Highest-rated restaurants in New Bern 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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in New Bern, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

1 / 30

#30. Bay Leaf

- Rating: 4.1/5 (385 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 309 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Taqueria San Luis

- Rating: 4.1/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1706 US Hwy 70 East New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Ghent Sandwich Shop

- Rating: 4.1/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1914 Drive MLK Jr Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Cork Wine Bar & Bistro

- Rating: 4.1/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 319 Bern St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Sara's

- Rating: 4.1/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1150 Broad Creek Road New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Bella's Cafe & Catering

- Rating: 4.2/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 323 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Mj's Raw Bar and Grille

- Rating: 4.2/5 (526 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 216 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Carolina Bagel Company & Deli

- Rating: 4.2/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3601 Trent Road Ste 10 New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Saltwater Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1 Marina Road New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. The Chelsea

- Rating: 4.2/5 (414 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 335 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 30

#20. Baker's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.2/5 (734 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 227 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Beartown Bistro & Pizza Company

- Rating: 4.2/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 1200 US-70 New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. La Rosa

- Rating: 4.3/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1503 South Glenburnie Road Ste A New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Sea & Soul

- Rating: 4.3/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 1244 US-70 East New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Soul Food, Seafood, American
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. Baxter's 1892

- Rating: 4.3/5 (66 reviews)
- Address: 323 Pollock St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Music Venues, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 30

#15. Lupita's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 2403 Neuse Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Honduran, Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Famous Subs & Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2210 Neuse Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Lawson's On The Creek

- Rating: 4.3/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 529 South Front St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cafes, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Morgan's Tavern & Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (791 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 235 Craven St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Pubs, American
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. Harry's bbq

- Rating: 4.4/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 243 Craven St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Barbecue, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 30

#10. Cypress Hall

- Rating: 4.4/5 (210 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 219 Middle St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. China King

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 133 Bridge Town Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. El Taco Loco

- Rating: 4.4/5 (270 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2408 Drive Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Thai Angel

- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 247 Craven St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. Mon Asian Market

- Rating: 4.5/5 (78 reviews)
- Address: 2117 South Glenburnie Road Ste 16-18 New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Grocery, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 30

#5. East Cuisine Asian Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 3529 Drive Mlk Jr Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Canton Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 4118 Doctor Mlk Jr Blvd. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Kuma Sushi Bar

- Rating: 4.8/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 303 Pollock St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Desserts, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Panichelli's Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 Shoreline Drive New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. The Old Pinnix

- Rating: 4.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 628 Hancock St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

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