My Raleigh getaway centered on great food, a luxury stay, and scenic parks. I love The Umstead Hotel and Spa with its elegant rooms, artwork, and an unforgettable meal at Herons.
I got biscuits about as big as my head at the 75-acre State Farmers Market, while Chris ate his weight in Calabash-style seafood. Cary was a lovely place to spend a day with a delicious lunch, stroll through the vibrant new Downtown Cary Park, champagne at RBF, and flavorful Laotian dishes at SAAP.
For exercise we hiked in Umstead State Park and walked around the beautiful Dorothea Dix Park.
A few fun facts about Raleigh:
• it was founded is 1792 as the state capital of North Carolina and named for Sir Walter Raleigh.
• The North Carolina State Fair, held in Raleigh, is one of the largest in the country.
• It’s the second largest city in North Carolina, after Charlotte.
Here are five things we recommend you do in your getaway to Raleigh, North Carolina, a beautiful city with 100 miles of greenway trails and with the nickname The City of Oaks.
Stay and eat at The Umstead Hotel and Spa
From a visit years ago, I knew I loved The Umstead Hotel and Spa and a return visit did not disappoint. This luxury property is the only Forbes 5 Star hotel in North Carolina and its recognition is well deserved.
It’s gorgeously decorated with beautiful artwork at every turn. Our room was comfortable without feeling stuffy and had a balcony with a view of the small lake. Our marble bathroom came with a double sink and a tub.
The biggest surprise was our magnificent meal at Herons, the signature restaurant of The Umstead and one of only 79 Forbes Five-Star restaurants in the world. Our dinner there was one of the more memorable ones of our lives and included oysters, squash soup, octopus, shrimp and grits, tuna and halibut.
Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, we made room for a peach dessert followed by a cheese plate. The presentation of the dishes was as exquisite as was the meal.
The next day we got a tour with Chef Spencer Thomson of the three acres of gardens where they grow their own vegetables and herbs and met the Farm Director Adam Smith.
“We have a collaborative and supportive relationship between the farmers and the chefs,” Spencer told us. A lot of the work is done by hand, and “we develop a relationship with every crop,” Adam said.
The level of care about the food at The Umstead literally starts from the ground up.
Explore the State Farmers Market
Even if you are not in the market for fresh produce, you need to visit the massive, 75-acre State Farmers Market. It’s a visual delight to just wander through the aisles of fresh produce and visit the vendors selling crafts, bakery items and plenty more.
When I saw the menu for the State Farmers Market Restaurant, I could understand why people flock there. While it serves a selection of a few salads and a dozen sandwiches for lunch, it’s really known for its giant breakfast menu, which is available until 3:00 p.m.
It claims to be famous for its biscuits, so I ordered a biscuit with North Carolina country ham. “Would you like me to put that on two smaller biscuits?” the server asked. “Sure,” I said.
When she set the plate down in front of me, I just started laughing. The “small” biscuits were about as big as a hockey puck. Another reason people love this place – huge portions.
Chris abstained from breakfast because he had fried seafood on his mind and we were among the first customers when NC Seafood opened. The restaurant specializes in Calabash-style seafood, which means fried with a light batter.
He ordered fried shrimp and oysters, which came with fries and hush puppies. When he walked over with the Styrofoam container, it looked like enough to feed a whole basketball team. He did his best but sadly could not finish the shrimp. Having just stuffed myself with just one of those massive biscuits, I was of little help in whittling down the giant pile of seafood.
I thought he would cry when I told him we had no way to heat up the leftovers in our hotel room and he would just have to let it go. I’ll eat lot of things cold, like pizza and fried chicken. But fried shrimp doesn’t make the cut.
Spend a day in Cary
Located on the west side of Raleigh, Cary is a sophisticated suburb that’s worth the short drive. We enjoyed a delightful lunch at Peck & Plume located inside the Mayton Hotel. The beautiful wallpaper distracted me with thoughts of searching for something similar for a bathroom in our home, but I soon concentrated on the Modern American menu and ordered a delicious salmon poke bowl. Being lunchtime, the bar was empty but looked like a charming place to grab a drink.
After lunch we strolled around Downtown Cary Park, which opened two years ago and is now the crown jewel of Cary. The seven-acre park has botanical gardens, table tennis, play structures, splashpad, pavilions, and a large art installation.The park is the site of an active schedule of events, with movie nights, concerts and a Pimento Cheese Festival in April.
When cocktail hour rolled around we headed to RBF, Your Authentic Champagne Bar where we grabbed a table outside and ordered glasses of bubbly. Why the name RBF you may ask, as I did? Our server told us it stands for resting bitch face, an expression I had to explain to my bewildered husband.
For a casual, fabulous meal, head to SAAP, which means delicious in Laotian. The food lived up to its name and we chowed down on a selection of curries, chicken wings and spring rolls. We chatted with our lovely server, Noel, and eventually learned her family own the restaurant with several members working there. We met her father, Lon Bounsanga, who opened the restaurant in 2023.
Check out more of the food and drink scene
After our trip, a friend asked what we had done in Raleigh and I realized our primary activity was eating. I’m good with that. To me, enjoying local food is an essential part of the travel experience and one of the main reasons to travel.
When you can’t decide what you want to eat, get inspired by the large selection at Morgan Street Food Hall where you’ll find 23 local vendors. The hard part is making a selection between items that include gyros, curry, boba tea, empanadas, fish sandwiches, oyster po boys, burgers, poke bowl and pizza.
Get your chocolate fix a few blocks away at Videri Chocolate Factory. Take a tour to learn more about how they make their artisan chocolate then enjoy a cup of coffee and a chocolate treat at the café. There is an inviting outdoor area to enjoy when the weather is nice.
Take a trip back in time and have a drink at the Longleaf Hotel & Lounge, a 1969 motor lodge that was renovated in 2019 and was recently recognized by Michelin. We settled ourselves in the plush red velvet banquettes to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail.
One of the most elegant and sophisticated restaurants I’ve ever been in, Madre specializes in small plates and touts itself as “a celebration of modern hospitality.” You can order a large dish like a ribeye, chicken or trout, but Madre is all about tapas and sharing with your dining partners.
Our party of three shared roasted cauliflower, pork belly, grilled shrimp, salchipapas (crispy potatoes with chorizo and dijonnaise), and the Calabrian chicken with hot honey and aioli. If you love to share multiple plates, this is the place for you.
Take a walk through a park
Located a short distance from The Umstead, William B. Umstead State Park has trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. You can also fish, rent a canoe and camp. We took a hike through the woods and talked about our next meal.
You could spend a day in Dorothea Dix Park, a 308-acre park with a shady picnic grove, flower field, meadow and views of the downtown Raleigh skyline. The newest addition is the Gipson Play Plaza. Even if you aren’t traveling with a member of the younger set who would enjoy the best playground I’ve ever seen, you’ll want to stroll through the park to see the artwork, gardens, waterfall and picnic grounds.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief.
Photos by Jan Schroder unless otherwise noted.
For more on Raleigh, go to www.visitraleigh.com