When I first moved to the Triangle in 2005, there were a handful of lauded restaurants that were usually mentioned: Lantern and Crooks Corner in Chapel Hill, Second Empire, and the Angus Barn in Raleigh, along with Magnolia Grille and Nanas in Durham. And in the midst of the pandemic, Nanas was closed for a variety of reasons and I had sadly never dropped in for a visit given its out of the way location. But thankfully, the classic Nanas restaurant re-opened at the end of 2023 under the experienced and talented hands of Chefs Matt Kelly and Nate Garyantes. And of course, now I just HAD to go and see what Nanas 2.0 is all about. And after a couple of visits I can safely say, it’s gonna kill it in Durham!
Nanas, Durham – Location and Decor
If you are unfamiliar with where Nanas is located, let’s just say it’s a bit of a tricky spot. This triangle area in the busy Rockwood neighborhood is also home to Durham dining favorites like the Q Shack and Thai Cafe, there is limited parking in front of Nanas (15 or so spaces). One good option (if there are no spaces up front) is to park around the corner on W. Woodridge Drive, a residential block. Head on over by foot and you’ll find a long and low-slung building. From the outside, Nana shows off a bit of an obscure and dated exterior which is not particularly impressive. Just head on over to the green canopy at the far end of the building to find the entryway.
Pull open the door and you’ll start to get hints of the dining experience ahead. There’s a vestibule up front in dark green tiles along with an ornate mirror. Pull the next door open and you’ll be right at the hostess desk. The hostess up front is efficient and gets you seated quickly if you have a reservation (highly recommend). To your left is the main dining room and further back is the bar and lounge with some additional table seating.
Nanas interior features oranges, greens, and plaids giving everything a retro 70s study feel. The bar is beautiful with a lot of custom woodwork, modern white globe lighting and hints of whimsy, a hacked Nanasonic loud speaker sits in the corner on a shelf! It all feels comfortable and cozy with a host of regulars sitting at the bar on a regular basis. One other thing you might notice is the amount of FOH (front of house) staff hinting at a higher end service experience.
Nanas, Durham – Menu, Food
And while the decor is certainly warm, welcoming, and comfortable, Nanas is all about the food. So let’s dive into Nana’s menu! Chefs Matt Kelly and Nate Garyantes are offering up what I would describe as a continental menu: pastas and roasted meats, leaning towards the Italian side of things. Starters are in the $15 to $20+ range with entrees $30 and up. A small selection of sides and desserts round out the menu! Nana’s also offers up a good selection of cocktails, beers and wines for your meal.
For starters, you can’t go wrong with the warm buttermilk roll! A large mushroom shaped roll with a shiny glaze is warm comfort in your hands. Dab it with the soft creamy butter and you’ll be in taste bud heaven. The oxtail mezzaluna features six or so ravioli stuffed with beef and topped with walnuts and sage, very tasty. Definitely try a pasta dish if you’re dining for the first time at Nanas.
One of the more popular starters is Nana’s shrimp risotto which is a nod to the old Nanas menu. Take some creamy risotto with a bit of foam and topped with tender pieces of shrimp, lovely! The tagliatelle with duck was not my favorite but the noodles are perfectly cooked with some heft due to the rye flour used.
For mains, Nana goes pretty big portion-wise. The dry-aged rohan duck features two thick slices of rare duck meat in jus along with duck sausage, sweet potato, and some wilted greens, delicious! It felt like a fancier version of a Thanksgiving meal to me, subbing in duck for the protein. And the NY strip is topped with some beautiful onion rings making for a great looking plate. At 14 oz. you might be able to finish it all but I’m guessing it’s also great as leftovers.
For dessert, you don’t want to miss the classic chocolate souffle (you’ll need 20 to 30 minutes for it to be prepared, so prepare yourself!) which is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate sauce. It’s a lovely presentation, the cake is brought to your table in a ramekin and finished off in front of you! The dark chocolate cake makes for a great way to finish off your Nanas meal without being overly sweet and cloying.
Nanas, Durham – Service and Conclusion
Service at Nana’s is top-notch with your plates and silverware getting regularly cleared. The servers are knowledgeable about the dishes and ingredients and will certainly guide your choices with recommendations. Despite Nana’s slightly casual feel, expect a polished level of attention from the waitstaff. I’d have to guess that Nanas works great for more formal dates, business dinners, and special events.
All in all I’m pretty pleased with Nanas 2.0 and have a good feel for what they’re trying to do here. It’s a higher end restaurant but with more relaxed decor and menu. And while you can certainly tell there’s a lot of talent in the kitchen, it doesn’t feel stuffy here. Which works quite well post-pandemic. It really feels like the restaurant and dining scene has been re-inventing itself, post-pandemic and Nana’s 2.0 is a perfect example of what we may have to look forward to. Enjoy this new restaurant which will likely become an old classic, once again.
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