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Culture

You HAVE to Try These Food Places in Raleigh

Ony Otiocha
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.

I am always on the lookout for new places to eat in Raleigh. There are so many places that I have found through Tiktok, Instagram, and my friends that I have compiled a list of the top five food places that anyone who lives in the Raleigh area should go check out. 

  1. Hmart: 

This place is a Korean grocery store that is located in Cary! I know it’s not in Raleigh, but it is definitely worth the drive. It is a great place to shop for Korean food products and all of the items I have bought have been super tasty. In the store, there is a food court where you can try the famous Korean corn dogs. I like to eat the ones that have a very crispy and sweet “outer shell”, but the inside is filled with soft mozzarella cheese – it’s SOOOO GOOD!!

  1. Tacos Y Mariscos Vallarta:

This is a Mexican restaurant that is located on Capital Blvd. When my friend and I were trying to figure out a place to eat at, I randomly found this place on Google Maps and we decided to try it out. I had the beef enchiladas, which were really good and their portion sizes are fairly large too so you get the most bang for your buck. One thing I would highly recommend trying are the mangonadas, which they have the alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of. I tasted the non-alcoholic one and it had so much flavor! It was a mix of sweetness, saltiness, spiciness and sourness that made it taste so good that I was tempted to buy another one. 

  1. Saigon Pho: 

Tucked into a small part of one of the strip malls along Capital Blvd, this Vietnamese restaurant is truly a hidden gem. The inside is brightly lit and well kept, giving off minimalistic and simple vibes. This was a place that my friend suggested we eat at, after we both got off of work. I ordered some beef with rice and my friend ordered a special kind of soup. What I had gotten and what my friend had gotten tasted really good, so hopefully next time I’ll be able to try more of their soups. 

  1. Petra Grill:

I stumbled upon this Mediterranean place purely by accident. It’s right next door to Chipotle, which I had initially wanted but Chipotle was closed. I was really hungry and saw this place, so I decided to try it out. I tried their kabab platter, which tasted very good! The rice and meat were soft and sweet to the taste, while the hummus and salad complimented the meal very well. I’ve gone there a couple more times after the first one and I have never regretted going there, so definitely check this place out!

  1. Champloo Deserts:

This Thailand based shop mainly focuses on desserts!! They have tons of options from ice cream and smoothies (they even have handmade rolled ice cream, which is SUPER FREAKING GOOD, OH MY GOSH), all the way to boba tea. This place is literally the hotspot for satisfying your sugar tooth cravings, as everything that I’ve had from here has always been super sweet. The staff is super friendly and you can really tell that all the desserts they sell are made with love.

All of these places that I have mentioned I highly recommend you check them out. Bring a friend or two along with you and I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Ony Otiocha

NCSU '24

Ony Otiocha is the Co-Senior Editor of Her Campus at North Carolina State University. She joined during her freshman year, making this her third year on Her Campus as a writer. Outside of Her Campus, Ony is a third year at North Carolina State University, studying Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Biology and minoring in Forensic Science. She works at two different hospitals and volunteers at a local clinic--taking care of patients from all walks of life. Ony is also a staff photographer with NC State University Student Media, where she takes photographs of different news and sports events for outlets like Technician, Agromeck, and Nubian Message at NC State University. Ony was also a teaching assistant for biochemistry during the spring semester and will continue to do so for next semester. When she is not in class or working, Ony enjoys listening to music, painting, photography, and reading novels in her free time. She is a huge fan of books written by James Patterson, Karen Kingsbury, and Jodi Picoult. Ony also loves volunteering with children at her local church, which she has been doing for almost three years! She is passionate about not only creating safe spaces for children but also advocating on their behalf.