These 7 North Carolina brunch spots rank among the nation’s best. Why they stand out
From the mountains to the coast, North Carolina has no shortage of places to indulge in French toast, mimosas and other brunch favorites.
And now, seven of those dining spots rank among the nation’s “Top 100 Brunch Restaurants.” Here are the North Carolina destinations that earned recognition from the reservation website OpenTable:
Green Valley Grill in Greensboro
Herons in Cary
JOLO Winery & Vineyards in Pilot Mountain
Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden in Highlands
O.Henry Hotel in Greensboro (for afternoon tea)
On the Nines in Mooresville
Seabird in Wilmington
To create the list of best brunch spots, OpenTable studied more than 14 million “verified” reviews that customers left across the country between Feb. 1, 2023, and Jan. 31, 2024. Analysts focused on brunch-related comments and other factors, according to an April 30 news release.
“Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance and direct searches,” OpenTable wrote.
What makes the NC brunch restaurants stand out?
In Western North Carolina, Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden in Highlands received praise on OpenTable for its customer service and views. The restaurant, located at the Old Edwards Inn, serves breakfast only for hotel guests and members but opens to the public for lunch, according to its website.
In Pilot Mountain, customers also couldn’t get enough of the scenery and the food at JOLO Winery and Vineyards, reviews show.
Roughly a 55-mile drive to the southeast, Greensboro was home to two top-ranking brunch spots. The O.Henry Hotel’s afternoon tea experience and the nearby Green Valley Grill both boasted the label “Great for brunch” on OpenTable.
And north of Charlotte, fans said they craved the mid-morning options at On the Nines in Mooresville. Favorites included the restaurant’s deviled eggs and shrimp and grits dishes.
To the east, the other ranked brunch restaurants were in the Triangle and near the coast. Herons, at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, earned high scores for its ambiance. And in Wilmington, OpenTable users raved about the seafood options at Seabird.
The top 100 restaurants, which weren’t shared in ranking order, were announced after Yelp created a similar list of the best places to eat brunch. Restaurants in Greensboro and Winston-Salem were honored on that nationwide list, McClatchy News reported.
The rankings were announced before Mother’s Day, which falls on May 12 this year.
Last year, OpenTable said its data showed the holiday was the most popular day for dining out.
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