It must be obvious that I'm not the best cook in the world. I didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I was little I must confess. I was always out playing in a tennis tournament or traveling. My mother was, and still is, in real estate and she didn't really have time to cook. She would be out showing properties all day in the heat and just didn't have the energy to cook. Like mother, like daughter.
That said, I do like to go out to eat on the weekends with my husband Mauro and sometimes my 16-year old daughter Jordan will join us too. We love to sample the Best Restaurants in the Triangle. We like different types of food and like to try different things around town since there is such diversity. When I first moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1991 we didn't have a lot of dining choices - heck, we didn't even have a Starbucks until five years ago (now they are on every corner).
For this post I thought I'd write about my all-time Favorite Restaurants in the Triangle, provide you with some links, and let you decide when you visit if you agree with me. My clients are generally happy with my recommendations:
Best coffee shop
Best outdoor dining
Best restaurant for first date
Best High End Restaurant
Best business lunch
Capital City Chop House - 2010 Out of biz
Best super cheap meal
Best place to people watch while drinking a beer
Best late night meal/menu
Best bakery
Featured on Rachel Ray's show as Best of the West
I know the owners Missy & Lionel
Best burrito
Best sushi
Best fries
Best Ethiopian
Queen of Sheba
Chapel Hill
Best bagel
Best comfort food
Best pizza
Located at Five Points in Raleigh
Best Vietnamese
Dalat
Best Italian
They are owned by the same family
Best Japanese
Best Thai
Best Indian
Royal India
Best seafood
Best Middle Eastern
Best Caribbean
Best Irish pub
Best Greek
Best French
Best Chinese
Neo-China
Best Mexican
Must be the Texan in me
Best North Carolina barbecue
Chapel Hill & Pittsboro
Best burger
Best desserts
Hayes Barton Café & Dessertery
Best salad or salad bar
Whole Foods Market - Located throughout the Triangle in Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary, and Raleigh
Best steak
Best brunch/breakfast
Best sandwich
Best Latin American
Best draft beer selection
Hibernian
Best martini selection
For more information on the Top 10 new Raleigh "Hot Spots" as recognized by Bon Appetit click here.
Beyond the Best Restaurants in the Triangle I hope you find the Triangle as a place you'd like to call home. We have so much to offer. If you're thinking of relocating to the Triangle I'd love to help you!!
All those restaurants gotta love you! It is funny how Sandy and I continue to go to the same favorite places.....I guess we have to expand our horizons.
Dick Beals
Dick & Sandy -
A lot of years, a lot of experience. Some are local and tried and true. Others have proven themselves over time. New residents have a lot of choices.
Well let me see about this.
Top of the Hill out by Bunn? I believe is shut down if that is the same place you are talking about, but I loved the place, It had great bands show up from time to time.
Char-Grill I really like that place, but maybe Red Robins is sliding into first.
Panera breads, I totally agree.
Kanki is another favorite
I attend St. Mary's college in Raleigh and as you know the Char Grill was just down the street. I can almost taste one of their burgers, yummy!
Cynthia - You betcha..good thing you don't live in Raleigh because those calories add up!!
PS. That's quite a commute from Onslow County to St. Mary's.
Tom - Yum Yum. NC Port BBQ can't be beat
A typo on my part -- I attended St. Mary's College --that's been a few years back. :0)
Cynthia - I thought that might have been a bit rough, plus blogging, taking care of your family, and selling real estate!! You would definitely be super woman.
Rebecca - Thanks, Char-Grill is definitely a local favorite.
Jason - Thanks for passing on my favorites. It seems that the readers agree - that most of these restaurants are everyone's Triangle faves. And, where is Casalingas? I'll have to check it out. I thought I'd been everywhere!
Kate - I like the Weathervane too!! Do you remember when it was at the old location? I really liked the patio dining back then.
Hi Kate,
I agree about the old location. Southern Season doesn't seem to be the kind of store you find in a mall. I also liked the quaint atmosphere of the Weathervane in the old location. We can still think about all the good times we had in the good old days.