10 Best Restaurants In North Carolina, USA

Manjiri
Contributing Writer
Updated
| 4 min read
restaurants in north carolina usa

Blessed with a beautiful landscape which spans from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina is an enchanting southeastern state in the USA. Charlotte, the biggest city of this state, is home to museums, such as amazing NASCAR Hall of Fame, and NFL Carolina Panthers. Also, this wonderful US state offers many theme parks and a plethora of outdoor activities to help you enjoy your holidays here to the fullest. Its vicinity to the mountains offers you great opportunities to enjoy skiing and the thrill of tubing during the cold months of winter. Also, in the warm months, you can enjoy hiking and viewing eye-catching foliage, particularly in the fall. While having all this fun, you don’t have to worry about food options at all as this state has some really amazing restaurants to help you have delicious food leisurely. Check out this list of some of the best restaurants in North Carolina, USA, to relish your favorite cuisines.

Why Trust Trip101?


Over 50,000 articles reviewed and published by our experienced team

Over 50 years of combined experience researching, writing and reviewing travel articles

Over 40,000 hours spent on research and fact-checking from credible sources (last year’s data)

Optimizing content from data-driven insights collected directly from users on our platform

Focus on authentic and up-to-date information by collaborating with local guides, global travelers and other industry experts

Long-standing partnerships with credible brands like Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia, GetYourGuide, Viator, RVShare and more

Full disclosure on any partnerships or sponsored content

Trip101’s team of writers, editors, and content managers oversees the publication of all travel content, including destination guides, accommodation recommendations, and travel tips. They have extensive experience in the travel industry and no content, written or visual, gets published without a review. Many of our team’s work has also been featured in Travel+Leisure, National Today, The Indian Express, The Telegraph (India), Robb Report, The Adventure Handbook, Tripoto, Korea Tourism Organization, and Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Some of them are also members of professional organizations like the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance.

Each member of the team follows Trip101's methodology and strict editorial guidelines to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and relevance.

1. Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen


Operating for more than 28 years, Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen is a great restaurant to eat scrumptious delicacies in leisure. Now, this food establishment is employee-owned. Its delicious snacks, such as Pimento cheese dip and voodoo deviled eggs, traditional skillet fried chicken, and bountiful of wine list are its specialties. Impressive musicians cheer you up with their outstanding music. Have your meal in a relaxed ambience with a wonderful outdoor veranda.

Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen

Address: 1421 Westover Terrace, Greensboro, North Carolina 27408, USA

Website: Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen

Opening hours: Monday: 11 am to 10 pm, Tuesday to Thursday: 11.15 am to 11 pm, Friday & Saturday: 11:15am–12am, Sunday: 10 am to 9 pm

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

2. Bosphorus Restaurant


Do you want to relish some mouthwatering Mediterranean and Turkish cuisines in exquisite settings? Then, you must visit Bosphorus Restaurant in Cary in North Carolina. Treat yourself with refreshing Turkish coffee. Taste Mezze, scrumptious small dish to trigger your appetite, here. You can find here a variety of vegetarian cuisines, chicken, Doner kabab, and many more eastern flavors. Don’t miss having homemade desserts, such as krem caramel, sweet baklava, and rice pudding, after finishing your meals. Its excellent service and great settings will make you visit it again and again.

Bosphorus Restaurant

Address: 329 N Harrison Ave, Cary, NC 27513, USA

Website: Bosphorus Restaurant

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday: 11 am to 9 pm, Friday & Saturday: 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday: 12 pm to 8 pm, & Monday closed

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

3. Totopos - Food And Tequila

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


If you are craving to eat authentic Mexican cuisines, you should definitely visit Totopos, which is one of the best restaurants in Cary, North Carolina. It offers a scrumptious menu comprising diverse street foods of Mexico City. Also, you can find here 100% authentic agave tequilas and a blend of freshly squeezed citruses. Enjoy having hot soups, fresh salads, tacos, enchiladas, and a variety of Mexican street foods. Eat your meal in leisure in its friendly settings. Have lip-smacking desserts after your meal.

Totopos - Food And Tequila

Address: 1388 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27511, USA

Website: Totopos - Food And Tequila

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 11 am to 2 pm & 5 pm to 9.30 pm, Friday & Saturday: 11 am to 2 pm & 5 pm to 10 pm, Sunday: 11 am to 8. 30 pm

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

4. Herons


Herons restaurant is well-known as a signature food establishment of popular The Umstead Hotel and Spa and one of just 64 Forbes Five Star establishments on the globe. It takes pleasure in providing you homegrown herbs and vegetables from its dedicated farm in the vicinity. The culinary team at Herons redefines American delicacies with classic ideas engaging seasonal ingredients and precise preparation technique highlighting the flavor and purpose of each ingredient. Treat yourself with smoothies, pressed juices, breakfast pastries, and old-fashioned pancakes, which are its specialty, in the morning. Also, you can find here delicious vegetarian and gluten-free delicacies for a meal. End your meal with your favorite dessert.

