Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Blue Corn Cafe

4.8

4.8 (425)

$31 to $50

Latin American

Durham

About the restaurant

Blue Corn Cafe has been serving the Triangle area since 1997. We offer a locally sourced twist on Latin American cuisine. Our passion for locally sourced food and beverage has allowed us to offer our unique twist on Latin and South American recipes. Both owners Danielle and Antonio Rios have a passion on bringing their culture to your table with unique quality products.
Our warm atmosphere and kind servers make you feel comfortable upon entering and that is only where it begins. We look forward to serving you. Prevecho!

Top review

LizaVIP

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Great fresh take on Quesadillas and their plantain sampler was excellent!

Discover more

4.9

4.9 (999)

$31 to $50

American

Halifax

About the restaurant

At Blue Jay Bistro we invite you to "Escape the Ordinary." This isn't just our slogan – it's our promise.

We've crafted every aspect of your dining experience with you in mind. From our attentive service to our carefully curated menu, we aim to exceed your expectations at every turn.

Indulge in our finest Contemporary American cuisine, featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Savor premium meats, just-caught seafood, and farm vegetables that showcase North Carolina's seasonal bounty.

Your culinary journey with us is about more than just exquisite flavors – it's about creating moments of delight and discovery. Enhance your meal with our selection of wines, craft cocktails, and local beers.

At Blue Jay Bistro, we're not just serving food – we're dedicated to making your visit truly extraordinary. Your satisfaction is our highest priority.

Join us to Escape the Ordinary, where your culinary desires meet our passion for excellence, creating unforgettable moments just for you.

Top review

Susan

Dined 2 days ago

From the appetizers to the dessert, everything was delicious. We enjoyed the butternut squash soup, bread with cheese, pork chop, duck and the short rib. For dessert the caramel cheesecake and the cookie monster ice cream sandwich was shared because we were so full. The portions we larger than in past visits and we were pleased to see that. Staff made it an enjoyable experience.

Discover more

Experience

New Year's Eve 2024

Herons

4.9

4.9 (3082)

$50 and over

American

Cary

About the restaurant

Herons, the signature restaurant at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina, offers an exceptional fine dining experience for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Located close to Raleigh, North Carolina, Herons is known for its locally inspired, seasonal menus and stunning garden views, Herons showcases a full-view kitchen and an elegant, art-filled dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows. Every detail—from the fresh, regionally sourced ingredients to the curated wine list—reflects a commitment to artistry and culinary excellence.

Top review

Joan

Dined 5 days ago

Servers work as a team really well. Excellent food, customer service and ambiance.

Discover more

Oxford Oaks Distillery

4.8

4.8 (239)

$31 to $50

American

Oxford

About the restaurant

A Unique Dining and Libations Destination in the heart of downtown Oxford, N.C.

Oxford Oaks features a micro distillery, specialty cocktail bar and upscale restaurant where the community can gather and enjoy fine spirits, elevated cocktails and delicious cuisine.

Top review

Sherry

Dined 2 days ago

The food was amazing! It was expensive so save your money up to go. lol. It is well worth it. The service was top notch. Our waitress could have came a little more often, but she was great.

Discover more

Experience

Chef's Four Course Dinner and Wine Pairing

Anthony's La Piazza Prime - Downtown Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (18)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Anthony's La Piazza is a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. The restaurant brand has been serving the community for over 20 years. Anthony's La Piazza is known for its delicious food, friendly service, and warm atmosphere. The restaurant offers a wide variety of Italian dishes, including pasta, pizza, seafood, and steaks. Anthony's La Piazza also has a full bar and a wine list. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Anthony's also has an elegant lounge open late nights Thursday through Saturday. We are located on the first floor of the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown in the Glenwood South district.

