Okay, we are going to start off with a bang here and talk about the restaurants considered some of the best in Raleigh, and then we will discuss options if you’re looking for a specific type of food.  You will notice that the vast majority of these restaurants are locally-owned and operated in Raleigh. 

Best Atmosphere

Here are some of the most unique restaurants in Raleigh that are great if you want to dine in a really cool atmosphere.  And for all of these, I would strongly recommend reservations several days out at least.

Angus Barn is Raleigh’s staple, and goes all out with its’ Christmas decorations.  It has great appetizers, and pretty decent steaks, but what you’re really paying for here is the atmosphere as its’ incredible.  It is hard to get a reservation around Christmas, but you can get in if you’re willing to go early and wait.

2^nd Empire is set in a downtown historic house built around 1879.  There is a great overall variety of food and is touted as one of Raleigh’s best.

Brewery Bhavana in downtown Raleigh has upscale Chinese Food, but has a unique environment in that it doubles as a bookstore, flower shop, and brewery.

La Terrazza is new rooftop restaurant in downtown Raleigh that has great views of the skyline, and offers a Italian and Mediterranean Fusion menu.

Taverna Agora is a Greek style restaurant that also has possibly the coolest rooftop in downtown Raleigh, even though it’s only on the second floor.

And lastly, Hayes Barton Dessertery and Café will take you back to a 1940’s style diner, and has a great variety of amazing food.  Spoiler alert, you’ll see this appear later on for best desserts too.

Angus Barn:  https://www.angusbarn.com/

2nd Empire:  https://www.second-empire.com/

Brewery Bhavana:  https://brewerybhavana.com/

La Terrazza:  https://laterrazzaraleigh.com/

Taverna Agora:  https://www.tavernaagora.com/

Hayes Barton:  https://www.hayesbartoncafeanddessertery.com/

Most Popular Restaurants

This next set of restaurants will continue our look at the most popular restaurants in Raleigh.

Starting with the steakhouses, there is the Capital Grille in North Hills, the Oak Steakhouse in downtown Raleigh, Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille and Flemings Prime Steakhouse near Crabtree Valley Mall, as well as The Peddler Steakhouse and Vinnie’s Steak House and Tavern in North Raleigh.  These all offer high end dining experiences with great steaks and just as good a la carte sides, but they are expensive.

As far as the best one, everyone has a different take.  Vinnie’s and the Peddler are pure local, long standing Raleigh options that you really can’t go wrong with.

In downtown Raleigh, Stanbury is raved about and has a variety of American dishes in a slightly less formal, cozy atmosphere, and Crawford and Son has a smaller menu, but everything is amazing.   For those who enjoy Mediterranean style food, Ajja is a local favorite as well as Madre, which specializes in smaller dishes.

Other favorites are Bloomsbury Bistro in Five Points, which has a French inspired menu and you would be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t have a great experience there.

Glenwood Grill is a little cheaper than many of these options but still offers a great experience, Margaux in North Raleigh is a popular fine dining restaurant with great atmosphere, and Rosewater in North Hills has a great variety as well.

So those are some of the most popular and highly regarded restaurants in Raleigh, but let’s now talk about some great options for a variety of categories.

But first, if you have any real estate needs in the greater Raleigh area, our team is an expert on both entertainment and real estate, and would love to help you.

Capital Grille:  https://www.thecapitalgrille.com/locations/nc/raleigh/raleigh/8061

Oak Steakhouse:  https://www.oaksteakhouserestaurant.com/location/oak-steakhouse-raleigh/

Perry’s Steak House:  https://perryssteakhouse.com/locations/nc/raleigh/raleigh/

Flemings Prime Steakhouse:  https://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/

The Peddler Steak House:  http://www.peddlersteakhouse.com/

Vinnie’s Steak House:  https://vinniessteakhouse.com/

Stanbury:  https://www.stanburyraleigh.com/ 

Crawford & Son:  http://crawfordandsonrestaurant.com/

Ajja:  https://www.ajjaeats.com/

Madre:  https://www.madreraleigh.com/

Bloomsbury Bistro:  https://bloomsburybistro.com/

Glenwood Grill:  https://glenwoodgrill.com/

Margaux:  https://margauxsrestaurant.com/

Rosewater:  https://www.rosewaterraleigh.com/

Best Seafood

Our first category is Seafood, and the best and most well-known restaurants are all downtown.  The Cortez is unique in that it mixes in a Mexican vibe into both the food and atmosphere, with plenty of raw oysters and Ceviche. 

