One of the best things that has occurred in Raleigh as of recent is the emergence of more brunch places. There is nothing better on the weekend than catching up with friends over brunch, and if you’re like me and prefer savory to sweet items, you’ll find some awesome choices! Here are the 7 best spots to get brunch in Raleigh and what to order while you’re there!
This post was originally published in 2020 and has since been updated and recirculated for 2021.
Where to Get Brunch in Raleigh: 7 Best Spots
The Rockford
The Rockford was the first real restaurant I ate at with friends post-college graduation move to Raleigh. I’ve always had a nostalgic spot for this place, and their food is amazing! Whatever you order at brunch, be sure to add the fried oysters and finish your meal with the French silk mousse.
The Rockford is located at 320 1/2 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC.
Rosewater Kitchen
Rosewater Kitchen opened in Fall 2019 in North Hills’ Midtown, and wow is it a beauty! The food is equally tasty and feels like you’ve been transported to a European café. I met my friend Clarke here for brunch one day and she ordered the burger, which is served with double patties, bacon, a fried egg, grilled onion, and Bibb lettuce. I ordered the roisserie ribeye cheesesteak, served with gruyere, onion jam, fresh horseradish, and roasted pepper tartare. Their house cut fries are out of this world delicious, too! Rosewater also serves $3 mimosas during brunch or $15 carafes of mimosas.
Rosewater Kitchen is located at 110 Park at N Hills St, Raleigh, NC.
Smoke Stacks Cafe
One of my favorite hidden gems in Raleigh is Smoke Stacks Cafe. They post their menus on their website each day, so be sure to check their social media channels for what they’ll be serving. One consistent item on their menu are their deviled eggs and they are delicious! When I had brunch with friends, they had buffalo soft shell crab sandwiches and a grilled chicken wrap on the menu and both were delicious! P.S. I learned about Smoke Stacks Cafe thanks to my Offline Membership. Interested in joining Offline? Use my code: meghangrant for your first month free!
Smoke Stacks Cafe is located at 701 E Lane St, Raleigh, NC.
so*ca
Located in Cameron Village, so*ca serves the most colorful brunch dishes! While they are not serving brunch quite yet, whenever they begin their brunch service again, you definitely should order the crab stuffed avocado. David is a big fan of the Mexican omelet. I also ordered an iced coffee cocktail to pair with my brunch, which I would highly recommend as well!
so*ca is located at 2130 Clark Ave., Raleigh, NC.
Stir
Stir Raleigh, located in the Bank of America building in North Hills, has an amazing brunch menu that also includes their brunch bar. The brunch bar features tasty treats perfect to snack on while waiting for your meal. They have great brunch drink specials including $1 mimosas and $2 aqua Fresca cocktails. David ordered the breakfast burger and I had the fried shrimp and fries.
Stir brunch is located at 4242 Six Forks Rd #100, Raleigh, NC.
Whiskey Kitchen
This gem right in the heart of downtown Raleigh offers a beautiful patio, a bright interior, and a delicious brunch menu! David loves monkey bread, so it was non-negotiable to start with this dish. Honestly, the texture of this dish was unlike any I’ve had before in a good way. David had the fried chicken sandwich and I ordered the smoked turkey wrap both with home fries.
Whiskey Kitchen is located at 201 W Martin St, Raleigh, NC.
Wye Hill
My friends at Wye Hill offer an amazing brunch with the best view of the city! Clarke and I met here and were treated to a wide sampling of their brunch menu. We started with deviled eggs because duh, and then tried the mushroom omelette, the apple butter French toast, and then we each had a breakfast sandwich. My friend, Clarke, opted for the bacon, egg, and cheese while I went with the BLT, served with a fried egg. I highly recommend that whatever you order for brunch, you ask for the sweet potato hash because it is out of this world good! You also cannot go wrong with their burgers. This is our go-to spot for brunch after we hit the Raleigh flea market and their brunch burger and BLT are favorites of ours! Note, that their menus are seasonal, so what you see online is their sample menu.
Wye Hill is located at 201 S Boylan Ave, Raleigh, NC.
Looking for other Raleigh favorites? Check out the Ultimate Guide to the Best of Raleigh.
P.S. Find two of my current favorite brunch outfits below, which were also just featured in my favorite winter sweaters post.
Free People Knit Tunic (on sale!) | J. Crew Black Skinnies | Vince Camuto Booties | Quay Sunnies
Free People Ottoman Slouchy Tunic (on sale!) | J. Crew Black Skinnies | Vince Camuto Booties
Cuyana Tote & Insert | Mignonne Gavigan Earrings | David Yurman Bangle 1 2
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Which of these brunch in Raleigh locations are you most excited to try? Let me know in a comment below!
Those look beautiful and equally DeCadent!
Next stop spoon River in belhaven!
Can’t wait to come visit this spring!