13 Hottest Restaurants in the Triangle, April 2024 (2024)

Stacey Sprenz

Croatian fare in Raleigh, comforting Indian plates in Durham, smoky Laotian cuisine in Cary, and other exciting new spots in the Triangle

by Matt Lardie Updated Apr 25, 2024, 8:05am EDT

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| Stacey Sprenz

Named one of Eater’s 11 Best New Restaurants in America back in 2021, Sanford’s Fonda Lupita has heeded the calls from fans and opened a second location in Durham’s Brightleaf Square. The homestyle cooking of owner Biridiana Frausto’s family’s home state of Querétaro, Mexico, fills the menu, as in the original location. Slowly braised meats and stews are served as tacos, gorditas, quesadillas, and more. When the menudo is on the menu, it’s a must-order.

• Open in Google Maps

Forrest Mason Media

The long-awaited reopening of Zweli’s is here, with the popular African restaurant having recently relocated to new digs in Brightleaf Square. Customers at this new iteration of Zweli’s can expect the same classic Zimbabwean cuisine that helped put chef Zweli Williams on the map. Piri piri chicken, spicy stews, jollof rice, and more are available in the restaurant and as catered meals. A full wine and co*cktail program complementsthe food, but a nice cold pilsner might be the best bet to pair with the punchy Zimbabwean flavors.

• Open in Google Maps

Longtime Durham wine guy Sergio Ramos has set out on his own with a pop-up Portuguese wine bar called Pinheiro. While he looks for a permanent home, Ramos is previewing Pinheiro on the back patio of Kingfisher in downtown Durham on select weekends. Ramos has transformed the space into a European-style bistro and customers can select from a wine list that includes a refreshing vinho verde, juicy Intensus Reserva 2019 red wine from the Alentejo region, a Portonic (white port and tonic), and more, including a reserve glass list of hard-to-find Portuguese wines. Follow Pinheiro on Instagram to find out the full pop-up schedule.

• Open in Google Maps

Ever since opening Cheeni Indian Food Emporium in North Raleigh (and becoming a James Beard semi-finalist), chef/owner Preeti Waas would hear from customers asking when she was going to open a spot in Durham. Last year she did just that, taking over the former Jack Tar space right on CCB Plaza in the heart of downtown Durham. The new location and bigger kitchen allows Waas and her team to expand the menu. Customers can expect many of the favorites from the Raleigh location, like the uber-popular fish curry, as well as whatever tickles Waas’s fancy on a particular day. In January Waas was named a James Beard Award Semi-Finalist for Best Chef: Southeast.

• Open in Google Maps

Elena Carron

Occupying the space of the late-lamented Dos Perros, ThaiAngle brings an upscale approach to Thai cuisine to downtown Durham. The Hidden Treasure, spicy balls of minced fish, crab, shrimp, and herbs, comes served in an iron appam pan, and a grilled New York strip steak is served Northern-Thai style with shredded fruits, vegetables, and a spicy sauce. Familiar curries, noodle dishes, appetizers, and even sushi all get a bit of a glow-up while still keeping true to Thai flavors.

• Open in Google Maps

Downtown Durham music maven (and co-founder of the Art of Cool Festival) Cicely Mitchell opened Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, a jazz bar, in the former Old Havana space on East Main Street. Regular live performances offer jazz enthusiasts a chance to hear some of the region’s best talent, while longtime industry veteran Adrian Lindsay and his team mix up co*cktails at the Front Room bar. If the packed opening night was any indication, Missy Lane’s will quickly become one of Durham’s premiere social spaces.

• Open in Google Maps

The team behind former Durham Food Hall fave Old North Meats has opened a new restaurant in the Lakewood neighborhood. Lakewood Social brings many of the same expert takes on sandwiches and handhelds that Old North Meats offered, served in a spacious barn that’s perfect for families. The mortadella sandwich, with lemony ricotta cheese, a pistachio gremolata, and arugula is a home run. The chicken doner kebab platter is great for sharing, and classic appetizers like chicken tenders and French onion dip pair great with the large beer, wine, and co*cktail list.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

The grande dame of Durham dining is back, this time revamped by local chef and restaurateur Matt Kelly, with Nate Garyantes as chef and partner. The menu features old-school classics dressed up for modern times — the beef tartare comes with rosti potatoes and Thousand Island dressing, while the grits souffle is adorned with chanterelles, foie gras, and a Parmiagiano fonduta. Mains include duck, lamb, a whole wood-fired fish, and a dry-aged NY strip steak. co*cktails and desserts also lean classic, with martinis and sours, creme brulee and tiramisu, among other offerings.

• Open in Google Maps

Lissa Gotwals

The Triangle has plenty of Indian restaurants, but none come close to the fine-dining vibes that Tamasha Modern Indian offers. Chef Bhavin Chhatwani brings his experience in Michelin-starred kitchens to North Hills, serving dishes like dahi ke kebab (yogurt croquettes with cashews, raisins, caramelized onions, and cottage cheese) and the TMC, Chhatwani’s take on fried chicken. Eater correspondents report the butter chicken is a must-order, as is the lemongrass thandai dessert.

