12 Best Restaurants to Try in North Carolina (2026 Guide)

Y’all, this was one of my favorite posts to write when I first started doing best of round-ups, and updating it now says so much about how I eat now versus how I ate when I first wrote it back in 2017. I did not grow up understanding the difference between a chain restaurant and a locally owned one — that did not click for me until college, when I started actually seeking out new dishes and feeling swanky about it. Nearly a decade later, North Carolina restaurants have only gotten better, and this list is a mix of the places I grew up on and the newer spots that have earned a permanent seat on my best restaurants to try in North Carolina recommendations list. I have listed them alphabetically below plus included an interactive Google calendar to help you plan your food adventures.

Quick answer: My favorite restaurants to try in North Carolina are Beaufort Grocery Company in Beaufort, Dairy Center in Mount Airy, Flying Melon in Ocracoke, The Hackney in Washington, Luminosa in Asheville, Mateo Bar de Tapas in Durham, Merritt’s Store and Grill in Chapel Hill, Mozelle’s in Winston-Salem, Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, Rooster & the Crow in Wilmington, Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden, and a Tavola! Market Cafe in Greenville.

One thing I say every time I update a restaurant post: hours, chefs, and menus change, so double check a restaurant’s website or socials before you head out, and grab a reservation if you can, especially for the fine-dining spots on this list.

This article was originally published in January 2017 and has since been updated and recirculated for June 2026.

12 Best Restaurants to Try in North Carolina (2026 Guide)

aTavola! Market Cafe, Greenville

Photo via aTavola! Facebook

When I lived in Greenville during college at East Carolina University, I went to aTavola! nearly every Friday night — we even ate here after my graduation ceremony. Whenever I am back in town, I still make a point to have a meal here because it is still one of my all-time favorite spots in the state. While a casual spot, it has delicious offerings, a great wine list, and grab-and-go options to take home for later.

My recommendations: the crab dip appetizer, seafood bisque, shrimp po’ boy, and any of the pizzas

a Tavola! Market Cafe is at 620 Red Banks Rd, Greenville, NC 27858.

Beaufort Grocery, Beaufort

Beaufort Grocery was my first real taste of an upscale deli, and more than 30 years in, it is still a staple in Beaufort’s dining scene. It is the perfect spot for lunch with friends, and there are also great meals to pick up and take home. The interior is beautiful on a quaint street, and is proof that it does not take a waterfront view to be one of the best restaurants in town.

My recommendations: hot gorgonzola and spinach dip, the queen’s club, gougères, and shrimp and scallops for dinner.

Beaufort Grocery Company is at 117 Queen St, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Dairy Center, Mount Airy

A true small-town classic. Dairy Center has been a Mount Airy tradition since 1954, best known for its ground steak sandwich — seasoned ground beef held together with flour, served on a bun with tomato, slaw, and mayo. It is simple, it is nostalgic, and it is exactly the kind of stop that makes a road trip to Surry County worth it.

My recommendations: the ground steak sandwich, a side of fries, and a seasonal flavor of soft-serve ice cream for dessert.

Dairy Center is at 407 W Lebanon St, Mount Airy, NC 27030.

Flying Melon, Ocracoke

A true island gem. The Flying Melon blends French, Southern, and Creole cooking into a menu of local seafood, handmade pasta, and daily specials, all in a bright, casual dining room. It has been an island favorite for years, drawing on decades of New Orleans and Ocracoke cooking experience from the kitchen.

My recommendations: whatever the seafood special is that day, jumbo lump crab cakes, pecan-crusted local red drum, and save room for a homemade dessert.

Flying Melon is at 181 Back Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960.

The Hackney, Washington

Set inside a beautifully restored 1920s bank building, The Hackney is one of the best reasons to make the drive to Washington, NC. Chef Jamie Davis, a James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Southeast, runs an ever-changing, sea-to-table menu built around the freshest local catch and seasonal produce, plus a stunning cocktail program from the on-site distillery.

My recommendations: whatever local fish is on the menu that night (rockfish and flounder are usually excellent), the soft shell crab, and finish with the sticky toffee pudding.

The Hackney is at 192 W Main St, Washington, NC 27889.

Luminosa, Asheville

Tucked inside the historic Flat Iron Hotel in downtown Asheville, Luminosa has earned both a Michelin Green Star and a Bib Gourmand for the way it puts Appalachian ingredients through Italian technique. The wood-burning oven is the heart of the place, turning out handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and vegetables sourced from the region’s farmers and foragers. See my other favorite Asheville restaurants here.

My recommendations: bone marrow tots to start, whatever pizza is coming out of the wood oven that night, a seasonal handmade pasta, and don’t skip the housemade bread.

