Emily Carter
Dame's Chicken and Waffles was founded in 2010 by Damion Dame Moore and Randy Wadsworth. The first location was opened in downtown Durham, North Carolina, with subsequent locations in Greensboro and Cary. Moore, a self-taught cook, discovered his passion for cooking while working in restaurants as a business and finance student. He started catering for small parties before opening the first Dame's Chicken and Waffles location, which quickly gained popularity for its Southern comfort food and brunch offerings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the restaurant | Dame's Chicken and Waffles |
| Founders and owners | Damion "Dame" Moore and Randy Wadsworth |
| First location | Downtown Durham |
| Year of opening | 2010 |
| Food speciality | Fried chicken, waffles, and sweet smears of butter and flavored syrup |
| Year of reopening | 2019 |
| New location | Ground floor of the Liberty Warehouse apartment complex |
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What You'll Learn
- Dame's Chicken and Waffles was first opened in 2010 by co-owners Randy Wadsworth and Damion Dame Moore
- The restaurant was originally located on Main Street in downtown Durham
- In 2019, the restaurant moved to the ground floor of the Liberty Warehouse apartment complex on Foster Street
- Dame's Chicken and Waffles is known for its signature combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet schmears
- The restaurant has expanded to multiple locations across North Carolina, including Greensboro and Chapel Hill
Dame's Chicken and Waffles was first opened in 2010 by co-owners Randy Wadsworth and Damion Dame Moore
Dames Chicken and Waffles was first opened in 2010 by co-owners Randy Wadsworth and Damion "Dame" Moore. The restaurant, which serves Southern comfort food and brunch, was founded in downtown Durham, North Carolina, and has since expanded to four locations across the state.
Moore, a self-taught cook, discovered his passion for cooking while working in restaurants as a business and finance student at UNC-Greensboro. He began cooking professionally in 2000 and, a decade later, opened the first Dame's Chicken and Waffles in downtown Durham. The restaurant's menu reflects Moore's Southern upbringing, featuring staples such as crispy fried chicken, spicy collards, and creamy potato salad.
Wadsworth and Moore initially started as caterers under the name Blue Mountain Catering, only open a few days a week. As demand grew, they decided to close down the catering business temporarily to rebrand and open their first Dame's Chicken and Waffles restaurant. The original location in Durham gained success, and they soon expanded to new sites, including Greensboro in 2012 and Cary in 2017.
The Durham Dame's was known for its sought-after brunch and long lines of hungry customers waiting to get inside. After an extended hiatus due to construction issues and building a new restaurant from scratch, Wadsworth and Moore reopened Dame's Chicken and Waffles in a new space in Durham in 2019. The new location doubled the square footage of the original restaurant, allowing for a more comfortable dining experience.
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The restaurant was originally located on Main Street in downtown Durham
Dame's Chicken and Waffles was originally located on Main Street in downtown Durham. The restaurant was opened in 2010 by co-owners Damion "Dame" Moore and Randy Wadsworth. Moore, a self-taught cook, discovered his passion for cooking while working in restaurants as a business and finance student.
The first Dame's location served just ten "chicken inspirations," a combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet smears of butter and flavoured syrup. The menu has since expanded, but the ten original combinations are still available, and diners can also mix and match to create their own perfect bite. The waffle recipe was developed by Wadsworth's wife, Beth, who tweaked her family's formula to create different flavours using fresh ingredients.
The Durham Dame's was always one of the most sought-after brunch spots in the area, famous for the line of hungry people waiting to get inside along the sidewalk. In 2019, the restaurant moved from its legendary Main Street location to Foster Street, near the Durham farmer's market. The new space is more than double the size of the original, allowing for a much-needed increase in capacity.
Despite the move, the owners wanted to preserve the intimacy and historic value of the original space. The décor and music lend a nod to jazz greats, honouring the early history of chicken and waffles in Harlem jazz clubs in the 1930s and '40s. The restaurant's success in Durham led to the opening of additional locations in Greensboro, Cary, and Chapel Hill.
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In 2019, the restaurant moved to the ground floor of the Liberty Warehouse apartment complex on Foster Street
Dame’s Chicken and Waffles is a beloved restaurant in downtown Durham, North Carolina. The first Dame’s location opened in Durham in 2010, with a second outpost in Greensboro in 2012. The restaurant was founded by Damion "Dame" Moore and Randy Wadsworth. Moore is a self-taught cook who discovered his passion for cooking while working in restaurants as a student.
The soft opening of the new location was planned for the following week, with a familiar menu to start, and new items to be added later. Wadsworth acknowledged the challenges of construction and starting from scratch but expressed excitement about falling in love with the brand all over again. The Durham Dame’s had always been a popular brunch spot, known for its signature combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet smears of butter and flavoured syrup.
