糖心Vlog

If you鈥檙e anything like me, you believe the food scene is an integral part of a city鈥檚 culture. Thankfully, Raleigh has a lot to offer you, whether you鈥檙e into fine cuisine or comfort food: from rooftop patios like the , to college students鈥� #1 pick, Cookout. Here are a few of my recommendations.

Celebrating food all year long

There are many food events to enjoy in the Triangle area. For example, several food truck rodeos happen throughout the year: the and the are two of the biggest ones you鈥檒l definitely want to check out. And every year is the International Food Festival, a celebration of international food, dance, art, and music. It is the perfect opportunity to try out new things and have a good time to kick off the summer.

For North Carolina flavors, head to the , open yearlong. Stop by to get ingredients for your next cookout or potluck, or to find pumpkins to carve for Halloween. Also open every day of the year, is the new . A good food hall is among my favorite things ever, so I was pumped to hear about one opening in Downtown Raleigh. It is a fun and stylish hangout spot for you and your friends, and the food is delicious!

Get cozy: brunch spots and coffee shops

There are few things I find more satisfying than a copious brunch or a nice cup of coffee鈥� , an authentic french bakery, is one of my favorite brunch spots in the area – and it reminds me of my home country, France. I just had to feature it on this post! is another spot you shouldn鈥檛 miss: it鈥檚 a very trendy all-in-one restaurant that combines a caf茅, a restaurant, and a gift shop. And as an added bonus, they make a point to support local artisans and farmers.

When it comes to coffee spots, the list can be long. At the top of it are Sola Caf茅, with its instagram-worthy mural, as well as , with its flavors from all over the world. Lafayette Village, where it is located, is designed to reminisce of a small European village, so feel free to walk around with your coffee and pretend you鈥檙e in Italy鈥� And just across the street from Meredith is the lovely and its chill vibes.

A few fun discoveries

The food scene in Raleigh is also full of surprises, and Brewery Bhavana is the perfect example. Imagine a brewery, bookstore, flower shop, and dim sum restaurant, all mashed into one colorful, one-of-a-kind space. While it is hard to believe at first, the concept is working remarkably well and has been carefully designed. It even has been named one of the top by Bon App茅tit, who described it as 鈥渂right, light and cheery鈥�.

If you head to the Aviator Smokehouse in Fuquay-Varina, an interesting challenge awaits you: the Aviator Wing Madness Challenge, and let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart. If you wish to take on the challenge, you鈥檒l have to eat 12 deep-fried chicken wings. The catch? The wings are drowned in their infamous Imperial MocoLoco Sauce, described as 鈥渧ery, very, very, very, very, very hot.鈥� Don鈥檛 say I didn鈥檛 warn you!

And to satisfy your sweet tooth and congratulate yourself after that incredible challenge, check out the in Downtown Raleigh. Here, you can decide to take a guided tour to learn all about their process, or simply indulge yourself and try one of their handcrafted chocolates. Pro tip: try their frozen hot chocolate. You鈥檒l thank me later.

Vegan and/or gluten-free options?

I haven鈥檛 forgotten about you, and Raleigh certainly hasn鈥檛 either! For all your vegan and gluten-free needs, The City of Oaks offers plenty of delicious options. A few local favorites include the Remedy Diner, as well as the Fiction Kitchen, Living Kitchen, and Cafe Luna, all conveniently located in the heart of the city. And the iconic Mellow Mushroom, the pizza restaurant beloved by many of us students, has vegan options, too!

So, no matter what you鈥檙e into, Raleigh has the dish for you. Read our other posts on Raleigh & RTP, or get in touch with current students to hear more about their experience in the area.