Emerald Coast Guide

Restaurants

96 places

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Iron District

Hummingbird

New Orleans comfort on an eclectic Iron District patio

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Raleigh

Madre

Spanish and Mediterranean tapas with a sunny brunch

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Fayetteville Street District

Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen

Refined all-day brunch in the heart of downtown

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Iron District

East End Bistrot

French technique with Asian influence on a Champagne terrace

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North Hills

Rosewater Kitchen & Bar

Upscale New American brunch with a European-cafe feel

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Iron District

Mala Pata

Masa-driven, Michelin-recognized Latin American cooking

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North Hills

Cucciolo Terrazza

Italian sensibility meets a Midtown brunch

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Raleigh

Relish Craft Kitchen & Bourbon Bar

A North Raleigh brunch-and-bourbon mainstay

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Raleigh

Barcelona Wine Bar

Spanish tapas and a deep wine list in the Warehouse District

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Downtown Raleigh

SmokeStacks Cafe

A hidden-gem cafe and wine bar with a daily-changing menu

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Raleigh

Boatman Spirits Co.

A DJ brunch and craft spirits at Seaboard Station

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Raleigh

Heirloom

South Asian-influenced cafe with a light-filled room

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Iron District

Il Falò

Wood-fired Italian from a James Beard Award-winning chef

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Raleigh

Parkside

Hearty American brunch in the Warehouse District

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Raleigh

Brigs

A beloved Triangle breakfast-and-brunch institution

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Raleigh

Iyla’s Southern Kitchen

Soul food and Nashville hot chicken in the heart of downtown Raleigh

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Raleigh

Morgan Street Food Hall

Downtown Raleigh's food hall of 20-plus local vendors

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Glenwood South

Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar

House-made pasta and estate wines in a reclaimed Glenwood South mill

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Fayetteville Street District

Sono

Downtown Raleigh's enduring sushi bar and Japanese izakaya

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Fayetteville Street District

The Big Easy

Where Raleigh meets New Orleans on Fayetteville Street.

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Fayetteville Street District

The Morning Times

Downtown Raleigh's community coffeehouse since 2006

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Boylan Heights

Trophy Brewing & Pizza

Downtown Raleigh's original craft brewery and pizzeria.

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Moore Square

Vic’s Ristorante Italiano

Old-world Italian and New York-style pizza, a City Market institution

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Boylan Heights

Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing

Chef-driven New American food and house-brewed beer with a downtown Raleigh skyline view.

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Moore Square

Caffe Luna

Classic and contemporary Italian in the heart of downtown Raleigh

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Fayetteville Street District

Chido Taco

Mercado-style tacos and cocktails in downtown Raleigh

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Fayetteville Street District

Gravy

Scratch-made gravy and house-made pasta in downtown Raleigh

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Fayetteville Street District

Sitti

Authentic Lebanese hospitality in the heart of downtown Raleigh

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Glenwood South

Taverna Agora

Authentic Greek kitchen and bar with a rooftop oasis on Hillsborough Street

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Fayetteville Street District

The Raleigh Times Bar

Historic downtown bar with elevated pub fare, a legendary Belgian beer list, and a rooftop patio.

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Raleigh

Whiskey Kitchen

Southern kitchen and whiskey bar in the Warehouse District

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Cary

Awaze Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine

Family-style Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking on Cary's Maynard Road

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Cary

Bond Brothers Beer Company

Downtown Cary's beloved independent brewery and beer garden.

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Cary

Buldaegi BBQ House

Sizzling tabletop Korean barbecue in the heart of Cary

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Cary

Chengdu 7

Authentic Sichuan mala and dry pots near Downtown Cary

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Cary

Herons

Cary's Forbes Five-Star, garden-driven New American flagship at The Umstead

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Cary

No. 1 Pho

Beloved family-run Vietnamese pho house in West Cary

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Cary

SAAP

Authentic Laotian and Isan cooking in the heart of downtown Cary

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Cary

Saffron Indian Cuisine

Fragrant, from-scratch Indian cooking and a beloved lunch buffet in the heart of Cary.

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Cary

Wasabi

Cary's longtime neighborhood sushi bar and Japanese and Thai kitchen

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Downtown Durham

Bull City Burger and Brewery

Grass-fed burgers and house-brewed beer in the heart of downtown Durham

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Durham

Bullock’s Bar-B-Cue

Durham's longest-running restaurant and a genuine Eastern North Carolina barbecue landmark.

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Durham

Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

Almost world-famous chicken, waffles and shmears in East Durham.

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Durham

Guglhupf

Artisan German bakery, café & biergarten in the heart of Durham.

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Downtown Durham

Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas

Wood-fired rotisserie and Latin American empanadas in downtown Durham.

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Downtown Durham

M Sushi

Chef Matt Kelly's acclaimed downtown Durham sushi destination.

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Downtown Durham

Mateo Bar de Tapas

Spanish tapas with Southern soul in the heart of downtown Durham

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Downtown Durham

Mothers & Sons Trattoria

Downtown Durham's handmade-pasta trattoria, made fresh by hand daily.

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Durham

Namu

Casual Korean eats, craft beer and a garden hideout off 15-501

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Downtown Durham

Pizzeria Toro

Wood-fired pizza and seasonal snacks in the heart of downtown Durham.

