The Cookery

Ah! TAMMY.IS.AMAZING.
We had the perfect wedding. The wedding of our dreams. We owe it all to Tammy! From the moment we stepped in to do a tour to the moment we left on our wedding night, Tammy was nice, supportive, patient, helpful, creative… you name it. There was no problem she could not immediately solve. She had perfect ideas for all our little questions. She answered our emails (we tried not to send too many), she reworked the floor plan, she sat patiently while we assembled for the rehearsal… she handled all the vendors who came in, she arranged the big stuff too– linens, dance floor, tents. Seriously, we would have been overwhelmed handling this but she was a consummate pro. We opted for vendors who had all worked at the Cookery before and it was obvious there was so much synergy because of how awesome she is.
I will also say, the bartending staff were super great too! I may or may not have taken a shot of tequila on my way down the aisle, and they got it ready in a flash before it was time for me to walk. They were nice to all our guests and I saw lots of happy people around… I can only imagine it was because of the great bartenders. :D
The venue itself is stunning and exactly what we wanted. This was our dream wedding and Tammy and the Cookery made it come true!
Tiffany and Steve

The Cookery is so much more then a event space for rent. On the weekend nights when they don’t have a wedding on the books, they open their doors to the public for classic events including but not limited to their «Belly Up» experiences (popular currently with March Madness) where they’ll bring in a food truck and dessert truck and open up their bar for the pubic. They always have the game projected on the wall for all fans alike and you can come and go whenever you desire. While they do have a handful of open events, they also have some paid dinners where the money goes to charity and different restaurants or food trucks around the Triangle will host.
While The Cookery was initially the coolest and hottest place to go in Durham, it’s lost a little of its hype, a good thing in my opinion. I remember the first event I attended was a cheese tasting and not only did you have to wait in line because they were at max capacity, but it was stifling inside and you were always bumping into someone. Since then, most locals have experienced The Cookery and people aren’t putting every event on their calendars. And although the neighborhood is a little more up-​and-​coming then other parts of Durham, they do offer valet parking at their paid events and street parking is available as well (although no private lot). However, once you enter The Cookery you are quickly transported into a different neighborhood. With it’s hanging lights along the ceiling, open bar in the back stocked with the best goods, wooden «dance» floor and balcony seating with bar seating all along the edges of the room and beautiful metal work throughout. Plus, they’ve got a great patio in the back, closed off to any sort of view, but a good option if you need some fresh air and don’t want to wonder into the street.
So whether you’re looking to plan your next event or just check out their bar with some friends, The Cookery is sure to be a good time. Their facebook page (
) is definitely the best way to keep up to date with their event. Craft beer on tap, several varieties of wine and cocktails won’t leave you disappointed. Plus, don’t miss the beautiful mural on the side of the building!

Great event space! I’ve always driven by this place and wished I could see the inside… and then I got to go watch the Duke Sweet 16 game here! This place is perfect for any kind of event/party/reception…not incredibly large but I think that makes it even better. More intimate. Downstairs is wide open with a built in full bar and restrooms. Then there is a smaller balcony area upstairs. We watched the game on a giant HD projector… not sure if that’s available to anyone to rents this place but I don’t see why not. Exposed brick, iron bar stools, vintage twinkly lights… this place is very Durham… very cute. Check it out if you’re looking for a venue!

If there was an option for 4.5 stars, I’d give it. And if I got to have my wedding all over again (can we make that a thing? Have a wedding every few years, even to the same person?), I would definitely consider The Cookery. I heard about this place as a commissary for food trucks and then learned they set up event space. I went to their ‘Belly Up Public House’ event last night and it was so nice. Classic Durham with exposed brick, wood beams, twinkle lights, and really neat stools at the bar style seating around the venue.
My concerns are the neighborhood– this one is up and coming. By no means dangerous or anything (don’t believe the negative Durham gossip), but it’s a work in progress. And the parking. I wasn’t exactly sure where to park and once I found a place I wasn’t sure it was a good option. My car didn’t get towed (or stolen! I hear you Durham haters in the background! Shame on you!). But you know, I’d like to feel good about where I leave it. Scratch that, I owe like 15 grand on that thing, so change that to ‘great’, I’d like to feel great about where I leave it. ;-)
And in conclusion– check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

Just had prom at the Front Room of the Cookery. The kids had a blast and even us old folks enjoyed it! The staff was wonderful! The general manager went above and beyond so many times! One example is that we had a student have an allergic reason to all the perfume and cologne. I asked if she happened to have any benadryl. She said she’d look. Next thing I knew she’d gone out and bought some!
Great atmosphere, great staff, great evening.

