Zuri Hester, also known as Chef Zinga, said her fondest memories are of her customers who came in every day.
Zuri Hester
DURHAM
A soul-food restaurant in Durham’s historic Hayti neighborhood is saying goodbye.
Nzinga’s Kitchen at 826 Fayetteville St. has closed its doors after 12 years of operation. Owner and head chef Zuri Hester, known as Chef Zinga, confirmed the closure to The News & Observer this week, citing recent life changes and a new career path.
The restaurant served up Creole-inspired brunch and soul food. Fan favorites included the honey hot chicken sandwich, fried jumbo wings with old-fashioned or sugar cinnamon French toast sticks, and house-made slushies and strawberry lemonade.
“Making the decision to close Nzinga’s Kitchen is certainly bittersweet,” Hester said. “The last few years have brought a lot of change for me personally, including becoming a new mother and returning to school.”
A native of Durham, Hester, 37, graduated from Johnson & Wales University’s culinary arts program. Nzinga’s Kitchen opened as Nzinga’s Breakfast Café in 2014 when she was 25. Hester said she will remember her customers who came in “rain or shine to eat and have a conversation with me.”
“I would consider them family,” she said.
A farewell celebration for a cause
Hester is currently studying to become a registered nurse and said she plans to continue serving Durham, “just in a different capacity.”
She announced the restaurant’s closure on Instagram on Aug. 21 and was met with an outpouring of love from restaurant-goers.
For one final celebration, Hester is partnering with her brother, Akili Hester, to host a farewell event Sept. 26 at the Phoenix Event Center on Fayetteville Street.
The event will reflect the restaurant’s core values, Hester said: “food, family, and community.”
The farewell will feature:
Fundraising for Hillside High: For every meal or clothing item purchased, $5 will be donated to help the high school’s band reach the Sugar Bowl. Hester’s nephew plays in the band.Alazá Mim of Bakeology will serve baked goods as part of the event.
Additional information will be posted on social media with tickets available through Eventbrite, Hester said.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the years I’ve spent as part of the historic Hayti District and for every customer, employee, family member and community partner who has supported Nzinga’s Kitchen along the way,” Hester said.
Chef Zuri Hester (Chef Zinga) will be closing Nzinga’s Kitchen after 12 years in Durham’s Hayti neighborhood on Fayetteville Street. Doors will close this fall after a farewell event on Sept. 26. Discover Durham
Nzinga’s Kitchen is the latest eatery in Durham to recently close.
On Aug. 14, the Southern-comfort chain Flavor Hills announced it was closing all its brick-and-mortar stores. Also this month, It’s A Southern Thing closed its downtown location, citing rent and facility issues.
Last year, Littler closed its restaurant on East Parish Street and, in 2024, Beyu Caffe closed its downtown coffee shop and restaurant on West Main Street.
“Nzinga’s Kitchen may be closing its doors, but the love, relationships, and sense of community built here will stay with me,” Hester said. “I hope our farewell event gives us an opportunity to celebrate the memories we’ve made while helping the next generation create some incredible memories of their own.”
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Kristen Johnson
The News & Observer
Kristen Johnson is a local government reporter covering Durham for The News & Observer. She previously covered Cary and western Wake County. Prior to coming home to the Triangle, she reported for The Fayetteville Observer and spent time covering politics and culture in Washington, D.C. She is an alumna of UNC at Charlotte and American University.
Dining and Cooking