• Open in Google Maps

Harsha Sipani

A couple of years ago chef Scott Crawford helped lead a culinary tour to Croatia, and after a few trips back, it’s clear the country, and the Northern Adriatic region in general, made an impression. So much so that last month he debuted his latest restaurant, Brodeto, an ode to the Italian-Balkan cuisine that can be found across Northern Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. There’s his take on peka, a traditional Croatian dish slow-cooked over and under hot coals, a version of crni rizot (black risotto), plenty of pastas, and more. A great selection of Croatian and Northern Italian wines pairs wonderfully with the menu.

• Open in Google Maps

Brodeto

Chef Lon Bounsanga, formerly of Raleigh’s Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana, has struck out on his own with Saap. In this new space, Bounsanga focuses on the dishes and flavors of his hometown of Vientiane, Laos. There are smoky grilled meats reminiscent of the street foods found throughout the city, a housemade herby Lao sausage, tom khem (braised pork belly ribs), and pho Lao, a Laotian take on the famous Vietnamese soup that is served with oxtail, thinly sliced brisket, beef meatballs, and rice noodles in a bone broth.

• Open in Google Maps

Perhaps Raleigh’s most-anticipated restaurant opening of the year so far, the pasta water is boiling and the doors are officially open at Figulina. Helmed by former Poole’s chef-de-cuisine David Ellis, Figulina focuses on handcrafted pasta as the vehicle to explore local ingredients and Southern cuisine. There’s a nori bucatini with crab, chili, and black garlic, rigatoni with braised sweet potato, and cappelleti with short ribs and mushroom conserva. Pastas pair with a small plates menu of items such as lamb rillette and charred savoy cabbage. The co*cktail menu is heavily influenced by Italian amari, and the wine menu is pulled together by local photographer and Italian wine expert Jeff Bramwell.

• Open in Google Maps

The second location of this popular Black- and veteran-owned eatery (the original is in Jacksonville, North Carolina) has recently opened in downtown Raleigh. Flavor Hills serves dinner and weekend brunch with a menu that focuses on American classics like fried green tomatoes, Southwestern egg rolls, po’ boys, chicken and waffles, and more. Try the waffle burger on the brunch menu for a state fair-esque experience — a short rib beef patty with cheddar, bacon, and a fried egg is wedged in between two toasted sugar pearl Belgian waffles and served with maple aioli.

• Open in Google Maps

Flavor Hills

Named one of Eater’s 11 Best New Restaurants in America back in 2021, Sanford’s Fonda Lupita has heeded the calls from fans and opened a second location in Durham’s Brightleaf Square. The homestyle cooking of owner Biridiana Frausto’s family’s home state of Querétaro, Mexico, fills the menu, as in the original location. Slowly braised meats and stews are served as tacos, gorditas, quesadillas, and more. When the menudo is on the menu, it’s a must-order.

• Open in Google Maps

Forrest Mason Media

The long-awaited reopening of Zweli’s is here, with the popular African restaurant having recently relocated to new digs in Brightleaf Square. Customers at this new iteration of Zweli’s can expect the same classic Zimbabwean cuisine that helped put chef Zweli Williams on the map. Piri piri chicken, spicy stews, jollof rice, and more are available in the restaurant and as catered meals. A full wine and co*cktail program complementsthe food, but a nice cold pilsner might be the best bet to pair with the punchy Zimbabwean flavors.

• Open in Google Maps

Longtime Durham wine guy Sergio Ramos has set out on his own with a pop-up Portuguese wine bar called Pinheiro. While he looks for a permanent home, Ramos is previewing Pinheiro on the back patio of Kingfisher in downtown Durham on select weekends. Ramos has transformed the space into a European-style bistro and customers can select from a wine list that includes a refreshing vinho verde, juicy Intensus Reserva 2019 red wine from the Alentejo region, a Portonic (white port and tonic), and more, including a reserve glass list of hard-to-find Portuguese wines. Follow Pinheiro on Instagram to find out the full pop-up schedule.

• Open in Google Maps

Ever since opening Cheeni Indian Food Emporium in North Raleigh (and becoming a James Beard semi-finalist), chef/owner Preeti Waas would hear from customers asking when she was going to open a spot in Durham. Last year she did just that, taking over the former Jack Tar space right on CCB Plaza in the heart of downtown Durham. The new location and bigger kitchen allows Waas and her team to expand the menu. Customers can expect many of the favorites from the Raleigh location, like the uber-popular fish curry, as well as whatever tickles Waas’s fancy on a particular day. In January Waas was named a James Beard Award Semi-Finalist for Best Chef: Southeast.

