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Great Restaurants in Chapel Hill

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A Guide to Great Food in Chapel Hill & Carrboro, North Carolina

This is a guide to what I consider some to be some of the best restaurants in the fun college town of Chapel Hill and its more laid back neighbor, Carrboro.

Sit-Down Restaurants

proper silverware and a white napkin on your lap

  • Milltown

    307 East Main St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 968-2460
    Open Mon, 5pm-2am; Tue-Fri, 11am-2am; Sat, 9am-2am; Sun 10-2 (I think).

    There's no website for this place but it has a wonderful selection of Belgian ales, great bistro food with variations of pommes frites (such as poutine, curry chips, etc) and a wonderful atmosphere and decor. There's outside seating and it's one of the best places to people watch while drinking long into the night.

  • Acme Food and Beverage Co. - www.acmecarrboro.com

    110 East Main St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone 929-2263
    Open for dinner daily, 5:30-9:30pm (Fri-Sat, till 10pm); Sun brunch, 10am-2pm.

    A very classy restaurant in the middle of Carrboro. Delightful menu with seasonal ingredients. Especially tasty dessert drinks.

  • Spotted Dog Restaurant & Bar - www.spotteddogrestaurant.com

    111 East Main St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 933-1117
    Open Tue-Sun, 11:30am-midn.

    Wedged into a small fork in the road in downtown Carrboro, the Spotted Dog is home to a wide range of vegetarian fare. Also has delicious food at a reasonable cost for us carnivores. Also, my number one place for cheese fries in Chapel Hill/Carrboro.

  • The Weathervane - www.southernseason.com

    201 South Estes Dr (University Mall in A Southern Season)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 929-9466
    Open Mon-Thu, 7am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 7am-10pm; Sun, 10:30am-6pm.

    Located in the famous gourmet supermarket, A Southern Season, The Weathervane is a fine dining restaurant with an excellent menu, great service, and an excellent wine list. The decor leaves a bit much to be desired and but there is outside dining in a prettily kepy courtyard.

  • Tyler's Tap Room & Restaurant - www.tylerstaproom.com

    102 East Main St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 929-6881
    Open Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm & 5-10pm; Sat, 11:30am-10pm. Bar open daily, 5pm-2am.

    A great restaurant in downtown Carrboro with a menu that changes biweekly, excellent daily fish specials, and boasts of their famous garlic fries. Is connected next door to a chill bar, The Speakeasy, and has a great Quiz Night starting at 10 on Wednesday nights.

  • Fuse - www.f-use.com

    403 West Rosemary St (Downtown)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 942-9242
    Open for dinner Tue-Sat, 6-10pm; late night menu daily till 2am (Sun-Mon, from 9pm).

    Fuse is a great Asian fusion restaurant and is a very healthy place to dine with a variety fresh ingredients and flavors to their dinners. There's a full bar and relaxing patio to wile the hours on. If you want to dance, there is an Old School house, R&B, etc dance party on the first Saturdays of the month and the "International Night" with local house DJs every other Tuesday night.

  • Lime & Basil Vietnamese

    200 West Franklin St (The Pavilion)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 967-5055
    Open seven days a week, 10:30am-9:30pm.

    Only place in Chapel Hill/Carrboro that serves pho that I know of. Serves many other excellent Vietnamese dishes in a small, modern family-run place right off Franklin St.

  • Mediterranean Deli - www.mediterraneandeli.com

    A deli with a wide variety of Mediterranean (mainly Levantine) food as well as a grocery store in which you can buy gallons of olive oil. Great authentic kebabs, as well as very good falafel and hummus.

  • Sushi-Yoshi

    116 Old Durham Rd
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 933-1773
    Open Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm; Mon-Thu, 5-9:45pm; Fri-Sat, 5-10pm; closed Sun.

    Serves what I think is the best sushi in Chapel Hill & Carrboro in a very Japanese setting (as opposed to Akai Hana and its more modern decor). The pricing is rather fair and there's a tremendous array of options. Also, if you feel like really getting into it, there's special seating where you can sit in a traditional manner at your table (on your knees, etc)

  • Tallula's - www.tallulas.com

    456 West Franklin St (Downtown)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 933-1177
    Open Tue-Sat, 11am-2:30pm; Tue-Sun, 5:30-10pm; bar open till 2am.

