By Dathan Kazsuk
Let’s get this out of the way—brunch is tricky. For me, at least.
I’m not the type to start throwing shade, but let’s be honest—most brunch places either coast on overpriced mediocrity or serve food that makes me question my life choices before noon. And by the time I finish scrolling the menu, wondering if I’m in the mood for a $19 waffle with “locally foraged air,” it’s already lunch and now I’m craving a burger and a beer—or wings.
But just when I was ready to give up on the whole brunch-industrial complex, Durham’s The Wine Feed swooped in with a pleasant surprise. They’ve officially launched a weekend brunch service from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
The menu, curated by head chef Taylor Halley, keeps things tight with six well-thought-out dishes, a build-your-own cheese and charcuterie board situation and a few bonus items that actually feel like they belong. Add specialty cocktails, the usual wine suspects and the option for coffee or tea if you’re trying to keep it classy—and I was intrigued.
We kicked things off on a calm Sunday afternoon in Durham. I ordered the banana bread French toast, which, for the record, is made with thick slices of challah and comes with a small sidecar of maple syrup and Chantilly cream. Now, if you’re the type who plans your life around Disney vacations, you’ve probably encountered the legendary Tonga Toast at the Polynesian Village Resort. This dish gave me those vibes—though, thankfully, without the deep-fried guilt trip.
Instead, it leaned a little more refined, a little less “theme park aftershock,” and was stacked with two hefty slices that absolutely could (and probably should) be shared.
Jen went with the egg white frittata—one of those dishes that sounds like it might show up wearing a diet plan and a yoga mat. Loaded with spinach, roasted red peppers, Muenster cheese and pickled shallots, I fully expected it to arrive looking like a sad little side dish. But nope—this thing had some real heft to it. Just like my French toast, it was big enough to split, which we did. And the fact that Jen polished off every last bite of egg white without a single sideways glance? That tells you everything you need to know. It was solid.
Of course, we couldn’t just stop at the mains—what kind of brunch amateurs do you take us for? We had to try the candied bacon. House-cured. Smoked. Coated in a vanilla maple glaze with a whisper of chili oil. It’s the kind of thing that makes you temporarily forget how cholesterol works. Thick-cut, sweet, salty, with a tiny kick. And then there were the home fries—hand-cut wedges with just the right amount of crisp, served with a creamy truffle aioli that felt more indulgent than necessary.
And because restraint has never been our thing, we wrapped it all up with dessert. Yes, dessert. At brunch. Because if we’re already drinking before noon and ordering bacon that’s been lacquered in sugar and spice, why stop there? Enter the chocolate cinnamon roll—a house-baked beauty slathered in coconut glaze and sprinkled with toasted coconut shavings. Decadent? Absolutely. Necessary? Also, yes.
Now, despite our best efforts, we didn’t sample everything on the menu, but a few dishes definitely caught our eye for next time. The crabcake Benedict looked like something worth waking up for. The wild mushroom toast felt very “farmers market with flair,” and there’s a rotating quiche of the day if you’re into that sort of thing. I honestly can’t remember what the flavor was on our visit, but judging by everything else we inhaled, I’m guessing it didn’t suck.
Whether you’re looking to fuel up before a lazy afternoon or want to treat yourself to something better than dry toast and bottomless regret, The Wine Feed in Durham delivers.
