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Is Raleigh a good city for romantic dining?
- Love is in the air in Raleigh, and the city boasts a wealth of restaurants that offer unforgettable dining experiences for those looking to celebrate a first date or lifelong romance.
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What types of restaurants can couples find in Raleigh?
- Ranging from romantic to eccentric, these restaurants offer outstanding cuisine, fine wines, romantic lighting, and intimate ambiances—perfect for creating lasting memories.
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1. Irregardless Cafe
Enjoy delicious farm-to-table dishes in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere perfect for casual dining.
Irregardless Cafe & Catering is a long-running café and catering business that provides local, fresh-from-the-farm cuisine in a warm and welcoming environment. Established in 1975 as a pioneer on the sustainable food scene, the café opened as the community’s first vegetarian restaurant and grew into the popular eatery and catering company it is today. Founded and operated by owner/chef Arthur Gordon, the Café serves a market-driven menu of fresh locally sourced fare that now caters to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores with an array of delicious, healthy and hearty dishes. Irregardless Café & Catering is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday and hosts live jazz throughout the week.
901 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603, Phone: 919-833-8898
2. Mandolin
Savor fresh, seasonal dishes in a charming, romantic setting ideal for a special night out.
Located on the corner of Oberlin and Fairview in the Hayes Barton neighborhood, Mandolin is a contemporary restaurant that serves elevated modern American cuisine with a Southern slant and fine wines in a stylish bistro-inspired space. Focusing on using on the freshest, locally sourced ingredients available and regional produce from surrounding farms, Mandolin offers a menu of market-driven, farm-to-table fare such as grass-fed beef and lamb, organic chicken, fresh seafood, handmade pasta, and crisp salads. The food is accompanied by a wide range of libations from the full-service bar, including global wines, craft beers and microbrews on tap, top-shelf spirits, and signature cocktails. Mandolin is open for dinner every night and weekend brunch and lunch.
2519 Fairview Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608, Phone: 919-322-0365
3. The Angus Barn
Indulge in top-notch steaks and classic Southern dishes in an elegant, rustic atmosphere.
The Angus Barn Steakhouse is a landmark restaurant and Raleigh icon that serves classic American-style cuisine such as in-house dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood, locally sourced and regional produce and homemade desserts. Helmed by Iron Chef America winner, Walter J. Royal, and his expert culinary team, the Barn has a beautifully appointed dining room, the famous Wild Turkey Lounge where guests can enjoy a wide range of libations, including rare vintages from an award-winning wine cellar, and a Meat Locker smoking lounge. The restaurant also has private dining tables, banquet rooms, and two private event venues for special occasions. The Angus Barn Steakhouse is open for dinner seven nights a week.
9401 Glenwood Ave. Raleigh, NC 27617, Phone: 919-781-2444
4. Bida Manda Laotian Restaurant and Bar
Discover bold Laotian flavors and enjoy a vibrant dining experience in a trendy atmosphere.
Bida Manda Laotian Restaurant and Bar is a trendy, urban restaurant in downtown Raleigh that specializes in Laotian and Southeast Asian fare. Named for the Sanskrit ceremonial term for father and mother, Bida Manda boasts a natural, woodsy setting with sturdy tables made of salvaged church doors, bright purple floral arrangements, and vintage paintings and tapestries of saffron-clad monks. The restaurant serves a menu of inventive Laotian dishes, using exotic ingredients like bamboo shoots, coconut milk, lemongrass, cilantro, fresh ginger, and kaffir lime leaves to create signature dishes like crispy pork belly stew, green papaya salad, and North Carolina catfish steamed in banana leaf. The food is accompanied by a wide range of libations from the full-service bar, including global wines, craft beers and microbrews on tap, top-shelf spirits, and signature cocktails. Bida Manda Laotian Restaurant and Bar is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and dinner only on Saturdays.
222 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601, Phone: 919-829-9999
5. Bloomsbury Bistro
Savor creative cuisine and enjoy a cozy, intimate setting perfect for a romantic evening or family meal.
Located in the heart of Raleigh at Five Points, Bloomsbury Bistro is a comfortable neighborhood eatery that has been serving nationally renowned cuisine in a casual and relaxed setting for over two decades. The cozy, unassuming hub specializes in globally-inspired, seasonally changing, French-influenced cuisine and fine wines from France and around the world by the bottle and the glass. Classically trained Chef John Toler incorporates vibrant ethnic flavors into traditional French cuisine with dishes like roasted duck over butternut squash, mushroom risotto cakes, and delectable banana creme brûleé. The food is accompanied by a wide range of libations from the full-service bar, including global wines, craft beers and microbrews on tap, top-shelf spirits, and signature cocktails. Bloomsbury Bistro is open for dinner only Tuesday through Saturday.
509 W Whitaker Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608, Phone: 919-834-9011
6. Caffe Luna
Delight in delicious Italian-inspired dishes and enjoy a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere ideal for casual dining.
Situated in a beautiful historic building in downtown Raleigh, Caffe Luna is a Tuscan-inspired eatery that serves authentic Italian cuisine in an airy, art-filled space with floor-to-ceiling windows. Established over two decades ago, the family-friendly eatery has been serving delicious Italian fare ever since with a menu of housemade pasta and pizza, prime beef and veal dishes, fresh seafood, and locally sourced salads, vegetables, and herbs. The restaurant has beautiful interiors decorated in warm hues and has three private dining rooms for special occasions. Caffé Luna is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Friday and dinner only on Saturdays.
136 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601, Phone: 919-832-6090
7. Gravy
Indulge in Southern comfort food with a modern twist in this laid-back, family-friendly restaurant.
Gravy celebrates the beloved tradition of Italian-American cooking with a menu of comfortable red-sauce Italian-American fare served in a cozy space with a charming courtyard. The family-owned and operated restaurant serves a menu of Italian favorites and modern takes such as Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna, Eggplant Pie, Lamb Shank, and Spaghetti & Meatballs. The food is prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and produce from surrounding farms, and accompanied by casual wines, craft beers, and other drinks. Gravy is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
135 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601, Phone: 919-896-8513
8. Margaux's Restaurant
Enjoy fine dining with a focus on seasonal ingredients in a sophisticated, romantic setting.
Located in Brennan Station, Margaux's Restaurant is renowned for its exceptional, ever-changing menu of farm-to-table cuisine, excellent wines, impeccable service, and inviting and energetic ambiance. Seamlessly blending the high-energy of a bustling metropolis and the soulful hospitality that the South is famous for, Margaux’s Restaurant promises an unforgettable fine-dining experience for those celebrating a special occasion. The globally-inspired menu features dishes like Crispy Fried Oysters with sesame hoisin and scallions, Pamlico Sound Crab Cakes and Crispy Shrimp, Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos with Napa cabbage slaw, and Thai Crab Noodle Salad with toasted sesame and miso broth. Guests can dine in the comfortable dining room next to the crackling fireplace or out on the patio in the summer. Margaux’s Restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Saturday and lunch on Thursdays and Fridays.
8111 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613, Phone: 919-846-9846
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