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 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 Rocky Mount, 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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#30. Ichiban Japanese Steak House

- Rating: 3.3/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 191 South Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Golden Wok

- Rating: 3.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3647 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Ramo's Pizza & Grill

- Rating: 3.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8211 West Mount Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Waffle House - Rocky Mount

- Rating: 3.7/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 101 Rowe Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Diners
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Zaxbys

- Rating: 3.8/5 (30 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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#25. Pizza Inn

- Rating: 3.8/5 (42 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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#24. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

- Rating: 3.8/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 980 Tarrytown Center Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Hing Ta

- Rating: 3.9/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1276 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Cantonese, Szechuan, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 921 N. Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Buffets, American, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. El Tapatio

- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 21 Progress Drive 301 Bypass Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Which Wich

- Rating: 4.0/5 (32 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 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1129 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Westridge Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3639 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. The Prime Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.1/5 (797 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1151 Falls Road Ste 1018 Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Smokehouse, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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

- Rating: 4.1/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 670 N. Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Chicken Shop, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. D Chill Spot

- Rating: 4.3/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 101N Fairview Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Mario's Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3653 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. El Jimador

- Rating: 4.3/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2181 Lawrence Cir Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Tasty Crab House - Rocky Mount

- Rating: 4.4/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1545 Benvenue Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. LouReda's an American Table

- Rating: 4.4/5 (591 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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#10. Saku Sushi Thai & Hibachi

- Rating: 4.4/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1565 Benvenue Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Books and Beans

- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1151 Falls Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Tipsy Tomato

- Rating: 4.5/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7 East Elm St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. El Mariachi

- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 126 South Winstead Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Barley & Burger

- Rating: 4.6/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 113 Gateway Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Beer Bar, Burgers, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Smiths Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3649 North Halifax Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Chew N Chat Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (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. NABS Deli and Coffee Shop

- Rating: 4.7/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 219 Northeast Main St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Larema Coffee House

- Rating: 4.8/5 (74 reviews)
- Address: 106 South Washington St. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Venues & Event Spaces, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Oak Level Cafe

- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2506 Oak Level Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: American
- 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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