Forks up, Raleigh. Your 25 best dishes are here. We vetted top industry foodies and ate our way through town (tough job but someone has to do it) to deliver your top 25. The question we asked ourselves? What’s the Raleigh dish you’d tell someone they just hadto have? We thought (and asked) less about celebratory meals and more about what makes us want to put on pants and even drive across town—excluding handhelds (think tacos, burgers, pizza… see our bonus coverage at the end of the feature for top fast-casual eats).
What we found? Some upscale dishes obviously remain in the ranks. But more and more elevated affordable and accessible plates have joined the ranks as well. That, and people love shareables (hey, sharing is caring!). So, dive in. And, caution: Read hungry at your own risk.
Cheers to 30 years! This Raleigh staple just celebrated three decades of fab food (and spirits!). While you can’t go wrong at Dos Taquitos, its iteration of the “Mexican flag” enchiladas smacks with tricolored green, white and red corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, black beans and steak, and topped with tomatillo, Mexican cream and chipotle sauce, respectively. If you’re feeling spicy, pair it with the Picante marg—our fave.
Hummingbird no doubt faces a host of tough chicken & waffle competition in Raleigh (lucky us!)—but it’s chef/owner Coleen Speaks’ sweet and savory combo of a pillowy waffle with maple syrup and hot honey herb butter topped with a tender chicken breast buttermilk brined for two days (with lemon and garlic) that’ll have you saying Beasley’s who?
A French culinary term that means “with almonds,” this technique spruces up a cut of trout with almonds (obv), along with brown butter, Carolina rice and fennel for a dish that’s pleasing to both the eyes and mouth.
We can’t write a Raleigh’s 25 best dishes list without naming AC’s iconic macaroni au gratin (a decadent mixture of noodles, heavy cream, three different cheeses and salt)—easily one of the most sought-after (and raved about) meals in town.
Decorated chef Cheetie Kumar’s Indian roots shine in this uber-popular cauliflower dish with a kick (chiles, curry leaves, lime, cilantro and a turmeric-yogurt sauce)… delivering your taste buds way more than 65 mouthwatering reasons why it landed a spot on Raleigh’s top 25 dishes.
You haven’t had quiche until you’ve had Coquette’s Quiche Lorraine (ham, bacon, caramelized onion, Gruyere). There’s a reason this sky-high, fluffy quiche is so coveted—both a fan-fave and a perennial mainstay on Raleigh’s top dish lists. If you’re feeling frisky, trade up the staple Quiche Lorraine for the Quiche Du Jour.
Ordering at Mulino is always a challenge, given how amazing everything on the menu is. Our go-to, however, is the seafood pasta (choice of squid ink or linguini) loaded with clams, shrimp, scallops and seafood bisque—but you most definitely should make your dinner date order the gnocchi to sneak a few bites of.
These scrumptious rosé-steamed mussels in a bath of shallot and herbs (with baguette to boot) will have you fighting the urge to exclaim “ooh, la, la” while booking your next rez on the spot.
We know—Cantina 18 is a taco titan. But we dare you not to fall for these farm-fresh vegetarian seasonal sweet potato enchiladas with roasted sweet potatoes, corn, bell peppers, cheddar cheese and guajillo sauce, served up with a side of crack (ahem, red) rice. You can thank us later.
I mean, it’s called the Screaming O—need we say more? This trademark Sono roll of spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, seared tuna, tobiko, “O” sauce, sweet soy and green onion will leave you, well, satisfied and coming back for more.
Everyone knows salads are better with cheese, so it’s no wonder that The Rockford’s greens are so popular, what with the gooey glob of burrata it stars—plus prosciutto and blueberry-serrano jam.
With Iron Chefwinner Walter J. Royal at the helm and “Angus” in the name, you can’t go wrong with any of the in-house aged steaks the iconic Barn serves up. But that bacon-wrapped pan-seared buttery filet ordered Oscar-style (crabmeat, asparagus, hollandaise sauce) is next-level.
Chef/owner Sunny Gerhart zhuzhes up the week’s oyster catch by roasting them and serving them “Pimento’d,“ “BBQ’d“ and “Andouille’d”—a flavor-packed trio that’ll have you coming back for more again and again… and again.
Bring your crew along to devour this whole, barbecued, free-range duck (which serves three to four people), plated with steamed bao buns (another Bhavana speciality we can’t get enough of), cucumber, scallions and hoisin-honey sauce.
Break through the flaky cornmeal pastry crust in Ashley Christensen’s chicken potpie and you’ll be met with a steamy bowl of pulled chicken and veggies in a slurpable milk gravy—aka comfort by the spoonful.
