Mateo Bar de Tapas

"Something about it felt so cool and trendy, just sitting there and being a part of the atmosphere," I said to my girlfriend as we stepped out on Main Street into the chilly evening air. My first visit to Mateo Bar de Tapas, and I doubt it will be my last. 

The most memorable dining experiences I've had are remembered not only for delicious food, but also for creating an authentic environment in which to enjoy the act of sharing a meal with friends and family. 

Mateo Bar de Tapas in Durham does this to perfection.

From the giant antique light fixtures hanging above the bar, to wall art that includes an original Spanish language Star Wars movie poster, you feel like you've been transported across the Atlantic Ocean into a restaurant nestled somewhere in the heart of Spain.

The lighting is dim with candles aplenty. Most of the tables are packed in tight, but rather than feeling claustrophobic, the layout enhances an already intimate eating experience. It truly captures the essence of tapas: ordering round after round of food and sharing with your dining-mates. 

The food was spectacular. Basically everything on the menu was calling out to be ordered, but a few things pushed their way to the forefront.

We took the approach of ordering dishes one at a time, savoring their different nuances, and then just when the last bites were about to be polished off, replenishing our table's supply of tasty morsels with another order. If you've never experienced tapas this way, I highly recommend it.



I think everyone can relate to the excitement of ordering food at a restaurant. The emotional ebb and flow of pouring over a menu in deep concentration, finding something that piques interest, placing the order, waiting politely but with hungry restraint as tables around you get served, and then finally, the moment of euphoria when you realize that the waitress walking over from the kitchen has YOUR FOOD in hand. Tapas is that experience, but relived four to five times during the course of one meal. Just incredible.

Tortilla Espannola

We started out with some pintxos (Spanish for small snacks) of fried, crispy and salted garbanzo beans and cheese croquetas: a sort of round fritter filled with gooey cheese.

Next up: Tortilla Espannola, a mini savory pie-like creation made mostly of eggs and potatoes, covered in a heavenly sorghum aioli that gave off a slight creamy sweetness.

A round later: beef and pork meatballs in tomato sauce with white beans. Thick, hearty and tomato-y, this put me to mind of a Spanish grandmothers speciality dish.

And finally to top it all off: Pato y Arroz: a creamy bowl of rice, duck, local oyster mushrooms, butternut squash and caramelized onion aioli. 

Red Sangria

Pato y Arroz

I'm not sure if it was dumb luck, or just our increasing enjoyment of the evening, but each dish seemed to build off the flavors of the previous. Each bite tasted better than the one before.

The libation enjoyed throughout the meal was a housemade red sangria, brimming with fresh fruit and mint leaves.

As was evident from our entire experience, Mateo's does a lot of really excellent things when it comes to preparing and serving food and drink. A true gem located in downtown Durham, and hopefully one that will shine for a while yet.