Stopped into Parker & Otis on a Saturday morning while exploring Durham, and it was absolutely…read morebustling! It's a really fun store to wander through if you enjoy browsing. They have a huge variety of items--from home goods and specialty foods to books, toys, kitchen items, and unique gifts. If you're specifically looking for locally made Durham souvenirs, there aren't a ton of local artisan items, but there are still some fun Durham-themed finds. I picked up an adorable "Meet Me in Durham" sticker that made the perfect keepsake from my summer here. Definitely worth stopping in if you're downtown and have some time to explore. Plan for a crowd on Saturday mornings, but it's part of the lively atmosphere!

Great spot for sandwiches in Durham! I got the turkey, pepper jelly, herb dip sandwich and all the…read moreflavors worked so well together. I also tried the BLT with pimento cheese but it didn't have enough pimento in my opinion. The price matches the size of the sandwiches which I appreciate. Be sure to set aside time to browse their store. It feels like being in Cracker Barrel in the best way. Lots of puzzles, cards, candles, cook books, and so much more.

TL DR: A good choice for a quick service meal if you don't want to leave the Museum of Life and…read moreScience. Outside of the main building and next to the butterfly house and train depot on the museum campus you'll find this little cafe. Several types of wraps and salads are available as well as fountain drinks and treats. Bathrooms (with changing stations) are next to the cafe. However if you need to use the changing stations and can wait I would suggest the main building second floor for the large private family bathrooms. Don't expect anything exotic at the cafe but what is here is good and portions that will fill you up so you can enjoy the rest of your day at the museum. I used to consider it a bit over priced a few years ago until the rest of the world became over priced so now this is just normal priced. If there's no seating at the cafe and it's nice out there are picnic tables a bit further down to the right.

Sprout Cafe is the convenient and fantastic cafe on site at the Museum of Life and Science. They…read moresell drinks and ice cream if you need a refreshment, but they also sell full meals, including kids meals, that are delicious. The barbecue plate is very good. So are all the sandwiches and paninis we've tried. The sides are delicious as well, from healthy options like fruit salad and green beans to traditional fries. Indoor seating is closed at the moment, but there is a lot of outdoor seating at the front and side of the cafe. If those areas are full, there are picnic tables close by at the start of the Dino Trail.

A group of us visited this restaurant after our 5K as part of a birthday celebration. The staff was…read morevery courteous and friendly. They answered our questions and provided recommendations upon request. We had a large group, so it was taking a while for all of the food to be ready. I decided to just get a raspberry white chocolate scone and a greena colada so that I didn't have to wait a very long time to eat. We enjoyed sitting upstairs where we could all sit together and watch the scenery while eating. The kids loved the space, and it also provided us with some privacy for our birthday celebration. The scone was very good. I was a bit disappointed with the smoothie, though. I was expecting it to be flavorful and naturally sweet due to the mangoes and pineapple as well as the honey that was supposed to be added, but it was quite bland and not flavorful at all. Everyone else seemed to have enjoyed their food.

Food was good. Made fresh to order. Staff friendly. Seating area small. More of a pick up and go…read morespot to me.

I came by on a Sunday right around opening time and the line was wrapped around the block. It took…read moreme about 75 minutes from getting in line to get my sandwich. I got half an uncle primos chicken cutlet sandwich ($11). It was a lot of food and was loaded with chicken! Even just the half sandwich was too much for me to eat at once. While it was tasty, I did feel like it was missing something, and personally didn't find it to be worth the wait. But if the line were shorter in the future I'd come back and try other yummies from the menu.

Cool and little neighborhood deli that is very popular. I don't know how it is during the week, but…read moreif you go on the weekend either go early or go late or you're standing in line for a long time. They've got their service down pat so it goes pretty quickly once you're inside. Friendly service. Come in and give your order and they will call your name when it's ready and your sandwich comes wrapped in white butcher paper and they'll ask if you want a bag and napkins. They have packages of napkins and utensils, available near the door, and also complementary water on the inside while you're in line there. All the orders are to go, but they do have a couple picnic tables just outside. I ordered two sandwiches, one hot and one cold. The cold one for tomorrow. Both of them had an asterisk beside them saying they were spicy, imagine that. I got a full size chopped cheese which comes in a hoagie roll. It was delicious and nicely spicy. Perfect for lunch and dinner. The cold sandwich I got was the roast turkey. It was very tasty too, I'm almost tempted to say I liked it better. Now that I've tasted their sandwiches I know why there was a line.

Really good service for a mom & pops type of place. Rustic seating. Ye ole' country style setting…read more I decided to try the chili-slaw hotdog. It had great reviews on a site referring to the best hotdogs in NC. I couldn't make up my mind between the beef or pork, so I got one of both. The red dog wasn't bad, but the texture did not suit my tastes. The pork dog was bangin' y'all! I had them both dressed all the way. The onion rings were stupidly delicious The couple sitting next to me had the Shrimp Po'boy. They shredded that bad boy like it was their last meal ...said it was loaded down and also hitting in all the right places'! It was a beautiful day for outside seating and they have a canopy overhead as well. So...there ya go. Thumbs up folks!

