Central North Carolina Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Central North Carolina - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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19 Recommendations
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1. Krankies Coffee
$ | Downtown |Winston's hippest coffee joint is known for its biscuits and burgers as much as its espresso. A warehouselike interior offers plenty of room to spread out, and ample outdoor tables fill with locals relaxing or working on sunny days.
211 E. 3rd St., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101, USA336-722--3016Known For
- A chicken biscuit marinated in honey and Texas Pete
- Miel iced coffee lattes, flavored with spices and honey
- Full bar to get your midday drink on
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
2. Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen
$$$ | Friendly |Gourmet meets fried catfish at this staple of Greensboro fine dining for three decades. A remodel in 2020 brought the chic dining room up to par with the elevated, Delta-inspired cuisine. Cocktails like the peach-honeysuckle margarita are as grand as the hearty jambalaya, a rich amalgam of andouille sausage, pulled chicken, and Carolina shrimp.
1421 Westover Terr., Greensboro, North Carolina, 27408, USA336-370--0707Known For
- Silky sweet she-crab soup
- Short ribs braised in sweet tea
- Skilled, friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. -
3. Stamey's
$ | Coliseum |This Greensboro staple (for nearly a century) is a pilgrimage spot for barbecue lovers from across the state. The chopped, Eastern-style pork is mostly shoulder meat already sauced in the kitchen, though there's also plenty of vinegary Stamey's Secret Sauce at your table. If you're looking for something other than straight pulled pork, try the Brunswick stew, a traditional Southeastern, thick, tomato-based stew. There's a second location on Battleground Avenue north of town.
2206 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, North Carolina, 27403, USA336-299–9888Known For
- Wood-smoked vinegar-based barbecue
- Traditional Brunswick stew
- Homemade peach cobbler
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
4. Transfer Co. Food Hall
$ | Oakwood Historic District |The city's best food hall has a soaring ceiling with giant skylights, filling the room and its many stalls with natural light. Grab a hearty burrito, an empanada, or a sandwich from Benchwarmers Bagels, where heirloom grains and a wood-fired oven result in one of the Southeast's best.
500 E. Davis St., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, USA984-232--8122Known For
- Outpost for Asheville's Burial Beer Co.
- An A-plus bagel shop
- A fun raw oyster bar
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5. Beasley's Chicken + Honey
$ | Downtown |James Beard Award--winning chef Ashley Christensen (also behind Poole's Diner) 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.
237 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, USA919-322–0127Known For
- Elevated Southern classics
- Fried chicken and honey, duh
- Hip atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Brandwein's Bagels
$ | Downtown |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.
505 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, USA919-240--7071Known For
- House-made sweet and savory bagel spreads, including vegan options
- Hefty bagel lunch sandwiches like the Hot Honey Turkey
- Gluten-free bagel options
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7. Bullock's BBQ
$ | West Metro |Durham's oldest restaurant sticks to the finely chopped vinegar barbecue that made it an institution. Pair a sandwich or platter with a bowl of beans or mac and cheese and you'll be in hog heaven. It's cash only, so head to an ATM before you arrive.
3330 Quebec Dr., Durham, North Carolina, 27705, USA919-383--3211Known For
- A tradition since 1952
- Hearty Brunswick stew
- Photos of former presidents and celebrities dining here line the walls
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. -
8. Durham Food Hall
$ | Five Points |This repurposed warehouse includes 10 counter-serve restaurants, offering pizza, raw oysters, and gourmet coffee. The soaring ceilings and industrial-mod decor make it a pleasant place to explore and dine.
530 Foster St., Durham, North Carolina, 27701, USA919-908--9339Known For
- Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary brightens the room with scores of flowers
- Single-origin coffee from Liturgy
- Tempting desserts from Afters
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9. Grecian Corner
$ | Downtown |In an austere building underneath the highway, this out-of-the-way eatery has dished up gyros and souvlaki since 1970. Patrons, including workers at the nearby hospital and local families, enjoy the friendly service and ample portions of moussaka, spanakopita, and salads, plus more familiar fare like hamburgers and pizza. The wine list includes Greek reds and whites.
101 Eden Terr., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27103, USA336-722–6937Known For
- Classic Greek dishes and wines
- Family-friendly service
- The best gyro in the city
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., No credit cards -
10. Guglhupf
$$ | Duke University |Locals have flocked to this upscale German bakery, café, and biergarten for more than 20 years, drawn by the delicious pastries, lively brunch, and expansive dining patio. While the restaurant doesn't skimp on the classic sausage-and-schnitzel fare, the menu is enlivened by frequently rotating seasonal entrées that showcase central North Carolina's farm bounty; vegans and vegetarians will be pleasantly surprised by the range of elegant and inventive plant-based dishes.
