8 Stops for a Perfect Day of Dining in Raleigh (2024)

Welcome to the bakery and stone mill on the edge of town that creates such gorgeous breads and pastries that James Beard Award winner Ashley Christensen would call them “so damn good.” The goods are baked with organic, heirloom and locally sourced grains, from the seeded levain (studded with flax, sesame and sunflower seeds) to the croissants and pastries graced with seasonal fruits and vegetables. There’s seating to accommodate the sudden, pre-brunch cravings as well. Opt for a picnic table on the patio.

• Open in Google Maps

Skip the brunch bacon and succumb to innovative vegan and vegetarian delights. Aim for Southern fried fare with the fried “chicken” and waffle featuring fried mock chicken, flavored with marinade and herb seasoning, tossed atop a Belgian-style waffle and sweetened with agave. Or steer to the lighter side with an item like the Funday Quiche, whipped up vegan or vegetarian with seasonal vegetables baked in tofu or egg custard with homemade crust.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Time for a post-brunch beer and a good book. Bhavana (which means “cultivating” in Sanskrit) offers a trifecta of indulgence, with a book shop, a brewery and a dim-sum eatery in one space. The shop, set in the middle, is stocked with a diverse array of literature including books, magazines and journals, plus delicate flower arrangements for sale. Through one wall is the 40-tap brewery highlighting 10 core beers (brewed down the street) from the Luscious Little Session IPA to the Sneaky Fig Dubbel, among other suds. Through another wall is the dim-sum restaurant, where a hungry beer-drinker or book-reader can taste tempting bites such as scallion pancakes and pork bao.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Brewery Bhavana

Humble Pie’s patio is the place to go for a sip in the sun and a small plate. The vibe is casual and the expectation is to share, whether a visitor fancies tater tots to plunge into smoky pimento cheese or pork belly sliders with hoisin barbecue and scallions.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Humble Pie

Step inside the doors of the chocolate factory and breathe in the scent of cocoa beans and tempering bricks. The white and dark bars are crafted onsite with ingredients like organic cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and organic sugar. Curious spirits can take a peek at the process in the back, through large viewing windows. At the front, near the case of exquisitely finished chocolates prepped (and some edibly painted) for purchase, there’s plenty to sample. Bonus: The outdoor patio is BYOB.

• Open in Google Maps

Katie Toussaint

Come for: the arcade-style games. There are more than 70 arcade cabinets (there’s a mix of classic and modern), more than a dozen pinball machines, and more than 175 console games to bring out the inner child while maintaining an adult aura via beers by the bottle, draft, and can. North Carolina craft beers are on the menu, from locations like Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston and Raleigh Brewing Company in the city limits. Fuel the games with: the free popcorn, popped fresh at all hours.

• Open in Google Maps

Boxcar Bar + Arcade

For dinner, chef Ashley Christensen’s concept is simple but raved about — fried chicken and Southern sides seasonally sourced. Start with the Carolina Reaper Hot Chicken Sandwich, a gastronomical force to be reckoned with thanks to the world’s hottest pepper — but it’s somewhat eased with buttermilk bread. Not to be overlooked: the sweet stuff, from brown butter church cake to bourbon pecan pie.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Beasley’s Chicken + Honey

For a more elegant Ashley Christensen dinner experience, there’s Death and Taxes. The name was inspired by the funeral home and bank that previously occupied the building, and the menu was inspired by wood-fire cooking techniques. The list of offerings boasts starters like charcuterie with grilled bread and pickles, main dishes like grilled poulet rouge with charred eggplant relleno and NC shrimp with black rice, and sides like embered carrots and tahini.

• Open in Google Maps

Death & Taxes

Welcome to the bakery and stone mill on the edge of town that creates such gorgeous breads and pastries that James Beard Award winner Ashley Christensen would call them “so damn good.” The goods are baked with organic, heirloom and locally sourced grains, from the seeded levain (studded with flax, sesame and sunflower seeds) to the croissants and pastries graced with seasonal fruits and vegetables. There’s seating to accommodate the sudden, pre-brunch cravings as well. Opt for a picnic table on the patio.

• Open in Google Maps

Skip the brunch bacon and succumb to innovative vegan and vegetarian delights. Aim for Southern fried fare with the fried “chicken” and waffle featuring fried mock chicken, flavored with marinade and herb seasoning, tossed atop a Belgian-style waffle and sweetened with agave. Or steer to the lighter side with an item like the Funday Quiche, whipped up vegan or vegetarian with seasonal vegetables baked in tofu or egg custard with homemade crust.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Time for a post-brunch beer and a good book. Bhavana (which means “cultivating” in Sanskrit) offers a trifecta of indulgence, with a book shop, a brewery and a dim-sum eatery in one space. The shop, set in the middle, is stocked with a diverse array of literature including books, magazines and journals, plus delicate flower arrangements for sale. Through one wall is the 40-tap brewery highlighting 10 core beers (brewed down the street) from the Luscious Little Session IPA to the Sneaky Fig Dubbel, among other suds. Through another wall is the dim-sum restaurant, where a hungry beer-drinker or book-reader can taste tempting bites such as scallion pancakes and pork bao.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Brewery Bhavana

Humble Pie’s patio is the place to go for a sip in the sun and a small plate. The vibe is casual and the expectation is to share, whether a visitor fancies tater tots to plunge into smoky pimento cheese or pork belly sliders with hoisin barbecue and scallions.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Humble Pie

Step inside the doors of the chocolate factory and breathe in the scent of cocoa beans and tempering bricks. The white and dark bars are crafted onsite with ingredients like organic cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and organic sugar. Curious spirits can take a peek at the process in the back, through large viewing windows. At the front, near the case of exquisitely finished chocolates prepped (and some edibly painted) for purchase, there’s plenty to sample. Bonus: The outdoor patio is BYOB.

• Open in Google Maps

Katie Toussaint

Come for: the arcade-style games. There are more than 70 arcade cabinets (there’s a mix of classic and modern), more than a dozen pinball machines, and more than 175 console games to bring out the inner child while maintaining an adult aura via beers by the bottle, draft, and can. North Carolina craft beers are on the menu, from locations like Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston and Raleigh Brewing Company in the city limits. Fuel the games with: the free popcorn, popped fresh at all hours.

• Open in Google Maps

Boxcar Bar + Arcade

For dinner, chef Ashley Christensen’s concept is simple but raved about — fried chicken and Southern sides seasonally sourced. Start with the Carolina Reaper Hot Chicken Sandwich, a gastronomical force to be reckoned with thanks to the world’s hottest pepper — but it’s somewhat eased with buttermilk bread. Not to be overlooked: the sweet stuff, from brown butter church cake to bourbon pecan pie.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Beasley’s Chicken + Honey

For a more elegant Ashley Christensen dinner experience, there’s Death and Taxes. The name was inspired by the funeral home and bank that previously occupied the building, and the menu was inspired by wood-fire cooking techniques. The list of offerings boasts starters like charcuterie with grilled bread and pickles, main dishes like grilled poulet rouge with charred eggplant relleno and NC shrimp with black rice, and sides like embered carrots and tahini.

• Open in Google Maps

Death & Taxes

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