May 19, 2026 — Tuesday Edition

It's a big week in the Bull City and we're not even going to pretend to play it cool about it. Hamilton opens at DPAC on Wednesday, the Bulls are home for a six-game homestand, Taste of Soul takes over Durham Central Park on Saturday, and the forecast is calling for low-90s by midweek — real, actual, sweat-on-your-forehead summer. It came fast.

Hayti breaks ground — and it's a big deal. After years of planning and a whole lot of waiting, the $85 million Villages of Hayti project officially broke ground last Wednesday in Durham's historic Hayti neighborhood — once known as Black Wall Street. Phase one brings 252 affordable apartments for households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. Gospel legend Shirley Caesar was there. The community was there. This one matters. (ABC11)

Andrew Zimmern says what we already knew. Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern recently called the Raleigh-Durham food scene "ridiculously underrated" in a video that's been making the rounds. Local chefs and food tour operators echoed the sentiment, pointing to the area's collaborative restaurant culture and 13 James Beard semifinalist spots. We've been saying this since issue one, but it's nice when the rest of the country catches up. (ABC11)

Mark your calendar: Food Truck Rodeo returns May 31. The Summer Food Truck Rodeo is back at Durham Central Park on Saturday, May 31 from noon to 4 PM. Fifty-plus trucks, beer and wine vendors, inflatables for the kids — the usual Sunday Funday energy. New this year: a Club Fair for Adults inside the Beer Garden, where you can discover hobby groups, rec leagues, volunteer orgs, and social communities around Durham. Free to attend. (Durham Central Park)

If you've never been upstairs at Dashi, you're only getting half the experience — and the half you're missing might be the better one.

The ground floor is what most people know: a warm, dark ramen bar on East Chapel Hill Street where the tonkotsu is rich enough to make you close your eyes, and the nori fries have no business being as addictive as they are. The ramen gets the headlines and it should. But take the stairs to the izakaya on the second floor and you'll find an entirely different restaurant — small plates, Japanese whisky flights, sake that's better than anything you'll find within a hundred miles, and a vibe that feels like Tokyo by way of downtown Durham.

Start with the bacon mochi (trust us) and the takoyaki, then move to the karaage fried chicken. If you're in a group, order the ramen downstairs first, then migrate upstairs for drinks and small plates. That's the move. The sake and shochu list is curated without being pretentious, and the bartenders actually know what they're pouring — ask them to pick for you. Dashi has been doing this in Durham since before the food scene had a national reputation. Now that Zimmern is calling Durham "ridiculously underrated," spots like Dashi are exactly why.

415 E Chapel Hill St, Durham NC 27701
Dinner nightly — check website for hours
Ramen bowls ~$15–18 / Izakaya small plates ~$8–16
dashiramen.com
Reservations on OpenTable

Red Phone Booth is taking memberships. Durham's incoming speakeasy at 125 Orange St is now accepting early memberships ahead of its June opening. The concept: enter through an actual vintage red London phone booth, dial a secret number, and step into a Prohibition-era cocktail lounge with 400+ spirits, Italian leather seating, and a pizza program. Locally owned by Dr. Ralph Mensah and Dr. Michael Thomas. (Red Phone Booth)

Little Barb's: last call. May 31 is the final day for Little Barb's Bakery at Durham Food Hall. If you haven't stocked up on their pastries, the countdown is on. Their Instagram teased "something next" — "we won't be gone for long" — so this isn't a goodbye, just a see-you-soon. But the Food Hall chapter closes in two weeks. (Follow along)

Farmers Market is in full swing. Saturday mornings at the Durham Farmers' Market are peaking right now — spring strawberries, greens, early squash, fresh bread, and flowers everywhere. If you haven't been this season, this is the week. Show up by 9 AM before the strawberry vendors sell out.

Hamilton at DPAC — Opens Wed May 20, runs through June 14. Multiple showtimes (matinees + evenings). $10 seats available for every performance. Not recommended for under 10. (DPAC)

Durham Bulls vs Nashville Sounds — Full six-game homestand, Tue May 19 through Sun May 24 at DBAP. Tuesday at 11:05 AM, then 6:45 PM Wed–Sat, 5:05 PM Sunday. Wool E. Bull's birthday and Military Appreciation Day on the docket. (Tickets)

Dancing With The Carolina Stars — Fundraiser gala at the Carolina Theatre, Wed May 20 at 5:30 PM. (Carolina Theatre)

Cold at Motorco — Fri May 22. (Motorco)

Taste of Soul — Durham Central Park, Sat May 23, 3–9 PM. Food trucks, live music, DJ, kid games. Free admission. (Taste of Soul NC)

Grace Givertz at Carolina Theatre — Thu May 28 at 7 PM in Fletcher Hall. (Carolina Theatre)

The boys are back. After a stretch on the road, the Durham Bulls open a six-game homestand against the Nashville Sounds starting today (Tuesday). First pitch is 11:05 AM for the series opener — a matinee to kick things off — then standard 6:45 PM starts through Saturday, with a 5:05 PM Sunday finale. The homestand stretches into Memorial Day weekend, so there's no excuse not to get out to DBAP at least once this week.

Summer showed up early. Expect highs climbing into the low 90s by Wednesday — near-record territory for mid-May — before things cool back toward the low 80s heading into the weekend. It's patio weather all week, but hydrate if you're hitting Taste of Soul on Saturday. Hamilton is indoors and air-conditioned, so that's your midweek escape plan. Sunday at the ballpark should be comfortable.

Andrew Zimmern isn't telling us anything we didn't already know. But hearing a guy with a national platform say Durham "punches above its weight" — and mean it — still hits different.

This city has been quietly building one of the best food scenes on the East Coast for years. Chef by chef. Restaurant by restaurant. From the ramen at Dashi to whatever M Hansik is about to bring to Wye Junction, from the woman hand-rolling dumplings at Sister Liu's to the two doctors about to open a speakeasy behind a phone booth. Durham doesn't wait for permission to be great.

Neither should you. Get out there this week.

Much love, Durham.

Made with 💙 in Durham, NC
Written from Trinity Park
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