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My favorite Triangle Restaurants - Bon Appétit

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 like different types of food and like to try different things around town. When I first moved to 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 favorites, provide you with some links, and let you decide when you visit if you agree with me. Most of my clients are generally happy with my recommendations:

Best coffee shop

Starbucks

Best outdoor dining

Mellow Mushroom

Best restaurant for first date

Rockford

Best High End Restaurant

Herons at Umstead

Best business lunch

Capital City Chop House

Best super cheap meal

Armadillo Grill

Best place to people watch while drinking a beer

Top of the Hill

Best late night meal/menu

Waffle House

Best bakery

La Farm Bakery

Featured on Rachel Ray's show as Best of the West

I know the owners Missy & Lionel Lillys Pizza in Raleigh

Best burrito

Carrburritos

Best sushi

Waraji

Best fries

Smithfield BBQ

Best Ethiopian

Queen of Sheba

Chapel Hill

Best bagel

Bruegger's

Best comfort food

Mama Dip's

Best pizza

Lilly's Pizza

Located at Five Points in Raleigh

Best Vietnamese

Dalat

Best Italian

411 West, 518 West

They are owned by the same family

Best Japanese

Kanki

Best Thai

Sushi-Tai

Best Indian

Royal India

Best seafood

42nd Street Oyster Bar

Best Middle Eastern

Neomonde Restaurant & Deli

Best Caribbean

Carmen's Cuban Café & Lounge

Best Irish pub

Hibernian

Best Greek

Spartacus

Best French

La Residence

Best Chinese

Neo-China

Best Mexican

On the Border

Must be the Texan in me

Best North Carolina barbecue

Allen & Son

Chapel Hill & Pittsboro

Best burger

Char-Grill

Best desserts

Hayes Barton Café & Dessertery

Best salad or salad bar

Whole Foods Market

Best steak

Sullivan's Steakhouse

Best brunch/breakfast

Brigs

Best sandwich

Panera Bread

Best Latin American

Blue Corn Café

Best draft beer selection

Hibernian

Best martini selection

Blue Martin

For more information on the Top 10 new Raleigh "Hot Spots" as recognized by Bon Appetit click here.

Beyond the restaurants 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!!

Posted by Tracy Santrock-Cary NC Real Estate Realtor on 10/03/2007 04:41 PM

Comments (18)

Top Triangle Restaurants in the Regional (Localism) Channel

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Originally posted at: Cary NC Real Estate >> Raleigh & Cary NC Real Estate Blog: My favorite Triangle Restaurants - Bon Appétit

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18 Comments on My favorite Triangle Restaurants - Bon Appétit

OCT

2007

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

Top of the Hill is the restaurant at Franklin and Estes in Chapel Hill, NC. It was built in 1993 right before I moved to Cary. It's the one they built when the gas station had environmental problems back in 1990............What a great location Susan..Thanks for the comment.

OCT

2007

Hi Tracy,
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!

Tracy - Are you busy this weekend? I'm on the next flight! North Carolina barbeque... I'm smacking my lips now!

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

Hi Tracy,
A typo on my part -- I attended St. Mary's College --that's been a few years back. :0)

OCT

2007

Char-Grill a landmark to all of us who LOVE Raleigh. Great post Tracy.

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.

OCT

2007

I love the list. I know where to go for dinner if I visit your town.

Wow what a hook up! I bet this is fantastic for your clients. Such a comprehensive and helpful list, well done. And thanks for making me hungry!

OCT

2007

Tracy - This is excellent, I remember eating at Char Grill when I lived in Raleigh. Loved that place, I'm going to have to pass this post on to my parents.

BTW, have you ever ate at Casalingas?

My husband went to State and he used to eat at Char Grill and Amedio's. I limke the Weathervane at A SOuthern Seasons. We liked Bullocks in Durham for BBQ. Thanks for bringing back memories. Kate Crawford

OCT

2007

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.

I prefer A Southern Season's old store to the new location. The charm is gone. I used to visit at least twice a month, now I go to the Fresh Market in Greensboro. Il oved the sales and I would buy gobs of pasta and sauces and wonderful cheese.

OCT

2007

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.

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