If you think food in the Southeast is fried everything, barbeque, collard greens, grits, and pecan pie, think again.  Sure, North Carolina has its fair share of the Southern favorites listed (and they rate among the best of Southern fare), but the variety of food in the cities here rivals culinary offerings from any other large city in the USA.

Gourmet bistros, high-end restaurants, ethnic cuisine, speciality coffee houses, theme restaurants, and good old American diners are only some options available in this Foodie's Paradise.  Many farm-to-table restaurants are also cropping up, promoting locally grown or raised vegetables, herbs, fruit, poultry, and animals on their menu.  In fact, one big reason Durham made The New York Times list of 41 Places to go in 2011  (#35) is because of its downtown revitalization and food.  A number of bistros and restaurants there use ingredients from local suppliers.