NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

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Best Brunches in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Beyond!

When it comes to decisions about food, I don’t waste much time but let’s face it, it’s nice when you have choices. And brunch is one of those great weekend options where you get to choose from salty or sweet, breakfast or lunch. From benedicts to BLTs, french toast, home fries and more! Pair your meal with a bloody mary or mimosa and you’ll be enjoying your weekend in style.

So where to go for brunch in the Triangle? Here are some excellent options for brunch in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and beyond! Click on the hours for brunch menu and details, click on the restaurant name for a review, if available.

 

Best brunch spots in Chapel Hill and Carrboro

 

Best brunch spots in Durham

 

Best brunch spots in Raleigh

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The Oak in Raleigh for an Unconventional Brunch Experience

Entryway to the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Entryway to the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Out on Lake Boone Trail sits a small shopping plaza on an elevated plateau.  You’ll find a Buffalo Brothers, the popular Guasaca, WhichWich, Bottle Revolution and the newish Oak!  Owned by the same folks that run Taste off of Dixie Trail, the Oak advertises itself as a scratch kitchen and bourbon bar.  For our brunch visit, there was unfortunately no bourbon involved but still we had a really good meal!

Bar at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Bar at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The first thing you’ll notice about Oak is its secluded location.  Down a walkway between two buildings, the entrance doorway is a bit discrete but just look for the large patio area out front next to Whichwich.  And inside the Oak, the unconventional space continues!  Long narrow strip along the front which leads to a corner dining room, there’s a walled area hiding the restaurant bar!  On par with its name, the Oak sports wood planking on its vertical surfaces and nicely polished tables showing off wood grain.

Interior of the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Interior of the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Overall it’s a very modern and organic feel to the place.  For some reason I think of the departed L’Uva Enoteca as a comparison point.  The main dining room is tidy and small but there’s lots of windows for natural sunlight.  We’re seated with menus in hand and a bit early for brunch.  So we ask for a bloody mary and mimosa when the clock ticks past noon!

Challah french toast at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Challah french toast at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Thankfully the Oak is an interesting space because our wait-person gets distracted and doesn’t come back for our order for another 15 minutes.  After forgetting the drink order, sigh.  I put an order in for the challah french toast and sausage while my table mate does the breakfast plate with eggs, rosemary sausage and some cheese grits.  With coffee and brunch cocktails in hand, the Oak starts to get a bit busy and it doesn’t take too long for our food.  My french toast looks great, three thick slices with some syrup BUT they seemed to have forgotten my side of sausage, boo!  I fork off some french toast and it’s nicely coated and moist.  The fruit and pecans on top are a nice match but I’m more of a syrup guy.  The breakfast plate also looks solid and I sneak a bite of grits which are very creamy and perfectly cooked, excellent.

Breakfast plate at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Breakfast plate at the Oak in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

We pass on any sweets and pay up, I’m pretty happy overall with my brunch experience at the Oak.  It’s an odd space but the food is solid and reasonably priced for the quality and quantity.  Outside of some service missteps they’ve got a great overall dining experience and interesting menu.  So I do hope to get back for a lunch or dinner meal and see what they can really do.  But I’m pretty optimistic they’ll do fine and I wish them luck in this tough spot!  So enjoy the Oak (NOT the Oakz) for its treatment of classic American and Southern fare, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised like I was!  Bon appetit…

 

The Oak

4035 Lake Boone Trail

Raleigh, NC 27607

919.787.9100

 

The Oak menu

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Rue Cler, Durham For a French Bistro Feel and Fare

Front of Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Tucked away off of Chapel Hill Street not too far from DPAC is the tried and true, Rue Cler!  A french bistro and restaurant, I had visited Rue Cler years ago on a Taste Carolina food tour and have intermittently come back to visit from time to time.  For some odd reason, French food is usually not on the top of my To Eat list because I’m not a fan of escargot, cold cheese and pate.  But put a steak frites or croque madame in front of me and I’m all in!  Rue Cler does a little bit of everything, working well for brunch, lunch or dinner, let’s find out why!

