INDY’s Best of the Triangle 2025: Wake County Winners

For two decades, readers have relied on the INDY’s Best of the Triangle awards to help them navigate important decisions about how to spend their time, where they spend their money, and—perhaps most importantly—what to eat and drink. 

INDY stalwarts will note that, once again, we’re rolling out winners from our highly anticipated reader poll one county at a time. First up, we’re sharing winners for all categories in Wake County, with Durham and Orange counties to follow. From the best restaurants, to yoga studios and hair salons, to museums, and preschools, we’ve got you covered with readers’ top picks. 

This year’s Wake County winners, as determined by our readers, have something for everyone—a greatest hits of food, bookstores, concert venues, parks, local causes and more. We hope you’ll take a look and check out some of the places, people and activities that make the community unique.

In the meantime, thank you for nominating all your favorites, and congratulations to all of the finalists in Wake, who will receive our coveted star decal and a poster to display. Stay tuned for Durham and Orange County winners throughout the year and, in December, a special print edition rounding up the best of the best across the Triangle.

Best Alcoholic Cocktails 

FOUNDATION

Runners-up: Dram & Draught, Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar

Best Bagel 

Benchwarmers Bagels

Runners-up: New York Bagel & Deli, Bruegger’s Bagels

Best Bakery 

Boulted Bread

Runners-up: Paul and Jack, Yellow Dog Bread Company

Best Barbecue 

Longleaf Swine

Runners-up: Prime Barbeque, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Beer Retail Store   

State of Beer

Runners-up: House of Hops, Tasty Beverage Company, House Creek Beverage Company

Best Biscuits   

State Farmers Market Restaurant

Runners-up: The Flying Biscuit Cafe, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

Best Brewery (brewed locally) 

Trophy Brewing

Runners-up: Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie, R&D Brewing

Best Brunch Restaurant   

Irregardless

Runners-up: Hummingbird, PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails, Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie

Best Hot Dog  

Snoopy’s Hot Dogs & More

Runners-up: The Roast Grill, The Cardinal Bar

Best Burger   

Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie

Runners-up: Shake Shack, LaGana, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Catering   

Sassool

Runners-up: Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Cheap Eats   

Char-Grill

Runners-up: Snoopy’s Hot Dogs & More, Benny Capitale’s, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Chinese Restaurant   

Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant

Runners-up: Peace China, Chengdu 7

Best Coffee Shop   

NoRa Cafe

Runners-up: Jubala Coffee, Sola Coffee Cafe

Best Desserts   

Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery

Runners-up: Bittersweet, Groovy Duck Bakery, Asali Desserts & Cafe

Best Draft Selection   

Raleigh Beer Garden

Runners-up: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Ethnic Grocery Store   

Grand Asia Market

Runners-up: Golden Hex European Food Market, A&C Supermarket

Best Food Truck   

Mr. Burro Breakfast + coffee

Runners-up: 454 Grill, Qspresso

Best Indian Restaurant   

Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar

Runners-up: Bombay Curry, Kebab and Curry

Best Italian Restaurant   

Vic’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

Runners-up: Cafe Tiramisu, Vivo Ristorante

Best Japanese Restaurant   

Waraji Japanese Restaurant

Runners-up: O-Ku, Sushi Mon

Best Late Night Meal – Past 10 p.m.   

Cook Out

Runners-up: Heavenly Buffaloes, Benny Capitale’s, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Mexican Restaurant   

Gringo A Go Go

Runners-up: El Rodeo, Mi Cancun

Best Neighborhood Bar   

FOUNDATION

Runners-up: Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best New Restaurant (within 12 months) 

Brodeto

Runners-up: Postino Village District, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks  (not coffee)

Cha House

Runners-up: Pixels Bar + Arcade, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Pizza   

Oakwood Pizza Box

Runners-up: Trophy Pizza, Tony’s Pizza

Best Wine Retail Store   

Total Wine & More

Runners-up: Wine Authorities Raleigh, Taylor’s Wine Shop, Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Best Seafood   

N.C. Seafood Restaurant at the Farmers Market

Runners-up: St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, Cape Fear Seafood Company

