Raleigh’s restaurant scene has grown fast, with James Beard–recognized chefs alongside old-school barbecue joints and diners.
Breakfast and biscuits
Southern breakfast is serious business here — City Market’s Big Ed’s and the State Farmers Market Restaurant are longtime favorites.
Barbecue
Eastern North Carolina barbecue means whole hog with a vinegar-pepper sauce. You’ll find it downtown and in the Warehouse District.
Chef-driven downtown
Ashley Christensen’s Poole’s Diner helped put Raleigh on the national food map.
Food halls
Morgan Street Food Hall and Transfer Co. Food Hall let a group try a dozen vendors at once.
The short version
Go Southern for breakfast, barbecue for lunch, and let a food hall settle dinner arguments.