Six NC restaurants rank among ‘most outstanding’ in world — again. Why they’re special
Six North Carolina restaurants rank among the “most outstanding” in the world — for another straight year.
In 2024, the food destinations were recognized as top-notch places to eat. This year was no different, with restaurants in the Triangle, Charlotte and mountains again making it onto the Forbes Travel Guide list:
- Herons in Cary
- The Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro
- The Dining Room at Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville
- Gallery Restaurant in Charlotte
- Fairview Dining Room in Durham
- Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden in Highlands
The dining spots — all located in or near hotels — were named 2025 Star Award winners. To determine the best restaurants, Forbes said it sent teams around the world to evaluate properties based on roughly 900 factors.
What makes the NC restaurants special?
“When Forbes Travel Guide’s expert inspectors visit a property, they anonymously test it based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service,” Forbes wrote Feb. 11 on its website. “Only the best of the best achieve the coveted five star, our highest rating.”
In North Carolina, Herons was the only restaurant to receive five stars. The eatery at The Umstead Hotel and Spa near Raleigh has held onto its top-tier status for 14 years, a travel guide spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
“The intimate 98-seat dining room features a full-view kitchen, original artwork and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the wooded grounds,” Forbes wrote on its website. “Choose a three- or four-course meal, or opt for the chef’s signature eight-course kaiseki dinner. Each course showcases Herons’ style of food in an intricate and artful form and creatively puts a regional spin on American cuisine.”
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Meanwhile, Forbes said four-star properties offer “high levels of service and quality of facility to match.” That honor went to The Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro and The Dining Room at Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville.
Rounding out the list of top-ranked North Carolina restaurants were those labeled “recommended,” meaning they have “consistently good service and facilities.” The winners in that category were Gallery Restaurant in Charlotte, Fairview Dining Room in Durham, and Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden in Highlands.
In its report, Forbes also named the best places to stay and get pampered across the globe. North Carolina made its mark with eight ranked hotels and two spas.
Worldwide, more than 2,000 destinations made it onto Forbes’ list, including 277 restaurants.
This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 7:36 AM with the headline "Six NC restaurants rank among ‘most outstanding’ in world — again. Why they’re special."