Side room at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Inside Rue Cler you’ll find a large open dining room with a bit of a weathered feel.  Antiqued walls, partially exposed plaster, concrete floors and more give the space a European feel.  Basic cafe seating and waitstaff decked out in crisp white shirts and black pants makes it all feel quite proper.  While I’ve been here a couple of times for dinner, today’s visit is for brunch and a large group of friends take over the side-room for some afternoon eats.

Beignets at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Beignets at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Our wait-person starts us off with some wonderfully, rich coffee along with the requisite mimosas and bloody mary’s. I start off the table with a plate of beignets, there’s nothing like some fried dough and sugar to get your day going.  And the beignets at Rue Cler are fantastico!  Fried up without much grease, crisp on the outside, dense and yeasty on the inside, they are excellent starters for your brunching.  We put in our orders for our mains which range from french toast, mussels, duck crepes and croque madame and it’s time to hang loose.

Croque madame at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Croque madame at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

It takes about 20 minutes for our next service given the size of our table.  With a lot of the sandwiches you can choose from a green salad or frites but you can guess where I’m going!  My croque madame looks AWE-some!  A hefty portion of thick-cut bread with cheese, two fried eggs and some ham inside.  The frites are beautifully fried along with some mayonnaise for dipping.  I cut off a piece of the sandwich and there’s just the right amount of bread, ham, cheese and egg.  I’m not sure who invented the croque madame but thank you!  And the fries make for a great side when I add in a bit of ketchup.  Sorry for being American!  All the other dishes at the table looked pretty good, particularly the french toast and fruit, next time.

French toast at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
French toast at Rue Cler in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Service for our large table was not easy but our wait-person hung in there but seemed a bit stressed out.  Rue Cler is pretty busy for brunch.  Prices are reasonable, service is solid and decor is pretty rustic so I can understand why Rue Cler is a popular dining destination.  So if you’re in downtown Durham or waiting for a show at DPAC, definitely put this French eatery on your short list.  And while it may not be as popular as other downtown Durham hot spots, that may be a big advantage on a busy night.  Because Rue Cler still does a very good job at dishing out tasty French bistro fare at reasonable prices.  And there’s nothing wrong with that whether you’re talking brunch, lunch or dinner, bon appetite!

 

Rue Cler

401 E Chapel Hill Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.682.8844

 

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Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh for International Flavors

Front of Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Known for its dance clubs and bars, S. Glenwood has always seemed to lack really good food, especially on the main strip.  So I was a little excited when I heard that Plates Neighborhood Kitchen was opening up in the old space that used to be Zely & Ritz.  With the departure of Frazier’s a year or so ago, I had been missing a nearby, small plates restaurant and had my fingers crossed that Plates would fill that gap.  I popped in on a Sunday morning for their brunch and let’s just say we’re close but there’s still a little work to be done at this new neighborhood eatery!

Interior and bar at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Interior and bar at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Out front, Plates sports a large patio space shared with some other businesses so I imagine this place will be great when things warm up. Inside, Plates is nattily decorated with lots of interesting and colorful hints.  Weathered metal lamps above the bar, long-filament lights in the space along with a pot rack overhead at the entrance.  I’d have to describe the space as “country cute” and leave it at that.  It’s comfortable and stylish which befits the international menu and reasonable prices.  For the most part the dishes here are $6 – $15 with brunch clocking in at $8 – $12 which is a lot more affordable than the old Z&R.  We order up a fried oyster benedict, eggs bayou laforche which is andouille benedict along with some passion fruit pancakes on special.  A nice cup of coffee and bottomless mimosa keep me company while waiting for the food.

