Highest-rated restaurants in Raleigh 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 Raleigh, 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.

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1 / 27

#27. Sushi Mon

- Rating: 4.6/5 (403 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3800 Glenwood Ave. Ste 100 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 27

#26. Michael's English Muffins

- Rating: 4.6/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3611 Spring Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 27

#25. Press Coffee Crepes Cocktails

- Rating: 4.6/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 400 Hillsborough St. Ste 108 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 27

#24. Asia Pot

- Rating: 4.6/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 3215 Avent Ferry Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Hot Pot, Asian Fusion, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 27

#23. Bazil Indian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6602 Glenwood Ave. Ste 1 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian, Beer Bar, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 27

#22. Wicked Links

- Rating: 4.6/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4831 Grove Barton Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 27

#21. Purr Cup Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 210 Prospect Ave. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 27

#20. City Market Sushi

- Rating: 4.7/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 Blake St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 27

#19. Gen Ramen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2330 Bale St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Ramen, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 27

#18. Karavan by 3 Olives

- Rating: 4.7/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1493 Garner Station Blvd. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Uzbek, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 27

#17. Bowlba Cafe

- Rating: 4.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3607 Falls River Ave. Ste 117 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Thai, Bubble Tea, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 27

#16. Miso Ramen Bar

- Rating: 4.7/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2409 Crabtree Blvd. Ste 104 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 27

#15. Meat & Bite

- Rating: 4.7/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 2908 Hillsborough St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Burgers, Tex-Mex, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 27

#14. Sosta Cafe

- Rating: 4.7/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 130 East Davie St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 27

#13. Chop Shop BBQ & Grill

- Rating: 4.7/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 210 East Six Forks Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 27

#12. Poke Burri Raleigh

- Rating: 4.7/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6613 Falls Of Neuse Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Poke, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 27

#11. Royal Cheesecake & Varieties

- Rating: 4.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6104 Westgate Road Ste 108 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Desserts, Cupcakes, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 27

#10. Carroll's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 19 East Martin St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Community Service/Non-Profit, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 27

#9. SmokeStacks Cafe

- Rating: 4.7/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 East Lane St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Smokehouse, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 27

#8. Pita Bowl

- Rating: 4.8/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9101 Leesville Road Ste 141 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 27

#7. Bombay Curry

- Rating: 4.8/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13220 Strickland Road Ste 167 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 27

#6. Berto's Chimis

- Rating: 4.8/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Dominican
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 27

#5. Black Ivory Café

- Rating: 4.8/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 3080 Wake Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 27

#4. A Place At The Table

- Rating: 4.8/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 West Hargett St. Ste 50 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 27

#3. Mustang House

- Rating: 4.8/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 411 Fayetteville St. Ste 109 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Himalayan/Nepalese, Indian
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 27

#2. Masala House

- Rating: 4.8/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 126 East Millbrook Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 27

#1. Anthony's La Piazza

- Rating: 4.8/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 21 Glenwood Ave. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Pizza
- 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.