NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

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

Date Restaurants

Best Date Restaurants in Raleigh, Durham and Beyond!

Looking for a fun and hip date restaurant? Here are some of the best around, featuring great food, ambiance and decor in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.

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Stanbury in Raleigh for High-Class Neighborhood Eats

Front of Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When you think neighborhood restaurant, it’s rare when you get a cozy and gourmet spot like the Stanbury. Located in the old space previously housing Market Restaurant, the Stanbury is a shining star in the Mordecai neighborhood.  Odd to find this level of quality in a restaurant on a quiet, mostly residential street.  Is it perfect?  No, but it does a lot of things well and given it’s only been open for several weeks, expect more and better from this sexy little spot!

Cool interior at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cool interior at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Dining area at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Dining area at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

While this area is a bit beaten-down, the Stanbury brings a lot of warmth and style to its small space.  Extensive renovations inside have turned the previous simple interior into a sultry, romantic dining room that’s perfect for a date or small party.  There’s a large roll-up garage door on the left-hand side that opens up to a large patio with two four-tops.  The bar has been gussied up with a nice display of bottles which is great since the Stanbury takes its cocktails pretty seriously.  In back, there’s a red, high-back padded corner for a hint of color in the otherwise organic and muted color scheme.  And hints of metal and woodwork show there was a lot of thought put into the interior decor.

Cocktail and menu at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cocktail and menu at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

For my visit I grabbed a seat at the bar and there’s a short list of eight cocktails along with beer and wine.  My Semi-cloudy cocktail is a play on the traditional Dark and Stormy and it makes for a good start with its lightweight spiciness, perfect for a warm summer’s night.  My friend shows up and we get seated in the back corner but fair warning, the space is pretty darn loud.  I expect the Stanbury to be pretty busy so high conversation volumes will probably be the norm.  The menus are on paper and seasonal, I’m pretty sure there won’t be a set menu here.  Lots of interesting meats like beef hearts, sweet meats and marrow, pretty locavore in style.  Small plates are $7 – $11 while the large mains are $17 – $29, sorta pricey.  I go with a pork belly app along with a swordfish-chorizo large plate.

Pork belly app at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Pork belly app at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The crowd here is noisy and probably locals along with foodies in the know.  This place hasn’t been open long at all but it’s already busy!  My pork belly app is 4 or 5 thick-ish slices with braised sweet potato and prune.  The pork belly was seared nicely for a crisp skin that opened up into the rich fattiness underneath, a very nice start.  My main wasn’t quite as delicious.  The swordfish was lightly coated, pan-fried and came on top of some veggies and along with some clams and chorizo bits.  The whole dish was pretty salty to me but not only from the chorizo, it was also the coating.  There were also two pieces of crostini on the side so the entree seemed over-complicated to me.  I ate most of it but the saltiness eventually got to me!

Swordfish plate at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Swordfish plate at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

In the end, the Stanbury does a great job bringing interesting meats and seafood prepared with thought, care and flavor.  Love the space, love the bar and cocktails, I have to hope that the food will become more consistent over time but they’re off to a good start.  Probably the best place to compare it to would be maybe the Kitchen out in Chapel Hill or maybe the old Fraziers in Raleigh.  Check em out soon if you want something different in downtown Raleigh, where else are you going to go for some delicious bone marrow?!

 

The Stanbury

938 North Blount Street

Raleigh, NC 27604

919.977.4321

Location on Google maps

Stanbury Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Guglhupf, Durham for Fantastic German Fare in a Casual Setting

Guglhupf-IronSign

A while back I had reviewed a Durham favorite, Guglhupf, for it’s bakery and brunch eats.   Great patio, great pastries, it’s easy to see why people rave about this place but I had never made it to dinner at the Hupf.  It’s located in an odd section of 15-501 that’s not quite Duke territory, not quite Chapel Hill and I rarely get out here.  But finally I did and it was a great meal!  While I loves me some J. Betski’s, Guglhupf also rocks out German food but in an entirely different way.  Read on, my friends!

Entrance to Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Entrance to Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

From the outset, I really wasn’t sure what to expect for dinner service at Guglhupf since in my head, it’s all about lunch and brunch.  You see the cafe menu chalked up when you enter but immediately notice the hostess stand to your left where I was immediately greeted.  I had to wait a bit so I grabbed a seat right outside the kitchen to watch the action.  The back of the restaurant was a flurry of activity and cooking with great smells emanating out.  The dining room was primarily a “mature” crowd (40 – 60) and the dimly lit dining room was alit in amber glow.  Look up overhead and you’ll notice the paper lanterns lighting the scene, funky and a bit different than expected.