The new location in the Liberty Warehouse apartment complex offered a larger space to accommodate the high demand for their sought-after dishes. The move to Foster Street was a strategic decision, as downtown Durham continued to grow and expand, and the new space allowed Dame’s Chicken and Waffles to continue serving their beloved dishes to the community in a larger and more accessible space.
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Dame's Chicken and Waffles is known for its signature combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet schmears
Dame's Chicken and Waffles, a beloved staple of downtown Durham, was first opened in 2010 by co-owners Randy Wadsworth and Damion "Dame" Moore. The restaurant quickly became a sought-after brunch spot, famous for its signature combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet schmears.
The menu at Dame's pays homage to the early history of chicken and waffles in the Harlem jazz clubs of the 1930s and 1940s. This sweet and savoury combination has become a beloved staple of Southern comfort food. The specialty at Dame's is fried chicken, either bone-in wings or boneless breasts, served with fluffy waffles and sweet schmears of butter and flavoured syrup. The most popular dish is the "What a Classy Hen" Inspiration, a chicken cutlet served with a classic waffle and a vanilla and almond schmear.
There are seven different schmears to choose from at Dame's, each made of whipped butter with its own fresh feature. These include Strawberry-crème, Chocolate-Hazelnut, Blueberry, Vanilla-Almond, Orange-Honeycomb, Peach-Apricot, and the most popular, Maple-Pecan. Diners can also drizzle their chicken and waffles with maple syrup or hot sauce for an extra burst of flavour. In addition to their signature chicken and waffles, Dame's also offers other mouth-watering Southern comfort foods such as blackened salmon, smooth grits, mac and cheese, and potato salad.
Dame's Chicken and Waffles has become a beloved fixture of the Durham community, known for its generous portions, well-seasoned chicken, and perfectly buttered grits. The restaurant has expanded to several locations across North Carolina, including Greensboro and Chapel Hill, bringing its signature combination of fried chicken, waffles, and sweet schmears to new audiences. Despite its growth, Dame's remains committed to honouring the history and integrity of the food it serves, ensuring that its menu remains true to the spirit of its Southern roots.
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The restaurant has expanded to multiple locations across North Carolina, including Greensboro and Chapel Hill
Dame’s Chicken and Waffles has expanded to multiple locations across North Carolina, including Greensboro and Chapel Hill. The first Dame's Chicken and Waffles location opened in downtown Durham in 2010, with the second opening in Greensboro in 2012. The Greensboro location is on Martin Luther King Boulevard. The restaurant's expansion to Greensboro marked a significant milestone, as it brought the popular Southern comfort food to a new community.
The owners of Dame's Chicken and Waffles, Damion "Dame" Moore and Randy Wadsworth, played a pivotal role in the expansion. Moore, a self-taught cook, brought his passion for cooking and his business acumen to the table. Wadsworth, on the other hand, ensured that the new location maintained the same beloved menu items that made the original Dame's so popular.
The success of the Greensboro outpost paved the way for further expansion. In 2023, Dame's Chicken and Waffles opened its doors in Chapel Hill, located at 147 East Franklin Street. This new location, in the heart of Chapel Hill, marked a significant step in the restaurant's journey. The Chapel Hill community embraced the signature waffle and chicken dishes, solidifying Dame's as a beloved addition to Franklin Street.
The expansion to Chapel Hill demonstrated the owners' commitment to bringing their unique take on Southern comfort food to new areas. The new location allowed them to reach a new customer base and showcase their innovative menu, which includes a range of "'chicken inspirations'" and a variety of "schmears" or "smears." The success of the Chapel Hill location highlighted the enduring popularity of Dame's Chicken and Waffles and their ability to adapt to new markets.
Dame's Chicken and Waffles has become a staple in North Carolina, with its four locations across the state. The expansion to Greensboro and Chapel Hill has solidified the restaurant's presence in the state and brought their unique brand of Southern comfort food to a wider audience. The owners' dedication to their community, attention to menu development, and commitment to investing in their staff have contributed to their success and enduring popularity.
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Frequently asked questions
Dame's Chicken and Waffles was opened by co-founders Damion "Dame" Moore and Randy Wadsworth.
The original Dame's Chicken and Waffles was located on Main Street in downtown Durham. It moved to Foster Street near the Durham farmer's market in 2019.
Dame's Chicken and Waffles specializes in fried chicken and waffles, with a variety of sweet smears of butter and flavored syrup.
Dame's Chicken and Waffles first opened in downtown Durham in 2010.
