Ashley Christensen

James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen added another accolade to her storied career when Poole’s Diner earned Michelin Recommended recognition. Widely regarded as one of the restaurants that helped spark Raleigh’s culinary renaissance, Poole’s serves elevated comfort food rooted in Southern traditions. Chalkboard menus change frequently, but guests can always expect thoughtful ingredients, impeccable technique and the restaurant’s famous macaroni au gratin. The lively downtown diner atmosphere remains as welcoming today as when it opened in 2007.

Bhavin Chhatwani

Chef Bhavin Chhatwani continues to garner national attention, earning both a James Beard Award semifinalist nod and Michelin Recommended recognition for Tamasha Modern Indian. Located in North Hills, Tamasha presents bold, contemporary interpretations of Indian cuisine, balancing traditional flavors with modern techniques. Dishes range from elevated street-food-inspired bites to richly layered curries, all served in a vibrant, upscale setting that has become one of Raleigh’s hottest reservations.

Cheetie Kumar

Mediterranean meets the Middle East at Ajja, where chef Cheetie Kumar and partner Paul Siler invite you to discover diverse cultural foodways. Delight in dips and spreads like warm Moroccan hummus, or indulge in the richness of lamb seekh for your main course. Ajja offers a variety of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, so there is sure to be something to satisfy everyone’s appetite. Come hungry and see why it was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2024. (Esquire also named it one of “50 Best New Restaurants in America” in 2023!)

Chris Garrett, Brad Weddington & Graham Weddington

At Seraphine, Executive Chef Chris Garrett partners with restaurateurs Brad Weddington and Graham Weddington to bring modern Louisiana cuisine to Durham’s  American Tobacco Campus. Michelin inspectors recognized the restaurant for its thoughtful interpretation of Cajun and Creole traditions, showcased through dishes like gumbo, barbecue shrimp, seasonal seafood and fresh Gulf-inspired fare. Housed in a beautifully designed space with warm hospitality and refined cocktails, Seraphine feels equally suited for a celebratory dinner or a leisurely weekend brunch.

Christopher Prieto

Texan Christopher Prieto, named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2025, cut his teeth teaching barbecue classes and traveling around the country cooking competitively before settling in the Triangle to open Prime Barbecue in Knightdale. In 2024, he opened Primo Latin Cuisine adjacent to that space. A nod to Christopher’s Puerto Rican heritage, Primo serves a fusion of Latin flavors and traditional barbecue, which meld in dishes like the “Tripleta Taco” featuring pork lechon, brisket, ham, cilantro, pickled onion, sour cream sauce, plantain strips and salsa verde, all wrapped up in a handmade flour tortilla. Christopher’s most recent venture, Prime STQ, combined his expertise in barbecue with a focus on steak. The restaurant opened at Durham’s Horseshoe at Hub RTP in fall 2025.

Chun Shi

Part brewery, part dim sum house, part book store and part floral shop, Brewery Bhavana provides a distinctive dining experience within Raleigh’s food landscape. Led by chef Chun Shi, the Michelin Recommended establishment serves shareable plates inspired by Chinese cuisine alongside award-winning craft beer. Signature dishes include soup dumplings, Peking duck and inventive seasonal specials. The lush interior, filled with books, flowers and natural light, continues to make Brewery Bhavana a favorite for locals and visitors alike.

Drew Maykuth

For more than a decade, Stanbury has brought chef-driven, global-inspired plates to Raleigh’s Blount Street, and Michelin inspectors took notice. Known for its ever-changing menu of wood-fired meats, seafood and vegetable dishes, the restaurant embraces a no-reservations model that rewards spontaneity. The intimate, bustling dining room and open kitchen create a lively energy, while the menu’s creativity and precision keep diners returning again and again.

Giorgios Bakatsias

Giorgios Bakatsias received Michelin Recommended recognition for Nikos, his upscale Mediterranean concept. The restaurateur has been a fixture of Durham’s dining scene for decades, and was inspired by the flavors of Greece and the broader Mediterranean region for this Brightleaf Square spot. The menu features fresh seafood, grilled meats, house-made pastas and vibrant vegetable-forward dishes. The airy dining room combines contemporary elegance with old-world warmth, creating a destination for both special occasions and everyday indulgence.

Matt Kelly

Chef-restaurateur Matt Kelly earned Michelin Recommended recognition for his reimagination of beloved Durham institution Nana’s. The menu blends southern ingredients with European influences, offering elegant dishes built around seasonal produce, seafood and expertly prepared meats. The dining room strikes a balance between polished and approachable, reflecting Matt’s longstanding philosophy of hospitality-driven dining. Through his family of restaurants, he continues to shape Durham’s nationally recognized culinary identity.