Best Small Plates/Tapas   

Barcelona Wine Bar

Runners-up: Madre, Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Best Southern Food   

Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant

Runners-up: Longleaf Swine, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Sushi   

Waraji Japanese Restaurant

Runners-up: Oku, Sushi Mon

Best Thai Restaurant   

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant

Runners-up: Osha Thai Kitchen and Sushi, Anise Pho

Best Vegetarian Eatery   

Irregardless

Runners-up: The Fiction Kitchen, Pure Vegan, Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar

Best Wine List   

Angus Barn

Runners-up: Vita Vite, Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Best Wings   

Woody’s Sports Tavern & Grill

Runners-up: Heavenly Buffaloes, Mac’s Speed Shop

Best Wedding/Event Venue  

The Umstead Hotel and Spa

Runners-up: Heights House Hotel, Melrose Knitting Mill

Best Alcohol-Free Venue   

Marbles Kids Museum

Runner-up: Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH)

Best Arboretum or Garden   

JC Raulston Arboretum

Runners-up: North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh Rose Garden

Best Bike Trail  

Greenway

Runners-up: Neuse River Trail, Lake Crabtree Park

Best Co-Working Space  

Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH)

Runners-up: Raleigh Founded, Flourish Coworking

Best Dance Venue   

Legends Nightclub

Runners-up: Sunday Dancing @ Raleigh Elks Lodge, Fred Astaire Dance Studios – Morrisville

Best Golf Course   

Lonnie Poole Golf Course

Runners-up: Wildwood, Pine Hollow Golf Club

Best Park  

William B. Umstead State Park

Runners-up: Downtown Cary Park, Dorothea Dix Park, North Carolina Museum of Art

Best Hotel   

The Umstead Hotel and Spa

Runners-up: The Longleaf Hotel and Lounge, Heights House Hotel

Best Hotel Lounge   

The Longleaf Hotel and Lounge

Runners-up: The Umstead Hotel and Spa

Best Karaoke Place/Event   

Neptunes Parlour

Runners-up: Berkeley Cafe, Flex Nightclub – Karaoke, StarBar Raleigh

Best Place to take a First Date  

North Carolina Museum of Art

Runners-up: Downtown Cary Park, Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Best Place To Take An Out-of-Towner  

North Carolina Museum of Art

Runners-up: The Raleigh Market, Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Best Place to People Watch

Downtown Raleigh

Runners-up: North Carolina Museum of Art, The Raleigh Market

Best Sports Bar   

The Players Retreat

Runners-up: Mac’s Speed Shop, Bru’s Public House

Best Summer Camp   

Raleigh Little Theatre

Runners-up: Temple Beth Or Preschool and Kindergarten, Arts Together Inc

Best Trivia Bar/Event  

Raleigh Brewing Company

Runners-up: Trivia Night with Andy @ Nancy’s Pizza, Clouds Brewing Tap Room

Best Preschool/Early Education Program   

Temple Beth Or Preschool and Kindergarten

Runners-up: Project Enlightenment, Greenwood Forest Children’s Center

Best Chef   

Ashley Christensen

Runners-up: Scott Crawford, Silvano Garcia

Best DJ  

Luxe Posh

Runners-up: Bunn DJ Company, 20th Century Boy

Best Draft-Slinger 

Cailin Peterson @ Clouds Brewing Raleigh Taproom

Runners-up: Tom Fischer @ Person St. Bar, Jake @ House of Hops

Best Mixologist 

Kyle Hankin @ Foundation

Runners-up: Ingrid Folkers @ Whiskey Kitchen, Kaylah Thomas @ Gussie’s

Best Local Activist Group   

Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH)

Runners-up: Livable Raleigh, NC Triangle DSA, Emancipate North Carolina

Best Non-Profit  

Second Chance Pet Adoptions

Runners-up: Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH), Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue

Best Kids Non-Profit  

Note in the Pocket

Runners-up: Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub (RUMAH), Hope for Teens

Best Reason to Love Wake County 

Parks and Green Spaces

Runners-up: Diverse Community, Arts and Culture

Best Local Band  

Dan Davis Group

Runners-up: The Embers, Truth Club, Ghostt Bllonde

Best Local Influcener  

Kiara Ruth (@the.bananamoon)

