Coco Keevan

Despite the city’s abundance of talented, James Beard award-recognized chefs, Raleigh’s food scene is only just beginning to receive the national attention it deserves, slowly but surely gaining the kind of prominence usually reserved for other Southern cities like Nashville, Atlanta and Charleston. In the last decade, an influx of transplants and locals alike have embraced the city’s urban-rural duality, imbuing the dining industry with tastes seamlessly merging their own culinary backgrounds and traditional Southern flavors. Much of the work by the local chefs and restaurateurs has also ended up revitalizing and reshaping historic buildings downtown to fit their needs, crafting buzzworthy eateries in captivating, visually intriguing locales. So, when considering what to do in Raleigh, where to eat should top your list. To help you out, we present to you our well-curated list of best restaurants in Raleigh.

Raleigh is finally coming into its own. Although the City of Oaks has long been an underrated gem, a recent resurgence of action downtown has created a lively, fun city with countless things to see, eat and do. During the summer, street fairs take over Fayetteville Street nearly every weekend, while local businesses continue to thrive, fueling an unbeatable culinary scene anchored by a bevy of award-winning chefs. In the coming months, Raleigh will be home to two expansive food halls—Morgan Street Food Hall and Transfer Company Olde East—further expanding the city’s downtown appeal. Hop aboard the Raleigh Trolley for a jaunt around town to see all this Southern capital has to offer, from exciting museums to breweries, beautiful parks and theaters. These, ladies and gentlemen, are the very best things to do in Raleigh.