Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems 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!

Maximillians Grill & Wine Bar

4.9

4.9 (980)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Cary

About the restaurant

Maximillians Grill & Wine Bar has been serving Cary & the Triangle since 1991. Owned and operated by Will & Margie Hennessee, Maximillians offers global cuisine using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Offering over 15 wines by the glass in addition to an extensive bottle list, or enjoy one of our hand crafted cocktails or local draft beers. We hope you will join us, and if it is your first visit, it won't be your last! Cheers!

Top review

chrisVIP

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

Fantastic food and exceptional service. Looking forward to another visit!

Winston's Grille

4.8

4.8 (2011)

$31 to $50

American

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Established in 1986, Winston's Grille is dedicated to making "everyday dining experiences lasting memories" for over 36 years. Traditional, American fare dishes, made "from scratch", located in North Raleigh in the Sutton Square Shopping Center. We pride ourselves on consistently serving excellent food and service.

Start your dining experience with one of our famous appetizers like the Carolina Crab Dip, Bruschetta, or Jam Jam Shrimp. Enjoy a glass of Chardonnay or locally crafted beer on our award winning, expansive heated patio. Our menu offers crowd favorites such as our Hand Rolled Sushi, Cashew Salmon, Black and Bleu Salad, Winston's Old Fashioned Burger, Winston's Prime Rib and many more. We offer daily features, gluten-free options, and vegan & vegetarian choices. No visit to Winston's Grille is complete without trying our homemade ice cream. After dining at Winston's Grille, we want you to be asking yourself "when are you coming back, rather than where you'll go next".

Top review

Carol

Dined 1 day ago

Always the perfect place to celebrate a relaxed lunch with special friends…food and service excellent!

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Popular dish

Chicken Pasta

Bella Monica

4.8

4.8 (3695)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Bella Monica – A Beloved Italian Trattoria in Raleigh

Since 2000, Bella Monica has been a neighborhood gem, serving authentic Neapolitan cuisine with warm hospitality. Owned by Chef Corbett and Julie Monica, our locally owned trattoria is an extension of Nana’s table, where guests become family.

Our menu features thin-crust flatbreads, housemade pastas, fresh NC seafood, and locally sourced meats, crafted with San Marzano tomatoes and the freshest ingredients. Pair your meal with a selection from our all-Italian, Wine Spectator 2007-2025 award-winning wine list, and don’t leave without trying the best cannoli in Raleigh!

Recognized with Diners’ Choice Awards for being charming, intimate, and perfect for special occasions, Bella Monica is where Raleigh gathers to enjoy great food, local art, and a lively atmosphere. Mangia bene!

Top review

Julie

Dined 4 days ago

Our favorite restaurant in the area! Excellent gluten free options with separate menu and they even bring GF focaccia bread to start yum : ) Birthdays are very special here - they write your name on the sidewalk and give you a special dessert! My husband says they have the best tiramisu in the triangle. In addition, their less expensive house wines are excellent- we typically split the 1/2 liter of Montepulciano.

Refectory Cafe

4.8

4.8 (980)

$30 and under

American

Durham

About the restaurant

Established in 2005, The Refectory Cafe was the first “Green” restaurant on the Duke campus and was located at the Duke Divinity and Law Schools. Now located just 2 miles from Duke's West Campus, The award-winning Refectory Cafe continues to be the restaurant where omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free folks happily share a table together in the same facility. Every diet classification can delight in delicious, satisfying, creative food from a common menu, while enjoying the health benefits of consuming clean food, minimally processed.

Appreciate the Award winning flavor and creativity of our Executive Chef Jake Miles & Pastry Chef Rosa Redel.

MOST RECENT AWARDS: 2023-2025
2023 #4 Independent Restaurant in the STATE (Southern Living Magazine)
TripAdvisor #1 / #2
Best Brunch
Best Wine List
Best Pie
Best Vegan
Best Vegetarian
Best Patio Dining

We look forward to serving you! You will love the food and our team!

Top review

Harriet

Dined 7 days ago

Easy to get to and lots of parking available. Shaded outdoor seating available and dining room with beautiful fresh flowers on the tables. Wait staff was friendly, respectful and knowledgeable. Indian Dal entree was delightful!