Top review

Louis

Dined 1 day ago

Very enjoyable environment with excellent food with excellent service. Totally enjoyable experience is the review of the restaurant

Bazil Indian Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (191)

$30 and under

Indian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Welcome to Bazil Indian Cuisine, a truly unique dining experience in Raleigh, NC. Our restaurant is not just a place to enjoy delicious food; it’s an enchanting story waiting to be savored. At Bazil Indian Cuisine, we pride ourselves on pushing culinary boundaries and introducing new flavors to the vibrant Indian food community in Raleigh. Led by a passionate mother, our restaurant offers an extensive wine list that perfectly complements our fusion menu. Prepare to be captivated by our assortment of dishes, including delicacies like sea bass, lobster, and octopus offerings that you won’t find in other Indian restaurants. We believe in creating an unforgettable experience for our guests, where every bite is an adventure of flavors and textures.As a mother-owned establishment, we strive to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where families and friends can come together to celebrate life’s moments.

Top review

Debbie

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

The food continues to be excellent! There was an issue with the wine service. We each ordered wine flights as it was Wine Flight Wednesday. The server brought out the wines, set them on the table in a cluster and we had to figure out on our own which wines belonged to whom, and what the wines were. Wine Flight Wednesday is a good idea, however poorly executed.

Discover more

4.9

4.9 (2999)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Durham

About the restaurant

M Sushi is triangles first dedicated sushi and seafood restaurant. We concentrate on raw and cold applications of fresh exotic seafood as well as cooked and vegetarian courses utilizing the same high quality ingredients. We are creating simple and traditional sushi cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences. We are the only restaurant in NC to make the Opentable top 100 restaurants in 2021.

Top review

Eric

Dined 2 days ago

Food was incredible, server was nice. Amazing sushi

Discover more

Gonza Tacos y Tequila - North Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (1431)

$30 and under

Mexican

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Come experience Raleigh's Colombo-Mexican Tacos y Tequila Joint!

Hand Crafted Latin Cocktails
Extensive List of Tequilas & Regional Spirits
Carefully Selected List of Latin Wines & Latin Beers

Voted Best Latin Restaurant in the Triangle by Wake County Living Magazine!

Won the Indy Award for Best Mexican / Latin American in the Triangle!

Top review

KimberlyVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Amazing food and the service was fantastic! Love love love this place! The music was very loud though

On The Square

4.8

4.8 (1295)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Tarboro

About the restaurant

Due to limited seating, we are only accepting in-house reservations. Please call the restaurant directly for a reservation.

Located in Historic Downtown Tarboro, one of the oldest towns in North Carolina, On the Square Restaurant offers seasonal, sustainable ingredients that are celebrated throughout the ever-changing menu. Open for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and for lunch on Monday through Friday, we are as proud of our food and comfortable atmosphere as we are of our eclectic and value-driven wine list.

Top review

SueVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Kate, our server, was awesome! She managed our table of 6 and another table of 6 and other orders with grace and efficiency. The bar was pretty "backed up" so took drinks along time to come out. But all orders were correct, food was delicious, and we enjoyed our time

Amalia's Authentic Italian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (809)

$50 and over

Italian

Wake Forest

About the restaurant

Amalia Fumelli is the inspiration behind Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant. She was born in Italy in 1932, and grew up on a farm. As she grew up, she took an interest in cooking and learned everything about the Italian kitchen from her mother and grandmother. For countless hours each day, Amalia began making hand-made pasta with her rolling pin on an old, wooden table. After many years, she had mastered her pasta creations through her skilled handiwork, precise cutting skills, and the amount of love she put into her work.

Over time, Amalia has passed all of her secrets and knowledge about food along to her children and grandchildren. One grandchild in particular, Filippo Fanfani, gained a passion for the art of cooking through her guidance. As a child, he spent all his days at his grandmother’s house preparing meals for his family. The two have a strong bond, that began with their conjoining love of creating meals that are enjoyable for everyone.

Top review

Erika

Dined 5 days ago

Excellent experience. Each meal was perfect and served perfectly. Best pasta I have had in the Raleigh area. My husbands veal chop was a real tomahawk chop served exactly as ordered. The lentil side dish was very different and delicious as was the radicchio salad. Both were enough to share.

Discover more

Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Explore Diners' Choice best of Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill

Explore more Diners' Choice lists