3 Best Restaurants in Central North Carolina, North Carolina

Herons

$$$$

At 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.

Second Empire

$$$$ | Downtown

Wood paneling, muted lighting, and well-spaced tables make for an elegant dining experience in this restored 1879 house. The menu, which changes seasonally, has a regional flavor. The food is intricately styled so that colors, textures, and tastes fuse. A brick tavern on the lower level is more casual and has a less expensive menu that has included bison short ribs and grilled North Carolina trout.

330 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603, USA
919-829–3663
Known For
  • high-quality and high-dollar dishes
  • elegant historic home space
  • seasonal menu of eclectic American favorites
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Credit cards accepted

The Durham

$$$ | Downtown
James 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.

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