Crawford and Son

Crawford and Son: Chef Scott Crawford’s Modern American Flagship in Downtown Raleigh

On a quiet stretch of North Person Street, where downtown Raleigh gives way to the tree-lined streets of historic Oakwood, Crawford and Son has spent the better part of a decade defining what a modern neighborhood restaurant can be. Opened in 2016 by chef and owner Scott Crawford, it is at once approachable and ambitious, a place where a weeknight dinner can feel like an occasion without ever feeling stiff. It is the flagship of Crawford’s growing family of restaurants, and it remains the clearest expression of his cooking.

A Neighborhood Restaurant with a National Reputation

Crawford describes Crawford and Son as a casual neighborhood restaurant, and that spirit is genuine, but the recognition it has earned reaches well beyond the block. The restaurant is listed in the MICHELIN Guide, and Crawford himself is a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast. In 2024, Crawford and Son was a national finalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality, an honor that speaks as much to the warmth of the room as to the food coming out of the kitchen.

Product-Driven Modern American Cooking

The menu is contemporary American, built on a product-driven philosophy that blends classical foundations with modern technique. Crawford and his team, including chef de cuisine Aaron Salita, prize depth of flavor and purposeful, well-sourced ingredients, and they let the seasons steer the plate. The result is food that ranges from the familiar to the unexpected: broiled oysters lifted by Bloody Mary butter, ‘Nduja crumbs, and grilled lemon; a signature bowl of stone ground grits with smoked butter, egg yolk confit, forest mushrooms, and crispy kale; and a grilled Wagyu sirloin served with corn and shishito bread pudding and bacon marmalade. Summer might bring an heirloom tomato salad with Provencal gremolata and mozzarella ice cream, or blackened trout with charred cucumber and butter bean puree. Because the kitchen cooks to what is best right now, the lineup shifts throughout the year.

Wine, Service, and the Room

Dinner at Crawford and Son is meant to be lingered over. The restaurant keeps an extensive, thoughtfully assembled wine list that spans easygoing bottles and serious finds, and the service is attentive without being fussy, a balance the team has clearly worked hard to strike. The dining room is intimate and unpretentious, the kind of space that suits a celebration, a date, or simply a very good Tuesday. A seat at the bar is a fine perch for solo diners and walk-ins alike.

Finding Your Way to North Person Street

You will find Crawford and Son at 618 N Person Street, a short drive or a pleasant walk from the heart of downtown Raleigh and steps from the Oakwood historic district. Free on-street, non-metered parking is usually easy to find on the surrounding Pace, Bloodworth, and Boundary streets. The location puts it within easy reach of downtown hotels, the Person Street corridor, and the rest of Raleigh’s celebrated dining scene, making it a natural anchor for a night out in the city.

Planning Your Visit

Crawford and Son serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM and is closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online through Tock; a 3% credit card processing fee applies. Whether you are marking a special evening or introducing out-of-town guests to Raleigh’s food culture, Scott Crawford’s flagship delivers a modern American meal that has kept locals and critics coming back since 2016.