Second floor dining room at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Second floor dining room at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

We make our way up the stairs to the second floor which winds around the circumference of Guglhupf overlooking the first. Interesting design, it makes for a super airy feel which is great for people-watching.  Our waitperson stops by, decked out in a black-tee and pants.  So here’s where Guglhupf maintains its cafe background.  Given it was a Saturday night, some people were dressed up in jackets but the staff was dressed down and there was white-paper lining the tables.  So it was a mix to me in terms of the ambiance that Guglhupf is throwing out, a bit casual cafe but in a slightly more upscale fashion.

Braised short rib-spaetzle at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Braised short rib-spaetzle at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

They’ve got several beers on draft, I go with a .5 liter Kolsch, order up a split-pea and hamhock soup, along with braised short-ribs.  They also had some seasonal specials but I had stalked the menu a bit and new exactly what I wanted.   The Kolsch is served in a nice boot-shaped glass and is a good way to start of the warm evening.  The split-pea soup is on the light side, decent but not overwhelming.  I would have preferred a bit more density to the soup but it was good.  But yes, the main!  The short-ribs were incredibly good!  I’ve eaten shortribs for a long time, my mom makes a great home-cook version but these were equally awesome.  Slow-braised in pan jus, paired along with some perfect spaetzle (German noodle) flecked with herbs and some well-sauteed greens-cauliflower, wow!  There’s something about meat, whether you’re talking about beef, pork or fish, that when it’s cooked with the bone-in, it’s SO much better.  And the meaty, sinew of the short-rib paired along with it’s contrasting side rocked it out.  Very well prepared, flavored and thought out dish, it was yummy times two.  Or maybe even four.  And it was a very generous portion.  I’ve done short-rib before and been given one measly bone.  Two is nice but Guglhupf dished out three so I was able to share the love.

Schnitzel at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Schnitzel at Guglhupf, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

With that great meal, I wasn’t able to make it to dessert but you know that Guglhupf is going to excel in that area.  Service all night was spot-on with water refills, plate clearing and descriptions so kudos there!  Overall while I wasn’t sure exactly what to make of dinner at Guglhupf, it really worked well for me.  This place would be great as a first date or for a dinner party.  The one suggestion I do have is to move to tablecloths and raise the bar a bit on presentation.  Food this good deserves better than paper tablecloths or shorts-sneakers which I saw in the dining room.  And while I’m not the absolute biggest fan of German food, I really did love my meal at Guglhupf.  They stay true to their roots without being stuffy or boring.  No skinny-Minny hostess up front in a short dress with an attitude, just a well-done effort all around from food to staff and ambiance without much pretension at all.  I’ll be back and yes, I’m saying that in my best Ahnold Schwarzenegger as testament to the great dining at Guglhupf…

 

Guglhupf Cafe

2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard

Durham, NC 27707

919.401.2600

 

Guglhupf menu

Location on Google maps

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Valentines Day Ideas and Date Restaurants for Raleigh, Durham, Cary and the Triangle!

Valentines Day is coming up my friends and while I love eating out, I usually recommend staying in and just cooking for that special day. BUT if you absolutely need to go out and deal with the masses, here are some great Valentines date pairings to help keep things simple. These pairings are focused on a cozy, full service restaurant(s) paired with a good bar. And when I mean bar, I mean, cocktails! On a special day like Valentines Day, I think it calls for cocktails or maybe a glass of wine. It’s a classic combination like champagne with strawberries or red wine with dark chocolates. And of course, the pairing must be walkable and within a block or two.

I’ve included links to full reviews when available. Good luck and buono appetito!

