Top 5 Places/Spaces of the Triangle – David Meeker

David Meeker

5. St. Roch. I’m a huge oyster guy. Sunny, who worked with Ashley Christensen for years, is one of the best Chefs in town. You can still get a seat at the bar most nights. A dozen oysters and a Sazerac and I feel like I’m in NOLA.

4. Lucette Grace. Some of the best pastries in town. But I go for the lunch combo — a sandwich, a salad, and a Rice Krispy treat. In a couple years, I fully expect a line around the block to get in here.

3. Weaver Street Grocery. So much better than Whole Foods and Wegmans. I can’t believe this place isn’t slammed all the time. It shows how much we need density so we can support more options like this. I’m spending every dollar I can here to make sure it stays around.

2. Garland. One of the best restaurants in the country, hands down. The Moroccan hummus calls my name if I haven’t had in a week. And the owners Cheetie and Paul still work there almost every night. It’s just amazing. I can’t believe you can still walk in and get a table most weekday nights without a reservation. The weekends? Well that’s a different story.

1. Fox Liquor Bar. Its hard to say an Ashley Christensen concept is underrated but I feel like Fox gets the least press of all her places, and its my favorite. I go there for important business meetings, to celebrate birthdays, or with my wife just to have a quiet conversation. Its dark, its hidden, and the cocktails are the best in town. There is always a line outside of Beasleys, but you can still walk into Fox and get a booth most nights. (And the Gold Rush in the basement is better.)