Unless you have dietary restrictions that prevent it. Making at least one stop at Kings Sandwich…read moreShop is basically required to consider yourself a citizen of Durham. The staff is always great! They will help you out with the menu and try to do or add what you need so just be open and ask. The portions are also good. I usually get the cheese steak and they load it up generously (see pic). They make up their own fried okra so I recommend that as a side. Sometimes there is a line and a wait around lunchtime and it doesn't have its own parking or really much seating. Most people take their food to go.

My husband and I drive by this place every day on the way home from work and I can't say why we've…read morenever stopped before. My husband loves sandwiches more than any other food so we finally stopped in a few days ago. The building itself needs some help. Well, a lot of help. The inside and the outside could use a massive overhaul but I feel it's likely not necessary where they are located and the owners are clearly putting their money into amazing quality ingredients instead of aesthetics. The sandwiches we ordered were AMAZING! They definitely bake the bread fresh every day, the bread was absolute perfection. I also really liked their mayo and feel they must make it in house. I ordered a regular (8", I think) #1 which is the Italian. I loved it! I topped it with sweet peppers, banana peppers, and pickles. Chef's kiss! My husband ordered a giant hot roast beef sandwich which he is still raving about days later. We both took half of our sandwiches to go and were able to enjoy the other half for another meal. This will be our go-to sandwich shop and easy dinner to pick up on the way home from work. Even better that we will have leftovers to take for lunch the next day!

We got corned beef with Swiss. It was a big sandwich. Loved the bread. The lady and gentlemen…read moreworking behind the counter were very nice. The restaurant was pretty clean and the seating was comfortable. I would definitely come back!

Came to this shop looking to find sweets. I saw that they had chocolate covered strawberries. I…read morefound them to be a bit expensive, but tasty. I purchased two mini quiche, the feta was delicious and the bacon was okay, but not as memorable as the feta. The service was polite and efficient and the shop had a cozy vibe. Not sure that I'd come back, but it was worth the try.

Got a loaf of sourdough bread, a cherry danish, an apple turnover and an eclair. They were pretty…read moregood, except for the eclair. It didn't really have any flavor to it. It's located in a strip mall next to a strip mall with bars on the doors and windows which looks sketchy but the inside was nice and clean. I wish they had a bigger selection of pastries and desserts. Probably won't be back. :/

The sandwiches at Alimentari were so flavorful! One was a caprese with prosciutto and the other was…read morea meat with arugula (I don't remember the name). It was so delicious- I will be back for another sandwich! One thing to note is that they bring you a large jug of water for the table, so you refill your own water.

Bottom line: Great little cafe/bistro brunch stop here, I enjoyed my visit to Alimentari at Mothers…read more& Sons. The frittata I had did the trick but I really enjoyed the follow up items of the biscuit and the polenta lime cookies with my coffee afterwards as well. Very helpful and friendly service. The Deets: I looked on my trusty Yelp app to see about a good place to catch breakfast before going to the Durham Amtrak station to start a Saturday of adventure with some friends. I found Alimentari at Mothers & Sons and saw that their weekend brunch started at 9am, perfect. I had experienced a wonderful dinner at the main Mothers & Sons right next door to Alimentari so I had a good vibe coming into trying it out. The outside is pretty nondescript except Mothers & Sons on the windows. Upon entering, Alimentari gives a great casual but nice feel as a combination cafe and bistro type impression. I was greeted quickly and cheerfully with water and menus as the server took my drink order to start. I decided on this visit to go with the frittata with prosciutto, caramelized onions, and Caciocavallo cheese. I liked this choice a lot, perfect portion and delicious but I wish I had more of the prosciutto flavor coming through. Throughout this meal, my servers were very positive, helpful, and always made sure I had what I needed. I decided to investigate the pastries items I saw on their bar. There are pinwheels they have on a plate they offer as a free treat, I sampled one and liked it a lot. The large cookies under the glass cake cover caught my eye. My servers described the polenta and lime cookies that were one of the selections and I had to go with those with some coffee, as well as trying one of their plain biscuits from the menu. The biscuit was large, still warm, and baked perfection (not overbaked or underdone). I would not call it a strictly "Southern style biscuit" but it was delicious and I think I would love one here with sausage and egg on future visits. I could have done with less salt on the top though, again a small thing to me. The polenta and lime cookies were a great surprise, I enjoyed these a lot with my coffee and so glad I tried them...very soft and flavorful with just a hint of crunch here and there from the polenta. I recommend them to round off your brunch experience here. I'd say 4.5 stars for food but the great service I received while here rounds them up to an even 5 stars, good breakfast/brunch stop!