Ninth Street Bakery

A true anchor of the Durham food scene, Ninth Street Bakery has been serving the North Carolina Triangle region since 1981. This establishment transcends the typical definition of a local bakery, operating simultaneously as a bustling Cafe, a retail Pastry shop, a casual Restaurant for lunch, and a comprehensive Wholesale bakery whose products are distributed across the state.

Founded by bakers fresh from a stint at the Tassajara Zen Center, Ninth Street Bakery was built on a commitment to whole-grain goodness and a strong mind for doing good works in the Durham community. While the original location was on Ninth Street, the bakery’s success and growing demand necessitated a move to its current downtown Durham location on East Chapel Hill Street, where it became a food pioneer long before the area’s revitalization.

The core philosophy remains centered on scratch-made goods using high-quality ingredients, including organic wheat flour from local NC mills like Lindley Mills. This dedication results in their signature crusty artisan breads—renowned for their natural levain and slow-rise perfection—as well as beloved sliced pan loaves, like the famous 7-Grain loaf mentioned by loyal customers.

Visitors to the downtown location can expect a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, complete with amenities like Wi-Fi, making it an excellent spot for a quick bite, a relaxed lunch, or simply enjoying a coffee and pastry. Its dual focus on a vibrant retail cafe and a robust wholesale program—supplying bread to markets and restaurants throughout the Triangle—solidifies its status as a foundational pillar of North Carolina’s culinary landscape.

Ninth Street Bakery is conveniently located in a bustling, central area of Durham, an ideal spot for locals and visitors exploring the downtown core.

Address:

136 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701, USA

The cafe is situated to offer multiple transportation and access options for all North Carolina patrons:

Parking Options:

• Free parking lot: A valuable asset for a downtown location, making short visits easy.
• Free street parking: Available in the surrounding area, though subject to local parking regulations and availability.

Accessibility:

The bakery is committed to ensuring a comfortable visit for everyone in the community.

• Wheelchair accessible entrance
• Wheelchair accessible parking lot
• Wheelchair accessible restroom

This location's accessibility and a commitment to maintaining affordable price points make it a genuinely inclusive gathering spot in a rapidly developing city center.

As a multifaceted food business, Ninth Street Bakery offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of its retail and wholesale customers across North Carolina.

• Dine-in and Cafe Service: Enjoy a meal or coffee in the casual, friendly setting.
• Takeout, Curbside Pickup, and In-store Pickup: Convenient options for quick service.
• Delivery: Bringing baked goods and meals directly to customers.
• Wholesale Baking: Supplying a diverse range of breads and baked goods to local grocery stores, co-ops (like Whole Foods in Raleigh and South Durham Farmers Market), and restaurants throughout the Triangle region.
• Custom Cakes: Offering special-order cakes, such as the Banana Chocolate Chunk Cake and Sweet Potato Pecan Cake, with a 72-hour advance ordering requirement. Sizes range from 6" (serves 6) to a full sheet (serves 80) for large events.
• Catering Services: Providing food for parties and events, including Continental Breakfast (Party) and Rustic Pastries (Party) packages.
• Onsite Services / Events: The space is known to host community events, pop-up dinners, and sliding-scale baking classes, reinforcing its role as a community hub.

Ninth Street Bakery stands out in the competitive Durham market due to its long history, quality ingredients, and strong community focus.

• Durham Food Pioneer: Operating since 1981, it is one of the anchor businesses that helped define the city's modern food culture and downtown revitalization.
• Commitment to Whole-Grain Quality: Specializing in nutritious, rustic, and artisan breads, including the highly popular 7-Grain loaf, sourdough french, and sunflower bread, often using organic whole-grain flour.
• Wholesale Distribution Across the Triangle: Its products are widely available at local farmers markets and major grocery chains like Whole Foods, demonstrating a broad reach beyond the Durham storefront.
• Inclusive and Community-Minded: Known to be an LGBTQ+ friendly space and actively involved in philanthropy, including micro-donations and food donations to various community groups, driven by a philosophy of accessibility and social good.
• Diverse Menu for All Diets: The cafe menu offers a strong variety of savory lunch items, often including vegan and gluten-free choices such as Black Bean Chili, Thai Curry Bowl, and a Savory Vegan Hand Pie, alongside their standard sandwich offerings.
• Gourmet Sandwiches on House-Baked Bread: Serving exceptional lunch items like the praised The Italian Specialty Sandwich and the unique Curried Chicken Salad Specialty Sandwich, all served on a choice of fresh house-made breads (white, wheat, or seven-grain).
• Classic and Seasonal Pastries: Offering a rotating selection of delightful baked goods, from their renowned muffins (like the classic blueberry muffin or the customer favorite carrot muffin) and a flakey butter croissant, to their unique cakes and cookies.
• Full Cafe Amenities: Providing a comfortable place to work or relax with free Wi-Fi and indoor seating, with a vibe that is distinctly local, friendly, and homey.

The essential contact details for North Carolina customers seeking to visit or place an order with Ninth Street Bakery:

Address:

136 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701, USA

Phone:

(919) 688-5606 or +1 919-688-5606

When you choose Ninth Street Bakery, you are supporting a decades-old Durham institution that prioritizes quality, community, and whole-grain goodness. The bakery’s enduring success across North Carolina is built on the strength of its fundamental offering: exceptional bread.

For everyday use at home, the 7-Grain loaf is their most iconic, high-quality product, often picked up by locals at Whole Foods in Raleigh or the South Durham Farmers Market. For those seeking true artisan excellence, the crusty, slow-risen sourdough french bread is a revelation, perfect for savoring the flavors of natural levain.

If you are visiting the cafe for a meal, a sandwich is a must, as the star is the bread it's served on. The Curried Chicken Salad Specialty Sandwich offers a unique and flavorful twist, but for a classic favorite, try the Roasted Turkey Sandwich on their house-baked seven-grain bread. A customer favorite is the savory options, with one reviewer raving about the hot roast beef sandwich, praising the "perfect balance of meat peppers, cheese and siracha mayo" and the "excellent" roll.

Do not leave without a sweet treat. Their muffins and rustic pastries, such as the Morning Bun (a flaky croissant pastry with cinnamon sugar), or one of their comforting cakes like the Sweet Potato Pecan Cake, are perfect companions to a cup of their fresh Coffee.

Ultimately, Ninth Street Bakery is worth choosing because it’s a dependable source of delicious, scratch-made food that upholds a strong social mission in the heart of North Carolina. It’s a place where you can grab a wholesome, affordable meal, feel welcomed, and take home one of the best loaves of bread the Triangle has to offer.