Runners-up: Sana Siddiqui (@therealsanas), Meghan Grant (@imfixintoblog), Miriam Tolbert (@MIR.I.AM)

Best Politician   

Roy Cooper

Runners-up: Jeff Jackson, Josh Stein

Best Reason to Leave Wake County 

Republican State Politicians

Runners-up: Traffic, Crowded

Best Use of Public Money   

Affordable Housing

Runners-up: Parks, Wake County Public Libraries

Biggest Waste of Public Money

Republicans Fighting Allison Riggs’ Legitimate Win

Runners-up: Tax Credits for Developers, Bike Lanes

Best Barber Shop   

The Herr Cutter

Runners-up: Arrow, All In Luxe Cuts, Sam and Bill’s Hair Design

Best Childcare   

Children’s Lighthouse of Raleigh

Runners-up: Sas Institute Montessori, Preschool, The Learning Experience – Apex

Best Chiropractic Practice  

Oak City Chiropractic

Runners-up: Infinite Wellness, Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic

Best Dental Practice  

Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry

Runners-up: St. Mary’s Family Dentistry, Edward Wood, DDS: Family Dentistry

Best Dermatological Practice  

CLARA Dermatology

Runners-up: Blue Ridge Dermotology Cary, Cary Dermatology Center

Best Gym   

Oak and Iron Fitness

Runners-up: Planet Fitness, Renu Health and Fitness

Best Hair Salon   

Tone Hair Salon

Runners-up: Moss Salon, Tanas Hair Designs & Day Spa

Best Holistic Medicine   

A New Day Integrative Health and Wellness

Runners-up: Raleigh Health and Wellness, Cary Holistic Health

Best Massage Therapist   

Laura Gries @ Awakenings Health

Runners-up: Raleigh Health & Wellness Center, Tranquil Oaks (Inside A New Day), Kneaded Massage

Best Pediatric Practice   

Durant Road Pediatrics

Runners-up: HealthPark Pediatrics, Jeffers, Mann & Artman Pediatrics

Best Spa

Blue Water Spa

Runners-up: Colette Skincare, Lorena Luca MED + SPA

Best Dog Veterinarian Practice  

Care First Animal Hospital

Runners-up: Falls Village Veterinary Hospital, Grace Park Animal Hospital, Armadale Animal Hospital

Best Cat Veterinarian  

Care First Animal Hospital

Runners-up: Magnolia Animal Hospital, Carpenter Animal Hospital and Pet Inn

Best Women’s Health Practice   

Wilkerson Obstetrics And Gynecology

Runners-up: Wake Women’s Health, Durham Women’s Clinic

Best Yoga Studio   

YoBa Studio

Runners-up: Homebody Yoga and Wellness, Barre-Up Raleigh

Best Acupuncture Practice  

A New Day Integrative Health and Wellness

Runners-up: Dr. Adam Gries @ Awakenings Health, Infinite Wellness

Best Attorney   

Cara Gibbons, Sterling Law

Runners-up: Becker Law Offices, PC, Donna R. Cohen, Attorney at Law

Best Auto Mechanic   

Precision Tune Auto Care

Runners-up: Brown’s Alignment, Brake, and Auto Repair, Fuquay Tire & Automotive Center

Best CBD/Head Shop   

Hempie’s

Runners-up: Sherlocks Glass & Dispensary, NC Hemp Shoppe, Nature’s Releaf Hemp Store^®

Best Clothing Consignment   

MODE Consignment Boutique

Runners-up: Revolver Consignment Boutique, ADORE Women’s Clothing Designer Resale Boutique

Best Dance Studio   

Stage Door Dance Productions

Runners-up: Fred Astaire Dance Studios – Apex, Fred Astaire Dance Studios – Morrisville

Best Dog Boarding   

Dog Diggity Daycare & Boarding

Runners-up: Leesville Animal Hospital PA, Pack&Pride

Best Dog Grooming   

Pawfection Salon NC

Runners-up: City Pet Grooming, Pack&Pride

Best Dog Training   

Sally Said So! Professional Dog Training

Runners-up: Symbio Dog Training, Pack&Pride, All Dogs Allowed

Best Dog Walking   

Pack&Pride

Runners-up: aMANda’S BEST FRIEND, Hooman on Demand

Best Dog Sitting  

Dog Diggity Daycare & Boarding

Runners-up: aMANda’S BEST FRIEND, Pack&Pride

Best Electrician   

Chris Lee Electric, Inc.

