Highest-rated restaurants in Rocky Mount by diners

Written by:
January 18, 2024
Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

Highest-rated restaurants in Rocky Mount by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Rocky Mount, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. Gardner's Barbecue

- Rating: 3.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 835 North Fairview Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbeque, Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Cook Out

- Rating: 3.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1020 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Gardner's Barbecue 301 Flagship Store

- Rating: 3.0/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1331 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbeque, Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Chick-fil-A

- Rating: 3.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1332 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Shop, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Ichiban Japanese Steak House

- Rating: 3.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 191 South Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1296 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Waffle House - Rocky Mount

- Rating: 3.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 101 Rowe Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Diners
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Zaxby's Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings

- Rating: 3.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1410 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Wings, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Pizza Inn

- Rating: 4.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1473 Hunter Hill Road Hunter Hill Shopping Center Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Hing Ta

- Rating: 4.0/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1276 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Cantonese, Szechuan, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Which Wich

- Rating: 4.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 138 North Old Carriage Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Brian's Cheesesteaks

- Rating: 4.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1129 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. El Tapatio

- Rating: 4.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 21 Progress Drive 301 Bypass Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Westridge Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3639 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 980 Tarrytown Center Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 4.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 670 N. Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbeque, Chicken Shop, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. The Prime Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.0/5 (722 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1151 Falls Road Ste 1018 Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbeque, Smokehouse, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. D Chill Spot

- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 207E Thomas St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Saku Sushi Thai & Hibachi

- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1565 Benvenue Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Mario's Pizza

- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3653 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. LouReda's an American Table

- Rating: 4.5/5 (523 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3646 Sunset Ave. Ste 122 Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: American, Bars, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. El Jimador

- Rating: 4.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2181 Lawrence Cir Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Books and Beans

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1151 Falls Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. NABS Deli and Coffee Shop

- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 219 Northeast Main St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Tipsy Tomato

- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7 East Elm St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Smiths Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3649 North Halifax Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Chew N Chat Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1005 West Mount Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Barley & Burger

- Rating: 4.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2921 Zebulon Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Beer Bar, Burgers, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Tasty Crab House - Rocky Mount

- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 1545 Benvenue Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Larema Coffee House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 106 South Washington St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Venues & Event Spaces, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.

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