Poole’s Diner

Poole’s Diner: Ashley Christensen’s Modern Diner and the Heart of Downtown Raleigh

On the corner of South McDowell and Cabarrus Streets in downtown Raleigh, Poole’s Diner has spent nearly two decades redefining what a diner can be. Part vintage lunch counter, part destination restaurant, Poole’s is the flagship of chef Ashley Christensen’s celebrated Raleigh restaurant family, and it remains one of the most beloved tables in the city.

A Storied Corner with Deep Roots

The building at 428 South McDowell Street has been feeding Raleigh for generations. It opened as Poole’s Pie Shop in 1945 and later became Poole’s Luncheonette, a spot Ashley Christensen’s own father frequented. When Christensen took over the space and reopened it as Poole’s Diner in 2007, she preserved the soul of the old luncheonette—including its iconic Double Horseshoe counter—while reimagining the food as something bold, seasonal, and unapologetically rich.

The Double Horseshoe and the Chalkboard Menu

Step inside and the first thing you notice is the counter: a double horseshoe that puts diners shoulder to shoulder and turns dinner into a shared experience. Overhead, a rotating chalkboard menu changes daily and seasonally, driven by what’s fresh and what the kitchen is inspired to cook. No two visits are quite the same, which is exactly the point.

Macaroni au Gratin and Comfort Food, Elevated

If Poole’s has a signature, it’s the macaroni au gratin—a three-cheese baked masterpiece finished under the broiler that has become one of the most famous dishes in North Carolina. Around it, the menu weaves together elevated comfort food: house pimento cheese, seasonal vegetables from nearby farms, thoughtfully sourced meats, and desserts worth saving room for. It’s food that feels familiar and surprising at the same time.

A James Beard Legacy

Poole’s is the restaurant that launched Ashley Christensen’s national reputation. Christensen won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2014 and the James Beard Outstanding Chef award—the highest individual honor in American cooking—in 2019. That pedigree runs through everything at Poole’s, from the precise cooking to the warm, unfussy hospitality.

Plan Your Visit

Poole’s serves dinner nightly beginning at 5 p.m. Reservations are available through OpenTable and are recommended, especially on weekends, though the restaurant holds space at its historic counter for walk-ins. It’s the kind of place that works equally well for a celebratory night out or a solo seat at the bar—proof that a diner, done right, can be one of the best restaurants in town.