Runners-up: Dog Face Electrical Contractors LLC, Bright Electricians

Best Florist  

Fallon’s Flowers

Runners-up: TG Floristry, Carlton’s Flowers

Best Game Store  

Hidden Block Games

Runners-up: Game Theory Duraleigh, Side Quest Game Lounge + Bar

Best HVAC Company   

Comfort Monster Heating & Air

Runners-up: Tech-On-Deck Heating, Air & Electric, Carroll Service Company Inc.

Best Insurance Company   

Farm Bureau Insurance

Runners-up: Amanda Hagood – State Farm Insurance Agent, Melvin Patrick – State Farm Insurance Agent

Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store   

Bailey’s Fine Jewelry

Runners-up: Fink’s Jewelers, Quercus Studio

Best Landscaper   

Four Seasons Landscaping and Maintenance, Inc.

Runners-up: Brookscapes, Fine Lines Landscaping

Best Local Bookstore   

Quail Ridge Books

Runners-up: Blackbird Books and Coffee, So & So Books

Best Men’s Clothing Store 

Raleigh Denim Workshop + Curatory

Runners-up: Kannon’s Clothing Men’s, Bonobos

Best New Business  (within 12 months) 

PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails

Runners-up: Pixels Bar + Arcade, marketingFORWARD

Best Painters  

Alvarez Painting

Runners-up: Anderson Painting, Montoya Paint and Power Wash

Best Real Estate Company   

Raleigh Realty

Runners-up: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Linda Nuxoll, Realtor – Raleigh Durham Chapel Hill

Best Realtor  

Gracie Goins

Runners-up: Jarrett Jost, Chuck Belden

Best Place to Buy Locally Made Crafts/Art   

Bayleaf Market

Runners-up: The Raleigh Market, Deco Raleigh

Best Vintage Store   

Cheshire Cat Antique Gallery

Runners-up: Father & Son Vintage, TrunkShow, Pallbearer

Best Women’s Clothing Store  

The Flourish Market

Runners-up: Bless Your Heart Boutique, MADISON|Village District

Best Art Gallery (Art for sale)

Artspace

Runners-up: The Raleigh Market, Bayleaf Market

Best Art Museum   

North Carolina Museum of Art

Runners-up: Gregg Museum of Art & Design, CAM Raleigh

Best Science/History Museum   

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Runners-up: North Carolina Museum of History, Marbles Kids Museum

Best Comedy Club/Event   

Goodnights Comedy Club

Runners-up: Raleigh Improv, Raleigh Comedy Festival, Awful Movie Club

Best Theatre Company   

Raleigh Little Theatre

Runners-up: Theatre in the Park, Burning Coal Theatre Company

Best Music Festival  

Hopscotch Music Festival

Runners-up: Dreamville Fest, Midtown Beach Music Series

Best Drag Show/Event   

Legends Nightclub

Runners-up: Ruby Deluxe Drag Brunch, Drag Story Hour (Triangle Area), Raleigh Drag Dinner @ Libations 317

Best Electronic Concert Venue   

Red Hat Amphitheater

Runners-up: The Ritz, Lincoln Theatre, Alchemy

Best Unplugged Concert Venue  

Koka Booth Amphitheatre

Runners-up: Red Hat Amphitheater, The Ritz

Best Film Theatre Venue/Event

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Raleigh

Runners-up: The Rialto, The Cary Theater, Cinemark Bistro Raleigh

Best Local/Regional Podcast   

Level Up Artists

Runners-up: Pack Pride Podcast, Ovies & Giglio

Best Mural  

All Are Welcome 428 S McDowell St

Runners-up: Our Vote is Power on Glenwood Ave., Life in Bloom E Main, Garner

Best Radio Station Serving Wake County 

91.5 WUNC

Runners-up: 88.1 WKNC, 105.1 FM