Find some of the best food and restaurants in the area by cuisine and amenity! If you’re willing to travel a bit, here’s the best food and cuisine in the RDU, across Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and beyond. As a full-blown foodie, I think the drive is always worth it when you’re hungry! Organized by cuisine type, click on the link for full reviews or the website. (Updated on 1/14/23)
Best Bakeries, Bread
- LaFarm Bakery– 4248 NW Cary Pkwy, Cary, NC 27513
- Boulted Bread- 614 W South St, Raleigh, NC 27603
- Guglhupf- 2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
Best Bakeries, Pastries and Sweets
Best NC Barbeque Joints – Pork
Best Southern Barbeque – Ribs, Brisket
- Longleaf Swine- Raleigh
- Lawrence Barbecue RTP- Durham
- Prime Barbecue – Knightdale
Best Brunch Restaurants
Best Burgers in Cary
Best Burgers in Durham
- Bull City Burger and Brewery- Durham
- Queen Burger- Durham
- Dain’s Place- Durham
Best Burgers in Raleigh
- Fine Folk – Raleigh
- Cow Bar Burgers and Fries – Raleigh
- Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar- Raleigh
Best Chicken, Fried and Otherwise- Durham
Best Chicken, Fried and Otherwise- Raleigh
Best Chinese Restaurants
- Super Wok (Sichuan)- Cary
- Gourmet Kingdom- Carrboro
- Taipei 101– 121 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511
Best Date Spots, Inexpensive- Durham
Best Date Spots, Basic- Durham
Best Dates Spots, More Expensive- Durham
Best Date Spots, Inexpensive- Raleigh
Best Date Spots, Basic- Raleigh
Best Date Spots, More Expensive- Raleigh
- Crawford and Son (Southern)
- Stanbury (American, Seasonal)
- St. Roch Oysters (Seafood)
Best Donut Shops
- FlipSide Donuts- Cary
- Baker’s Dozen- Raleigh
- Monuts Donuts- Durham
Best Eastern European Restaurants
- Guglhupf (German)- Durham
- Capital Club 16 (American-German) – Raleigh
- J Betski’s (Polish-German) – Raleigh
Best Farm to Table Restaurants (Raleigh)
Best French Restaurants
- Vin Rouge- Durham
- Jolie- Raleigh
- Bluebird- Chapel Hill
Best Ice Cream
- Two Roosters- Raleigh
- The Parlour- Durham
- Maple View Dairy- Hillsborough
Best Indian-Nepali Restaurants
- Himalayan Range Nepali- Cary
- Tower Indian- Morrisville
- Himalayan Nepali Cuisine – Cary
Best Italian Restaurants
- Mothers and Sons- Durham
- Gocciolina- Durham
- Tesoro – Carrboro
Best Italian-American Restaurants
- Daniel’s Restaurant- Apex
- Vic’s Ristorante – Raleigh
Best Latin-S. American Restaurants
- Luna Rotisserie – Durham, Carrboro
- Centro- Raleigh
- COPA- Durham
Best Mediterranean-Middle Eastern Restaurants
Best Mexican Restaurants (Durham)
- Mezcalito- Durham
- Taqueria La Vaquita- Durham
Best Mexican Restaurants (Raleigh)
- Taqueria El Toro- Raleigh
- Los Cuates- Raleigh
- Carajillo’s Mexican Kitchen – Raleigh
Best Neapolitan Pizza Places
Best NY Pizza Places
Best Standard Pizza Places
Best Patios (Durham)
Best Patios (Raleigh)
Best Ramen
- Miso Ramen Bar – Raleigh
- Noodle Blvd- Cary
- Tonbo Ramen- Raleigh
Best Sandwich Spots (Durham)
Best Sandwich Spots (Raleigh)
- Carroll’s Kitchen- Raleigh
- Union Special- Raleigh
- PrimoHoagies– Raleigh
Best Seafood Restaurants
Best Small Plates Restaurants (Chapel Hill)
- Hawkers Asian Street Fare- Chapel Hill
- Glasshalfull- Carrboro
- Jujube- Chapel Hill
Best Small Plates Restaurants (Durham)
- Mateo- Durham
- Dashi- Durham
- Juju- Durham
Best Small Plates Restaurants (Raleigh)
Best Soul Food Restaurants
- Dame’s Chicken & Waffles- Durham
- Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food- Raleigh
- Mama Dips- Chapel Hill
Best Spanish – Tapas Restaurants
Best Sports Bars
Best Sushi-Japanese Restaurants (Raleigh)
Best Thai Restaurants
- Thai Station- Chapel Hill
- Cham Thai- Chapel Hill
- Thai 55- Durham