Six North Carolina restaurants among ‘most outstanding’ in world, new rankings show
North Carolina is home to six of the world’s “most outstanding” places to eat, new ranking show.
Restaurants in the Triangle, Charlotte and the mountains made it onto a best-of list from Forbes Travel Guide. Here are the top-ranking dining spots, which were winners of 2024 Star Awards:
- Herons Restaurant 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 food destinations — all located on hotel properties —were chosen after Forbes Travel Guide sent teams to restaurants, hotels, spas and cruise ships all over the globe. Each place received scores across more than 900 visitor-related criteria, a spokesperson told McClatchy News in an email.
“Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world’s best experiences,” Forbes Travel Guide wrote in a Feb. 7 news release.
Within the restaurant category, only one place in North Carolina scored a “coveted” five-star rating for offering visitors “an outstanding experience” and “highly customized level of service.” The Raleigh-area restaurant, Herons, is located in The Umstead Hotel and Spa.
“A passion for locally grown fruits and vegetables and farm-fresh meats and seafood is evident in the often-flawless fare,” Forbes wrote in an online profile for Herons. “Fresh flavors, surprising combinations, and eye-catching presentations are the hallmarks of dining the experience here.”
Meanwhile, Forbes Travel Guide gave four-star ratings to The Fearrington House Restaurant and The Dining Room at Inn on Biltmore Estate.
The three other North Carolina dining spots — Gallery Restaurant, Fairview Dining Room, and Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden — were listed as “recommended.” Those places were defined as “excellent properties with consistently good service and facilities.”
In addition to being home to top-notch restaurants, North Carolina boasts eight hotels and one spa that earned spots in the rankings, results show.
Across the globe, Forbes Travel Guide said over 2,000 travel destinations made it onto its list. Of those, 258 were restaurants.
This story was originally published February 7, 2024 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Six North Carolina restaurants among ‘most outstanding’ in world, new rankings show."