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Popular dish

Huevos Rancheros

Experience

Another Incredible Italian Wine Dinner

Littlest Tea Room

4.8

4.8 (30)

$31 to $50

Afternoon Tea

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Tucked inside Little Native Coffee Co., the "Littlest Tea Room" is Raleigh's first SpeakTEAsy and offers a cozy speakeasy-style retreat with a "dark academia" vibe. Dress to impress or come as you are—either way, you’ll love the ambiance and charm. Our space is perfect for intimate gatherings or a casual, but unique afternoon escape. Reserve your spot today!

Private bookings available! ......................................................................................................................................................................................................
PARTIES OF MORE THAN (4) PEOPLE - Please email LittlestTeaRoom@gmail.com as parties of 4+take up multiple tables and need to be manually added. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE COFFEE SHOP. Our baristas cannot add reservations.

Top review

Jewel

Dined on Jun 26, 2025

Our host was amazing and had fun with us. He was knowledgeable and made our visit spectacular.

Carolina Brewery - Pittsboro

4.7

4.7 (122)

$30 and under

Southern

Chapel Hill

About the restaurant

Carolina Brewery is a brewpub located in Pittsboro, North Carolina that specializes in serving craft beers and American pub fare. The restaurant features a lively atmosphere with a full bar, patio and numerous televisions broadcasting sporting events. Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro serves lunch and dinner daily and offers a variety of menu items made using fresh, in season fruits and vegetables and locally raised beef. The restaurant offers an extensive menu of starters, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, typical pub fare and desserts. Featured entrées at Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro include chicken mac and cheese, down East BBQ plate, crab cakes, shrimp and grits and fish and chips.

Top review

DebbieVIP

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

Great food and service. Friendly server. My family loves the specials menu. Today we had the chicken soup and burger.

Omakase by Kai

4.6

4.6 (16)

$50 and over

Sushi

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Welcome to Omakase by , a truly unique combination of classic Japanese & Korean dishes by Chef Chung.

From a selection of luxurious dishes to contemporary plates, the Omakase by Kai menu is made by our talented chefs who use the best seasonal ingredients from carefully selected suppliers.

Top review

Peter

Dined on Jun 18, 2025

We Got the omakase premium and shared it between the two of us and it was probably the best sushi meal we have ever had and we have been to nobu in a few places and morimoto in Philly. These guys are doing really amazing stuff

Khao Sen

4.6

4.6 (74)

$30 and under

Thai

Fuquay-Varina

About the restaurant

Join us at Khao Sen and discover why our passion for Thai cuisine extends beyond the kitchen. From our family to yours, let's share the joy of good food and great company.

Top review

Bruce

Dined 7 days ago

This place continues to be a gem. Food is tasty and well prepared. Portions are generous and service is excellent. It can be a little noisy during peak hours, but the food more than makes up for that.

Giorgio Pizza Bar

4.5

4.5 (227)

$31 to $50

Pizza Bar

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Giorgio Pizza Bar, located in the North Hills neighborhood of Raleigh, offers a local, seasonal approach to both hand-tossed, crispy, sourdough pizzas as well as other regional pizza styles. In addition to pizza, our menu offers small Italian-style shared plates of vegetables, meat, seafood, and pasta- served alongside Italian wines and craft cocktails. Enjoy a seat at our large bar for lunch or dinner with pizza tossing in action!

Top review

Laurie

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

The food was so delicious! The pizza special was a deep dish pizza with pear and blue cheese...so amazing! We ordered three different pizzas to share. Every one was delicious! Our server was very friendly and attentive! Would highly recommend Giorgio's!

Parkside Restaurant

4.3

4.3 (147)

$30 and under

American

Wendell

About the restaurant

Welcome to Parkside Restaurant in Wendell! We are so glad you can join us at our new location in beautiful Treelight Square, Wendell Falls. We have worked hard on this new iteration of Parkside and have tried to encapsulate everything that is well loved from our Downtown Raleigh restaurant to bring here to you. Locally owned and operated, Parkside is the cornerstone of comfort and fresh food. You will find a relaxing place to enjoy an evening in one of our cozy booths or a gathering place for your friends and family to celebrate special occasions in our spacious dining room or semi private dining. At the center of our gorgeous restaurant, you will find our marble bar boasting a large selection of draft beers, wines, and top shelf whiskeys.

We strive to provide top notch service day and night, whether you're in for a quick lunch or night out. You can also find us on Doordash and Toast TakeOut via our website.

We are so excited to be part of the Wendell Falls community!

919-374-7162

Top review

David

Dined 5 days ago

Food was delicious and well prepared. Service was attentive without being invasive. Overall it was a very positive experience.

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