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Raleigh Restaurants

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Reviews and photos of Raleigh restaurants posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Raleigh dining.
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Caffe Luna: Popular Italian eatery
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • Updated By TimDaoust on February 10, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • Caffe Luna - Raleigh
    Caffe Luna
    by TimDaoust
    Very nice Italian cuisine, great wine list and the owner even walks around the restaurant asking everyone how their meal is. If you're already dressed up to go see a show or something this is a nice place to go. You might want to make a reservation on a busy night though. I was turned away once on a Wednesday night because I didn't make a reservation and there was a wait. It's really really popular.

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  • Theme: Italian
  • Price: US$11-20    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: more expensive than average
  • Address: Hargett St.
  • Directions: Right near Moore square at the corner of Blount st. and Hargett st.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

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    Greenshields pub and brewery: Hometown Brewery
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • Updated By TimDaoust on April 21, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • Greenshields brewery - Raleigh
    Greenshields brewery
    by TimDaoust
    The food here is just generally American style burger and fries, club sandwiches and a soup of the day type of stuff. They also have a buffalo shrimp recipe and a Scotch egg dish. What's really unique here is the beer which is brewed in house. They have a pilsner, a brown ale, a hefeweizen and a stout...oh, and their own root beer as well. The atmosphere is nice and rustic and there's plenty of outdoor seating. It is located in the historic city market area off of Moore's square, whose cobblestone streets give it a very European feel.

    I must add that this place recently suffered some smoke damage from a fire and when I checked the other day, sadly, they seem to be selling the place. This tip shall stand as a memory to the great times I had here.

    I liked their Hefeweizen and the root beer.

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  • Theme: American
  • Price: US$11-20    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: about average
  • Address: 214 E. Martin St.
  • Phone: (919) 829-0214
  • Directions: From I-40 take the s. saunders st. exit, head north, s. saunders turns into mcdowell, take a left on e. martin st. Greenshields is on the right in city market.
  • Website: www.greenshields.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Lily's Pizza: Lily's Pizza
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • By TimDaoust on February 10, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • Anything you'd expect from a pizzeria, including non-pizza items like calzones or stromboli, all organic ingredients, a chilled out rock and roll atmosphere, outdoor eating, a list of specialty pizzas, build-your-own pizza possibilities, wine and beer on tap, let's see am I missing anything. It's a great locale and situated in a great part of town. Not to be missed.
    The atmosphere may be a little too loud for some but I like it. And on a nice day it's great to eat out on the patio.

    I like to build my own pizza often when I go, their crust is excellent. Just about any topping you can imagine from the conventional pepperoni to artichoke hearts plus a variety of sauces from marinara to pesto to alfredo.

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  • Theme: Pizza
  • Price: US$11-20    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: about average
  • Address: Glenwood Ave. near Five points
  • Directions: From 1-440 beltline take the Glenwood Ave./hwy 70 exit heading east into town. Lily's pizza is on the right just before Fairview road. You can park on the side of the road. Beware of parked cars in the right lane.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Best Coffee Houses
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • Updated By TimDaoust on April 26, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • I decided that there were so many coffee houses in the area, yet only a few good ones, I would make one tip for all of the ones worth visiting. Here's a good list of Coffee houses in the area of downtown and NC State.

    Third Place is right next door to Lily's Pizza and has outdoor seating right on Glenwood Ave. The Baristas here know their stuff and won't let you down, they also have a nice selection of baked goods and a comfortable atmosphere with a lot of artwork on the walls. Prime people watching and good coffee from Larry's beans set this one apart from the corporate competition.

    Cup a Joe's has three locations in the area all owned by the same guy (who I used to work for), one at Mission Valley shopping center, where there is also a movie theater and record store, which I shall highlight eslewhere. Another location is up on Falls of Neuse Rd. at Quail corners shopping center on the corner of Millbrook Rd. One of the most popular locations is on Hillsborough st., the main drag at NC State University. The main difference in the three is mostly atmospheric. For example, on Hillsborough st. the smoking section is bigger than the non smoking.

    Finally there is also Helios Coffee, a good place to get a cup of joe on Glenwood Ave. that is close to all of the other restaurants in the Glenwood scene. Outdoor seating, beer and wine, and local music set this one apart. They also host art events and wine tastings, etc.

    All of these coffee shops will deal you a decent and sometimes exceptional cup of coffee, and they all have lunch menus and great pastry items for sale as well. If you are not a huge coffee buff there are plenty of other places that are chain coffee joints that can be found easily enough on triangle.citysearch.com. Here I chose to highlight the places I like to go for superior coffee and a generally great experience. Hope this was helpful.

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  • Theme: Coffeehouse
  • Price: less than US$10    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: less expensive than average
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Bella Monica: Really great Italian food
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • MovingMere
  • By MovingMere on February 4, 2008
  • Raleigh Page by MovingMere
  • We went on a Friday night around 8:30 and there was a 45 minute wait for a table, but we only had to wait a few minutes for a spot at the bar where we ate. We split a half carafe of house red (which was excellent wine from Montepulciano) that was $9, so we paid $4.5 for almost two glasses of wine each - pretty good deal. The giant pieces of bread come drizzled with olive oil and topped with chopped purple onion. My favorite part was the bowl of green and kalamata olives floating around. Our server was the bartender, and she was very friendly and prompt.

    It got pretty crowded while we were there, so I would recommend reservations.

    Also, the cafe is located in a strip of stores near a grocery store. It was a very unlikely spot for what may become my favorite Italian restaurant in Raleigh.

    The portobello & sun-dried tomato lasagna with spinach, fresh mozzarella, and white wine herb cream sauce... mmm...

