Bleu Olive

4.9 (1322)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

1821 Hillandale Road, Durham, NC 27705

Make a reservation

2 people

May 21, 2025

May 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Charming

For parties of 5 or more, pease give us a call.

A family operated - Mediterranean Bistro serving a fresh & local ingredient inspired menu.

The Papanikas family first opened the doors at this location in 1994 under the name Papas Grille, a fine dining Greek and Mediterranean restaurant. With “Papa” and Sam in the kitchen and Angelika, Chris & Yianni running the front of the house, Papas Grille turned into one of the finest and well-respected restaurants in the Durham food scene. After eighteen successful years as Papas Grille, it was time for a makeover and with that came a new brand as well. The reconstruction took place in 2012 in which the changes brought a more casual setting and modern feel. With “Papa” retiring during the changeover, Sam took over the realms in the kitchen fine-tuning his craft which is highly focused on quality ingredients and consistent execution. The front of the house continues to be overseen by Angelika and Yianni.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Greek
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(919) 383-8502
Website
http://www.bleuolivebistro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Sam Papanikas
Catering
Catering available.
Private party facilities
Private Dining room for any occassion.
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
1821 Hillandale Road, Durham, NC 27705
Neighborhood
Durham
Cross street
Front Street
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Yes
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Croissant$9.00
Fried egg, applewood bacon, ashe county cheddar
Breakfast B.L.T.$9.00
Egg, bacon, green leaf, tomatoes, herb mayo
Applewood Bacon & Gruyere Omelet$9.00
Caramelized onions
Mediterranean Omelet$10.00
Peppers, onions, spinach, olives, feta
Florentine Benedict$10.00
Poached eggs, spinach, feta, hollandaise
Corned Beef Benedict$10.00
House cured brisket, poached eggs, gruyere
Bleu Benedict$10.00
Bacon, tomatoes, poached eggs, hollandaise

Mezze

Spreads$11.00
Hummus, tsatsiki, tirosalata, baba ghanoush, pita
Mussels "Krasata"$11.00
Shallots, fennel, capers, white wine
Bleu Mussels$12.00
Bacon lardons, leeks, gorgonzola butter
Garlic Shrimp$15.00
Shallots, capers, garlic lemon butter
Crispy Fried Cuttlefish$11.00
Spiced pepper marmalade, smoked onion aïoli
Avgolemono$4.00
Egg lemon broth, pulled chicken, rice
Wedge$8.00
Baby romaine, tomatoes, bacon crumble, olive relish, bleu cheese dressing
Beet Tartare$8.00
"Prodigal farm" chèvre, pistachio, baby arugula, lemon sesame vinaigrette
Greek$9.00
Tomatoes, beets, peppers, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta, lettuces, balsamic vinaigrette

Sandwiches & Entrees

Chicken Salad Croissant$7.00
Roasted chicken, green leaf, tomatoes, fresh herb mayo
Spanakopita$9.00
Crispy baked phyllo pastry, braised spinach & feta filling, greek salad
Lamb Burger$13.00
Red beet preserved lemon relish, arugula | "prodigal farm" chèvre, charmoula
B.O.M.B. Burger$10.00
Ashe county cheddar, green leaf, tomatoes, smoked onion aioli
Muffaletta Wrap$11.00
House cured local brisket, prosciutto di parma, gruyere, arugula, olive relish
Blackened Salmon "Plaki Style"$14.00
Fennel, red peppers, capers, spinach, parmesan orzo
Spiced Lamb Bolognese$14.00
Mushrooms, roasted garlic tomato puree, linguine, grana padano
Mushroom Linguine$12.00
Maitake, shiitake, cremini, broccoli rabe, mushroom broth

Brunch Cocktails

Mimosa$5.00
Prosseco, orange or grapefruit
Peach Bellini$5.00
Prosseco, peach schnapps
Bloody Mary$5.00
Vodka, zing zang
Italian Coffee$6.50
Amaretto, frangelico, coffee
Nutty Irishman$6.50
Bailey's, frangelico, coffee

Extras

Belgium Waffle$9.00
Caramelized apples, walnuts pure maple syrup
Applewood Bacon$4.00
Home Fries$4.00
Warm Croissant$2.00
Whole Grain Toast$2.00

What 1,322 people are saying

Bleu Olive reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
Best Overall
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
Best Food
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
Best Service
Durham
Best Overall
Durham
Best Food
Durham
Best Service
Durham
Best Value
Durham
Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bleu Olive in Durham offers an exceptional Mediterranean dining experience with "consistently outstanding" food and service. Guests rave about the "fantastic" fish of the day, "amazing" tasting spreads, and delightful lamb dishes. The ambiance is cozy and welcoming, perfect for a romantic date or special occasion. "Highly recommend!"

