Greg Cox's Best Restaurants of the Triangle: printable list

Several folks have asked N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox and myself for a printable version of his annual best restaurant list. So here it is:

Restaurant of the Year

Magnolia Grill

1002 Ninth St., Durham, 286-3609

www.magnoliagrill.net

Cuisine: contemporary Southern

The first question I'm invariably asked when I'm introduced as a restaurant critic is some variation on "What's your favorite restaurant?" I never answer with the name of just one. Because my tastes are wide-ranging and my "favorite restaurant" can change depending on my mood, I always mention at least two or three - and not always the same two or three.

But I always include Magnolia Grill.

It's an obvious choice, I know. The restaurant has won two James Beard Awards, after all. And it's hard to imagine what the local dining scene would look like without the dozens of culinary proteges of owner/chef Ben Barker and his wife, pastry chef Karen Barker - many of whom now run restaurants of their own.

But my reasons for including Magnolia Grill among my short list of favorites - and for naming it Restaurant of the Year - go beyond the obvious. They date to November 1986, when the restaurant opened just a month after I moved to the area. It didn't take me long to discover this oasis in a culinary landscape that looked vastly different than it does today.

Fine dining options are much more plentiful now. There are plenty of restaurants with a more elegant dining room decor than Magnolia Grill's, and a few that can match the level of professionalism of its wait staff. But when it comes to the food, Magnolia Grill stands alone.

That the kitchen has continued to perform at such a consistently high level over so many years is impressive enough. That it does so with a daily changing menu that focuses on local produce (and did so long before it was fashionable) is even more impressive. And that Ben Barker and his crew are able, again and again, to surprise and delight with flavor combinations you'd never have thought of (and, unlike so many other "creative" presentations elsewhere, rarely come off as overwrought) is nothing short of amazing.

Magnolia Grill is, in other words, a foodie mecca in the purest sense. It seems especially appropriate to choose this year to name Magnolia Grill the Restaurant of the Year. A few weeks ago, the restaurant celebrated its 25th birthday. You could call this year's award a belated happy birthday wish, and a thank you from a grateful foodie.

GOLD MEDAL

Fearrington House
2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
542-2121
www.fearringtonhouse.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Herons
100 Woodland Pond, in the Umstead Hotel & Spa, Cary
447-4200
www.theumstead.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Lantern
423 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
969-8846
www.lanternrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Asian

Nana's
2514 University Drive, Durham
493-8545
www.nanasdurham.com
Cuisine: contemporary Mediterranean

Poole's Diner
426 S. McDowell St., Raleigh
832-4477
www.poolesdowntowndiner.com
Cuisine: American bistro

SILVER MEDAL

18 Seaboard
18 Seaboard Ave., Raleigh
861-4318
www.18seaboard.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern, grill

Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
781-2444
www.angusbarn.com
Cuisine: steakhouse

Bloomsbury Bistro
509-101 West Whitaker Mill Road, at Five Points, Raleigh.
834-9011.
www.bloomsburybistro.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Coquette
4351 The Circle at North Hills, Raleigh
789-0606
www.coquetteraleigh.com
Cuisine: French

Elaine's on Franklin
454 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
960-2770
www.elainesonfranklin.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Fairview
3001 Cameron Blvd., in the Washington Duke Inn, Durham
490-0999
www.washingtondukeinn.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Flights
4100 Main at North Hills St., in the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, Raleigh
278-1478
www.flightsnorthhills.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Four Square
2701 Chapel Hill Road, Durham
401-9877
www.foursquarerestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Frazier's Wine Bar
2418 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
828-6699
www.frazierswinebar.com
Cuisine: wine bar

Il Palio
1505 E. Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
918-2545
www.sienahotel.com
Cuisine: Italian

Kitchen
764 Martin Luther King Blvd., Chapel Hill.

537-8167
www.kitchenchapelhill.com
Cuisine: French, contemporary

Margaux's
8111-111 Creedmoor Road, in Brennan Station, Raleigh
846-9846
www.margauxsrestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary, seafood

Maximillians
8314 Chapel Hill Road, Cary
465-2455
www.maximilliansgrill.com
Cuisine: contemporary Asian, Mediterranean, Southwestern

One
100 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill
537-8207
www.one-restaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Panciuto
110 S. Churton St., Hillsborough
732-6261
www.panciuto.com
Cuisine: contemporary Italian

Saint Jacques
6112 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
862-2770
www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com
Cuisine: French

Revolution
107 W. Main St., Durham
956-9999
www.revolutionrestaurant.com
Cuisine: global

