Restaurant Recommendations

The people have spoken! Thanks to all those who took the poll on restaurant recommendations. I am listing them all below. Any numbers in parentheses represent the number of people who repeated that same answer. You can Google any of these places and look for reviews.

I’m linking to the restaurant websites (but only one time, not in every category where they repeat). For restaurants with a specific cuisine, I am listing it. A few of you suggested places that are closed, so those are omitted.

Upscale/fine dining

1703

Bernardin’s

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

Fourth Street Filling Station (2)

Fratellis Italian Steakhouse (7)

Jeffrey Adams (7)

Katharine Brasserie (8) – French

Kitchen Roselli (East Bend, NC) – Italian

Milner’s (4) – Low Country

Mozelle’s (16) – Southern

Quanto Basta (2) – Italian

River Birch Lodge (2)

Roosters – A Noble Grille (10)

Ryan’s (18)

Spring House (6)

Sweet Potatoes (3) – Southern

The Tavern in Old Salem

Tre Nonne – Italian

Village Tavern (Reynolda Village)

Willow’s Bistro (3)

Casual dining

6th and Vine

Alma Mexicana (4) – Tex-Mex

Athena Greek Taverna – Greek

Bibb’s Downtown – BBQ

Canteen Market and Bistro (2)

Cin Cin Burger Bar (3) – Burgers

Crafted (4) – Tacos and street food

Cugino Forno (4) – Neapolitan pizza

Di Lisio’s Italian Restaurant – Italian

Elizabeth’s Italian Restaurant (4) – Italian

Finneganan’s Wake – Irish pub food

Foothills Brewery (3)

Fourth Street Filling Station (4)

Fratelli’s

Hero House – Greek

Jeffrey Adams

Kitchen Roselli (East Bend)

Krankies (2)

Little Richard’s – BBQ

Mama Zoe Michael’s (2)

May Way Dumplings (2) – Chinese

Mellow Mushroom – Pizza

Mi Pueblo – Mexican

Midtown Cafe and Dessertery

Milner’s

Mission Pizza Napoletana (3) – Pizza

Mizu – Japanese

Mooney’s Mediterranean Cafe – Mediterranean

Mozelle’s (2)

Mozzarella Fellas – Italian

Putters Patio and Grill (3)

Quanto Basta (4)

River Birch Lodge (2)

Roosters – A Noble Grill (2)

Silo (Reynolda Village)

Sweet Potatoes (2)

Tavern in Old Salem

Ted’s Kickin Chicken

The Basil Leaf Thai and Sushi Restaurant – Thai

The Porch (12) – Tex Mex

Trade Street Diner

Village Tavern (Reynolda Village) (11) and Hanes Mall

Waldo’s Wings – Wings

West End Café

Willow’s Bistro (2)

Xcaret – Mexican

Yamas – Mediterranean

Zoe’s Kitchen – Mediterranean

Breakfast

Biscuitville

Cagney’s Kitchen

Camino Bakery (4)

Cloverdale Kitchen (2)

Famous Toastery (7)

First Watch

Grandma Ruby’s Country Cookin’

Graylyn (3) – only for hotel guests

Jimmy the Greek

Katharine Brasserie

Krankies (8)

Krispy Kreme

Mama Zoe Michael’s (4)

Mary’s Gourmet Diner (11)

Midtown Café and Dessertery (10)

Mozelle’s

Murphy’s diner

Penny Path Café (2) – Crepes

River Birch Lodge

Sweet Potatoes

The Porch

Village Juice (3) – Smoothies

Other favorites

Alma Mexicana

Bonefish Grill – Seafood

Camino Bakery (2)

Carolina Ale House

Chopt – Salad

Cin Cin Burger Bar (4)

Crafted (4)

Dairi-O

Dewey’s – Cake and ice cream

Di Lisio’s (2)

Dioli’s (4) – Italian

Fiddlin Fish Brewing Co.

Flour Box Tea Room and Cafe – Afternoon tea

Foothills Brewery

Fourth Street Filling Station (2)

Fratelli’s

Incendiary Brewing Company (3)

Jeffrey Adams (2)

Katherine Brasserie

King’s Crab Shack – Seafood

Krankies (2)

Krispy Kreme – Donuts

La Carreta – Mexican

Mama Zoe Michael’s (2)

May Way Dumplings

Milner’s (3)

Mission Pizza Napoletana

Mizu (3)

Mozelle’s (3)

Mozzarella Fellas

Nawab – Indian

Paul’s Fine Italian Dining– Italian

Prissy Polly’s – BBQ

Putters (2)

Quiet Pint Tavern (2)

Ryans

Slappys Chicken

Small Batch

Sweet Potatoes (2)

The Loop – Pizza

The Porch (3)

Village Tavern (3)

Wise Man Brewery

Yamas – Mediterranean

Zoe’s Kitchen

If I had to pick a few in each category, here are my top picks:

Upscale/fine dining

• Mozelle’s – small venue, fabulous take on Southern food. Always delicious.
• Quanto Basta – my favorite Italian place. Great wine bar too.
• Roosters – A Noble Grill – wonderful wood grilled food, smell alone is divine.
• Ryan’s – perennially good steakhouse. Try the steak au poivre. Best in the city.

Casual dining

• The Porch – one of my all time favorites. Everything is fabulous. Do not miss the Three Amigos appetizer. The queso is unreal.
• Cin Cin Burger Bar – fabulous and wide ranging burgers. Best onion rings in the city.
• May Way Dumplings – I would eat their fried dumplings every day. Tiny space, so not someplace where you luxuriate. Limited menu but really fab food.
• Carving Board – upscale gourmet sandwiches and salads. The cold sesame peanut noodles are legendary.

Breakfast

• Every Sunday, the Daily Deac family either goes to Camino Bakery (breakfast pastries, breads, and more) or Penny Path Café (crepes). Love them both.
• Mary’s Gourmet Diner – where I would go to get a proper breakfast with grits, bacon, etc. Totally funky place but awesome.

 

— by Betsy Chapman ’92, MA ’94