3 Triangle restaurants listed by Forbes as world’s most luxurious places to eat
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Three restaurants in the Triangle earned Forbes ratings among six North Carolina winners.
- Herons in Cary’s Umstead Hotel received Forbes Five Stars for the 14th consecutive year.
- The Fearrington House earned Four Stars and Fairview Dining Room, a Recommended rating.
One of the world’s highest dining honors has been awarded to six fine dining restaurants in North Carolina.
Winners of the Forbes Star Awards were announced earlier this year, honoring luxury hotels and fine dining restaurants across the globe.
Before Michelin, Forbes has been rating and reviewing North Carolina restaurants for years, honoring top luxury hotels and restaurants. Similar to the Michelin Guide, Forbes honors its winners with star ratings and recommendations, spotlighting destinations travelers should consider for luxury experiences.
This year, six North Carolina restaurants earned Forbes ratings, including three in the Triangle:
- Herons in Cary
- Fairview Dining Room in Durham
- The Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro
- The Dining Room at Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville
- Gallery Restaurant in Charlotte
- Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden in Highlands
In North Carolina, only Herons at Cary’s Umstead Hotel earned Five Stars, the highest rating from Forbes. This is the 14th consecutive year Herons has won Five Stars. These six restaurants were also North Carolina’s only Forbes winners in 2025.
The Fearrington House earned Four Stars and Fairview Dining Room at the Washington Duke Hotel in Durham earned a Recommended rating.
Herons in Cary
In its review, Forbes inspectors noted the tranquil dining room and original artwork at Herons. Of the menu, the inspectors found the dishes artful but rooted in the region, highlighting seasonality in the American South.
“The dining room is elegant and hushed with a open, soundproof kitchen that often mesmerizes guests as they watch Heron’s culinary masters in action,” the inspectors wrote.
Forbes urges diners not to skip dessert.
“Ordering dessert is a responsibility at Herons,” inspectors wrote. “Recent examples of whimsical decadences include a winter pear dish with hazelnuts and maple-parsnip ice cream, and a Videri dark chocolate ganache with pistachios and smoked milk chocolate ice cream.”
Herons was among The News & Observer’s top 50 restaurants of the Triangle, published this March.
The Fearrington House in Pittsboro
The Fearrington House has received Forbes ratings since 2000 and for many years earned Five Star honors. The inspectors noted Fearrington’s rural elegance.
“Removed from the city and sitting adjacent to grassy meadows, the restaurant and luxury inn exude peace and quiet,” they wrote. “Walking to the North Carolina restaurant’s doorway at dusk, you’ll hear nothing but trickling fountains and crickets.”
The Gallery in Charlotte
In Charlotte, The Gallery received a Recommended rating, highlighting elevated classic dishes.
“Seemingly simple entrées like steak and eggs are elevated to the extraordinary,” inspectors wrote. “In this case, rich and tender black garlic-rubbed cap steak is served with a potato puree and smoked Kobe-shi poached quail eggs.”
Worldwide, more than 2,400 restaurants and hotels received a Forbes rating.
