17 Best Restaurants in Central North Carolina, North Carolina

Stepping into this artisanal patisserie with attached wine bar feels like being in Europe, save for the Southern hospitality. Hungry customers line up for plump Valrhona chocolate croissants, slabs of burrata-dotted focaccia, and sandwiches made on fresh bread with locally milled grains. Bobby Boy exists in perfect harmony with Caviste Wine Bar; bakery customers enjoy sandwiches and coffee at the bar by day, then fancy bar snacks are made to pair with the natural wines at Caviste at night. 

An Old North Durham mainstay for more than a dozen years alongside Fullsteam, Motorco, Cocoa Cinnamon, and King’s Sandwiches, this neighborhood gastropub is becoming more dwarfed by big buildings by the day as construction of mixed-use apartment buildings transforms the city. Always reliable, friendly, and unpretentious, diners can enjoy a variety of burgers and sandwiches, salads, and simple Southern-style plates at communal picnic tables on the covered patio or inside in a converted garage with exposed brick walls and bold local artwork (some of it by the artistic staff). Chef-owner Andy Magowan regularly pays homage to classic Chinese dishes and Mexican cuisine with menu specials and theme weeks. Sunday brunch is less inspired but still popular.

New Orleans and North Carolina exist at two very different ends of the Southern spectrum, yet their cuisines coexist quite peacefully thanks to chef Sunny Gerhart, who worked under Ashley Christensen at Poole's Diner and later took over the lease of this historic former-storefront space in the heart of downtown Raleigh. St. Roch doesn't rely on Creole clichés, as NC barbecued shrimp gets a coconut curry broth, the gnocchi delivers alligator Bolognese, and the dirty rice is enriched by duck confit. The cocktail list is equally elegant without taking itself too seriously, with butter-washed whiskey, pimento bitters, and a Creole trinity (onions, celery, and peppers) syrup among the ingredients.

James Beard Award–winning chef Ashley Christensen (also behind Poole's Diner and Death & Taxes) opened this hip fried chicken spot, which serves the namesake dish as well as modern takes on Southern classics. Sit at the bar and wash down the restaurant's hearty cuisine with a craft cocktail or glass of champagne. Brunch is also a hit on the weekends.

A group of passionate bakers has built up this tiny neighborhood bakery over the past nine years, supporting it through a move and COVID closures. Boulted stone-mills their flour daily, with heirloom grains and local everything else, from eggs to dairy to chocolate.

North Carolina–grown and –milled flour, boiled and baked in the New York style, make these perfect bagels both local and authentic. Toasted and smothered with pimento cheese, bacon, and avocado, they're perfection.

This repurposed industrial-mod warehouse includes 10 counter-serve food and drink merchants, offering Neapolitan pizza, raw oysters, gourmet coffee, and more. The location, next to Durham Central Park and Farmers' Market and amidst a growing collection of apartment buildings, makes it a popular sport for families and singles on weekends.

In a series of connected rooms and outdoor spaces of a 1900-era mill house, Goodyear serves elevated comfort food, like shrimp and grits, French fries shaken in togarashi (a Japanese spice blend) seasoning, and Malaysian-inspired golden chicken, along with updated classic cocktails and local beer. The restaurant name refers to the higgledy-piggledy shape of houses expanded ad hoc as families had a "good year." The size and variety of seating makes it great for groups, but also chaotic at busy times.

Chef Oscar Diaz reinvents the staid nostalgia of “what grandma used to make” to what your dialed-in cousin would make if he went to culinary school and revisited your abuela’s recipes with a fresh take. Diaz honed his culinary chops at Michelin restaurants in Las Vegas and California before launching menus at Raleigh’s Jose and Sons and Cortez, earning him James Beard nods. The Durham restaurant fuses his favorite tastes from Mexican, Asian, and American cuisine, with popular dishes like birria (goat stew)-filled dumplings, a whole roast chicken done halal-style with turmeric salsa, and churro balls for dessert. The flavors are often echoed on the drink menu, with mezcal-based cocktails and mole bitters.

The bold yellow-and-slate-grey color palette of this contemporary patisserie is a hint that this downtown bakery is anything but stuffy or staid, with candy-colored macarons in flavors like birthday cake and French toast, decadent baklava croissants, and desserts that reimagine old favorites like an apple tart with smoked vanilla Calvados mousse. Weekday afternoons bustle when ham baguette sandwiches and creamy tomato soup have office workers lining up. Christmas bûches de noël (jellyroll-style chocolate cakes) and mini Valentine's Day treats are hotly anticipated by regulars.

In the town of Davidson about 30 minutes from Charlotte, the Kindred family opened the comfortably elegant Kindred restaurant, beloved for many things including the pull-apart, pillowy milk bread that's served to each table. Spinning off their restaurant into a takeout-friendly concept, they opened Milkbread serving glazed donuts, fried-chicken sandwiches, and an all-day menu of salads and bowls. Order at the walk-up counter and try to find a seat on the busy patio to enjoy a coffee or glass of natural wine with your goodies.

College kids, families, and visitors brave the lines for a breakfast sandwich at this long-standing biscuit institution. Fried chicken on freshly made biscuits and huge cinnamon rolls are served at the drive-thru window; you may also park and walk up to order. The original location in Louisburg (an hour east) has indoor seating.

This restaurant's full name is Sweet Potatoes (Well Shut My Mouth!), and once you have a taste of these Southern classics, you'll know why. Expect friendly service and more food than you could possibly eat.