  • Theme: Italian
  • Price: US$11-20    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: about average
  • Phone: 919-881-9778
  • Website: http://www.bellamonica.com/
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

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    518 West: Classy Italian Joint
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • By TimDaoust on April 26, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • Not just excellent food, but a nice old building, that gives it a great atmosphere. There is a bar and upstairs and downstairs dining. It is housed in an old brick building, on the corner of Glenwood and Jones St. right behind 42nd Street Oyster Bar. There are all sorts of architectural nuances in the building like archways a wide staircase with a small niche halfway up where there is a small table for two, ornate cast iron railings on the upper level, and the ceiling is even painted like a cloudy sky. There cuisine is traditional Italian and Mediteranean with a twist. A great wine list, their wood burning oven and cappucino bar are all great features. You may want to make reservations here.

    I have had their Chicken Marsala several times and never been dissappointed, but the other day I had Their wood grilled beef tenderloin which was excellent. They cover it with a chianti glaze and parmesan cheese and serve it with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Bella!

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  • Theme: Italian
  • Price: US$11-20    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: more expensive than average
  • Address: 518 W. Jones St.
  • Phone: (919) 829-2518
  • Directions: From 1-440 get on Glenwood Ave. South, follow into town past peace st. Turn left on Jones St. It is on the left with its own parking before you cross the railroad tracks.
  • Website: http://www.518west.com/
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Mellow Mushroom: Pizza
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • By TimDaoust on April 26, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • The Mellow Mushroom is a chain that just recently dropped a location here in Raleigh. It is on the corner of Glenwood and Peace St. and is a good place to get a decent and relatively inexpensive pie that is several steps above even the best chain of delivered swill pies that call themselves real pizza. The pizza here is made with high quality ingredients and the end product is top notch. The Raleigh location has TV's and a bar and is a nice place to chill out.

    Menu items beyond just pizza are hoagies, salads and calzones. I'd try their white pizza if I were you. Also check out the website for more info on the place. There is also a location in Boone and Chapel Hill, NC to name a few.

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  • Theme: Pizza
  • Price: less than US$10    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: less expensive than average
  • Address: Peace St.
  • Directions: Take Glenwood Ave. south from I-440 and turn right onto Peace St. Mellow Mushroom is on the corner, on your left.
  • Website: http://mellowmushroom.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Second Empire: Snazzy restaurant on Hillsborough St.
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • TimDaoust
  • By TimDaoust on April 26, 2005
  • Raleigh Page by TimDaoust
  • Located in a restored 19th century house, this is about as snazzy as you can get in Raleigh for a restaurant. I came here before my senior prom and man was it nice. Not an every day occasion kind of place but if you're looking for something upscale this place won't let you down. Check out the website below for more info.

    Filet Mignon. It's all about presentation at a place like this and this dish was exquisite. You don't get a whole lot but it's very pretty when they serve it to you.

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  • Theme: American
  • Price: US$21-30    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: more expensive than average
  • Address: 330 Hillsborough St.
  • Phone: (919)-829-3663
  • Directions: From I-440 take the S. Saunders st. exit and head north. veer left at the intersection of Mc Dowell St. and s. saunders to stay on Dawson st. Take a left onto Hillsborough st. Second Empire is on the right.
  • Website: http://www.second-empire.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Cyber Cafe: Food, folks, and fifteen minutes on the internet
  • Tip Rating:
  • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on April 5, 2003
  • Raleigh Page by b1bob
  • Cyber Cafe at RDU - Raleigh
    Cyber Cafe at RDU
    by b1bob
    Simple food- danish and breakfast sandwiches for breakfast; sub-type sandwiches and hot fast food for lunch and supper. With each food purpose, you get 15 minutes on the internet in the cyber part of the cafe. It's good for airport food and earns a solid C.

    I had a ham sub with fritos and a pickle at lunch; a danish and water at breakfast.

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  • Theme: Other
  • Price: less than US$10    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: less expensive than average
  • Address: Raleigh-Durham Airport, Terminal C
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Fuddrucker's: If you leave hungry, it's your fault!
  • Tip Rating:
  • Satisfaction:
  • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on February 29, 2004
  • Raleigh Page by b1bob
  • Fuddrucker's - Raleigh
    Fuddrucker's
    by b1bob
    Not having taken but a pittance at breakfast and nothing at lunch, I was so hungry I could eat the rear end off a low-flying duck, feathers and all. The original plan was to go to Fuddrucker's and have supper and then enjoy the rest of the night. Gary wasn't as hungry as I was (Jaws couldn't have been that hungry), so we decided to do supper on the takeaway plan. We would buy it at Fuddrucker's and take it back to the flat for me to eat straightaway and Gary to warm his up later.

    The dipsticks at Fuddrucker's put cheese on his chopped steak when I distinctly heard him order it without the cheese. To their credit, they offered to rectify it. Gary said he would just scrape it off when he got back to the flat. If this were McDonald's or Burger King, they wouldn't have cared that it was their mistake. On taking all I got back to the flat, I realised I was only 2/3 as hungry as I thought. I put the rest in the refrigerator where I would get at it later if I was hungry.

    I had the 1 pound (450 g.) hamburger with nothing on it- just meat and bun. Then I went over to the toppings bar and loaded it down with tomatoes and pickles, such that I almost couldn't shut the lid on the takeaway box. I also had small onion rings and Cheerwine to drink. Before any of y'all think I got a snootful, Cheerwine is a cherry-flavoured soft drink unique to part of the southeastern United States. Gary had the chopped steak with chips and coleslaw.

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  • Theme: Other
  • Price: less than US$10    » Currency Converter
  • Comparison: less expensive than average
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
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