The Featured image for this post is the current Elmo’s Diner location. For those who remember this was the former location of the Ninth Street Bakery Restaurant. Ninth Street Bakery still carries on the name, located today at the intersection of Main Street and Chapel Hill Streets (downtown Durham) One thing I remember about the old Ninth Street Restaurant was the delicious,savory black bean soup. I asked the employees at the current bakery location downtown and some of the tenured staff knew what I was talking about. This was a special visit reason in my humble opinion. I pose the question below in case someone out there knows of another joint that offers black bean soup that deserves attention. Please indulge an old Durhamite with a walk down culinary lane and find him a good bowl of black bean soup.

Where does one go for great black bean soup today? Please don’t say Progresso from a can, though that works in a pinch. I know of one family recipe that could be canned and sold today with a very fine revenue stream. I am open to suggestions for a Durham Cafe/Restaurant/Food Truck with great black bean soup. Very subjective of course. I will say that Toast has an excellent spicy Lentil Soup that is reason enough to visit this great lunch spot on Main Street. Respond and win a chance to blog on Durham Cool about the best black bean soup in Durham.