• Open in Google Maps

Elena Carron

Occupying the space of the late-lamented Dos Perros, ThaiAngle brings an upscale approach to Thai cuisine to downtown Durham. The Hidden Treasure, spicy balls of minced fish, crab, shrimp, and herbs, comes served in an iron appam pan, and a grilled New York strip steak is served Northern-Thai style with shredded fruits, vegetables, and a spicy sauce. Familiar curries, noodle dishes, appetizers, and even sushi all get a bit of a glow-up while still keeping true to Thai flavors.

• Open in Google Maps

Downtown Durham music maven (and co-founder of the Art of Cool Festival) Cicely Mitchell opened Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, a jazz bar, in the former Old Havana space on East Main Street. Regular live performances offer jazz enthusiasts a chance to hear some of the region’s best talent, while longtime industry veteran Adrian Lindsay and his team mix up co*cktails at the Front Room bar. If the packed opening night was any indication, Missy Lane’s will quickly become one of Durham’s premiere social spaces.

• Open in Google Maps

The team behind former Durham Food Hall fave Old North Meats has opened a new restaurant in the Lakewood neighborhood. Lakewood Social brings many of the same expert takes on sandwiches and handhelds that Old North Meats offered, served in a spacious barn that’s perfect for families. The mortadella sandwich, with lemony ricotta cheese, a pistachio gremolata, and arugula is a home run. The chicken doner kebab platter is great for sharing, and classic appetizers like chicken tenders and French onion dip pair great with the large beer, wine, and co*cktail list.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

The grande dame of Durham dining is back, this time revamped by local chef and restaurateur Matt Kelly, with Nate Garyantes as chef and partner. The menu features old-school classics dressed up for modern times — the beef tartare comes with rosti potatoes and Thousand Island dressing, while the grits souffle is adorned with chanterelles, foie gras, and a Parmiagiano fonduta. Mains include duck, lamb, a whole wood-fired fish, and a dry-aged NY strip steak. co*cktails and desserts also lean classic, with martinis and sours, creme brulee and tiramisu, among other offerings.

• Open in Google Maps

Lissa Gotwals

The Triangle has plenty of Indian restaurants, but none come close to the fine-dining vibes that Tamasha Modern Indian offers. Chef Bhavin Chhatwani brings his experience in Michelin-starred kitchens to North Hills, serving dishes like dahi ke kebab (yogurt croquettes with cashews, raisins, caramelized onions, and cottage cheese) and the TMC, Chhatwani’s take on fried chicken. Eater correspondents report the butter chicken is a must-order, as is the lemongrass thandai dessert.

• Open in Google Maps

Harsha Sipani

A couple of years ago chef Scott Crawford helped lead a culinary tour to Croatia, and after a few trips back, it’s clear the country, and the Northern Adriatic region in general, made an impression. So much so that last month he debuted his latest restaurant, Brodeto, an ode to the Italian-Balkan cuisine that can be found across Northern Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. There’s his take on peka, a traditional Croatian dish slow-cooked over and under hot coals, a version of crni rizot (black risotto), plenty of pastas, and more. A great selection of Croatian and Northern Italian wines pairs wonderfully with the menu.

• Open in Google Maps

Brodeto

Chef Lon Bounsanga, formerly of Raleigh’s Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana, has struck out on his own with Saap. In this new space, Bounsanga focuses on the dishes and flavors of his hometown of Vientiane, Laos. There are smoky grilled meats reminiscent of the street foods found throughout the city, a housemade herby Lao sausage, tom khem (braised pork belly ribs), and pho Lao, a Laotian take on the famous Vietnamese soup that is served with oxtail, thinly sliced brisket, beef meatballs, and rice noodles in a bone broth.

• Open in Google Maps

Perhaps Raleigh’s most-anticipated restaurant opening of the year so far, the pasta water is boiling and the doors are officially open at Figulina. Helmed by former Poole’s chef-de-cuisine David Ellis, Figulina focuses on handcrafted pasta as the vehicle to explore local ingredients and Southern cuisine. There’s a nori bucatini with crab, chili, and black garlic, rigatoni with braised sweet potato, and cappelleti with short ribs and mushroom conserva. Pastas pair with a small plates menu of items such as lamb rillette and charred savoy cabbage. The co*cktail menu is heavily influenced by Italian amari, and the wine menu is pulled together by local photographer and Italian wine expert Jeff Bramwell.

• Open in Google Maps

The second location of this popular Black- and veteran-owned eatery (the original is in Jacksonville, North Carolina) has recently opened in downtown Raleigh. Flavor Hills serves dinner and weekend brunch with a menu that focuses on American classics like fried green tomatoes, Southwestern egg rolls, po’ boys, chicken and waffles, and more. Try the waffle burger on the brunch menu for a state fair-esque experience — a short rib beef patty with cheddar, bacon, and a fried egg is wedged in between two toasted sugar pearl Belgian waffles and served with maple aioli.

• Open in Google Maps

Flavor Hills

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