2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham, North Carolina, 27707, USA919-401--2600Known For
- European pastries (especially the namesake guglhupf cake)
- Vegetarian and vegan takes on German classics
- Hearty brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
11. Herons
$$$$ | | AmericanAt this elegant hotel restaurant, the menu shifts with the seasons and is always filled with new twists on traditional Southern dishes and international fare. Truly farm to fork, the restaurant uses produce from its own sustainable farm, which is less than a mile away.
Umstead Hotel & Spa, 100 Woodland Pond Dr., Cary, North Carolina, 27513, USA919-447–4200Known For
- Sustainability-driven Southern entrées
- Always-changing menu with local ingredients
- In-house pastry chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. -
12. Hops Burger Bar
$ | North Metro |This Greensboro mainstay (now with two locations in town, plus a third in Winston-Salem) was early to the gourmet burger bandwagon. They keep up their sterling reputation with a commitment to well-sourced ingredients and inviting offerings like the North Carolinian (bacon, fried green tomato, pimento cheese, and a fried egg). There's a quality selection of local beers to wash down the caloric overload.
2138 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, North Carolina, 27408, USA336-663--0537Known For
- The "wall of fries," including a hearty mound of poutine fries
- Fried goat cheese balls with fig jelly
- Packed house on weekends
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13. Lexington Barbecue
$ | |The town of Lexington is the base for Carolina's sweet, red-sauce style of barbecue. At this mainstay where locals line up daily for takeout, meat is pulled from smoked pork shoulders and served up as a sandwich in a soft bun topped with red slaw. Finish with a traditional fruit cobbler.
100 Smokehouse La., Lexington, North Carolina, 27295, USA336-249–9814Known For
- Pulled pork smoked over hickory wood
- Fruit cobblers for dessert
- Old-school barbecue-joint atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
14. Monuts
$ | West Metro |Whether you opt for a hearty avocado-stuffed breakfast burrito, go healthy with a granola bowl, or just stop in for a drip coffee, you'd be remiss to leave without one of the signature house doughnuts. Don't even try to fool yourself into just eating half.
1002 Ninth St., Durham, North Carolina, 27705, USA919-286--2642Known For
- Sea salt dark chocolate glazed doughnuts
- Seasonal coffee like iced mint lattes
- Build-your-own biscuit sandwiches
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15. Mozelle's
$$$ | Downtown |Located in the historic West End neighborhood, this small, cheery café with shaded sidewalk seating offers Southern fare with a touch of elegance. The menu is based on seasonal local ingredients, with standouts that include the Southern spring rolls, bacon-wrapped meat loaf, and fried chicken with peach chutney. The bistro also regularly hosts curated wine dinners. On the weekends, brunch with sake Bloody Marys and tomato pie is a hit.
878 W. 4th St., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101, USA336-703--5400Known For
- Inspired Southern fare based on the freshest ingredients
- Legendary tomato pie
- Weekend brunch with both light and hearty options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
16. Sam Jones BBQ
$ | Downtown |The Jones family have been smoking whole hogs in the Carolina Piedmont for three generations, so Raleigh urbanites greeted Sam's chopped pork and slow-cooked ribs with open arms. Order a platter and a craft cocktail and grab a seat in the light-filled dining room or at a picnic table in the yard.
502 W. Lenoir St., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, USA984-206--2555Known For
- Slow-smoked pulled pork, eastern North Carolina style
- Local fried catfish
- Laid-back bar scene
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17. Sweet Old Bill's
$ | |"SOB" dishes out a mean pulled-pork sandwich, but it's not your typical barbecue joint—the varied menu also includes grilled salmon with chimichurri and an array of gourmet burgers. Tables out front fill up on weekends—it doesn't hurt that it shares a wall with Brown Truck Brewery, whose fresh IPAs and lagers are a perfect accompaniment to the elevated pub grub.
1232 N. Main St., High Point, North Carolina, 27262, USA336-807--1476Known For
- St. Louis--style racks of ribs on weekends
- Smoked meat loaf sandwich on Texas toast
- Weekend gathering place
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18. Sweet Potatoes
$$ | Downtown |This restaurant's full name is Sweet Potatoes (Well Shut My Mouth!), and once you have a taste of these Southern classics, you'll know why. Expect friendly service and more food than you could possibly eat.
607 Trade St., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101, USA336-727–4844Known For
- Fried chicken, biscuits, and other Southern staples
- Namesake-worthy sweet potatoes (including in fry and pie form)
- Delicious Sunday brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
19. The Durham
$$$ | Downtown | Modern AmericanJames Beard Award–winning chef Andrea Reusing serves local and artisanal ingredients in a dining room meant to feel more like a living room than a hotel restaurant. A rooftop bar offers creative cocktails, a full bar menu, and a stunning view.
The Durham Hotel, 315 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham, North Carolina, 27701, USA919-768–8830Known For
- Locally sourced, seasonal dishes
- Unconventional open dining room
- Great rooftop views
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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