13 Best Restaurants in North Carolina!

North Carolina’s restaurants offer traditional Southern cooking and so much more. Local ingredients and modern twists on classic dishes are only a few of the ways these restaurants stand out. These 13 excellent restaurants in various cities will satisfy every foodie in the state.

Herons Restaurant, Cary, NC

As part of the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Herons Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The eatery also offers vegetarian and gluten-free options and homegrown vegetables provided by their nearby farm.

Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, Durham, NC

Crispy, Southern fried chicken coupled with golden waffles and sweet crème butters called “shmears” regularly attract locals and visitors alike to Dame’s Chicken and Waffles.

Thai Thai Café, Mooresville, NC

Blending textures, flavors, and colors from Thailand to create meals that are equally sweet, spicy, sour, and salty is what Thai Thai Café does to represent dishes from across the country.

The Dining Room, Asheville, NC

Vanderbilt china, crystal, and white linen cloths set the mood and the table for a luxurious meal of meats, seafood, and hand-crafted pasta at The Dining Room, part of the Biltmore Estate.

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, Charlotte, NC

With its playful name and equally playful cuisine inspired by an excerpt from “The Legend of the Cowfish,” the Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar is sure to be a memorable visit with its diverse menu and the obvious choice: burgushi.

Print Works Bistro, Greensboro, NC

Print Works Bistro incorporates fresh, local ingredients into creative comfort food and both traditional and modern takes on European bistro dishes.

Sweet Potatoes, Winston-Salem, NC

Soul food dishes of fried green tomatoes and okra, biscuits and molasses, catfish NOLA and “V. V.’s Mamma’s Meatloaf” draw hungry customers to Sweet Potatoes.

Elements, Chapel Hill, NC

Classical, modern, Asian, and European cooking techniques are used to create contemporary American cuisine from the freshest local and sustainable ingredients at Elements.

Fiction Kitchen, Raleigh, NC

Fiction Kitchen is a 100 percent vegetarian restaurant that offers vegan and vegetarian options even omnivores appreciate, like the Eastern North Carolina style BBQ “pork.”

Cinnamon Bistro, Greenville, NC

Cinnamon, formerly known as Dale’s, offers wholesome Indian cuisine in an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, savory small plates, and generous appetizers.

La Cocina, Multiple locations

Authentic, zesty Mexican food by La Cocina means enchiladas, quesadillas, carnitas, sopapillas, and burrito cheesecake, all under the same roof.

Magnolia 23, Asheboro, NC

Traditional American, soul food, and Southern cuisine offered as themed sandwiches at Magnolia 23 makes for a quick and tasty lunch.

Park Road Soda Shoppe, Kannapolis, NC

Seventeen years of serving 1950’s style American foods including burgers, milkshakes, floats, and nine different types of biscuits makes Park Road Soda Shoppe a must-visit for anyone hungry for honest food.

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