    An upscale Mediterranean restaurant with a focus on Turkish cuisine. The atmosphere and decor is great and if you're lucky you can score one of two secluded window seats with a large party that's great for people watching and conversation. Hosts electronic music nights on Thursdays which brings out a fun crowd.

  • Jujube - www.jujuberestaurant.com

    1201 Raleigh Rd (Glen Lennox)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 960-0555
    Open for lunch Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2:30pm; for dinner Mon-Sat, 5-10pm.

    I finally made it Jujube and it stands up to its reputation. Delicious yet simple dishes that challenge the palette with unique flavors and ingredient combinations. Definitely going back.

Best Lunches

quick and cheap options for lunch

  • Red Lotus

    239 South Elliott Rd (Village Plaza)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 968-7778
    Open for lunch Sun-Fri, 11am-2:30pm; for dinner Sun-Thu, 5-10pm; Fri-Sat, 5-10:30pm.

    Delicious and cheap Chinese food. A wide variety of dishes that are served with your choice of soup or egg roll, an entree, and your choice of rice or noodles. All for a flat $6 (or $7 with soft drink/tea).

  • Monterrey

    237 South Elliott Rd (Village Plaza)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 969-8750
    Open Mon-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri, 11am-10:30pm; Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun, noon-9:30pm.

    A great little Mexican place with quick attentive service, an excellent range of food to choose from, and great lunch prices. I'm personally a big fan of the Arroz Con Pollo ($4.50).

  • Carrburritos Taqueria - www.carrburritos.com

    711 West Rosemary St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 933-8226
    Open Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm; closed Sun.

    Not an entirely authentic Mexican restaurant experience but one of the healthiest places you can eat in Chapel Hill/Carrboro with great tasting burritos, delicious all flour chips and four freshly made types of salsas. Prices range from $5-7.

  • Japan Express

    261 South Elliott Rd (Village Plaza)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 928-9600
    Open Sun-Thu, 11am-10pm (Fri-Sat till 10:30pm).

    Excellent hibachi-style Japanese food. A bit pricey ($6-8) but large portions of rice and veggies to go with the food and a super hot dipping sauce.
  • Ba-Da Wings - www.badawings.com

    764 MLK Jr. Blvd. (Historic Airport Rd.)
    Chapel Hill, NC
    Phone: 919-960-0656
    11 AM - 11 PM Daily

    Best wings (if you can call them that) in Chapel Hill. Their wings are the size of my hand and can be thrown in almost 20 different styles of sauces. They also have a cheese fry wrap that my heart quakes at upon seeing someone devour it.

Sunday Brunch

soothing hangovers through pancakes


  • Panzanella - Brunch Menu

    Sundays 10:30am - 2:00 p.m.

    Panzanella is a well-known Italian restaurant located behind Weaver Street Market in Carr Mill Mall that also serves a delicious and healthy brunch on Sundays. I recently stumbled upon its brunch offerings while trying to dodge the Elmo's and Weaver St crowds one Sunday and have been back many times since. The service is very quick and it is never too busy to sit one or two people. On nice days there's outside seating as well that definitely fills up faster than indoors. My preferred Sunday brunch place.

  • Breadmen's

    324 West Rosemary St (Downtown)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 967-7110
    Open daily, 7am-9pm.

    Fills up quickly with a blue collar and church crowd on the weekends. All day breakfast served with excellent selection but sometimes lacking service. Expect a wait on Sundays after 11.

  • Elmo's

    200 North Greensboro St (Carr Mill Mall)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 929-2909
    Open Sun-Thu, 6:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 6:30am-1

    Located in Carr Mill Mall at the end of the parking lots close to the CVS and Harris Teeter. Very good food at reasonable prices with quick service. The only glaring problem is that this place is constantly busy in the morning, especially weekend, hours. Expect a wait of 45 min to more anytime between 9:30 and 2 on a Sunday.

  • Milltown

    Milltown does serve brunch and it was wonderful. I had the Nuevo Huevo Rancheros which was two eggs over a black bean cake with salsa on top. Delicious! The other menu options sound great as well. Brunch starts at 11:30.
  • Other Places Serving Brunch

    A few places mentioned before serve brunch though I've not been. Acme Food & Beverage Co. has brunch and I think Tyler's is starting to serve lunch on Sundays. I'll most likely give these a shot one of these weeks so stayed tuned.

