Two new Durham restaurants will share one home
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The future home of Alex Catotti and Erin Kobler's new restaurants at 949 Washington St., Durham. Photo collage: Mary Helen Moore/Axios. Photos courtesy of subject.
Durham is set to get two new restaurants in the spring — The Vinter and The Baker, which will serve coffee and pastries by day and wine and small plates at night, and Restaurant Cornelia, which will offer evening fine dining.
Why it matters: The sister concepts will provide all-day food options in a neighborhood just north of downtown.
Catch up quick: It's a homecoming for Durham native Alex Catotti, who worked at Nana's before spending years honing his culinary chops in Chicago's fine-dining scene.
- It was in one of those kitchens that Catotti met his now-wife, accomplished pastry chef Erin Kobler.
- The couple are partners in the new Durham ventures, which share a building but will have separate seating areas and different chefs.
What they're saying: They set out to bring "world-class cuisine" to Durham through Restaurant Cornelia, and added the more affordable sister concept to help ensure the space is sustainable.
- "We've recognized that it's challenging to offer that level of experience as a standalone restaurant, and so we felt like we needed to have a diverse business plan," Catotti tells Axios.
What to expect: Walking inside for counter service at The Vinter and The Baker during the day, "you can see the beautiful pastries that Erin's prepared, as well as a full-service coffee bar," Catotti says.
- By evening, The Vinter and The Baker will transition to a wine bar with small plates — "accessible, approachable, delicious, seasonal cooking that really kind of mirrors our ethos from Restaurant Cornelia," he says.
- Open at night only, Restaurant Cornelia will have "a little bit more elevated experience" with an open kitchen and a tasting menu, he says.
- "There are some through lines, but it is two separate spaces with their own distinct identities," Kobler says.
Zoom in: The restaurants will occupy 5,877 square feet at 949 Washington St., a recently refurbished commercial building on the edge of the Old North Durham and Duke Park neighborhoods.
- The building is a tall-ceilinged former paper warehouse. It was previously marketed to labs and offices, per 2021 reporting by Triangle Business Journal.
The vibe: Expect a warm-toned, subtle but refined design, the couple says.
- The restaurants will spread across two stories, with both concepts sharing a foyer, staircase and wine cellar.
Context: The Durham Rail Trail, which will pass by the building, is scheduled to begin construction in early 2027.
What's next: The restaurants are currently set to open in spring 2027.