It's been a sizzling 12 months for great new food in the Raleigh area, from date night spots to pizza shops and more. We've highlighted a range of unique concepts—including a MICHLEIN Guide selection—to help find your next night on the town. Let's dig in!
BEST NEW BARBECUE
Perhaps the most highly anticipated restaurant opening of 2025 in the Raleigh area, chef Jake Wood's Lawrence Barbecue—now anchored in booming downtown Cary—has more than lived up to the hype.
Wood treats smoke and fire as a starting line, not a finish. The pulled pork is dialed in and deeply satisfying, yes, but the restaurant is quick to remind you that they are not your traditional Tar Heel State 'cue joint. In fact, the menu meshes North Carolina, Tex-Mex and coastal flavors into one brilliant offering—so you can load up a platter with pulled pork alongside brisket birria, poblano queso, smoked-then-fried wings, oysters and even crab claws.
With palm trees on the walls and an adopted slogan of "the spirit of leisure," the vibe is laid-back (to say the least), with a wide-open layout that encourages sharing plates, trading bites and sticking around for “one more.”
- 150 E. Cedar St., Cary, NC 27511
BEST NEW SPIRITS & STEAKHOUSE MASH-UP
A Tar Heel State institution now gets the City of Oaks treatment at this elegant outpost in downtown Raleigh's Smoky Hollow district. The Crunkleton, which has made its name as one of North Carolina’s top cocktail bars over the last decade, has gone full steakhouse here—adding dry-aged tomahawks, oysters and buttery vegetables (cooked over live wood fire) to its repertoire of antique spirits and pre-Prohibition pours.
Opened in spring 2025, the new location is helmed by chef Gregory Balch. And while the menu leans lavish—think house-ground burgers, coal-roasted seafood and shareable steaks served alongside old-school sides and a deep bench of rare spirits—the elements of a neighborhood bar are all still there.
- 403 W. Johnson St., Raleigh, NC 27603
BEST NEW SPECIAL-OCCASION MENU
Globe-trotting flavors meet North Carolina roots at Peregrine, a fine-dining stunner and deeply personal project from chef Saif Rahman and bar-owner-turned-partner Patrick Shanahan. The duo opened their long-dreamed-of restaurant in Raleigh’s booming Exchange district in spring 2025. The 100-seat space itself is a showstopper—arched plaster walls, grand chandeliers, soft music and shadowy corners.
On a menu that blends personal history, Southern sourcing and South Asian spices, start with Old Dhaka-style lamb kebabs, then go big with the Bengali Wedding Chicken, a whole spice-marinated bird best paired with fragrant pulao rice (a special occasion dish for your special night out at one of Raleigh's best new restaurants).
- 1000 Social St., Ste. 150, Raleigh, NC 27609
BEST NEW LATIN FLAVOR DESTINATION
From a trio of Raleigh area restaurant icons comes this masa-fueled ode to Latin American street food. Mala Pata—opened in May 2025 in Raleigh’s Gateway Plaza—centers everything around freshly nixtamalized heirloom corn, milled daily in-house and transformed into tortillas, tamales and tacos worth talking about.
Chef Zack Gragg leads the kitchen with reverence and range, blending Oaxacan, Colombian, Cuban and Southern influences into shareable plates like flautas de papas, shrimp aguachile and enchiladas with a North Carolina twist (hello, Cheerwine mole). It’s casual, yes—but all very intentional, with a sidecar mezcal bar called Peyote tucked just next door.
To say Mala Pata has been a hit would be an understatement. The restaurant was named as one of just seven restaurants in North Carolina to received a Bib Gourmand distinction from the MICHELIN Guide in 2025!
Read more about 14 Raleigh-area restaurants that have been recognized by MICHELIN here.
- 2431 Crabtree Blvd., Ste. 102, Raleigh, NC 27604
BEST NEW MEDITERRANEAN SOCIAL SPOT
Part distillery, part destination-worthy dinner spot, Boatman Spirits Co. is the newest anchor in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. This Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar is powered by a seasoned group of local bar and restaurant veterans, with a food menu that leans shareable and spice-forward—za’atar chicken wings, lamb kofta burgers and more—while the drinks showcase house-distilled spirits, from acorn amaro to anise-scented arak.
At more than 7,000 square feet, the space is sprawling and stylish, anchored by a shining copper still and layered with details that nod to ancient myth and modern nightlife (speaking of nightlife: this is your spot for Jazz Wednesdays, Hip Hop Thursdays and Salsa Fridays!).
- 713 Seaboard Station, Raleigh, NC 27603
BEST NEW MODERN INDIAN RESTAURANT
An approachable fine-dining addition for Indian cuisine in Raleigh, Jalwa (which means “splendor”) delivers high-style hospitality and boldly spiced fare in a fancy-leaning setting (but with a warm and welcoming vibe). Opened in early 2025, the restaurant is helmed by chef Mukesh Gautam and restaurateur Ajit Pal Singh Khanna.
Gautam’s dishes span the subcontinent, combining traditional Indian recipes with global inspiration—flambéed lamb, street-food-style chaats and refined takes on butter chicken and biryani—all plated with modern finesse. The menu also nods to Khanna’s family recipes, including a Dum Ki Nalli (lamb shank braised in a rich, aromatic tomato gravy) that’s become an early favorite.
- 6112 Falls of Neuse Rd., Raleigh, NC, 27609
BEST NEW VEGAN DINING
Playful, provocative and entirely plant-based, Marian is Glenwood South’s newest late-night darling. Opened in early 2025 by the team behind Element Gastropub, this mood-lit tapas bar flips the script on vegan dining, serving up small plates, big flavors and zero meat or dairy—without ever feeling preachy.
Chef Lelia Kidd channels global influences into dishes like “cruelty-free caviar,” meatless marrow and a vodka-sauced meatball that just happens to be vegan. Pair that with a classy cocktail and you're all set, as far as we're concerned (though we recommend not missing out on weekend brunch, either).
- 301 Glenwood Ave., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27603