1,322 Reviews

M
Margie
Raleigh7 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great tasting food and wonderful service. It's m y favorite restaurant in Durham.
Is this helpful?
D
Donald
Raleigh19 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Have never had food I didn't like here. The service is most excellent and the atmosphere is very comfortable. The wine selection is as wonderful as the food. The staff are outstanding.
Is this helpful?
D
Donald
Raleigh19 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
BLT was perfect for lunch, complemented by a nice cup of avgolemono.
Is this helpful?
M
Margie
Raleigh7 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and service, as usual. It's my all time favorite restaurant in Durham
Is this helpful?
s
stefanie
Charlotte3 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 18, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Our Aniversary, written in Open Table, not acknowledged. Didn't have mixings to make Greek Mojito and grape leaves were not cooked enough. Octopus and Paella was amazing and so was the goat cheese cheesecake
Is this helpful?
T
Tom
Virginia10 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We were just looking for a light supper after driving all day and Mediterranean sounded good. No wait on a Thursday evening with prompt courteous service. We had a quiet little table by the wine closet. Choices were interesting and varried.
Is this helpful?
N
Ned
Washington DC29 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The fish of the day was just fantastic - presentation on the plate looked like art and the taste of the fish and toppings was some of best tastes ever. I will dream about this dinner!
Is this helpful?
D
Dave
Virginia27 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food & service! Highly recommend! We had the tasting of spreads as an appetizer. It was so good! Our entree was delicious! We will definitely return when in the area!
Is this helpful?
A
Alex
Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint1 review
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent environment comfortable service was attentive and food was cooked to perfection
Is this helpful?
R
Ross VIP
Raleigh280 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had an excellent meal. The market fish and the Joyce Farm chicken were both absolutely delicious. Great service - a wonderful evening.
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FAQs

Bleu Olive offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Bleu Olive also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 383-8502.

Bleu Olive is rated 4.9 stars by 1322 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Booked 16 times today

1821 Hillandale Road, Durham, NC 27705

Additional information

Cross street
Front Street
Neighborhood
Durham
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Greek
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Yes
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Sam Papanikas
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Website
http://www.bleuolivebistro.com/
Phone number
(919) 383-8502
Catering
Catering available.
Private party facilities
Private Dining room for any occassion.

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat

Bleu Olive

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Eggs

Croissant$9.00

Breakfast B.L.T.$9.00

Applewood Bacon & Gruyere Omelet$9.00

Mediterranean Omelet$10.00

Florentine Benedict$10.00

Corned Beef Benedict$10.00

Bleu Benedict$10.00

Mezze

Spreads$11.00

Mussels "Krasata"$11.00

Bleu Mussels$12.00

Garlic Shrimp$15.00

Crispy Fried Cuttlefish$11.00

Avgolemono$4.00

Wedge$8.00

Beet Tartare$8.00

Greek$9.00

Sandwiches & Entrees

Chicken Salad Croissant$7.00

Spanakopita$9.00

Lamb Burger$13.00

B.O.M.B. Burger$10.00

Muffaletta Wrap$11.00

Blackened Salmon "Plaki Style"$14.00

Spiced Lamb Bolognese$14.00

Mushroom Linguine$12.00

Brunch Cocktails

Mimosa$5.00

Peach Bellini$5.00

Bloody Mary$5.00

Italian Coffee$6.50

Nutty Irishman$6.50

Extras

Belgium Waffle$9.00

Applewood Bacon$4.00

Home Fries$4.00

Warm Croissant$2.00

Whole Grain Toast$2.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Bleu Olive offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Bleu Olive restaurant rated?

Is Bleu Olive currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information