 

Oakleaf (Continental) with Belltree in Carrboro

 

Scratch Southern Kitchen (Southern Seasonal) or Pizzeria Faulisi (Neapolitan pizza) with Sidebar in Cary

M Sushi (Japanese) or Dashi (Ramen) with Alley Twenty Six in Downtown Durham

Mothers and Sons (Italian) or Viceroy (Indian) with Kingfisher Bar at Five Points Durham

COPA (Cuban) or Jack Tar and the Colonel’s Daughter (Modern diner) with Counting House on Main Street in Durham

The Station (American Casual) or Crawford and Son (American Seasonal) with William & Co on Person Street, Raleigh

Barcelona Wine Bar (Tapas) or O-Ku (Japanese) with Aunt Betty’s Gin and Absinthe Bar, Warehouse District in Raleigh

 

Cortez (Seafood) or Vidrio (Mediterranean small plates) with C. Grace Bar or Ark Royal Tiki Bar in Glenwood South, Raleigh

Humble Pie (Southern) with Circa 1888 in Warehouse District, Raleigh

Centro (Latin American) or Sitti (Lebanese) with Gallo Pelon Mezcaleria on Wilmington Street, Raleigh

Garland (Asian Fusion) or Sono Sushi (Japanese) with Foundation Bar in downtown Raleigh

Jimmy V’s (Italian) or Rye Bar Southern Kitchen (Southern) with Haymaker Bar in City Plaza, Raleigh

Brewery Bhavana (Dim-sum) or Bida Manda (Laotian) with Fox Liquor Bar or Watts & Ward near Moore Square, Raleigh

City Market Sushi (Japanese) or MOFU Shoppe (Asian fusion) with the Davie at Raleigh City Market

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Crawford and Son, Raleigh – An Upscale Comfort Food and Dining Experience for Raleigh

crawfordson-frontnight
Front of Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

In the Triangle, it’s not too hard to keep up with the changes, comings and goings of culinary talent in the area. But it was interesting to see what James Beard-nominated Chef Scott Crawford has been up to over the last two years. Moving from Herons at the Umstead Hotel in Cary to Standard Foods in Raleigh took a bit of time. Then his departure from Standard Foods to start his own restaurant threw another twist into the plans. So it was with great fanfare when he finally opened up Crawford and Son at the end of 2016. Located in the old Piebird space on Person Street in Raleigh, his new restaurant was only a hop, skip and a jump from his previous stint at Standard Foods. There was certainly a lot of buzz around Crawford and Son but I decided to wait a bit before I popped in for a visit. But given it’s only about 2 blocks from my gym, I would eventually get sucked in on a warm Tuesday evening…

Bar at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Bar at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

As I walked over to Crawford and Son, I realized that I hadn’t been to the departed Piebird in ages, so I had nearly forgotten about this space over the years. But I can certainly tell you that Crawford and Son has gone in a totally different direction than its predecessor in terms of decor. Sleek, grey and minimalist is what leaps into mind when I stepped inside. Lots of dark palette hues in brown, blacks and grey dominate the space and it all feels quite modern and well put-together. The dining room has some good energy with light indy rock playing overhead along with the buzz of the crowd.

Smoke detector cocktail at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Smoke detector cocktail at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Reservations are needed for most tables at Crawford and Son unless you want to dine before 6 or after 9pm but the bar has plenty of open seating on this Tuesday evening! And while the food and menu is on the more upscale side for Raleigh, it’s a more casual environment so I’d describe the dress code as casual or dressy but neat! I grab a seat and chat with the bartender Rachel a bit, I had run into her several times previously at Tazza Kitchen so it was good to see a familiar face here!

Phenomenal malted wheat rolls at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Phenomenal malted wheat rolls at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The menu at Crawford and Son is tight and carefully curated. Three to five items in each of five food categories: appetizers, raw, entrees, sides and dessert, mostly upscale Southern-comfort fare. Along with a smallish list of wines, beer and cocktails, I start off with their Smoke Detector which mixes mezcal, smoked honey and grapefruit, delish! The menu is pretty much all a la carte with appetizers in the $10 to $15 range and entrees from $20 to $30. One good thing about the small menu is that it doesn’t take long to decide, you just put your meal in the hands of the talented chef and let her rip!

Yellowtail crudo at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Yellowtail crudo at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

My first dish out of the kitchen is the very popular yellowtail crudo. It’s a visually stunning presentation with slices of pink tuna in a miso-lemon-pepper broth. Translucent triangles of radish and white rice puffs dot the bowl along with the darkened bits of seaweed. There’s a lot of luscious mouth feel in this dish along with different textures ranging from soft and supple to crunchy and light, a very satisfying starter.

