On our recent trip to North Carolina, Meredith and I spent her birthday in Chapel Hill and Durham, taking in as much of the great food that everyone’s been talking about as possible. As a James Beard semi-finalist for best new restaurant and with a recent shout out in Food & Wine, Durham’s Mateo Tapas was easily at the top of our list of places to try and made for the perfect birthday lunch.

With a bustling atmosphere, fantastic space, and an extremely tasty selection of tapas, it was easy to see what all the fuss has been about. There were quite a few people filling the seats along the walls, but we were able to quickly grab a seat, and by the time our waitress came to take our orders, we were giddy with anticipation. There were so many great things from which to choose, but the huevo diablo spanish deviled egg was simply amazing, and I’d take a plate of the patatas bravas to accompany just about any meal, any day of the week. Meredith only put up a small fight when I offered her part of my portion of the gambas, and ultimately we spent a delightful meal and drinks discussing which dishes were the best, then changing our minds with the next bite.