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Durham

Saltbox Seafood Joint

Chef Ricky Moore's James Beard–winning coastal North Carolina seafood shack in Durham.

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Durham

Vin Rouge

A traditional farm-to-table French bistro in Old West Durham, led by acclaimed chef Matt Kelly.

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Carrboro

Acme Food & Beverage Co.

Locally sourced Southern cooking and a legendary Sunday brunch in downtown Carrboro.

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Carrboro

Akai Hana

A beloved independent Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in the heart of downtown Carrboro.

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Carrboro

Carrburritos

Fresh. Flavorful. Family Owned.

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Carrboro

Glasshalfull

Mediterranean-inspired plates and a curated wine shop in downtown Carrboro

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Carrboro

Neal’s Deli

House-cured pastrami and fresh-baked biscuits in downtown Carrboro

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Carrboro

Pizzeria Mercato

Carrboro's acclaimed wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria and seasonal Italian kitchen.

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Carrboro

Spotted Dog

A dog-friendly downtown Carrboro pub with a big vegetarian heart.

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Carrboro

Steel String Brewery

Funky, free-spirited brews in the heart of downtown Carrboro.

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Carrboro

Tandem

French-inspired, locally sourced dining in historic Carr Mill Mall

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Carrboro

Venable Rotisserie Bistro

Rotisserie-driven global comfort food and a cocktail lounge in downtown Carrboro

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Apex

Anna’s Pizzeria

New York-style pizza and Italian classics in historic downtown Apex

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Apex

Daniel’s Restaurant & Catering

Family-owned Italian, fresh pasta and hand-stretched pizza in Apex.

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Apex

La Rancherita

Locally founded Mexican flavor on historic Salem Street.

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Apex

Salem Street Pub

Burgers, brews, and moonshine in historic downtown Apex.

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Apex

Scratch Kitchen & Taproom

Made-from-scratch Southern cooking and a local craft taproom in historic downtown Apex.

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Apex

Skippers Seafood & Smokehouse

Home of the Giant Fish Sandwich

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Apex

Sushi Iwa

Fresh sushi and pan-Asian favorites in Apex's Beaver Creek

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Apex

TapStation

Beer, burgers, and bourbon in a restored downtown Apex service station.

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Apex

The Provincial

Farm-to-fork New American in historic downtown Apex

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Apex

Vegan Community Kitchen

100% vegan, made fresh — Mediterranean flavor in downtown Apex.

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Chapel Hill

Al’s Burger Shack

Chapel Hill's award-winning, hand-formed burgers since 2013.

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Chapel Hill

Carolina Coffee Shop

Modern Southern brunch and a full bar inside North Carolina's oldest restaurant.

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Chapel Hill

Kipos Greek Taverna

Upscale, authentic Greek taverna cooking from the wood-burning oven.

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Chapel Hill

Lantern

Asian flavors, North Carolina farms

Woman-owned
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Chapel Hill

Mediterranean Deli

Chapel Hill's beloved Mediterranean deli, bakery, and catering, back on Franklin Street since 1991

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Chapel Hill

Merritt’s Store & Grill

A Chapel Hill country-store landmark famous for its legendary BLT.

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Chapel Hill

Sutton’s Drug Store

Chapel Hill's century-old soda fountain and lunch counter on Franklin Street

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Chapel Hill

Time-Out Restaurant

Chapel Hill's 24-hour home of the Chicken 'n Cheddar Biscuit.

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Chapel Hill

Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery

Chapel Hill's rooftop gathering place since 1996

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Chapel Hill

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe

Community-rooted, ethically sourced Indian cooking in downtown Chapel Hill

Woman-owned
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Raleigh

Neomonde Mediterranean

Family-owned Lebanese bakery and deli, baking fresh in West Raleigh since 1977

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Five Points

NOFO @ The Pig

Southern comfort food, brunch and gifts in a former Piggly Wiggly.

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Oakwood

Oakwood Pizza Box

New York-style pies and Long Island roots in historic Oakwood

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Raleigh

Raleigh Soul Kitchen

Homestyle Southern soul food and Caribbean plates on Bragg Street

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Raleigh

Royal India Restaurant

North Indian and tandoori classics, served on Capital Boulevard since 1990.

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Capital District

Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern

Fine dining in a historic 1879 Raleigh mansion

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Raleigh

Seoul Garden Restaurant

Authentic Korean cooking and tabletop BBQ in northeast Raleigh

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Raleigh

Snoopy’s Hot Dogs & More

Raleigh's original hot dog institution since 1978

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Moore Square

St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar

New Orleans soul and a standout raw bar in downtown Raleigh

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Raleigh

The Players’ Retreat

Where the Keg of Kindness Never Runs Dry

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Raleigh

The Roast Grill

Raleigh's oldest hot dog counter, charring dogs since 1940.

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Glenwood South

Vidrio

Mediterranean sharing plates and standout wines beneath a canopy of handblown glass.

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North Hills

Vivace

House-made pasta and Italian hospitality in Midtown Raleigh

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Raleigh

Waraji Japanese Restaurant

Authentic sushi, sashimi, and sake in West Raleigh