Durham bakery known for sweet & savory buns will soon have a permanent home
For years, hungry Triangle customers have only been able to find Lutra Cafe and Bakery’s sweet and savory treats at local farmers markets, pop-ups and coffee shops.
That’s changing soon.
By the end of the year, Lutra Cafe and Bakery will have its own home at Durham’s American Tobacco Campus.
“I finally feel like it’s the right time and place,” chef-owner Chris McLaurin, who’s from Chapel Hill, told The News & Observer in a phone interview. “I think American Tobacco just really speaks to Durham, to me. It really feels like just a great part of the community. And I think in the last year-plus, Lutra has really been able to also be part of the Durham community.”
Experience at well-known Triangle restaurants
McLaurin studied international affairs at George Washington University in D.C., but he always loved to cook and grew up with parents and grandparents who were great cooks, he said.
Before working toward his master’s degree, McLaurin decided to change his career path.
“I was like, you know, I really like cooking,” he said. “I think I’m going to regret it if I don’t try.”
He found a culinary school in Washington, D.C., L’Academie de Cuisine, where he spent six months as a student, learning the fundamentals of French cuisine, before beginning an externship.
In D.C., McLaurin worked under James Beard award winner chef Johnny Monis at the now-closed Komi and Little Serow.
Then, in 2013, McLaurin returned to the Triangle and worked at Rose’s, Bar Lusconi, Picnic, LaPlace and Ashley Christensen’s Poole’side Pies.
The pizza joint in downtown Raleigh closed just before Christmas in 2023, the “kick in the butt” McLaurin needed to venture out on his own.
What to expect at Lutra Cafe and Bakery
McLaurin has worked at a variety of restaurants, some specializing in dinner service and others leaning into sweets. But he kept coming back to one food he loved to eat growing up: orange buns.
“Baked goods overall are just those things that really can stop you in your day, and kind of are a reset and a great conversation thing,” McLaurin said, “that you can be around a table with friends or family, and that can kind of be the vehicle for conversation or at least community.”
Since the business started in early 2024, Lutra — which means “otter” in Latin — has developed a following with its sweet and savory buns, including orange and cinnamon vanilla. In its first year, Lutra sold more than 10,000 buns.
Lutra will continue to serve those treats at the permanent location at 312 Blackwell St. (Noell Building No. 102, adjacent to Ment Beverage Co.), but the 2,600-square-foot space will also allow for an expanded menu with breakfast and lunch dishes including biscuits and gravy, eggs Benedict, salads and sandwiches.
On the weekdays, customers can order from the counter, taking food to go or dining in. On weekends, Lutra will be full service with a “fun brunch atmosphere,” McLaurin said.
The interior will be colorful and contain plenty of otter artwork.
“I‘ve been joking that it’s like a queer middle-ism, that it’s going to be a lot of bright, fun colors and a lot of queer joy,” McLaurin said.
Lutra will open in the morning and close in the early afternoon, around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. daily, McLaurin said. Around 15-20 people will be on staff once it’s up and running. An opening date has not yet been set.
“I want it to be a place that people are really excited to be there, that they know that they’re going to get exceptional food in a really casual atmosphere,” McLaurin said.
Lutra’s at farmers markets
Lutra will continue to sell its treats at farmers markets in the Triangle, including the Cary and North Durham markets, McLaurin said. The wholesale relationships with local coffee shops and cafes will continue, too.
And while he’s not sure what additional collaborations will look like, he wants to work with local restaurants and businesses moving forward.
“It’s a really fun thing for me, but I also think it’s a great way to just kind of reinforce the community aspect of Durham,” he said.
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Durham bakery known for sweet & savory buns will soon have a permanent home."
