Global cuisine, comfort food, can’t-miss cocktails and Michelin recommendations – meet Chatham County’s best reader-voted bars and restaurants
By Morgan Cartier Weston | Photography by John Michael Simpson
The Fearrington House Restaurant
The Fearrington House Restaurant has built its reputation around refined dining with a strong sense of place for more than 45 years. Executive chef Paul Gagne’s seasonally driven menus draw from the bounty of North Carolina farms and Fearrington’s own gardens, where herbs and edible flowers grow just steps from the kitchen. Local partnerships shape the menu through regional farm-grown produce and fresh meat and seafood.
Guests can choose from three- or fourcourse prix fixe offerings, a chef’s tasting menu or a vegetarian tasting menu, all served in an intimate setting overlooking the peaceful gardens. “Our goal is to create dishes that reflect a sense of place and purpose – honoring local farmers while surprising and delighting every guest,” Paul says. The restaurant’s commitment to seasonality, sustainability and hospitality has helped make it one the most celebrated dining destinations in Chatham County and across the state, and its accolades don’t stop there: last fall, Fearrington House was among the 47 North Carolina restaurants recognized in Michelin’s new Guide to the American South.
The Sycamore at Chatham Mills
Housed in a restored former textile mill, The Sycamore at Chatham Mills combines an elegant dining experience with the industrial character of its historic Pittsboro setting. Executive chef Greg Lewis and his wife, Maria Parker-Lewis, opened the restaurant in 2021 with a menu that lists USDA Prime steaks alongside seasonal seafood, locally sourced produce and more unexpected items, including ostrich and duck.
The menu changes regularly to take advantage of what’s fresh, with North Carolina scallops, swordfish and seasonal vegetables among current offerings. In the restaurant, live jazz and piano music fill the air several nights a week, and exposed brick, original wood floors, soaring ceilings and a peacock-inspired dining room round out the sophisticated but approachable atmosphere. The adjacent lounge offers a more relaxed setting for cocktails and small plates amid a pool table and cozy fireplace; either way, The Sycamore offers plenty of reasons to linger.
Cafe Root Cellar
Chef and owner Sera Cuni takes a “go big or go home” approach to American cuisine, creating bold, seasonal dishes that draw on flavors from across the country. The reimagined sister restaurant to The Root Cellar Cafe in Chapel Hill, Cafe Root Cellar grew out of a series of pandemic-era pop-ups and now offers lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch at Mosaic at Chatham Park. Sera’s menus change with the seasons and emphasize locally sourced ingredients, with creative takes on familiar favorites alongside burgers, sandwiches, salads and shared plates. The dining room feels like eating at a family member’s kitchen table, with mismatched chairs, fresh flowers and an always-stocked case of pies and cakes giving guests a warm welcome.
Sera’s commitment to feeding people goes further than the restaurant: In 2023, she launched Feed-Well Fridges, a community fridge program that addresses food insecurity while helping reduce restaurant food waste in Chatham County. Her work in the kitchen and beyond has earned national attention, including appearances on Food Network and selection to the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change.
West End Kitchen
Equal parts fusion cafe, mercantile and wine lovers’ dream, West End Kitchen serves global cuisine with Southern hospitality. The dinner menu ranges from shrimp and grits and naan with hummus to Italian comfort dishes and Asian-inspired pork belly bites. And the biscuit French toast waffles are a must-try at brunch, served Wednesday through Sunday. Next door, owners Zed Henry and Chris Postlewaite have transformed West End Emporium into a destination of its own, combining a vibrant bookstore, coffee shop and vintage mall with its newest addition, The Operating Room, a tattoo shop.
The Beagle
Part cocktail bar, part downtown hangout, The Beagle brings a playful personality to downtown Pittsboro. Housed in a historic space at 53 Hillsboro St., the bar sets the tone from the start with walls featuring cheeky portraits of beloved pets. Take your pick from cheese and charcuterie boards, small plates (try the Old Bay-seasoned deviled eggs) or weekly dinner specials – think fried chicken on Tuesdays, Italian-inspired red sauce night on Wednesdays and burgers on Thursdays. The drink menu consisting of classic and creative cocktails and mocktails is pup-inspired too, including The Rescue, made with gin, lime, egg white, basil-ginger shrub and ginger liqueur. The Beagle’s love of animals extends beyond its name: On the first Wednesday of each month, 10% of profits are donated to CARE, supporting Chatham animals in need.
The Phoenix Bakery
each morning so customers can dig in to freshly
made biscuits and other goodies every day.
Biscuits, bagels, doughnuts, muffins and sweet rolls line the colorful cases at The Phoenix Bakery. Early every morning, the staff makes each one by hand, with many selling out by 2 p.m. “Our secret recipe is teamwork,” owner Jodi Hackney says. “When you love what you do, it shows up in the work.” That sense of pride extends beyond the kitchen and into the community the bakery has called home for more than a decade. Jodi says the relationships built with customers, neighbors and local businesses have given the team a sense of home and belonging that inspires them to keep improving. Customer favorites include the Boston cream doughnut, a fluffy confection filled with vanilla creme, and the Southwest chorizo biscuit, made with a homemade cheddar-dill biscuit, Firsthand Foods pork chorizo, Latta’s eggs, pico de gallo, guacamole and melted cheddar. Seasonal specials, including berry-topped biscuits and a winter chicken-and-gravy biscuit, offer ample incentive to keep coming back.
