more

Philly cheese steaks are amazing here and Gyros. Nice place to relax with great management who cares about you! read more

Great food in a very casual setting. Good prices. No alcohol. Everything was very fresh.

Cheesesteak. One of the two best I have ever had. Get the combo, because the fries are excellent. The bread is wonderful. It is a crusty roll. The meat is gently sauteed with provolone. This is a delight for any devotee of umami. This is a great place. Pay it a visit and order the cheesesteak combo. read more

I had their lamb/beef gyro platter and it was very delicious. The inside is small and the service was quick but unfortunately they didn't have stuffed grape leaves this time so I hope I can try them next time. read more

International Delights - Beef/Lamb Gyro Platter and Fountain Drink - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Was great as usual been going here for yrs,good people..best subs in the city,if u coming from outta town this a must have,for your sub wants.. read more

"Excellent Middle Eastern food on Ninth Street" I don't know how I'd never gone here before, but I'm really happy we decided to try it tonight... "as good as it gets" is a good description (or at least 4.5 stars). I had the kofta platter (kofta, rice, salad, pita, and hummus), and substituted baba ghannouj for the hummus. It was a BIG helping (see picture)- I was rather full after eating despite arriving hungry. Tasted outstanding, too- the baba ghannouj was a little spicier than typical, which gave it some nice zing (though also had a little more olive oil than I'm used to). The kofta meat was tender and flavorful, and the accompanying sauce was a nice complement. My wife got the stuffed grape leaves and said they were the best she's ever had from a restaurant (though my mom's are still better). I had a bite and concurred. Daughter had a gyro with fries, and the meat was excellent- better than gyros at Spartacus, for example. Fries were good and very peppery, too. Six-year-old son got a pita pizza (you pick the toppings), and it was more than he could eat yet cost only ~$4. Service was pretty minimal (order at a counter and seat yourself) but acceptable. Decor was amusing- lots of drawings of random places/ people (e.g., Stonehenge? Eiffel Tower? a Native American?). In my opinion, and that of my family, for the items here, we think this may be the best place in town for Middle Eastern food- International Delights readily beats Baba Ghannouj (on Main St) for price, quantity and taste (especially for their title item- baba ghannouj), and maybe slightly better than Mediterra. However, there are very delicious items at Mediterra that are not found here (e.g., "bamya" okra in tomato sauce), and it's also very good overall, so there's room for both in the area. PS- Weirdly, they did give my daughter ketchup for her fries, despite their apparent hatred for the condiment that's posted around the restaurant and noted in other reviews. read more

International Delights - Kofta platter- A LOT of food - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Best Philly steak in the WORLD!!!!! Been going since I've been in high school...over 20 years!!!

Absolutely the worse food I've ever tried to eat. I ordered a chicken shawarma sandwich- it was not shawarma. But microwaved, flavorless precooked pressed chicken breast, old iceberg lettuce that was bitter and wilted, and overcooked, stale pita. And then extra pitas were thrown in a used cable bag for our takeout. Not a 'bag' of pitas but literally things we were supposed to eat were in a used, dirty bag. The health board owes this place a visit. Do not eat here. It's nasty! read more

International Delights - Unsanitary pitas - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

As a baklava connoisseur, I've made it an effort to find the best baklava in the RDU area. I have a bias for turkish baklava, but when I came in here and sampled the walnut Greek baklava, I was thoroughly sold that these people put their hearts into proper baklava baking! Will come back again! read more

Last week we ordered food to be delivered from international delights and normally the plates are on point and very good. Last week we ordered two gyros meat only with fries but they sent gyro meat with pita bread slices and fries. We also ordered one gyro plate with fries normally made for our friend. We were very disappointed in the way our two plates came because it was so very hard to try to make a sandwich that way. Food was good but not what we wanted and we were introducing someone new to the restaurant. read more

Ok, so 6th time I've been here. Last time they did mess up the Philly cheesesteak by not putting cheese on it but as far as my hummus pitas have gone, I just ask for less hummus and extra veggies and that's what I've gotten. Always fresh! I can't stress how good the hummus is. read more

International Delights - Hummus pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Fries were good but the rest i had to throw away. The people working there saw me throwing it away and didn't even bat an eye. Dude hyped the food up and said I'm gonna hook you up...I tipped descent i thought. I do not recommend it. At least stay away from the hummus. It tastes really bad like a peel or something. From the other reviews maybe I went on a bad day read more

Not bad, but not real good...hummus is heavy on tahini and rather thin, although one in my home loves it...Kafka Kabob had decent flavor, but the texture is very firm and chewy. Grape leaves are inedible; not sure what's going on there, but the filling was gritty and flavorless. Other items were okay, but nothing great. I added a star for their longevity as a 9th Street anchor, but really don't think we'll be back. Durham could use better mediterranean in this area for sure. read more

Vegetarian/ Vegan: I had the Falafel Pita Wrap and fries. I thought it was just average. I've had better and worse falafel. I thought it could be more flavorful but I'm not an expert on what it's supposed to taste like. I just know that I prefer the falafel at Jasmine, but that's all the in Raleigh. International Delight does have the best falafel I've had in Durham though. They have a pretty good selection of other options too. Service: We ordered at the counter and they brought the food out to us. We ate outside with my dog and the server was kind to her. I made the mistake of asking for ketchup with my fries before I saw the sign discouraging it so I was embarrassed. The server didn't say anything about it and I was grateful for that. Recommendations: I can comfortably recommend the restaurant to other vegetarians and vegans. I'm not sure about it for those with other dietary restrictions. read more

International Delights - Falafel Pita Wrap with fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Third time coming here and I love it! Got the kofta wrap it was great; got the veggie hoagie and I looooovve it! The bread is really good, the sandwich is so hot, the veggies are fresh, and it's so tasty. The fries are also The owners and staff are very pleasant. Look forward to coming again and again :-) read more

So delish and the owner and staff are so kind! Would 100% recommend. I always get the cheese steak hoagie and it never disappoints. They have some outdoor seating too which is nice. If you're thinking about it- go! You won't be disappointed. read more