What decades in Triangle dining have taught me—and why our Top 50 list matters

When I first moved to Raleigh in 1990, the Triangle’s restaurant culture was far different than the lively scene we know today. Sure, there were some spots then that most everyone talked about — the Angus Barn for special occasions, Irregardless Cafe for vegetarian fare and a great brunch, 42nd Street Oyster Bar and Vinnie’s Steak House and Tavern as the places to see, be seen and likely hobnob with legislators and lobbyists.

But there was little focus back then on James Beard Awards and local celebrity chefs. There wasn’t much varied cuisine from around the nation and globe. That would come in later years as transplants surged into the area. There were virtually no food trucks or breweries.

And downtown Raleigh had so few restaurants open after 5 p.m. that those of us working night shifts at the time were thrilled when the cafeteria in the Hudson-Belk department store on Fayetteville Street stayed open until 6 on Friday nights. (That store, that cafeteria and most other cafeterias are long gone now.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about our area’s ever-evolving dining scene in recent weeks as we’ve put all the finishing touches on The News & Observer’s list of the Triangle’s Top 50 Restaurants of 2026. We unveiled it to subscribers on Thursday, and we can tell from the response already that you all are spending a lot of time with it. We appreciate that.

Something for everyone

Our food writer, Drew Jackson, wanted to make sure this list captured the breadth of Triangle dining experiences, which can range from the comfortable at breakfast to the adventurous at lunch to the artistic at dinner. Drew put in a lot of work to make the list happen, with a methodology that included no rankings among the 50 restaurants themselves and reaching out to readers for recommendations. He also has a separate list of his honorable mentions — 11 spots that just missed out on the Top 50.

Of course, we’ll never reach full consensus on an endeavor like this. Reasonable foodies can — and should — disagree. Which spots do you think should have made the cut? We’re eager to hear from you, and Drew will be compiling a list of reader suggestions in the weeks ahead. (Me? I’d have found a way to squeeze in Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie and its award-winning cheeseburger. Plus, it’s hard not to include the Angus Barn just for the spectacle of its holiday decorations. But I digress. This is Drew’s list.)

Barbecue! Bagels! Biscuits!

Some of my personal favorites are here, and rightly so. I’ve had an amazing meal sitting at the bar at Stanbury. At least once a week (and sometimes more, shhh!) you’ll find me at lunch at Sam Jones BBQ. Few tastes for breakfast can measure up to Benchwarmers Bagels. (OK, maybe Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen. I’d likely be there every weekend — just like my UNC days — if only I lived closer to Chapel Hill.)

And these are just the places I know! There’s so many more I need to try. Likely you feel the same as you peruse the list (head to tinyurl.com/TriangleTop50 to see them all).

A quick shoutout to the other staff members who played key roles in this project:

• Editors Brooke Cain, who came up with the idea and got us rolling on it, and Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, who was the project manager through publication.
• Photojournalists Kaitlin McKeown and Robert Willett, for so many striking images, under the supervision of visuals editor Scott Sharpe.
• David Raynor, for the interactive graphics guide and map.
• Kevin Keister, for all of the videos.
• Jessica Banov, for all of the audience engagement and social media.

There’s just so much good food in our area. We’re very lucky.

Let’s eat.

Drew Jackson’s reporting contributed to this story.

This story was originally published March 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM.

Thad Ogburn

The News & Observer

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Thad Ogburn is The News & Observer’s Managing Editor. A North Carolina native, he’s held a variety of editing and leadership roles across the newsroom for the past 35 years. He lead The N&O’s joint coverage with The Charlotte Observer of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina -- a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Breaking News Coverage.