For 30 years, the communities of Durham and Chapel Hill have been enriched and enlivened by the culinary talent and sense of style & integrity that Mary Bacon has applied to her restaurant. 

Somethyme, the beloved predecessor of both Pyewacket in Chapel Hill (which sadly closed its doors in Summer 2002)and Anotherthyme in Durham, grew from Mary's desire to provide a place for people to gather, grow, and delight in wonderful food with an emphasis not only on healthful eating but flavor and aesthetic appeal as well. 

In 1973, there was no such place in the Triangle. Somethyme became not only a treasured part of the dining experience of thousands of people, but a vital center of the liberal community, hosting musical, political, and charitable events on a regular basis. It was also known as a venue for local artists to hang their works on a rotating basis. It continued to be a local favorite for 16 years when Mary decided to sell it to her former husband's wife.

1n 1976, the owners of the Wildflower Kitchen in Chapel Hill (North Carolina's first natural foods restaurant) approached Mary to buy their establishment; she agreed. She asked her former husband, David Bacon, to be her partner in Pyewacket Restaurant, which continued to thrive for 25 years.

In 1982, Durham and the rest of us was coming of age. Mary started Anotherthyme in a quaint older building near the downtown area of the city. What was to become a bustling retail center at Brightleaf Square had only recently been transformed from empty and decaying tobacco warehouses. At last, downtown Durham was casting off its rags as the ugly stepsister of the Triangle. It was on its way to becoming the bustling center of community and cultural events that all vital cities must be to thrive. Anotherthyme not only thrived and developed with the Triangle, but was an integral part of the success of the area. 

With a philosophy of food that is based on rethinking seafood and vegetarian dishes as not being secondary to the meat and potatoes thing, Mary has spent years developing foods that are full of flavor and visual appeal without being dependant on a kitchen full of beef and chicken stock, heavy cream sauces or animal fats. As sensible as this may seem today, in 1972, when people dined in a good restaurant, it generally meant steak or fried seafood--remember, those were the days of "Surf & Turf"

Anotherthyme has expanded the menu in recent years to include free-range chicken, beef, and pork, but the emphasis remains on freshness, flavor, and value. Fried Calamari with Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa and Cilantro Mayonnaise, Red Snapper with Passion fruit Sauce, Salmon with Creamy Green Peppercorn Sauce, the legendary AT Fried Chicken, Roasted Rosemary-Garlic Chicken & Bouillabaisse showcase Mary's love and affinity for foods of the Mediterranean, Asian & Southwest, with combinations of flavors that are balanced and exciting. 

The core menu offers a broad selection of items including Seared Pumpkin Seed Crusted Yellowfin Tuna over Mesclun Greens with a Citrus Vinaigrette, Filet Mignon with Béarnaise Sauce or Red Wine Reduction,& Chiapas Burrito as well as a selection of interesting salads for those who prefer a lighter meal. Mary Bacon strives for a consistancy in the cuisine by creating detailed recipes. Each recipe takes approximately 20 hours to perfect, which then allows for consistency each time a guest dines. Believe it or not, few restaurants have recipes that each cook can follow.

Specials change every two to three weeks and include ten to twelve additional appetizers and entrees. No lack of choices here! 

In an atmosphere that stresses comfort and ease, we offer people a place they can call their own and not only enjoy great food but get away from the hustle and hassle of daily life. As always, art and music are as elemental to this place as the food. Mary has long known that all of these factors are intimately related in a restaurant and the absence of one greatly diminishes the dining experience.

Wine? a list that boasts over 75 selections assures that anyone with a taste for wine can find one to suit the palate as well as the pocket. The staff is well-informed and more than happy to assist patrons in selecting a wine to compliment the food they have ordered. We believe wine to be as important to a fine meal as any other facet of the dinner. We offer a wide array of high-quality wines by the glass, often selected to compliment our changing specials.

Our bar offers fresh squeezed orange juice and house-made sour mix with fresh lemon juice. Our customers tout our margaritas and screwdrivers "the best they have ever tasted." Espresso, cappuccino, and other non-alcoholic beverages are readily available. The mahogany bar has been a favorite gathering place after work or after dinner for 20 years. For many single people, and women in particular, we are told that it is the only bar they like to frequent. 

People go to restaurants not only to eat but to be entertained. Like theater, when the experience is over the success of the restaurant depends on the desire of the patron to return. Anotherthyme has been applauded loudly and enthusiastically for many years, and as long as there is a market for great food, great company and good times, the curtain will continue to rise and the show will go on.