The Triangle’s Best Restaurants of the year. And the winners are ...
Every year, as I look back over the previous 12 months of restaurant comings and goings in the process of putting together my annual Best Restaurants list, one or two noteworthy trends invariably stand out.
These naturally have varied from year to year, running the gamut from small plates to authentic regional Asian cuisines to food truck operators opening brick-and-mortar locations. In 2015, we saw a bumper crop of new ventures from James Beard Award-winning chefs.
Looks like we’ll have to call the theme for 2016 “all of the above.”
Every trend I can think of that has made the news in recent years picked up steam last year. Well, every one except for cupcakes. That one appears to have leveled off.
But let’s talk superstar chefs. Ben and Karen Barker, with two Beard Awards between them, teamed up with their son, Gabe, to open Pizzeria Mercato in Carrboro in February. That same month, Nana’s owner/chef and perennial Beard contender Scott Howell opened NanaSteak in Durham. Beard semifinalist Matthew Kelly (Vin Rouge, Mateo) partnered in two new ventures, Lucky’s Deli and Mothers & Sons Trattoria. Scott Crawford, yet another semifinalist, left Herons to partner in Standard Foods – then promptly left that restaurant to open Crawford & Son.
Tired of chasing food trucks? No need to check Twitter for the current location of Pie Pushers’ brick-and-mortar location, which opened in September in downtown Durham. Or Belgian Waffle Crafters, which joined fellow food truckers American Meltdown and Porchetta in the Streets at Southpoint food court.
Brew N Que’s permanent address in Cary has been so successful that a second location opened late last year in Apex. Captain Poncho’s Tacos parlayed the success of its Southern Village location to a second in Wilmington and a third, just weeks ago, on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.
Maybe you’re looking for a new place to share some small plates. Check out newcomers Whiskey Kitchen (Raleigh), Tandem (Carrboro), Littler and Black Twig Cider House (both in Durham). With share plates that include the likes of pork cracklin’ biscuits, crab-stuffed deviled eggs, Southern poutine and potted rabbit with house-made Ritz crackers, they’ll get you out of your rut.
But in terms of sheer numbers, all of these trends pale in comparison to the rapidly expanding lineup of authentic regional Chinese and Indian restaurants. Szechuan Garden (Morrisville) and Szechuan Taste (Cary) opened within weeks of each other last summer. East Garden (Cary) brought Cantonese with dim sum and live fish tanks.
By my count, eight newcomers – with specialties ranging from Southern dosa (Dharani, Madras Dosa & Curry) to biryani (Hyderabad House, Biryani XPRX) – push the total number of Indian restaurants in the area to more than 50. Further sweetening the pot, a little retail shop called Mithai House of Indian Desserts recently reimagined itself as a “contemporary Indian snack bar, tea house, bakery and dessert destination,” and changed its name to Mithai Indian Cafe.
Just as the year was coming to an end, the owners of the Tan-Durm food truck partnered with the owners of Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub to open Viceroy in downtown Durham. The partners are billing their joint venture as a British pub serving Indian Cuisine – a combination that, in light of recent trends, seems perfectly natural.
Who knows? Maybe it’s the first blip on the radar screen of new trends for 2017.
Our Restaurant of the Year
Andrea Reusing has built a stellar reputation largely on her thoughtful melding of Asian flavors and North Carolina ingredients at Lantern, the Chapel Hill restaurant that helped her win the 2011 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast.
But fans familiar with her long-running Lantern Table series, in which she has explored cuisines from all over the world, will attest to Reusing’s versatility. And those who remember her pre-Lantern days nearly two decades ago, when she was chef at Enoteca Vin in Raleigh, will affirm that her commitment to local sourcing has deep roots.
For her latest venture – the restaurant at The Durham, a boutique hotel in a restored mid-century modern building in downtown Durham – she draws on all of her experience and considerable talent to present a seasonally evolving menu inspired by American classics.
What’s especially impressive, given the bold sweep of a menu that can whisk you from Pennsylvania-Dutch scrapple to California gold rush-inspired Hangtown fry in the course of a single brunch – is the consistently high level of execution. Having sampled liberally from the menu over the course of several meals, I have yet to come across anything I’d even call a near miss.
