Which is the best new restaurant in the Triangle? Vote for your favorite
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Readers will nominate and vote on new Triangle eateries across three rounds.
- Voting runs Round 1 to Dec 8, Round 2 Dec 8–10, Round 3 Dec 10–12, 2025.
- Contest excludes multi‑unit chains over 25 locations and prior contest winners.
The Triangle has filled up with new food and drink spots this year.
Now, it’s time to determine the very best around.
We’ve crowned the tastiest tacos, cookies and even barbecue based on reader recommendations. For our final food and dining poll of 2025, we’re spotlighting the top new eateries that have opened this year.
So let’s put it to a vote.
Here are the details:
- Round 1 (live for voting until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10) determines the Top 12.
- Round 2 (live for voting from around 3 p.m. Wednesday until 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12) determines the Top 5.
- Round 3 (live for voting from around 3 p.m. Friday until 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15) determines the winner.
Before we begin: This is not a scientific poll or survey — it’s just for fun! If you have more than one favorite, you are welcome to refresh this page and submit another vote.
Top 5
- 1. Urban Olive
- 2. Serratore’s Pasta & Pizza
- 3. Stellar
- 4. Omakase by Kai
- 5. Good Graces
Top 12
- 1. Serratore’s Pasta & Pizza
- 2. Urban Olive
- 3. Good Graces
- 4. The Lenny
- 5. Omakase by Kai
- 6. Stellar
- 7. Peregrine
- 8. Wedgewood Cheese Bar
- 9. Cuya Cocina Latina
- 10. TaTaco
- 11. Boatman Spirits Co.
- 12. Dino’s Pizza
28 Best New Restaurant nominees
Amrut
Location: 120 E Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Autostrada Pizza & Panini
Location: 200 N Greensboro St b9, Carrboro, NC 27510
Boatman Spirits Co.
Location: 713 Seaboard Station Dr, Raleigh, NC 27604
Capital Pizza Box
Location: 1842 Wake Forest Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608
The Crispy Cod
Location: Morgan Street Food Hall, 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Cuya Cocina Latina
Location: 413 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603
Dino’s Pizza
Location: 3109 Shannon Rd Suite 100, Durham, NC 27707
Good Graces
Location: 540 St Albans Dr Suite 130, Raleigh, NC 27609
Foxcroft Food & Wine
Location: 4421 Six Forks Rd #115, Raleigh, NC 27609
Hatch
Location: 723 N Mangum St, Durham, NC 27701
Jalwa Indian Bistro
Location: 6112 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609
Leaf & Loaf
Location: Morgan Street Food Hall, 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
The Lenny
Location: 555 S Mangum St Floor 11, Durham, NC 27701
M Izakaya
Location: 4 Fenton Main St Suite 120B, Cary, NC 27511
Mala Pata
Location: 2431 Crabtree Blvd Suite 102, Raleigh, NC 27604
Napa Bistro & Wine Bar
Location: 3705 Exchange Glenwood Pl, Raleigh, NC 27612
Oakwood Deli
Location: 331 New Bern Ave, Raleigh, NC 27601
Omakase by Kai
Location: 15 Seaboard Ave, Raleigh, NC 27604
Peregrine
Location: 1000 Social St Suite 150, Raleigh, NC 27609
Peri Brothers Modern Italian
Location: 7321 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615
Serratore’s Pasta & Pizza
Location: 112 N Churton St, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Stellar
Location: 1912 Bernard St, Raleigh, NC 27608
TaTaco
Location: 620 Foster St Suite B, Durham, NC 27701
Tucker Street Diner
Location: 421 N Harrington St Suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27603
Urban Oak
Location: 200 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Urban Olive
Location: Transfer Co. Food Hall, 500 E Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Veloce Italian Market
Location: 443 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Wedgewood Cheese Bar
Location: 100 Brewer Ln B, Carrboro, NC 27510
Note: As we are spotlighting local restaurants, chains with more than 25 locations are excluded from the contest, along with previous food and dining contest winners.
This story was originally published December 8, 2025 at 3:42 PM.