Herons

Address: 100 Woodland Pond Dr, Cary, NC 27513, USA

Website: Herons

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 6.30 am to 10 am, 11.30 am to 2 pm, 5.30 pm to 9 pm, Friday: 6.30 am to 10 am, 11.30 am to 2 pm, 5.30 pm to 9 pm, Saturday: 7 am to 1 pm & 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm, Sunday: 7 am to 1 pm

Average price for two: Above 61 USD

Visited this place?

5. Gonza Tacos y Tequila


Situated in the Aloft Hotel in busy Downtown Raleigh, you can find fascinating restaurant popular as Gonza Tacos y Tequila. This award-winning food establishment in North Carolina offers you delectable Colombian-Mexican delicacies, a great variety of tequilas, handcrafted Latin cocktails and precisely chosen Latin beers and wines. Its elegant, colorful décor is sure to please you. Enjoy eating savory nachos, quesadillas, tortilla, guacamole, fajitas, and many other Colombian-Mexican food preparations here.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila

Address: At the Aloft Hotel, 2100 Hillsborough St , Raleigh, NC, 27607 USA

Website: Gonza Tacos y Tequila

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 11.30 am to 2 pm, 5 pm to 9.30 pm, Friday: 11.30 am to 2 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm, Saturday: 11.30 am to 10.pm, Sunday: 11.30 am to 8.30 pm

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

6. Chef’s Palette

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Our Featured Entree for tonight, Saturday, May 8th is... Alaskan Halibut: A pan-seared 6-ounce halibut filet topped with...

Posted by Chef's Palette Restaurant & Bar on Saturday, May 8, 2021

Enjoy a fine dining experience at Chef’s Palette, one of the amazing restaurants in North Carolina. It offers scrumptious delicacies, which are prepared using ingredients of highest quality. Pleasant aroma of a home-cooked meal will make you order your favorite cuisines here. Authentic artwork created by adept local artists adorns its interior walls. The wait staff here is friendly and attentive. Eat your meal in leisure by listening to the tunes of outstanding live music on weekends. You can also have a gluten-free meal. Have your meal in its elegant dining room or on the outdoor patio in its refreshing setting.

Chef’s Palette

Address: 3460 Ten-Ten Rd Suite #118, Cary, NC 27518, USA

Website: Chef’s Palette

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 5 pm to 9 pm & Sunday closed

Average price for two: 31-60 USD

Visited this place?

7. Udupi Café


Are you looking for delicious vegetarian delicacies when in North Carolina? If yes, you should have your meal at Udupi Café. If offers you scrumptious spicy Indian vegetarian cuisines. You simply can’t miss eating lip-smacking Idli sambhar and Vada sambhar, mouthwatering Dosa, Potato Bonda, Rasa vada etc. Malabar Adai, Pesarat Upma, Pongal, and Puri bhaji are some specialties of this restaurant.

Udupi Café

Address: 590 E Chatham St 112 & 114, Cary, NC 27511, USA

Website: Udupi Café

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday: 11.30 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9.30 pm, Friday: 11.30 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm, Saturday: 11.30 am to 10 pm, Sunday: 11.30 am to 9.30 pm, Monday closed

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

8. Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House, Charlotte
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mx. Granger used under CC0

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, spend a relaxing time at Ruth’s Chris Steak House eating your choice of delicacies. Sizzling steaks are the specialty of this restaurant. Besides this, it boasts an award-winning wine list. The interiors of this elegant restaurant will delight you as you have your meal.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Address: 222 S Tryon St., Charlotte - Uptown, NC 28202, USA

Website: Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 11.30 am to 10 pm, Friday: 11.30 am to 11 pm, Saturday: 5 pm to 11 pm, Sunday: 5 pm to 9 pm

Average price for two: 31-60 USD

Visited this place?

9. Clouds Brewing

restaurants in north carolina usa | clouds brewing
Source: instagram

Opened since August 2014, Clouds Brewing is a spacious, modern restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. This American-style chic food establishment and brewery not only pleases you with appetizing cuisines, such as wing platter, pretzel platter, nachos, etc. but also offers you craft, local, and German-inspired brews. Downpour Wall here showcases a different brewery every month. The staff here is friendly and attentive.

Clouds Brewing

Address: 126 N West St, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA

Website: Clouds Brewing

Opening hours: Sunday to Tuesday: 11 am to 10 pm, Wednesday & Thursday: 11 am to 11 pm, Friday & Saturday: 11 am to 12 am

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

10. Stellino's Italiano

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


If you are looking for savory Italian cuisines in North Carolina, look no further than Stellino’s Italiano. Relish scrumptious pizzas, spaghetti garnished with herbs, meat lasagna, desserts, etc. Also, you can have gluten-free options here.

Stellino's Italiano

Address: 1150 Parkside Main St, Cary, NC 27519, USA

Website: Stellino’s Italiano

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 5 pm to 10 pm, Sunday: 5 pm to 9 pm

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

Visited this place?

Have a fine-dining experience in North Carolina

Make sure you visit all these restaurants in North Carolina, USA, and please your taste buds during your holidays here.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Manjiri Kochrekar is a travel blogger from India. She loves exploring and learning various destinations, their history, culture, and peculiarities. Writing is her passion, which means she enjoys...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Register Here
0 Comments
Explore North Carolina
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.
things to do in oak island north carolina

16 Best Things To Do In Oak Island, North Carolina