Instead, looking over my notes from those meals, I see the word “textbook” sprinkled liberally throughout descriptions of dishes, from classic spaghetti carbonara to roasted spice-cured breast of Moulard duck, showered with cress and shaved white truffle. A bone-in dry-aged rib-eye, flanked by a roasted marrow bone resting on a small tangle of greens wilting in hot beef fat, was the most memorable steak I’ve had in the Triangle. And that includes steakhouses.
I could go on. There was an ethereal deviled North Carolina blue crab soufflé, and a brunch side of bacon with a crisp crackling edge so good, even the word “bacon” falls short.
But you get the idea. Given the seasonal nature of the menu, some of the dishes I’m describing might well no longer be on the menu anyway.
That’s where the consistency of execution comes in. The Durham is one of those rare places where you can feel free to follow your whim when ordering, and know you’re in for a memorable meal.
Factor in a hospitable, well-trained wait staff and a vibrant cosmopolitan decor inspired by the historic building’s architecture (don’t miss the rooftop bar with a view of one of America’s most vibrant foodie towns), and you’ve got the Restaurant of the Year.
The Durham: 315 E. Chapel Hill St., in The Durham Hotel, Durham. 919-768-8831, thedurham.com/dining
Note: You can find my restaurant reviews online at themenunc.com.
GOLD MEDAL
Death & Taxes
105 W. Hargett St., Raleigh
984-242-0218
ac-restaurants.com/death-taxes
Cuisine: contemporary grill
The Fearrington House Restaurant
2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
919-542-2121
fearringtonhouse.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Herons
100 Woodland Pond Drive, in the Umstead Hotel & Spa, Cary
919-447-4200
theumstead.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Lantern
423 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-969-8846
lanternrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Asian
Mateo Bar de Tapas
109 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-530-8700
mateotapas.com
Cuisine: Tapas (Spanish-Southern fusion)
Nana’s
2514 University Drive, Durham
919-493-8545
nanasdurham.com
Cuisine: contemporary Mediterranean
Oakleaf
480 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro
919-533-6303
oakleafnc.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Panciuto
110 S. Churton St., Hillsborough
919-732-6261
panciuto.com
Cuisine: contemporary Italian
Poole’s Diner
426 S. McDowell St., Raleigh
919-832-4477
poolesdowntowndiner.com
Cuisine: American bistro
SILVER MEDAL
An Asian Cuisine
2800 Renaissance Park Place, Cary
919-677-9229
ancuisines.com
Cuisine: contemporary Asian
Bida Manda
222 S. Blount St., Raleigh
919-829-9999
bidamanda.com
Cuisine: Laotian
Elaine’s on Franklin
454 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-960-2770
elainesonfranklin.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Glenwood Grill
2603 Glenwood Ave., Suite 151, Raleigh
919-782-3102
glenwoodgrill.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
Gocciolina
3314 Guess Road, Durham
919-973-4089
gocciolina.com
Cuisine: Italian
J. Betski’s
10 W. Franklin St., Suite 120, Raleigh
919-833-7999
jbetskis.com
Cuisine: German, Polish
Mandolin
2519 Fairview Road, Raleigh
919-322-0365
mandolinraleigh.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
Saint Jacques
6112 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
919-862-2770
saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com
Cuisine: French
Stanbury
938 N. Blount St., Raleigh
919-977-4321
stanburyraleigh.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Yamazushi
4711 Hope Valley Road, Suite 6-A, Durham
919-493-7748
yamazushirestaurant.com
Cuisine: Japanese
BRONZE MEDAL
18 Seaboard
18 Seaboard Ave., Suite 100, Raleigh
919-861-4318
18restaurantgroup.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern, grill
Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
919-781-2444
angusbarn.com
Cuisine: steakhouse
Bleu Olive Mediterranean Bistro
1821 Hillandale Road, Durham
919-383-8502
bleuolivebistro.com
Cuisine: contemporary Mediterranean
Bloomsbury Bistro
509 W. Whitaker Mill Road, Suite 101, Raleigh