Eggs benedict at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Eggs benedict at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

The manager/owner seems to be at the front of the house and is taking good care of things.  Lots of staff here for the size of the place and service is excellent at Plates.  It takes about 10 – 15 minutes for the food to arrive and it all looks solid.  A quick swap of the benedicts means we get to try both out and we dig in.  The fried oyster benedict is the big winner.  Two plump, non-greasy fried oysters with hollandaise sauce, good stuff. The andouille benedict didn’t fare quite as well.  There were two or three slices of sausage which left a lot of bare muffin exposed.  Given that the andouille wasn’t that thick there just wasn’t much meat flavor.  And the passion fruit pancakes were nicely done with good size but not super memorable.

Passion fruit pancakes at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Passion fruit pancakes at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Overall a good start for this new restaurant but I’m definitely going to have to get back for lunch or dinner.  They’ve got potential with a capital P and the food was decent but didn’t totally tingle the taste-buds.  But given how well they run the place, I’m sure there will be adjustments and that Plates will get locked in soon.  So 3.5 stars for now with a hope of more to come from Plates Neighborhood Kitchen.  Because I really do need some good plates in my hood, best of luck!

 

Short-rib at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Short-rib at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

(On a return visit I did try a very good short rib dish with pureed squash and kale, more to come…)

 

Plates Neighborhood Kitchen

301 Glenwood Avenue, Ste 100

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.828.0018

 

Plates Brunch menu

Location on Google maps
Plates Neighborhood Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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NOFO in Raleigh for Southern Brunch and Culinary Knick-Knacks

NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

If you spend a lot of time on S. Glenwood, you may not entirely think about visiting Five Points which lies just a half mile north of party central.  Quaint, cute and tidy, Five Points hosts a bunch of little shops and restaurants that fall into the category of old school Raleigh to me.  Lilly’s, Hayes Barton Cafe, and the Rialto along with the somewhat hidden NOFO!  While you’ll certainly notice the fluorescent NOFO sign at night, during the day the narrow front and back entrance to this restaurant can easily escape the eye.  And that’s a shame because it’s a slice of Southern culture that should not be overlooked.  Inside, NOFO is a two-level space with a restaurant-cafe in the lower level, retail shop on the top level with a handful of tables for overflow diners.  We stopped in for brunch as a group of Yelpers and take note, NOFO serves brunch on both Saturday and Sunday which is nice if you need a mimosa before noon time, blue-law restrictions!

Coastal benedict at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Coastal benedict at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Pork shoulder hash at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Pork shoulder hash at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

They’ve got a nice assortment of breakfast and lunch sandwiches on the brunch menu, I went with the Coastal Benedict: two poached eggs with country ham over crab cakes and covered with hollandaise.  Our table of eight ordered quite a few menu items so I got to see a lot of what NOFO had to offer, I was really tempted by the barbeque hash plate but maybe next time!  My Coastal benedict comes out and it looks great.  Note, there’s no english muffins for this dish, the crab-cakes take the place of the muffins which I missed.  The eggs were perfectly poached with a liquidy yolk, the thinly cut ham was quite salty and it all worked pretty well with the crab-cake.  The side of fruit and small biscuit were decently done, a nice overall brunch plate.  Throw in a coffee and $5 mimosa and I was a happy boy!  Service was very good and attentive, kudos here. NOFO is quite busy and I’m guessing attracts mostly Five Point locals.  I live within a stones throw of this place but it was my first visit in over six years of living in the hood.

Cool light at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Cool light at NOFO in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

After the brunch we wandered around upstairs in the retail section where NOFO sells everything from coffee to clothes, chocolates, sweets and more.  Vaguely reminds me of a mini Southern Season but of course only a small portion of that place.  Overall I’d have to give NOFO a solid rating as a brunch spot.  Decent, comfortable, just don’t expect anything too mind-blowing.  The food was well-prepared and service was spot-on which is always nice.  I guess NOFO reminds me a bit of my experiences at 18 Seaboard.  A solid Southern eatery that you bring the parents to.  A safe choice that will keep most everyone pretty happy, bon appetit!

 

NOFO at the Pig

2014 Fairview Road

Raleigh, NC 27608

919.821.1240

 

Menu at NOFO

Location on Google maps

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