St Roch Fine Oysters specializes in oysters, but is much more than that as it has a great variety of fresh and fried seafood. 

And Raleigh’s classic, the 42^nd Street Oyster Bar has great seafood as well as a good variety of other food for those who want a mixture. 

The Cortez:  https://www.cortezraleigh.com/

St Roch Fine Oysters:  https://www.strochraleigh.com/

42nd St Oyster Bar:  https://www.42ndstoysterbar.com/

Best Mexican

Moving into international categories, some of Raleigh’s higher end Mexican Restaurants are the previously mentioned Cortez, as well as Centro in downtown Raleigh.

Gonza’s Tacos Y Tequila is slightly above your typical Mexican Restaurant and always has a great vibe, while Dos Taquitos and San Marcos in mid-town Raleigh are closer to your typical Mexican Restaurant with great food and environments.

And there are also several Gym Tacos around that are excellent.

The Cortez:  https://www.cortezraleigh.com/

Centro:  https://www.centroraleigh.com/

Gonzas Tacos & Tequila:  https://www.gonzatacosytequila.com/

Dos Taquitos:  https://www.dostaquitosraleigh.com/

San Marcos:  https://sanmarcosrestaurant.com/sanmarcosraleigh

Gym Tacos:  https://gymtacosnc.com/

Best Asian

Next up is the best Asian food, which is a pretty broad category. 

In Downtown, Oku is a new restaurant that has GREAT sushi, the MOFU Dumpling Shoppe is a popular Pan Asian style restaurant.  And if you like Loatian food, Bida Manda is GREAT, which is right next door to the previously mentioned, Chinese inspired restaurant of Brewery Bhavana.

The Miso Ramen Bar is just outside of downtown Raleigh in a shopping center and is very highly reviewed for its’ Ramen, and everyone has their favorite go-to take out place, but Red Dragon off Fairview and Oberlin has been in business for years and is great.

I will say too even though this is a Raleigh guide, Cary and Durham have some great options in G58 and M Sushi.

O-Ku:  https://www.o-kusushi.com/location/o-ku-raleigh/ 

MOFU Dumpling Shoppe:  https://www.mofushoppe.com/

Bida Manda:  https://www.bidamanda.com/

Brewery Bhavana:  https://brewerybhavana.com/

Miso Ramen Bar:  https://www.misoramenbar.com/

Red Dragon:  http://raleighreddragon.com/

G58:  https://g58cuisine.com/

M-Sushi:  https://www.m-restaurants.com/location/m-restaurants-sushi/

Best Indian

Next up, is the best Indian Food in Raleigh, and if you’re looking for a more up-scale meal, Tamasha Modern Indian off Six Forks with not disappoint.

And depending on what side of town you are on, The Lime and Lemon Indian Grill and Bar, Bazil Indian Cuisine, and Royal India are all very popular. 

If you’re looking for the absolute best in the area though, Cilantro in Cary and Viceroy in Durham are typically considered at the top.

Tamasha Modern Indian:  https://tamashanc.com/

Lime and Lemon Indian Grill:  https://www.lnlrestaurant.com/index.jsp?site=raleigh

Bazil Indian Cuisine:  https://bazil-indian-cuisine.com/

Royal India:  https://royalindiaraleigh.com/

Cilantro:  https://www.cilantroindia.com/

Viceroy:  https://www.viceroydurham.com/

Mediterranean

For those looking for Mediterranean cuisine, Vidrio in downtown Raleigh has great food with a unique atmosphere inside.  Also in downtown, the previously mentioned Ajja and Taverna Agora are great options. 

And for more everyday options, Sassool and Neomonde have great, affordable food.

Vidrio:  https://www.vidrioraleigh.com/

Ajja:  https://www.ajjaeats.com/

Taverna Agora:  https://www.tavernaagora.com/

Sassool:  https://www.sassool.com/

Neomonde:  https://www.neomonde.com/

Italian 

There are SO many great Italian Restaurants in Raleigh that I can’t name them all, but Mulina Italian Kitchen and Bar is a fun atmosphere where you can eat next to a pool, Brodeto is a new restaurant in the Raleigh Iron Works district that is very high end, but very good. 

Anthony’s La Piazza Prime downtown and Café Tiramisu off Falls of Neuse are known to have more authentic Italian offerings at mid-level prices.