919-834-9011
bloomsburybistro.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Bruno Seafood and Steaks
11211 Galleria Ave., Raleigh
919-435-6640
brunoraleigh.com
Cuisine: steaks, seafood, Italian
bu.ku
110 E. Davie St., Raleigh
919-834-6963
bukuraleigh.com
Cuisine: global street food
Coquette
4351 The Circle at North Hills, Raleigh
919-789-0606
coquetteraleigh.com
Cuisine: French
Counting House
111 N. Corcoran St., in 21c Museum Hotel, Durham
919-956-6760
countinghousenc.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Crook’s Corner
610 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-929-7643
crookscorner.com
Cuisine: Southern
Dashi
415 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-251-9335
dashiramen.com
Cuisine: Japanese
Elements
2110 Environ Way, Chapel Hill
919-537-8780
elementsofchapelhill.com
Cuisine: contemporary, Asian
Fairview Dining Room
3001 Cameron Blvd., in the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, Durham
919-493-6699
washingtondukeinn.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Garland
14 W. Martin St., Raleigh
919-833-6886
garlandraleigh.com
Cuisine: global
Guglhupf
2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham
919-401-2600
guglhupf.com
Cuisine: German
Il Palio
1505 E. Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
919-918-2545
ilpalio.com
Cuisine: Italian
Kitchen
764 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
919-537-8167
kitchenchapelhill.com
Cuisine: French, contemporary
La Farm
4248 NW Cary Parkway, Cary
919-657-0657
lafarmbakery.com
Cuisine: French bakery
Little Hen
5160 Sunset Lake Road, Apex
919-363-0000
littlehennc.com
Cuisine: American
Margaux’s
8111 Creedmoor Road, Suite 111, Raleigh
919-846-9846
margauxsrestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary, seafood
Piedmont
401 Foster St., Suite B2, Durham
919-683-1213
piedmontrestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Plates
301 Glenwood Ave., Suite 100, Raleigh
919-828-0018
plateskitchen.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern
330 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
919-829-3663
second-empire.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Vivace
4209 Lassiter Mill Road, Suite 115, Raleigh
919-787-7747
vivaceraleigh.com
Cuisine: Italian
Watts Grocery
1116 Broad St., Durham
919-416-5040
wattsgrocery.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
BEST NEW RESTAURANTS
M Sushi
311 Holland St., Durham
919-908-9266
msushidurham.com
Cuisine: Japanese
Mothers & Sons Trattoria
107 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-294-8247
mothersandsonsnc.com
Cuisine: Italian
NanaSteak
345 Blackwell St., Durham
919-282-1183
nanasteak.com
Cuisine: steakhouse
Pizzeria Mercato
408 W. Weaver St., Carrboro
919-967-2277
pizzeriamercatonc.com
Cuisine: Italian
Szechuan Garden
10285 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 300, Morrisville
919-468-6878
szechuangardennc.com
Cuisine: Chinese
Tandem
200 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro
919-240-7937
tandemcarrboro.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Whiskey Kitchen
201 W. Martin St., Raleigh
919-803-3181
whiskey-kitchen.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
BEST IN CLASS (BY CUISINE)
BAKERY
Boulted Bread
614 W. South St., Raleigh
919-999-3984
boultedbread.com
BAR (SERVING FOOD)
Bar Virgile
105 S. Mangum St., Durham
919-973-3000
barvirgile.com
BARBECUE
Hillsborough BBQ Company
236 S. Nash St., Hillsborough
919-732-4647
hillsboroughbbq.com
BURGER
Al’s Burger Shack
516 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-904-7659
alsburgershack.com
CAJUN/CREOLE
La Place
111 N. Churton St., Hillsborough
919-245-0041
laplacehillsborough.com
CHINESE (CANTONESE)
Shanghai Restaurant
3433 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-383-7581
shanghaidurham.com
CHINESE (SZECHWAN)
Szechuan Garden
10285 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 300, Morrisville
919-468-6878
szechuangardennc.com
CHINESE (TAIWANESE)
Taipei 101
121-A E. Chatham St., Cary
919-388-5885
facebook.com/carytaipei101
COFFEEHOUSE/CAFE
Cocoa Cinnamon
Two Durham locations with a third in the works; see website.