Michelle Vanderwalker and Sean Umstead

Michelle Vanderwalker and Sean Umstead co-created Durham’s “ground-to-glass” cocktail haven Kingfisher – nominated for a James Beard Award in 2023 for Outstanding Bar. Here, patrons embark on a sensory journey through farm-driven seasonal menus, most of which also offer nonalcoholic options. The pair also collaborate on Queeny’s, located in the space above Kingfisher, and their newest venture, QueenBurger, took up residence at American Tobacco Campus in 2022. Queeny’s offers a more laid-back version of Kingfisher’s thoughtful bar offerings, plus a full food menu with plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, like the “Mt. Airy Sandwich,” composed of either chili-rubbed pork loin or tofu topped with pickled and fresh veggies and herby mayo.

Nick & Bryce Dampf

Brothers Nick Dampf and Bryce Dampf earned Michelin Recommended recognition for their Cary smokehouse, which specializes in Texas-style barbecue. Guests line up for expertly smoked brisket, ribs, turkey and house-made sides, all prepared with meticulous attention to detail. Despite national recognition, the restaurant maintains a laid-back, community-focused atmosphere that feels true to its neighborhood roots.

Oscar Diaz

Chef Oscar Diaz has quickly become one of Durham’s most celebrated culinary voices. A two-time James Beard Award nominee, Oscar earned Michelin Recommended recognition in 2025 for Little Bull, his inventive Durham restaurant that showcases what he calls “pocho cuisine” – a deeply personal blend of Mexican heritage, Midwestern influences and Southern ingredients. The menu is playful and unexpected, featuring dishes that combine fine-dining technique with comfort-food familiarity. Located in Durham’s Old Five Points neighborhood, Little Bull offers an energetic, colorful atmosphere that mirrors Oscar’s creative approach to food.

Paul Gagne

The Fearrington House Restaurant, nestled within the idyllic Fearrington Village, continues to top lists for fine dining in North Carolina. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Paul Gagne, the restaurant earned Michelin Recommended recognition for its elegant tasting menus, impeccable service and luxurious atmosphere. Seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms shine in beautifully executed dishes that have made Fearrington a destination for decades.

Preeti Waas

At her acclaimed eatery Cheeni, chef Preeti Waas serves up authentic, home-cooked Indian dishes that foster a sense of community. Preeti, a semifinalist for the esteemed Best Chef: Southeast accolade in both 2023 and 2024 for Cheeni’s now-shuttered Raleigh outpost, showcases her culinary prowess at the Durham location with seasonal menu items like pork aam kasundi, a delectable fusion of heritage pork, green mango and Bengali mustard. Cheeni’s beverage program, The Bar Beej, spearheaded by Preeti and her daughter Amy Waas, was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best New Bar category in 2025.

Ricky Moore

Dive into oceanic wonders at Saltbox Seafood Joint, a spot focused on fresh catches from the North Carolina coast. It was curated by James Beard Award-winner Ricky Moore, who took home the Best Chef: Southeast award in 2022 and was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2025. The chalkboard menu changes daily, and the availability of fish varies depending on what the skilled fisherfolk are catching, but you can always expect a choice of crispy fried or sizzling spiced griddled fish or shellfish.

Scott Crawford

Few chefs have had a larger impact on the Triangle’s dining scene than James Beard Award semifinalist Scott Crawford. His restaurant portfolio continues to grow, with recent openings including Brodeto, which offers elegant southern Italian and Croatian fare; Sous Terre, an underground cocktail club; and Crawford Brothers Steakhouse, featuring prime dry-aged steaks. But Michelin inspectors recognized Jolie, his French-inspired neighborhood restaurant in Raleigh’s Oakwood district, for its combination of classic French techniques with North Carolina ingredients, serving dishes like steak frites, seafood towers and seasonal specialties in a stylish, intimate setting.

Steven Devereaux Greene

Located inside The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Herons has long been considered one of the Southeast’s premier dining experiences. Executive Chef Steven Devereaux Greene oversees a menu that blends contemporary American cuisine with artistic presentation and hyperseasonal ingredients, many sourced from the property’s own gardens. Michelin inspectors were impressed by the restaurant’s precision, creativity and consistency, which are showcased through both tasting menus and a la carte offerings.

Sunny Gerhart and Keith Rhodes

Named after the patron saint of New Orleans, St. Roch brings Gulf Coast flavors to downtown Raleigh. Chef-owner Sunny Gerhart and partner Keith Rhodes have created a seafood-centric destination known for fresh oysters, crudos, seafood towers and Southern coastal classics. Michelin Recommended recognition highlights the restaurant’s commitment to quality ingredients, warm hospitality and a lively atmosphere that feels equally suited for happy hour or a celebratory dinner.

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