2019 Top 10 Downtown Raleigh Food Destinations
/It seems like every Friday rolls around and all we can think about it where to eat dinner! Lucky for us we live in an AHmazing city full of awesome places to eat. The downtown scene is hopping with all kinds of venues and events so it makes sense that the food scene would be lit.
Here’s our top picks (in no particular order..we love them all)..
Raleigh Raw Juice Bar + Coffee (7 W Hargett St)
We want to be as hip as this place when we grow up. Raleigh Raw is a great place for the health-conscious among us. They offer delicious items like poke bowls and sushirittos. You can enjoy a smoothie or bulletproof coffee while you listen to the always-on-point music they have playing inside. Bonus for these beautiful spring days..they have outdoor seating, too!Brewery Bhavana (218 S Blount St)
Do you want great beer? Beautiful flowers? A good book? Delicious dim sum? All in a beautiful settting? If so, Brewery Bhavana is for you. This downtown hub of culture and beauty is located right off of Moore Square.Centro (106 S Wilmington St)
This is another great downtown locale that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The cuisine is authentic Mexican..no Tex Mex here. You’ll enjoy an intimate setting with beautiful Mexican decor. You really can’t go wrong with anything you order here but we highly recommend the Enchiladas de Familia!La Stella Pizza (219 Fayetteville St)
La Stella is one of the only chain restaurants on our list but we think the Neopolitan pizza and signature cocktails (we recommend the La Stella Sangria) is worth mentioning! Plus, who doesn’t love a good pizza on a Friday night! If pizza isn’t your thing they have several other types of Neopolitan dishes you can consume.
The Big Easy (222 Fayetteville St)
The Big Easy features New Orleans cuisine in a New Orleans setting. The food is delicious and there is live music on Friday and Saturday nights. If you are feeling brave after drinking 1 or 2 of their signature Hurricanes, you might try karaoke on Sunday nights!Morgan St Food Hall {411 W Morgan St)
We love this place if you are with a large group..or just with your partner and you both want different things to eat for dinner. There is something for everyone at the Food Hall. Seriously, if you leave there hungry we can’t help you. Here are some of the vendors you can find at the food hall: Bella’s Wood Fired Pizza, Bad Cat Coffee, Boba Brew, Carroll’s Kitchen, Cocoa Forte, Cousin’s Maine Lobstor, Cow Bar, Curry in a Hurry, Lyla’s Southern Kitchen, Mukus, Empanadas, Mama Bird’s Cookies & Cream, MKG Kitchen, Oak City Fish and Chips, Raleigh Rolls, Sassool, The Bowls, The Broth, Wicked Taco, and YoHo Hibachi & Sushi Burrito. You can also catch some group yoga sessions on Saturday mornings (mimosas after!).
Transfer Company Food Hall (500 E Davie St)
This food hall recently opened and we can’t wait to try yummy things from all the vendors there: Benchwarmers Bagels, Bul Box, Burial Beer Co, Captain Cookie and the Milkman, Che Empanadas, Chhote’s, Dank Burrito, and Locals Oyster Bar.Carroll’s Kitchen (19 E Martin St)
This nonprofit serves both brunch and lunch items. It’s a great place to grab a quick bite to eat on a lunch date as its is a grab and go kind of place. We highly recommend any of their sandwiches and definitely try their brownies! Your taste buds will thank you and you’ll know your money went towards helping employ women leaving crisis situations.
A Place at the Table (300 W Hargett St)
This is another nonprofit that we have to mention. One of the best things about Raleigh and its people is how we take care of our neighbors. Diners are encouraged to pay it forward to feed our food-insecure neighbors by leaving a tip or buying a token to give to someone in need. Volunteers are also welcome in the cafe. Besides being known for its kindness to the whole community, the food is really good! We keep meaning to try other things but we can’t seem to say no to the spiced-chai waffles w bacon!
The Raleigh Times (14 E Hargett St)
The Raleigh Times is known for is well established food and bar scene. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating (we always see lots of dogs outside with owners! and have drink specials jsut about every day. If you are hungry we definitely recommend a burger…one of the best in town!
There are so many more great places we could mention but this was only a Top 10 list so we had to stop there. Related: now we are hungry and have to go eat.
Tonight is First Friday so it’s a great night to grab a Citrix bike and try a donwtown restaurant. Maybe we’ll see you there. Bon appetit!