Cafe Meridian & Catering Company — Restaurant in Durham

I recently discovered this place recently and checked the reviews before I went this week. It’s totally worth the reviews they’ve been given. I like that cafeteria style set up that they have. I’m still giving them a five even though I didn’t particularly care for the spankopita that I got. It was tasty but it was just too oily to finish. The bottom side of it was oily and then oil had pooled in the bottom of my to-go container when I got home. It tasted ok but the spinach was kind of stringy … it had a good taste of feta though. I got it with a cavatapi macaroni salad (mayo based) and fruit salad. Both of those, I loved. The fruit was diced pretty finely which I actually liked that way. I want to try again but I think that I’d be tempted to go right when they open since it’s all prepared at the same time cafeteria style unless you’re ordering a sandwhich maybe. I’d have to check… That being said, it’s nice and well kept with cute decor despite it being in a kind of run down strip mall that’s kind of standard in that particular area. They used to be in another area further up on 55 but I’m not sure when they moved to where they are at. I’m excited to try it another time how I said but even if that doesn’t work, I’d go back just to order their pasta salads and other...

PROS The food is good, especially the Chicken Burrito, which is the Thursday special. There is a nice variety of sandwiches on the menu, all of which are made-to-order. Dessert options are plentiful -- my favorite dessert is the Apple Crumb Cake. The staff is friendly and personal, as this is a family-owned and operated business.

CONS The prices tend to be somewhat high for a cafeteria-style restaurant. The food selection can become monotonous, though this is a natural consequence of frequenting this place. I would like to see some variety in the selection of side items. I would also like to see chocolate-chip brownies. The restaurant itself is starting to look somewhat dated -- some new tables and new lighting would help.

SUMMARY Overall, a very convenient place to grab a quick lunch!

UPDATE (5/25/18) Shortly after I wrote this review, the restaurant made some upgrades to the environment. Sadly, I no longer work in the Meridian Business Park, so I no longer get to visit this...

I have had lunch here about 10 times because it's close to a place I sometimes freelance, and after that many visits I can only sum it up as "average." A few of their lunchtime specials have hit it out of the park, a few have been sub-par, and a few were just ok. Their inconsistency keeps them from another star, as does their lack of attention to environment. It's mostly a cafeteria style place so I wouldn't expect much, but there's basically nothing, and it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit of effort towards decor. Also their pricing is a bit on the high side, although the quantities are generous. I would rather see better quality and a little less quantity to feel truly satisfied. So to summarize - fine choice for when you're in the area (as there's not much else around) but don't go out...