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Start a Top 5 for PatiosEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in INDY Week, Raleigh Magazine, The News & Observer, and Axios Raleigh. Updated August 2026.
Goorsha · Brightleaf
Goorsha centers the Ethiopian practice of sharing food from a common platter, with injera supporting tibs, shiro, lentils, greens, cabbage, and other stews. Cousins Fasil Tesfaye and Zewditu Zewdie built the Durham restaurant around family recipes and hospitality. A shaded patio and modern dining room make the communal format comfortable for newcomers and regulars alike.
Gringo A Go Go · Downtown Raleigh
INDY Week's Wake County coverage names Gringo A Go-Go in Raleigh's Mexican dining field. The Person Street restaurant serves tacos and larger plates from a colorful converted gas station with a substantial patio. Build a meal from several tacos and one of the kitchen's slower-cooked preparations rather than limiting the visit to the bar program.
Guglhupf Bakery · Durham
INDY Week's Durham County coverage recognizes Guglhupf as a brunch destination as well as a bakery. The restaurant applies its European baking program to a full weekend meal, with breads and pastries supporting savory German-influenced plates. Plan on sharing something from the bakery case before settling into the restaurant's courtyard or dining room.