Luminosa is at 20 Battery Park Ave, Asheville, NC 28801.

Mateo Bar de Tapas, Durham

Mateo is, hands down, my favorite girls’ night spot in Durham. The small plates are perfect for playing it safe or stepping outside your comfort zone, which is exactly what I do anytime I dine here. Chef Matthew Kelly’s first solo restaurant blends Spanish tapas with Southern ingredients, and the sherry list is one of the largest in the country.

My recommendations: pan con tomate, potatas bravas, almejas, pulpa a la plancha, and the marrow.

Mateo Bar de Tapas is at 109 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701.

Merritt’s Store and Grill, Chapel Hill

Merritt’s started as a gas station in Chapel Hill back in 1929, and today it might be the most famous sandwich counter in the Triangle, all thanks to one sandwich: the BLT. It is stacked with thick-cut bacon, fresh garden tomatoes, and crisp lettuce on sourdough, and it is widely considered one of the best sandwiches in the entire state.

My recommendations: the BLT (single, double, or triple — add avocado if you’re feeling fancy), the Carolina burger, and a Cheerwine to wash it down.

Merritt’s Store and Grill is at 1009 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

Mozelle’s, Winston-Salem

Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro is a cozy, lively spot in downtown Winston-Salem that has become a go-to for locals and visitors alike, thanks to a Southern-inspired menu built on the freshest ingredients they can source. The dining room runs small and can get loud, so I always request the covered patio or a side room if you want a quieter meal. The patio has blankets available in the cooler months, which I always find a charming, thoughtful touch.

My recommendations: the tomato pie, the fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and the edamame hummus to start.

Mozelle’s is at 878 W. 4th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Poole’s Diner, Raleigh

While I have raved about the service and the food here for years, my favorite way to describe Poole’s is that my incredibly picky husband has never once said “it could’ve been better if…” like he has at pretty much every other restaurant we have eaten at. Chef Ashley Christensen opened it as a modern spin on the diner she remembers Poole’s Pie Shop being back in 1945, and it remains a Raleigh institution.

My recommendations: pimiento cheese appetizer, watermelon and feta salad, roasted chicken, the Royale, soft shell crab, and always, always share the mac and cheese.

Poole’s Diner is at 428 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601.

Rooster & the Crow, Wilmington

Set inside historic Chandler’s Wharf in Wilmington, Rooster & the Crow serves up Southern comfort food like classic fried chicken and shrimp and grits. There is a beer garden, live music, and a sister cocktail bar, Cryptid Den, right next door if you want to make a night of it. Their brunch is also delicious and it fills up fast, so get there early to get a spot. See more of my favorite Wilmington restaurants here.

My recommendations: fried green tomatoes, the fried chicken (widely considered the best in Wilmington), shrimp and grits, and bread pudding to finish. For brunch: fried chicken benny

Rooster & the Crow is at 225 S Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401.

Skylight Inn BBQ, Ayden

Photo via Skylight Inn BBQ Instagram

You cannot talk about North Carolina barbecue without talking about Skylight Inn. The Jones family has been cooking whole-hog barbecue on this spot since 1947, smoking hogs low and slow over oak and hickory coals for up to 16 hours, the old-fashioned way. It has been called an “American Classic” by the James Beard Foundation, and you will know you have found it when you spot the little Capitol dome replica on the roof.

My recommendations: the barbecue tray with slaw and cornbread, a chopped pork sandwich.

Skylight Inn BBQ is at 4618 S Lee St, Ayden, NC 28513.

FAQ: North Carolina Restaurants

What are the best restaurants to try in North Carolina in 2026? My top picks, alphabetically, are aTavola! Market Cafe (Greenville), Beaufort Grocery Company (Beaufort), Dairy Center (Mount Airy), Flying Melon (Ocracoke), The Hackney (Washington), Luminosa (Asheville), Mateo Bar de Tapas (Durham), Merritt’s Store and Grill (Chapel Hill), Mozelle’s (Winston-Salem), Poole’s Diner (Raleigh), Rooster & the Crow (Wilmington), and Skylight Inn BBQ (Ayden).

Which North Carolina restaurant on this list is best for whole-hog barbecue? Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden, hands down — they have been cooking whole hogs over oak and hickory coals since 1947 and is considered by many the gold standard of Eastern North Carolina barbecue.

Do I need a reservation for any of these? I recommend it for the fine-dining spots — Poole’s Diner, Luminosa, Mateo, and The Hackney especially — since all four have gotten busier over the past few years. The casual, counter-service spots (Merritt’s, Dairy Center, Skylight Inn) do not take reservations at all.

Know another North Carolina restaurant worth adding to this list? Let me know in the comments below!