  • A Note About Weaver Street Market Brunch

    I know, I know. People rave about the Weaver Street Market brunches and make it a Sunday ritual. I don't. As one can tell from this list, I am a fan of quiet places with a pleasant atmosphere, excellent food and beverages, and great service.


    Weaver Street is a nice place for brunch if you have a family and want to let your kids run around the lawn or hoolahoop. They food is inexpensive for the most part and healthy. A lot of it to me does not looked cooked very well or appealing and having to sit on a stone wall because all the chairs are taken isn't the most comfortable of brunches I've ever had. Heat, incessant flies, and screaming kids do not a pleasant dining experience make.

    Of course, give it a shot yourself. You might like it. Dining out is about having an open mind, it's only that I've made up mine on this one place.

Places I Haven't Been

but I've heard good things and will let you know

  • Elaine's - www.elainesonfranklin.com

    454 West Franklin St (Downtown)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 960-2770
    Open Tue-Thu, 6-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 6-10pm; closed Sun & Mon.

    Best of North Carolina regional cuisine. Never heard a bad thing about this place.

  • Lantern

    Never eaten here but they have one of the coolest bars tucked away behind it that's very chill, very chic with beautiful, stylish mixed drinks.

  • Bin 54 - www.bin54restaurant.com

    1201-M Raleigh Rd (Glen Lennox)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    phone (919) 969-1155
    Open for dinner Mon-Thu, 5-10pm; Fri-Sat, 5-11pm; closed Sun.

    A steakhouse that has been highly recommended by many friends.

  • Provence

    203 West Weaver St (Downtown)
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    phone (919) 967-5008
    Open daily for dinner, 5:30-9:30pm; closed Sun.

    Menu changes daily; focus on Provencal cuisine and fresh seafood

  • Bon Soiree

    431 West Franklin St (The Courtyard)
    Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    phone (919) 928-8388
    Open for dinner Tue-Sun, 5:45-9:15pm (Fri-Sat till 9:45).

    French provincial dining in an intimate atmosphere

Related Books: Bill Neal

Neal and his wife opened La Residences and Crook's Corner and he published many excellent cookbooks before his untimely death
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Related Books/Maps: Local Interest

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Reviews from Yelp

This is a great way to see what other foodies have to say about restaurants in the area

Here's what Yelpers have to say about Food in 27516

Locopops (Chapel Hill)  
"Whoah, baby. Talk about a tasty treat on a warm day. Or a cold day. Or any day, really. I thought things couldn't get any better than their creamy..." more
Southern Season (Chapel Hill)  
"The selection of foodie things here is so broad, yet fun and eclectic. It's a lot of fun to browse here, but expensive at the checkout! I enjoy shopping..." more
Great Harvest Bread Company (Chapel Hill)  
"Really good quality. The honey wheat is amazing!! It's just not very practical for me. I love it, don't get me wrong, but unless I'm cooking a big meal for..." more
Merritt's Store & Grill (Chapel Hill)  
"Obviously the BLTs are the best in town. The breakfast sandwiches are great as well. Seating is difficult to come by and the wait is usually pretty long. If..." more
3 Cups (Chapel Hill)  
"I love 3 cups. Love the atmosphere, love the coffee but could really go without the pretentiousness. The baristas talk to you like you don't know s*&% about..." more
Caffé Driade (Chapel Hill)  
"The coffee is delicious and I've tried a whole bunch of coffees I otherwise wouldn't have. They have a great selection. The service stinks, but it's not..." more
Trader Joe's (Chapel Hill)  
"Food is good and relatively cheap. Service is good, though I feel that getting mad at me for taking a picture of one of the signs (a sign that made me..." more
Yogurt Pump (Chapel Hill)  
"A great little hidden gem. I decided to investigate after seeing a large line outside. I was not disappointed. It is a small locally run frozen yogurt..." more
Whole Foods Market (Chapel Hill)  
"Great as usual. There to hit the juice bar and try on some Tom's. Juice was great. Selection of Tom's could be bigger, but hey, it is a grocery store." more
Cup A Joe (Chapel Hill)  
"Same great coffee as the Durham location (of Joe Van Gogh),* but better atmosphere. Less packed-in feeling, more laid-back environment. Added features of..." more
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That's All She Wrote

For right now. I'm always exploring and looking for new great places. I think I'll add a list of cafes in here too, though quality coffee is a bit limited in CH. For further listings, take a look at the visitor's bureau website. I like to keep an open mind and a salivating tongue. Ok, that's gross. Ciao.
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