This isn’t your basic grocery store rotisserie chicken. Winston’s cooks whole chickens in its dedicated rotisserie oven every day, then bastes them with homemade BBQ sauce to serve with a side of Southern comfort via mac and cheese and collards.
Chef/owner Scott Crawford is a five-time James Beard Award best chef Southeast semifinalist for a reason. Foodies and fans of food alike are gonna want to reserve a seat at his DTR spot. While the entire menu is to-die-for, the current iteration of Crawford’s yellowtail crudo in all its watermelon aguachile, cilantro and sorrel ice glory is legendary.
The best thing about ordering Stanbury’s bone marrow, besides, of course, spooning the soft and melty marrow onto a piece of Boulted Bread toast? Using the bone as a luge afterward to shoot back some bourbon or sherry.
OK so it’s not just one catch, but we’re willing to go on the line and say you can’t go wrong no matter which of the dozen-ish different NC species Mandolin serves up throughout the year. With a seasonally changing set, it’s always the perfect catch.
This ain’t your mama’s meatloaf. Trust us—you just didn’t know it could be this good. The monstrous(ly delicious) droolworthy serving is in a word: incredible—the mighty meaty serving only made more succulent with mashies, gravy and veggies. Pro tip: Save room for cake—or bring it home with you.
Aw, shucks—you just can’t have a top 25 dish list in Raleigh without any number of delish dishes from this iconic OG oyster bar (serving us since 1931!). Our rec: Go baked with the Rockefeller variety (spinach, bacon, Parmesan cream)… but you should def splurge on a raw half-shell selection while you’re at it. When in Rome…
We’ve told you before—and we’ll tell you again. If it’s shrimp and grits you’re after, NOFO is your answer. The local-fave flavorful combo of sauteed shrimp, smoked bacon, sliced mushrooms, garlic and scallions over pepper jack grits—served up with doughy biscuits—oozes Southern comfort in a can’t-miss dish.
Everything Brussels
Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing Warehouse District wyehill.com
Everything But the Bagel seasoning is everywhere, including sprinkled atop Wye Hill’s fried Brussels sprouts. The trendy salty seasoning rounds out the dish, while a creamy fromage blanc will make you want to lick the plate clean.
When given the chance to eat a meal prepared by the 2021 NCRLA chef of the year (Vidrio executive chef Saif Rahman), you grab it. Take a sensory trip to Tuscany with this melt-in-your mouth salmon dish swimming in a sundried tomato cream (don’t be shy; ask for a spoon—no judgment) and topped with spinach and citrus salad.
Chef/owner John Korzekwinski’s German and Polish heritage shone through in his pierogies (aka pockets of perfection). From the cheese and potato filled staple appetizer to the rotating variety on offer, these dreamy dumplings are an always-made-from-scratch thing of the past—for now. The owner plans to open a new spot at Highpark Village with a different take on his cuisine via modernized small plates in a vibrant location, says Korzekwinski. Fingers crossed for pierogies on the menu. Stay tuned to J. Betski’s website.
Fast-Casual Faves
We could do a whole issue on handheld foods (burgers and tacos and pizzas—oh, my!) we’d stand in line for… but we narrowed it down to these fast-casual faves around town. If these are wrong, we don’t want to be right…
We dish local Instagram foodie influencers’ fave dishes around Raleigh. Be warned… this will make you hungry.
Food porn is all over the ’Gram these days, and nothing will make you hungrier than scrolling through pics of greasy cheese pulls, spirals of saucy pasta, and over-the-top ice cream creations. Our stomachs are growling just thinking about all that… Here, we tapped local Instagram foodie influencers for their favorite dishes around town. Follow their Instagram handles for more droolworthy content! PSA: Do not lick these pages.
Get excited for these bars and eateries coming to Smoky Hollow.
Raleigh’s newest development, Smoky Hollow, has already become all the rage for its uber-popular national grocery store chain (hey, Publix!), hip Peace Raleigh Apartments and The Line Downtown Apartments, and 421 N. Harrington St. office building campus—not to mention its walkability to the heart of Downtown and direct connectivity to the adjacent future Devereux Meadows Park.
Adding to the excitement is the Hollow’s lineup of both locally and nationally renowned restaurants and nightlife destinations, offering ample ops for both Smoky Hollow residents and Raleigh folk alike (27+ set is the aim) to sip and sup with friends. Here, we give you the scoop on what’s to come—and where you’ll be spending a lot of time soon.