La Cucina Italiana off Glenwood and Bella Monica off Edwards Mill also offer great food for those looking for a less formal experience.

And for Raleigh locals, Casa Carbone is a more Americanized Italian restaurant that has been around for a long time, as well as Amedeos for NC State Wolfpack fans.

Mulina Italian Kitchen:  https://mulinoraleigh.com/

Brodeto:  https://brodeto.com/

Anthony’s La Piazza Prime:  https://anthonyslapiazza.net/

La Cucina Italiana:  https://lacucinaitalians.com/

Bella Monica:  https://www.bellamonica.com/

Casa Carbone:  https://www.casacarbone.com/

Amedeos:  https://www.amedeosrestaurant.com/

French

Raleigh also has a few really good French restaurants in Jolie in downtown Raleigh as well as East End Bistrot in the Iron Works District.  These restaurants are expensive but you get what you pay for, as they have excellent food.

Coquette in North Hills is another popular French restaurant that’s not as high-end, and Lafayette Village in North Raleigh is an entire French themed village with restaurants and shops.

Jolie:  https://restaurantjolie.com/

East End Bistro:  https://www.eastendbistrotraleigh.com/

Coquette:  https://www.coquetteraleigh.com/

Simply Crepes:  https://www.simplycrepes.com/raleigh

Best Vegan

Now let’s touch on a few Vegan options, and to be honest, many of the restaurants previously named have great vegan dishes on the menus, but Fiction Kitchen is all Vegan and is touted as one of the best in Raleigh.

Element Gastropub downtown is popular as well as the Pure Vegan Café off of Creedmoor road, which is also essentially all Vegan food.

Fiction Kitchen:  https://thefictionkitchen.com/

Element Gastropub:  https://elementgastropub.com/

Pure Vegan Cafe:  https://purevegancafe.com/

Best Southern Style

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Raleigh also has quite a few restaurants that capture its’ southern heritage, and while we will cover some in the barbecue category, the most known is Poole’s Diner in downtown Raleigh.  Built in a 1945 diner, it has a great atmosphere and food is some of best in Raleigh, but it is on the more expensive side.

Beasleys Chicken and Honey has some great chicken and waffles, and Mandolin is another one of Raleigh’s staples and is a local favorite.

Poole’s Diner:  https://ac-restaurants.com/pooles/

Beasley’s Chicken and Honey:  https://ac-restaurants.com/beasleys/

Mandolin:  https://www.mandolinraleigh.com/

Best All-Around Restaurants

Before we get into a few more specific categories, let’s first talk about some of Raleigh’s best, all-around restaurants that can satisfy the whole family and not break the bank.

One of my favorites is Relish, as they have a great variety on the menu along with a cozy atmosphere.  Winston’s Grille in North Raleigh is many local’s favorite restaurant in Raleigh, period, and the Mill Raleigh off Edwards Mill is a great choice before a Carolina Hurricanes game.  Cowfish in North Hills mixes Sushi and Burgers, and while it doesn’t quite have the variety of the others, it’s a great combination to enjoy.

Alright, now let’s get into a few more specific categories.

Relish:  https://www.relishraleigh.com/

Winston’s Grille:  https://winstonsgrille.com/

The Mill:  https://www.themillraleigh.com/

Cowfish:  http://thecowfish.com/

Best for Kids

If you have wild kids and need a place for them to run around while you wait, Chuy’s Mexican Restaurant in North Hills has a large grass field just outside, and you can see your kids from the patio.  Flying Biscuit in Brier Creek has a fenced off portion with some yard games, and the Village Grille in Lafayette Village also has a large, grassy area to run.

Milton’s Pizza and Pasta doesn’t have a place to run around, but it has an extensive salad bar and during lunch time hours, a buffet that allows you to get food in front of your kids quick!

Chuy’s Mexican:  https://www.chuys.com/locations/raleigh

Flying Biscuit (Brier Creek):  https://flyingbiscuit.com/locations-2/brier-creek/

Village Grille:  https://villagegrillraleigh.com/

Milton’s Pizza and Pasta:  https://www.miltonspizza.com/

Best Food Halls

And another great place to take children are food halls, and Raleigh has two really great ones in downtown in Morgan St and Transfer Co Food Halls.  They both have an excellent variety and both indoor and outdoor seating, and are fairly loud which takes the pressure of parents.

