One of the buzziest pastry shops in years is set to open in Durham. Look inside
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lutra Cafe & Bakery will open on the American Tobacco Campus in Durham in June 2026.
- The 2,600-square-foot cafe will seat 36 indoors with 20 additional patio seats.
- Lutra plans seven-day service with weekday hours 7 a.m.–2 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
A dream that began with a sweet bun has blossomed into one of the Triangle’s most anticipated sweet shops in years.
Lutra Café & Bakery is nearing its launch on the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, and we finally know when the café will open. Owner Chris McLaurin plans to open the new bakeshop in June.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the full vision of Lutra with guests,” McLaurin said. “We’re creating a space that is warm, welcoming and full of craveable food and drinks.”
Lutra began in 2023 as a series of pop-ups around Durham, including stops at Queeny’s and Cheeni and buns for sale at various farmer’s market. In 2024 alone, Lutra sold 10,000 buns.
Those sweet buns are the heart and soul of Lutra, massive cinnamon rolls iced with flavors like orange, blueberry ginger and cardamom hibiscus. Other cult items include The Big Cookie, probably the biggest chocolate chip cookie in Durham, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy and a 100-layer hashbrown.
McLaurin cooked in notable restaurants in Washington, D.C. and the Triangle, most recently Poole’side Pies in Raleigh.
The new Lutra café will be 2,600 square feet, with room for 36 seats inside and another 20 on the patio.
New renderings of the café show a counter-service bar and pastry counter, space along the walls for standing and sipping drinks and a colorful dining room. There is a neon sign in the renderings glowing “Hot Buns” that hopefully makes it to reality.
Lutra Café & Bakery hours
When it opens in June, Lutra expects to be open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 12:25 PM with the headline "One of the buzziest pastry shops in years is set to open in Durham. Look inside."