Durham’s one-stop shop for eats, drinks and to-go snacks is bringing its all-day menu to the Hollow. In the morning, enjoy a full coffee program with numerous espresso creations and cold brew mixes (coffee lovers, meet your new morning obsession…), along with breakfast sandwiches, wraps and bowls. For the rest of the day, J. Lights will offer up kitchen-driven sandwiches, salads and starters—plus a full bar boasting spiked sodas, handmade craft cocktails, and local beer and wine. So whether you’re in need of a quick on-the-go breakfast, a cool spot to have lunch with co-workers or clients, or a date-night destination, J. Lights has got ya covered.
From Tyler Helikson, the owner of everyone’s favorite casual and healthy salad, bowl and smoothie spot (looking at you, Happy + Hale), comes Madre, an energetic full-service restaurant concept featuring Spanish and Coastal Mediterranean small plates, wine, cocktails and weekend brunch—best enjoyed on Madre’s beautiful patio. Inspired by the comforting and unconditional hospitality of our mothers (hence, madre), the new spot promises a good time no matter what the occasion. Meet at Madre? You don’t have to ask us twice. (Pro tip: Cleary a good spot to take mom come Mother’s Day).
Rumor has it that one of the best cocktail bars in the South is coming to the Hollow, and, boy, we could not be more excited. If you’ve ever visited Crunkleton’s Chapel Hill or Charlotte locations, you know the hot spot is known for its sleek and sexy high-quality cocktails (and plethora of libations!) inspired by classic renditions and zhuzhed up with modern techniques—not to mention the warm and inviting atmosphere that just begs you to stop in for a drink on your way home from work. Cheers to that!
Namaste balanced with hot yoga and smoothies from yoga “it” girl Emily Wallace. We can’t think of a better way to refresh and refuel after a sweaty yoga sesh (top-notch instructors will guide you through core-enhancing moves, stress-reducing stretches, flow practices and more) than with a smoothie filled with real ingredients and natural adaptogenics that enhance your mood, adapt to stress and keep you balanced. Or, maybe you just need a healthy afternoon snack. Either way, “positive side effects, guaranteed” with this daily dose of health and fitness.
Get ready to go hog wild for FS Food Group’s Midwood Smokehouse, acclaimed for its award-winning, all-hickory-smoke barbecue influenced by Texas and Carolina barbecue styles (the best of both worlds!). Led by Lexington-native Executive Pitmaster Matthew Barry, the menu will mirror the other five Midwood Smokehouse locations and feature bestsellers such as Texas-style brisket, Eastern Carolina chopped pork and Tex-Mex barbecue tacos—plus, Southern Living’s top-rated mac and cheese in the state. Another fresh barbecue spot to add to Raleigh’s ever-growing list of BBQ joints to pig out at? We’re here for it—and ready to pig out (had to).
WEB EXCLUSIVEWake Tech and A Place at the Table team up to provide hospitality training to community membersin the wake of Raleigh’s struggling post-COVID restaurant industry.
If your favorite restaurant is still closed for lunch (or is reducing the number of days they’re open in general), A Place at the Table and Wake Tech Community College have a solution. The two local institutions have teamed up to train underemployed and unemployed members of the local community to work in Raleigh’s struggling restaurant scene during APATT’s off hours.
With the demand to dine out on the rise and a current shortage of trained hospitality workers, the launch of this partnership comes at a time when hotels, restaurants, bars, breweries and food trucks need employees now more than ever. Through the free hospitality training program, students will come in to APATT once it closes (Tuesday through Friday at 2pm) for on-the-job training. Students will learn hospitality and culinary skills that will result in industry-recognized certificates with the potential to open up a plethora of opportunities with local restaurateurs.
Wake Tech’s light will come on whenever classes are in session.
“Our goal is to be the place to go to find qualified help and funnel a pipeline of trained students who can work and grow in the companies that they get hired,” says Sameer Pawa, Wake Tech’s director of the hospitality workforce.
Wake Tech has been running its hospitality training program for more than a decade, placing over 70 percent of its students in the workforce in the process. The college chose APATT as its most recent program partner due in large part to the fact that the beloved cafe has recently expanded its space—and it closes early every day, allowing these culinary trainees to get experience in a real Raleigh restaurant kitchen.
“We love everything about Wake Tech and can’t wait for them to be in our space,” says Maggie Kane, executive director of A Place at the Table. “We believe everyone should have access to community and good food, but by bringing this awesome culinary program Downtown, folks will also have access to an affordable education and stable career.”
Adds Kane, “The culinary industry needs more awesome folks to join the industry and this will only bring valued employees to all of our restaurants, cafes and hotels!”
The program will begin on Aug. 16 and run for nine weeks. We’re hungry to see how much it helps Raleigh’s hospitality industry and can’t wait to see what kind of great talent comes out of it. Register here.
See an empty table and not getting seated? Here’s why.