cocoacinnamon.com
CUBAN
Old Havana Sandwich Shop
310 E. Main St., Durham
919-667-9525
oldhavanaeats.com
DELI
Lucky’s Delicatessen
105 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-864-8841
luckysdelinc.com
ETHIOPIAN
Awazé
904 NE Maynard Road, Cary
919-377-2599
awazecuisine.com
FRENCH
Vin Rouge
2010 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-416-0466
vinrougerestaurant.com
FUSION
Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas (Latin-Southern fusion)
112 W. Main St., Durham
984-439-8702
lunarotisserie.com
GERMAN, POLISH
J. Betski’s
10 W. Franklin St., Suite 120, Raleigh
919-833-7999
jbetskis.com
GREEK
Kipos
431 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-425-0760
kiposgreektaverna.com
INDIAN
Biryani Maxx Indian Cuisine
590 E. Chatham St., Suite 102, Cary
919-377-0346
biryanimaxx.com
INDIAN (SOUTHERN)
CholaNad Restaurant & Bar
308 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
800-246-5262
cholanad.com
IRISH PUB
Doherty’s
Two locations: 1979 High House Road, Cary; 5490 Apex Peakway, Apex
919-388-9930 (Cary); 919-387-4100 (Apex)
dohertysirishpubnc.com
ITALIAN
Mothers & Sons Trattoria
107 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-294-8247
mothersandsonsnc.com
JAPANESE
M Sushi
311 Holland St., Durham
919-908-9266
msushidurham.com
KOREAN
Seoul Garden
4701 Atlantic Ave., Raleigh
919-850-9984
raleighseoulgarden.com
LEBANESE
Sitti
137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-239-4070
sitti-raleigh.com
MEXICAN (CONTEMPORARY)
Centro
106 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-835-3593
centroraleigh.com
MEXICAN (TAQUERIA)
Taqueria El Toro
3601 Junction Blvd., Raleigh
919-661-5676
taqueriaeltororaleigh.com
MEXICAN (TRADITIONAL)
Tacos Y Mariscos Vallarta
3177 Capital Blvd., Raleigh
919-790-2696
nando.com/3ck
PAN-ASIAN
Banana Leaf
1026 Ryan Road, Cary
919-468-9958
bananaleafcary.com
PASTRIES
lucettegrace
235 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh
919-307-4950
lucettegrace.com
PERUVIAN
Mi Peru
4015 University Drive, Suite A1, Durham
919-401-6432
miperupci.com
PIZZA
Pizzeria Mercato
408 W. Weaver St., Carrboro
919-967-2277
pizzeriamercatonc.com
SANDWICHES (NON-DELI)
Toast Paninoteca
345 W. Main St., Durham
919-683-2183
toast-fivepoints.com
SEAFOOD
Blu Seafood & Bar
2002 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-286-9777
bluseafoodandbar.com
SOUTHERN
Angie’s
1340 W. Garner Road, Garner
919-661-6707
angiesrestaurant.com
STEAKHOUSE
Bin Fifty-Four
1201-M Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill
919-969-1155
bin54chapelhill.com
TAPAS
Mateo Bar de Tapas
109 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-530-8700
mateotapas.com
THAI
Lemongrass
8320 Litchford Road, Suite 142, Raleigh
919-954-0377
lemongrassthairestaurant.net
TURKISH
Talulla’s
456 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-933-1177
talullas.com
VEGETARIAN
The Fiction Kitchen
428 S. Dawson St., Raleigh
919-831-4177
thefictionkitchen.com
VIETNAMESE
Pho Far East
4011 Capital Blvd., Suite 133, Raleigh
919-876-8621
nando.com/phofar
This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 7:30 AM with the headline "The Triangle’s Best Restaurants of the year. And the winners are ...."