S&T’s Soda Shoppe
Step inside S&T’s Soda Shoppe in downtown Pittsboro and it’s easy to imagine a different era. The family-owned restaurant opened in 1997 as a faithful recreation of classic soda fountains of a bygone era, with restored mahogany booths, a marble counter, tin ceiling and other details inspired by the building’s history as a drugstore. The menu leans into that nostalgia, serving American classics and local favorites alongside old-fashioned sodas, egg creams, milkshakes and more than 30 flavors of ice cream. Regulars come for everything from hot dogs and grilled cheese to the Gambler, a recreation of a beloved skirt steak dish from Chapel Hill’s nowshuttered Rathskeller, and S&T’s famous bowl of cheese-topped lasagna. At its heart, though, S&T’s is about creating the kind of place where generations can take a break from the hustle and bustle to share a meal, a milkshake and a little whimsy.
Breakaway Cafe
At Breakaway Cafe, the menu and atmosphere reflect some of the things that matter most to its owners, Amy Coughlin and Andy Pignatora: brunch, coffee and animals. “We love brunch food, so we make sure we use great ingredients and put them together well,” says Amy, who notes that the cafe makes “a ridiculous amount of hollandaise” each week to ensure its eggs Benedict are always on point. (We’re partial to the Cali Benedict, which comes with fresh avocado, Aleppo pepper and perfectly crispy breakfast potatoes.) Amy and Andy’s passion for a good cup of coffee has also fostered a longtime relationship with Counter Culture Coffee, and the Durham-based beans shine in cappuccinos and cortados. And the owners’ years of fostering cats and dogs have shaped the cafe’s welcoming spirit – fourlegged friends are a regular sight on the patio. That love of animals extends to their approach to food, with a large number of meat-free options. “We empathize with humanely raised proteins, and what is more humane than vegetarian?” Amy says. While the dishes vary slightly between the Briar Chapel and Carrboro locations, she says Breakaway remains committed to the same principles at both.
Tarantini Italian Restaurant
Traditional Italian cooking takes center stage at Tarantini, a cozy gathering place in Governors Village open six days a week for dinner. The family-owned restaurant has built a loyal following with an expansive menu that feels familiar, from brick oven pizzas and pastas to hearty chicken, veal and seafood dishes. Guests love the generous portions and classic flavors, with specialties such as chicken rolantini (featuring grilled chicken rolled with smoked Gouda cheese, prosciutto and roasted red peppers in a white wine-lemon butter sauce) or the ravioli con funghi, wild mushroom-stuffed ravioli in a creamy cheese sauce. A robust wine list makes it a natural spot for a leisurely dinner, while its comfortable, intimate atmosphere has earned it a spot as a neighborhood favorite. And Tarantini offers plenty of ways – takeout, outdoor seating or private dining – to enjoy its made-from-scratch Italian fare.
Hoops Pizzeria
At Hoops Pizzeria, Pittsboro’s family-owned Neapolitan-style pizzeria, sustainability is part of the restaurant’s everyday approach. The kitchen staff uses a 700-degree electric oven and rooftop solar power and prepares its dough, sauces and most toppings in-house to keep ingredients fresh and reduce waste.
The dough undergoes a long cold fermentation before being hand-stretched to order, and locally sourced meats and veggies are used whenever possible. Diners can choose from classic or creative pies, including the bestselling Triple Double Pepperoni, with gluten-free crust available as well. “We hand-stretch our dough as you order, making everything as fresh as we can,” says co-owner Brenda McCants, who runs Hoops with her husband, Larry McCants. The restaurant also incorporates North Carolina-made products, from Cackalacky sauces to Cheerwine and Texas Pete, and rotates local beers on tap.
Allen & Son Bar-B-Que
Allen & Son has been serving eastern Carolina-style ’cue in Pittsboro since the early 1960s, earning a loyal following with its straightforward approach to Southern comfort food. The menu centers on pit-cooked pulled pork, served on sandwiches or plates with classic sides such as hush puppies, coleslaw, baked beans and collard greens. There’s plenty beyond barbecue too, including fried catfish, burgers, Brunswick stew and house favorites such as deep-fried corn on the cob and sweet potato waffle fries. Settle in for a full plate in the no-frills restaurant that offers indoor and outdoor seating. Or, if you’re in a hurry, the convenient takeout window makes it easy to grab a quick lunch to go.
The Mod
Beloved local pizza joint and live music venue The Mod is entering a new chapter. In August, the restaurant side closed temporarily as owner Jamie Ellen began renovations to create a more intimate dinner atmosphere in the bar, drawing on her background as an interior designer. The refresh follows a broader reinvention of The Mod, including a menu centered on organic ingredients and a welcoming, family-friendly space where everyone feels welcome. With an all-female management team and a business that is 90% female-run, The Mod also serves as a hub for the community, with a weeknight event lineup that includes shag dancing, pool and poker leagues, salsa lessons and live music on weekends. Thursday blues jams are open to all ages and have helped young local musicians, including high school performers, find a stage. The Mod also supports local nonprofits through SoCo Cares, which organizes community events and provides essentials such as Christmas gifts and school clothes to families in need. For Jamie, the renovation represents a fresh start – one that brings her creative background and vision for The Mod into its next chapter.
Ta Contento
Bolivian native Nora Anaya moved to Chapel Hill in 2016 to work at UNC Hospitals and pursue her master’s degree in psychology and health coaching. She met Hans Vargas at a food truck she frequented on her lunch break, and the couple married in 2019. That same year, they launched the Ta Contento food truck, featuring a contemporary twist on authentic Mexican flavors, and, in 2022, made themselves a permanent fixture in Chatham’s dining scene, opening a first brick and mortar at Cole Park Plaza next to the gas station. Last year, they expanded to a second location at The Plant. They remain committed to sourcing fresh ingredients and serving delicious food, adapting the menu to include popular items like birria quesadillas. Nora emphasizes the mission of Ta Contento is to provide healthy meals made with fresh, locally grown ingredients. “Food is 100% emotional,” she says. And you can taste the love in each bite.