In 16 years, Marcus Hall has never put up a “now hiring” sign. Until now. With staffing levels over 20% below normal at more than 50% of restaurants throughout the country, according to the National Restaurant Association, Hall is not alone.
“It’s been 15 months of total beatdown and a brutal battle,” says Hall, owner of The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar in North Hills. “Survive and advance. Keep on fighting, keep on swinging and keep on hiring. You can’t run the business without people. They are our most valued resource and always have been.”
Hall is trudging through an unheard-of glitch in hiring, where he may interview 20 candidates and only one will show up for orientation. The bodies are just not there, and scheduling is nearly impossible.
“You get up, look at your schedule and hope you have enough people that day,” says Hall. “We’re trying to create a fun work environment just like we always have, but it’s taxing when you have this mentality that creeps in, wondering if this employee is going to show back up tomorrow.”
A lack of staff makes service difficult. Patrons often go to restaurants and see open tables and don’t understand why they can’t sit down. It’s not because the owners don’t want the business—it’s because they don’t have the staff to take care of a full house.
“The restaurant operator doesn’t want to turn away business,” says Hall. “The last thing I want is a guest to come in, sit down and overwhelm the restaurant—and then have a bad experience. This is the time where if people really want to help local businesses survive, come out and support, but also come out and understand.”
So where did all of the workers go? That question is plaguing restaurant owners and there doesn’t seem to be a solid answer.
“I think the issue with hiring is, all of the sudden, this entire industry reopened, and we all went to hire people at the same time,” says so•ca and kō•än owner Sean Degnan, who says about 30% of his staff are new hires after shutting his doors twice since last March.
This basically makes the restaurant business a job-seeker’s market because positions are plentiful. Those who were not in it for the long haul may not be willing to go back through the up-and-down yo-yo that the business has been experiencing. Some restaurants, like so•ca and kō•än, are changing their model to entice workers back.
“We came back and we had a little staff retreat about how to reopen in a pandemic, and we talked about all of the things that would require,” says Degnan. “The first was paid time off if you were feeling ill. The next is that we need to start paying a living wage to everybody.”
Degnan has joined other local restaurants in working a living wage into his business model. By paying nontipped staff $15 per hour and changing the tipped base rate to a minimum of $7.25 per hour (versus the industry standard of $2.13 per hour), workers have more of an incentive to stay.
For Phoebe (name changed for anonymity), who works at a tip-sharing restaurant, it’s the tips at her high-volume location that keep her there. As a 26YO who is no longer eligible for her parents’ health insurance, part-time restaurant work does not offer her a safety net.
“For most people, the restaurant industry isn’t the end goal,” says Phoebe, who’s been in the business since she was 16. “I would love to get out of the restaurant industry, but it’s the most consistent work right now. I would take any job if it came with [health insurance].”
Recently, Phoebe has been witnessing something a lot of restaurants have been experiencing—a tremendous turnover rate. “We used to never have a problem with turnover, and most of us have been there three to four years, but, lately, it’s new people every week and people quitting every week,” she says. “We keep having people come in to train for a week. I guess everyone’s gotten used to not working as much, so having to do a lot of work seems not really worth it.”
So what are the reasons to leave the business? Some are afraid to go back into the tight space of a kitchen. Some have childcare issues. And some changed their careers altogether, using this time to pivot in a new direction or embrace something they had done only part-time before.
Kevin Callaghan, who owns Acme Food & Beverage Co. and Heyday Brewing in Raleigh—says he’s had a number of people who have worked for him for years who were always half in, half out.
“They were always in the restaurant industry making a living, but they were always working toward another goal,” says Callaghan. “I think a lot of people jumped into other kinds of roles because they needed to make a living. Most of our staff were making a good living, but couldn’t just sit on the sidelines.”
Callaghan, who also pays a living wage, says that the struggle to find new people is partly caused by the lack of stability the restaurant has had recently. People don’t want to be concerned about whether their paycheck will clear, which is a big fear.
“Once restaurants really stabilize, people will move more energetically back to the business,” says Callaghan. “Because we’re paying a higher wage, I think it’s been simpler for us to be able to recruit people who want to work.”
The amount of “green” workers is also an issue, with restaurants forced to take in so many employees with little or no experience. Restaurants can’t flip a switch and go 100 mph in half of a second. Employees need to be trained, and that takes time.
“We’re all, as businesses, struggling with the growing pains of growing the business back to what it was before,” says Callaghan. “It’s the way I imagine a garden in spring. We had an industry that was in full flower—COVID was the wintertime for the industry and now everything is growing back. It’s a growing pain we all really dislike, but it’s very real.”
