The Triangle’s food scene is bursting with reliable and familiar fixtures alongside a steady stream of bold and fresh new concepts that can make deciding where to eat a tough task.
Why it matters: Having an abundance of great options is a good problem to have, of course. Our vibrant culinary landscape is one of our strongest assets, providing rich experiences for locals and shining a spotlight on the Triangle as our chefs rack up national awards.
Driving the news: With excellent options already swirling and countless new spots always popping up, our mission is to help you keep up with our ever-evolving restaurant scene and help you find great new places to eat.
- We dined across the Triangle, consulted industry leaders and got feedback from hundreds of readers to bring you a guide that, we hope, does just that.
How it works: In addition to considering quality of food, we factored in service, vibe, beverage offerings and how long an establishment has been open.
- We pay our own way and do our best to dine at restaurants across the region undetected so we’re as neutral as possible in our assessments.
- You may notice that some restaurants have fallen or risen in the rankings since last year. Those changes mainly stem from the readers’ shifting demographics and tastes, rather than a change in the quality of these restaurants. Plus, we’ve added some newer restaurants to this list.
No. 30: Mala Pata Molino & Cocina
The newest Triangle restaurant on this list, Mala Pata earned its place in the top 30 in part because it feels like it made up for something our region’s diners didn’t know they were missing — until now.
- Born from the creative minds behind spots like Centro, Gallo Pelón, Ex-Voto and Locals Seafood, the restaurant centers on fresh masa, a dough made daily from Oaxacan corn and used to make tortillas, tamales and other items.
- The fresh masa focus — plus its authentic, bold Latin American flavors, paired with colorful cocktails in a creative space — makes for an experience unlike any other in the triangle.
- Pro tip: The Colombian buñelos, fried cassava-corn fritters made with cotija and chilli oil and smothered with agave butter, are — and we don’t say this lightly — life-changing.
Location: 2431 Crabtree Blvd., Suite 102, Raleigh…