Say no to boring, ancient ballrooms; say YES YES YES to The Cookery!!! We had our wedding reception at The Cookery but I cannot imagine an event that wouldn’t take on beauty and style in this magnificent place!
The Cookery is vintage and historical, yet modern and luxurious all wrapped in one! It is a venue for events of all kinds!
When I first set eyes on just photos of this venue, I knew I had to have it. I was particularly floored by the look of the bar and the stairwell but when I saw this place in person, I was breathless! The gigantic windows and patio add so much to an already beautiful space. Not to mention that there is a lot of history tied to the place – Nick, the owner, would be happy to clue you in! Annnnd, there’s a small enclosed brewery that you can see from the balcony! Our guests loved it!
The package deals (patio, audio/​visual) are fantastic and cannot be beat! For larger events, the patio is pretty much required. We had about 110 guests and it was cozy and comfortable and there was sufficient space to party and move about.
Both Tammy and Nick were so fun to work with and the communication was fantastic! Most of us bridezillas want immediate responses and Tammy and Nick pretty much delivered on that!
Our friends were in awe with The Cookery. We got so many compliments for choosing such an amazing space for our celebration! Our reception was in the evening so when the outside lights are shining in, it all looks so magical!
One thing to consider is tables and chairs and dishes are included but you will have to rent (or buy) some additional items – table cloths, extra serving pieces, a tent for the patio (and heater if weather requires it), and a dance floor. Fortunately, The Cookery has relationships that make it easy to get these items ordered and delivered without much work on your end!
The Cookery takes care of the alcohol/​bar – Tammy and her staff rocked it out on our wedding day! The drinks were flowing and everyone was happy! The Cookery has recommended vendors for the food and there are some really cool options! We were thrilled to work with Donovan’s Dish.
The rental prices are already pretty low so there isn’t much room for negotiating. You have full control over the layout of your event though and Tammy really has this down! Her vision and recommendations were great. Tammy prepares a custom layout for your event and is very flexible.
I really enjoyed working with The Cookery over the last year and feel so proud when guests continue to tell us how beautiful the space was!!!
I’m already thinking about how we can get back to Durham and what other event we can throw in the space! We will be back!!!
Thank you for creating such a gorgeous space!!!

I had been dying to check out the Cookery and finally an opportunity fell into my lap in the form of a charity dinner sponsored by Pizzeria Toro! The cookery looks great from the outside: color mural on its side-​wall, fancy metal, grillwork up front along with a cool sign are the only hints of what lies inside.
For this charity dinner they had a bunch of long tables set up family-​style for a communal dinner. In back the bar was busy and buzzing with action. And the overall space is not huge but comfortable and lit really well. Accent lights on the rough brick walls created a lot of visual texture for the eye. The space is open but still very personal. A landing area at top was unused and a storage area up front near the ceiling housed what looks like brewing equipment for Ponysaurus (?)
Overall the Cookery seems like a great space for a corporate or personal event if you don’t have a huge headcount. While there isn’t much else right around here, the Cookery is worth the drive out if you’ve got an excuse for a visit…

I loved having our corporate Christmas party at the Cookery. We received so many compliments on the venue’s look and atmosphere. The exposed brick and beams give it a lot of charm, the staircase is absolutely beautiful, and the mezzanine area was a really cool hangout at our party.
We also opted for the heated tent option, which stayed nice and cozy despite the cold December night.
The staff was awesome – passionate about what they do, friendly and competent.
The food from Durham Catering was also delicious.
Thanks, Cookery!

Probably the worst food and worst acoustics of any restaurant I have ever wasted time in. We attended an event here and found the food almost inedible, and the noise level unbearable. An assortment of dreadfully bad fried foods (including the ONLY bad fried green tomatoes I have ever tasted) and equally bad barbecue pork and chicken kept me queasy all night. Guests had to holler so loud to be heard in the din (absolutely no attempt at acoustic modification) that a number of us had sore throats the next day. Sure, the staff is nice enough, and the place looks OK — but if you are looking for a venue for an event, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.

We just had our wedding there a couple of weeks ago and it was such a wonderful event. The staff there is open, friendly and accommodating. Rochelle & Nick helped us find incredible chefs through our their food truck connections and we had the best brunch ever for our wedding reception. It is really spacious with tall ceilings, but able to feel warm and inviting. I would love another party to plan just so I could use this space again!

Absolutely fabulous venue! I would recommend the cookery to anyone looking for a unique place like this for weddings, parties or corporate events

Well done! If you’re looking for a place to cater and host an event, this is the spot! The large area complete with bar is versatile and perfect for any event. The exposed brick and beams only add to the over all ambiance.

i liked what i saw on opening day! it was a fun event with live music and a myriad of other food trucks gathered. Beer on tap along with some beer/​wine tastings. I tried the pork sausage in a bun. the sausage was good, the bun was a little on the dry side. The bread loaf was a bit too large for the link. it was good for $ 5 and it has me wanting to come back for more!
this looks like a good happy hour place to unwind after work. i have high hopes and look forward to my next meal there.

I attended the opening of The Cookery. I was very impressed with the look and location of this commercial kitchen/​event venue. The feel is very nice inside. There are a great deal of windows in the front which compliment the high ceilings. The wood floors look very nice. There is an upstairs area that would be perfect for food if you were to host a party here. I have no need to throw a party of any sort but if I did I would highly consider this location. I look forward to taking a cooking class in the commercial kitchen here.
The opening was also very well put together. They had an event tent in the open space beside of their building which I take to mean they own it and someone else renting the location could do the same thing if they needed overflow room.
They blocked off Chapel Hill Street to allow for several food trucks to set up without worry for their customers. They also had sausages for sell inside with all proceeds going to charity. There was beer and wine sampling although I just stuck to the full beer pours.
Great job The Cookery – I look forward to events you host in the future.