Second Empire
330 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
829-3663
www.second-empire.com
Cuisine: contemporary

Vivace
4209 Lassiter Mill Road, in The Alexan, Raleigh. 787-7747
www.vivaceraleigh.com
Cuisine: Italian

Watts Grocery
1116 Broad St., Durham
416-5040
www.wattsgrocery.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS

Antonia's
101 N. Churton St., Hillsborough. 643-7722.

www.antoniashillsborough.com
Cuisine: Italian

Bruno
11211 Galleria Ave., in Wakefield Park, Raleigh. 435-6640
www.brunoraleigh.com
Cuisine: Italian

Dim Sum House
100 Jerusalem Drive, Morrisville. 380-3087.

www.dimsumhouse18.com
Cuisine: Chinese

Happy China
2505 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham. 237-2021.

www.happychinasushi.com
Cuisine: Chinese

Machu Picchu
4500-100 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh. 526-7378. www.machupicchuperuviancuisine.com
Cuisine: Peruvian

Saffron of Chapel Hill
3140 Environ Way, Chapel Hill. 240-7490.

www.dineatsaffron.com
Cuisine: Indian

Taipei 101
121-A E. Chatham St., Cary. 388-5885.

www.carytaipei101.com
Cuisine: Chinese

G2B
3211-106 Shannon Road, Durham. 251-9451.

g2b-restaurant.com
Cuisine: gastropub

BEST IN CLASS (BY CUISINE)

AFRICAN

Queen of Sheba
1129-O Weaver Dairy Road, in Timberlyne Shopping Center, Chapel Hill
932-4986
www.queenofshebachapelhill.com

BARBECUE

Allen & Son
6203 Millhouse Road, Chapel Hill
942-7576

CHINESE

Gourmet Kingdom
301 E. Main St., Carrboro
932-7222
www.thegourmetkingdom.com

Super Wok
1401-L SE Maynard Road, in Maynard Plaza, Cary
388-8338
http://superwok.wikidot.com

FRENCH

Vin Rouge
2010 Hillsborough Road, Durham
416-0466
www.vinrougerestaurant.com

GERMAN/CENTRAL EUROPEAN

J. Betski's

10-120 West Franklin St., Raleigh
833-7999
www.jbetskis.com

GREEK

Taverna Agora
6101 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
881-8333
www.tavernaagora.com

INDIAN (NORTHERN)

Saffron of Chapel Hill
3140 Environ Way, Chapel Hill
240-7490
www.dineatsaffron.com

INDIAN (SOUTHERN/VEGETARIAN)

Udupi Café
590 E. Chatham St., Cary
465-0898
www.sriudupi.com

ITALIAN

Il Palio
1505 East Franklin Street, in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
918-2545
www.sienahotel.com

JAPANESE

Waraji
5910 Duraleigh Road, Raleigh
783-1883
http://warajirestaurant.com

KOREAN

Seoul Garden
4701 Atlantic Ave., in Millbrook Collection, Raleigh
850-9984
www.raleighseoulgarden.com

LATIN AMERICAN

Machu Picchu
4500-100 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
526-7378
www.machupicchuperuviancuisine.com

MEXICAN (CONTEMPORARY)

Dos Perros
200 N. Mangum St., Durham
956-2750
http://dosperrosrestaurant.com

MEXICAN (AUTHENTIC)

Los Comales
2103 N. Roxboro Road, Durham
220-1614

MIDDLE EASTERN

Sitti
137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
239-4070
www.sitti-raleigh.com

PIZZERIA

Bella Mia
2025 Renaissance Park Place, Cary
677-3999
www.bellamiacoalfire.com

SEAFOOD

Blu Seafood & Bar
2002 Hillsborough Road, Durham
286-9777
www.bluseafoodandbar.com

SOUTHERN

Big Ed's City Market
220 Wolfe St., Raleigh
836-9909

STEAKHOUSE

Bin 54
1201-M Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill
969-1155
www.bin54restaurant.com

TAPAS

Zely & Ritz
301 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
828-0018
www.zelyandritz.com

TEX-MEX

Jalisco
1600-107 Ronald Drive, Raleigh
790-1999
http://fondaybirrieriajalisco.com

THAI

Sawasdee
Two Raleigh locations: 6204 Glenwood Ave., 3601 Capital Blvd.
781-7599 (Glenwood); 878-0049 (Capital)
www.sawasdeeraleigh.com

VEGETARIAN

Sage Vegetarian Café
1129 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill
968-9266
www.sagevegcafe.com