The Triangle area of NC is a true foodie destination

The Triangle has emerged as a premier foodie destination, boasting top-notch dining experiences that garnered national recognition as well as beloved local classics. The Triangle's offerings range from innovative fine dining establishments to acclaimed local favorites and expanding franchises. These underscore the Triangle's vibrant and dynamic food landscape, solidifying its place on the global culinary map.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Hazelnut tiramisu is photographed at Nanas on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, in Durham, N.C.

NO. 1: THE 21 BEST NEW RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN THE TRIANGLE IN 2023. SOME ARE FUTURE LEGENDS

From fine dining revivals to neighborhood bars, here are the Triangle’s best new restaurants of 2023. | Published January 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

The famed Sanford restaurant Fonda Lupita plans to open a new Triangle location in Durham’s Brightleaf Square in 2024.

NO. 2: 16 NEW TRIANGLE RESTAURANTS TO WATCH IN 2024: ROOFTOP VIEWS, BASEMENT BREWS & EXPANSIONS

These are the restaurants we’ll be talking about this year. | Published January 18, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Fare&Fellow, a woman-owned coffee shop, is expanding in the Triangle, with two shops in Durham and Raleigh.

NO. 3: A TRIANGLE COFFEE SHOP IS EXPANDING IN RALEIGH AND DURHAM. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

The woman-owned company, which just debuted at RTP, is growing quickly. | Published June 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

You have a choice of 14 different sauces, including blazing buffalo pictured here, for Woody’s jumbo wings at Woody’s at City Market in Raleigh.

NO. 4: HERE ARE THE BEST SPORTS BARS IN THE TRIANGLE FOR WATCHING THE BIG GAMES

It’s Bowl Season. Here’s your guide to the Triangle’s top sports bars. | Published January 5, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

A plate of sushi is prepared at Waraji Japanese Restaurant in Raleigh, one of the Triangle’s top sushi bars.

NO. 5: A GUIDE TO THE BEST SUSHI BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THE TRIANGLE

Triangle diners made a surprising pick for the area’s best sushi. | Published January 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Prime Barbecue in Knightdale, NC, serves a variety of smoked meat sandwiches including the pork topped with slaw.

NO. 6: SOUTHERN LIVING DECLARES THE TRIANGLE NORTH CAROLINA’S BBQ CAPITAL. HERE’S WHY.

Southern Living says these 7 Triangle barbecue joints make it NC’s smokehouse capital. | Published March 22, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

The Smoked Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Picnic is a quarter bird of light meat. The chef raises the ante on this picnic classic by first brining it, then marinating it in house smoked buttermilk before frying it to a juicy, golden brown turn in a raggedly crunchy batter.

NO. 7: 16 SPOTS WITH THE BEST CRISPY, GOLDEN BROWN FRIED CHICKEN IN THE TRIANGLE

Great fried chicken is actually pretty easy to find in the Triangle. Here are our favorite spots. | Published January 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Al’s Burger Shack serves one of the Triangle’s most popular french fry, a crispy crinkle cut dusted with fresh rosemary.

NO. 8: HERE ARE THE 50 BEST FRENCH FRIES IN THE TRIANGLE, FROM FAST FOOD TO FANCY

There’s a lot of fry pride on this list. | Published January 4, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

A crispy cheese top forms on the legendary macaroni au gratin at Poole’s Diner in Raleigh.

NO. 9: THIS TRIANGLE RESTAURANT IS THE BEST DINER IN NC, SAYS SOUTHERN LIVING

“You won’t find anyone in old-school waitress uniforms. Instead, tattooed servers shuffle around under dim lighting to a Phoebe Bridgers soundtrack,” they said. | Published March 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

Al’s Diner in Pittsboro, North Carolina, includes an indoor dining room and a drive-thru.

NO. 10: THIS DECADES-OLD TRIANGLE RESTAURANT WAS NAMED THE BEST RETRO DINER IN NC. HERE’S WHY

The diner was recognized for its menu, which features daily-changing specials. | Published June 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

Herons’ executive chef Steven Devereaux Greene adds the finishing touches to the beet dish in the Cary restaurant’s private dining room Jan. 15, 2019.

NO. 11: 3 RESTAURANTS IN THE TRIANGLE MAKE FORBES LIST OF THE VERY BEST IN THE WORLD

One of the restaurants earned five stars from Forbes, joining 77 other restaurants across the globe with that honor. | Published February 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

A filet mignon is prepared at the Peddler Steak House in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, June 15, 2023.

NO. 12: THE BEST STEAKHOUSES IN THE TRIANGLE: A GUIDE TO FINDING THE TOP STEAK RESTAURANTS

A charming steakhouse was named Raleigh’s best, topping a local giant. | Published January 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Lawrence BBQ is relocating to a new restaurant space of its own in downtown Cary.

NO. 13: ONE OF THE TRIANGLE’S TOP BARBECUE JOINTS IS MOVING OPERATIONS TO DOWNTOWN CARY

Cary is about to become a major barbecue destination. | Published August 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Plates of classic fried fish in the kitchen of the Calabash Seafood Hut on Saturday, June 29, 2024 in Calabash, N.C.

NO. 14: HERE ARE 13 TRIANGLE RESTAURANTS SPECIALIZING IN CALABASH-STYLE SEAFOOD (PLUS SOME RIFFS)

Some of the best seafood in North Carolina is served up in the inland Triangle. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

Heavenly Buffaloes, pictured here, is one of several Chapel Hill restaurants encouraging people to order early ahead of Monday night’s national championship game.

NO. 15: ONE OF THE TRIANGLE’S BEST WING JOINTS JUST OPENED ITS FIRST RALEIGH LOCATION

A top Triangle wing joint finally completed the trifecta. | Published September 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

The burger at Neuse River Brewing in Raleigh is a “half-pound beef patty with beer cheese, roasted garlic mustard aioli, house-made pickles, crispy onion strings served on a Union Special Bread brioche bun with a side of fries.

NO. 16: IT’S NATIONAL BURGER DAY. HERE ARE OUR TOP TRIANGLE BURGERS, FROM FANCY TO FAST FOOD

Our food writer reveals his favorites for National Burger Day. | Published May 28, 2024 | Read Full Story by Drew Jackson

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.