Menu at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Menu at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining
Ribeye with mushroom at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Ribeye with mushroom at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

For my entree I kept things simple, going with the long-favored and a well-marbled rib-eye steak. Crawford and Son does things a bit differently here. They serve up a sizable piece of tender beef about 1″ thick and slit to expose some surface area. A bacon jam, mushrooms and braised root vegetables sit on top of the rib-eye to provide some texture and earthy flavor to this beefy cut along with the wonderfully savory bread pudding. Note that while Crawford and Son is an upscale restaurant, portion sizes here are on the generous side, you certainly won’t go home hungry!

Sugar cream pie with huckleberry sherbet at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Sugar cream pie with huckleberry sherbet at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

And even though I can’t finish my entree after the large crudo plate, I can’t resist dessert here given it’s my first visit. Crawford and Son has a wonderful sounding sugar cream pie with huckleberry sherbet, thank you very much! The pie is a wonderful creation with a thick buttery crust, smattering of granola and the tangy berry sherbet. Again, a great mix of textures, flavor (sweet and tart) making for a very happy ending.

Dining room at Crawford and Son in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at Crawford and Son in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Service at Crawford and Son is excellent, they are professionals here, know the menu and how to provide attentive service without overdoing things. I recognize several people on the staff from some of my other favorite area restaurants so they’ve done a great job recruiting talented people at Crawford and Son to complete your dining experience. So a slow round of applause for Chef Scott and his namesake restaurant. In several short months they have already established themselves as a Raleigh favorite and the praise is certainly well-deserved. Hope to be back again soon and finish up another one of my workouts with some culinary curls at the very tempting Crawford and Son!

Crawford and Son

618 N Person Street

Raleigh, NC 27604

919.307.4647

Crawford and Son menu

Location on Google maps

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First Take: Gonza Tacos y Tequila Heads to the Hills

Sign for Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Sign for Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When you talk about Mexican and Latin American fare, Gonza Tacos y Tequila has been a long-time favorite up in N. Raleigh. But its location was just too far away to make it worthwhile to me for a visit. Flash-forward to this past week and this rapidly expanding Mexican chain has finally moved downtown in a brand spanking new location at the Aloft Hotel. So it was time to FINALLY see what Gonza Tacos y Tequila is all about…

Cool interior at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cool interior at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Located on a busy corner of Hillsborough Street, parking is quite limited for a visit but be aware that Gonza has a retail/hotel private lot behind the building off of Maiden Lane. Once you find parking, you’ll be dazzled by what lies behind the doors of Gonza. An innocuous and discrete frontage opens into a kaleidoscope of colors and decor.

Dining room at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The rustic interior is amped up with an Andy Warhol-like Dia de los Muertos portraiture, modern wine bar area and a turquoise blue mural behind the bar. Bright star-shaped lights twinkle above and the front face of Gonza opens up to the sidewalk outside. Very well-designed space with a lot of color and charm.

Chips and queso at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Chips and queso at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I grab a seat at the bar and peruse the lunch menu which is pretty tight. I order up some queso ($5) and carnitas tacos ($11). Chips and salsa are also brought out for lunch and it’s a solid rendition. Looking around the Gonza dining room, the place is already quite busy in their 2nd week of being opened so I’m guessing they must have a pretty good reputation!

Carnitas tacos at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Carnitas tacos at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My tacos come out next, served on a long platter with leaf underneath and a side of rice. The tacos come with a single corn tortilla and are nicely stuffed but a bit small. Sprinkle of onion and cilantro on top with a side of green tomatilla sauce. The tacos are tasty with some fattiness underneath which I’d expect for carnitas. Pretty basic and par for the course, the rice is made with a bit of cilantro (I think) and corn for some extra flavor and color.

Place mat at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Place mat at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Service at the bar was excellent but hey, I was sitting with their marketing manager so no shock there and I was unexpectedly comp’ed for my lunch. In the end, I like what they’re doing here but need to come back for a re-visit and see if they’re willing to push the food and spice envelope a bit more. And for lunch it was a bit pricey for what you get but the lease here has got to be some money, eh?

Colorful bar at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Colorful bar at Gonza Tacos y Tequila in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My concern is that when you get a great-looking place like they new Gonza Tacos, the food and flavors get sanitized a bit to appeal to a broader, upscale audience. And Latin American food needs to have a punch of earthiness, spice and flavors in my opinion. So right now Gonza is getting four stars for me leaning on their decor and service more than their food. We’ll see how visit #2 plays out!

 

Gonza Tacos y Tequila @Aloft Hotel

2100 Hillsborough Street

Raleigh, NC 27607

919.268.8965

 

Location on Google maps

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