Morgan St Food Hall:  https://www.morganfoodhall.com/

Transfer Co Food Hall:  https://www.transfercofoodhall.com/

Best Breakfast

Much of this category could be an extension of the Best Southern Food category, as the best breakfast locations in Raleigh are definitely southern cooking.  The two most well-known are the 

Farmers Market Restaurant as well as Big Eds in downtown Raleigh.  

Flying Biscuit has several locations around Raleigh and does have some amazing biscuits, and Briggs has a great variety, but gets crowded so go early.

Simply Crepes in Lafayette Village is French themed and has excellent crepes among other items, and if you just want some great bagels, go to Benchwarmers Bagels in the Transfer Co Food Hall.

State Farmers Market Restaurant:  https://www.realbiscuits.com/

Big Ed’s:  https://www.bigedsnc.com/

Flying Biscuit:  https://flyingbiscuit.com/

Brigs:  https://www.brigs.com/

Simply Crepes:  https://www.simplycrepes.com/raleigh

Benchwarmers Bagels:  https://www.benchwarmersbagels.com/

Best Pizza

Like Italian food, opinions on the best Pizza in an area with vary quite a bit, but there are a few places where just about everyone can agree.

Oakwood Pizza in downtown Raleigh is one of them and probably my favorite as well, but Vic’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria that’s in downtown Raleigh’s City Market is up there as well. 

I also like Trophy Brewing and Pizza on the outskirts of downtown as their craft beers are great, and while some may disagree, not sure I could have a best pizza in Raleigh list without mentioning Lily’s Pizza in Five Points, a Raleigh staple.

For those looking for the best New York Style Pizza, Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary is great.

Oakwood Pizza Box:  https://www.oakwoodpizzabox.com/

Vic’s Ristorante:  https://citymarket.vicsitalianrestaurantnc.com/

Trophy Brewing & Pizza:  https://www.trophybrewing.com/brewing-pizza-menu

Lilly’s Pizza:  https://lillyspizza.com/

Best BBQ

This next category is possibly the most important to locals, the best barbecue.  While the Pit is one of Raleigh’s more well-known barbecue joints, Sam Jones BBQ, Midwood Smokehouse, and Longleaf Swine are all incredibly popular barbecue joints.  Midwood Smokehouse is slightly higher end than the others with some great ribs.

Clyde Coopers in downtown Raleigh has been around for quite some time as well and is very popular, but my personal favorite is the true definition of country barbecue in Ole Time Barbecue.  It’s a small restaurant off the side of the road, but its’ barbecue is amazing.

Sam Jones BBQ:  https://www.samjonesbbq.com/

Midwood Smokehouse:  https://midwoodsmokehouse.com/

Longleaf Swine:  https://longleafswine.com/

Clyde Coopers:  https://clydecoopersbbq.com/

Ole Time BBQ:  https://oletimebarbecue.com/

Best Burger

If you’re in need a great cheeseburger, in my opinion, the best burger in Raleigh goes to Mojoes in downtown.  Amazing burgers at great prices and some unique milkshakes.  Char-Grill also makes a great burger and originated in Raleigh.

If you want a little more to your burger, Bad Daddy’s and Burger Village have more creative options.

MoJoe’s Burger Joint:  https://mojoesburgerjoint.com/

Char-Grill:  https://www.chargrillusa.com/

Bad Daddy’s:  https://www.baddaddysburgerbar.com/

Burger Village:  https://www.burgervillage.com/

Best Dessert

For those wanting some dessert, Videri Chocolate Factory in downtown Raleigh has been recognized nationally and also has soft serve ice cream.  Hayes Barton in Five Points hands down has the best cake.

Andias Ice Cream is locally owned and has several locations around the area, and they offer some Instagram worthy treats.  The Little Blue Bakehouse has the best macaroons in Raleigh, and if you haven’t been to the Howling Cow, which is NC State’s ice cream made on-site, you are missing out.

Videri Chocolate Factory:  https://viderichocolatefactory.com/

Hayes Barton:  https://www.hayesbartoncafeanddessertery.com/

Andias Ice Cream:  https://andiasicecream.com/

The Little Blue Bakehouse:  https://littlebluebakehouse.com/

The Howling Cow:  https://howlingcow.ncsu.edu/

That wraps up our ultimate guide to the best restaurants in Raleigh, NC.  

Check out our other blogs on the best shopping in Raleigh, NC and the best things to do in Raleigh NC.

If you need help finding your next home in Raleigh, Durham, or anywhere else in the triangle, our team at the W Real Estate Group would love to help!

Please reach out via our contact information below:

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