Must-Eat Restaurants in Greensboro

When exploring all the things to do in Gate City, it’s easy to work up a pretty big appetite. And luckily, there are so many Greensboro restaurants that are ready to satisfy your hunger, no matter what you crave.

With classic North Carolina barbecue, Middle Eastern, Mexican-Asian Fusion, and elevated American, the city’s options are almost too numerous to name.

For now, we’ll start with 12 of our favorites before grabbing our forks and digging into more must-eat restaurants to share with you.

This guide covering where to eat in Greensboro is part of our series on NC Food, coverage of Greensboro, and travels through Central North Carolina. We originally created it on June 6, 2019. It has been maintained and updated, as of January 13, 2020.

Must-Eat Restaurants in Greensboro

Bandito Bodega

Menu | 1609 Friendly Ave

You might see the Bandito Burrito food truck around town and you should certainly keep an eye out for them throughout the Triad and Triangle. You can also head over to their brick and mortar Bandito Bodega.

Mexican and Asian fusion dishes on the menu include the Thai Beef Salad (pictured), Asian Tacos, Kimchi Fried rice, and the Southern-inspired Southwest Pimento Burrito.

Grab a bite here and you’ll see why Bandito Burrito is one of the best places to eat in Greensboro.

Pho Hien Vuong

Website | 4109 Spring Garden St

From the outside, this restaurant is completely unassuming. But when you walk in, you’ll be guaranteed to find a place completely packed and ready to take your name. And you want to wait because the meal that comes is totally worth it.

Unlike most Americanized Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Hien Vuong is authentic, fresh, and completely approachable. While the menu is large and possibly overwhelming, every dish offers a distinctive flavor. Family-owned and operated since 1996, the dishes at Pho Hien Vuong bring us back to our Southeast Asia backpacking days!

Smith Street Diner

Website | 438 Battleground Ave

It’s no joke when Smith Street Diner says they have the “biggest biscuit in the ‘boro!'” Not only is it huge, but that thing is also light, fluffy, and tasty! Smith Street Diner has been serving that and more amazing breakfast dishes all day since 1980

This is a classic diner that soothes the soul.

The prices, decor, and food are exactly what you expect—affordable, down-to-Earth and full of piggies, and exactly how you granny would cook! Everything here is made from scratch and you better bet-your-biscuit delicious!

Cheesecakes by Alex

Website | 315 S Elm St

It’s true what they say. You haven’t been to Greensboro if you haven’t eaten at Cheesecakes by Alex.

This is clearly our pick for best dessert in the city, with 20 year-round flavors and two seasonal varieties choose from. These cheesecakes are simultaneously melt-in-your-mouth and velvety.

Starting out as a request to please his mother-in-law, Alex set out to make the perfect cheesecake. He failed multiple times and eventually found success, which we have researched to confirm.

You should at least order a slice before you’re convinced to take a whole cheesecake home. You can also bring some friends and make your own cheesecake “flight.”

Either way, this is one of the restaurants in Greensboro that you must not pass up.

We first found Cheesecakes by Alex during a Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tour and have been back for more. Oh, and we’ll keep coming back!

Crafted the Art of the Taco

Website | 220 S Elm St

Warning: you are not about to enter a Mexican restaurant! Crafted the Art of the Taco is proudly a taco joint because that’s what they do best. But they don’t just make boring meat and cheese tacos.

No, Crafted elevates what goes in a warm tortilla with an international spin and fresh local ingredients.

So grab that good-ole-‘Merica-inspired Big Truck Taco with pulled pork, gooey mac n’ cheese, and bacon BBQ sauce or throw it Island Gangnam-style with blackened tuna, kimchi, and garlic and pineapple aioli.

Pictured above are the Dirty South Nachos, representing North Carolina with sweet potatoes, pulled pork, and that sweet chipotle aioli!

Oh, and they’ve also got a Winston-Salem location if you’re out in Camel City and need some of the best tacos you’ll find anywhere.

Freeman’s Grub and Pub

Facebook | 1820 Spring Garden St

Weekly specials and stellar mainstays are a great reason to visit Freeman’s Grub and Pub. Their pub-inspired menu and large drink selection takes your usual fare and kicks it up a notch.

Sure, Freeman’s offers comfort food like fried chicken, brisket, and wings but with a sophisticated touch of demi-glaze, blackberry bbq, and smoked.

Oh, and don’t forget about their French fries with rosemary, garlic, and shallot or a jalapeno salt with cumin. Trust me, this restaurant in Greensboro is where comfort foodies go for a fix.

Hops Burger Bar

Website | 2138 Lawndale Dr & 2419 Spring Garden St

Hops Burger Bar is one of the best Greensboro restaurants for more than just the delicious patties of certified Angus Beef they serve. This place takes the All-American and kicks up more than a notch!

Whether you’re going for The Spicy Goat (goat cheese, applewood bacon, sweet & spicy pepper jelly) or asking for the entire farm with a Cuban Cow (grilled ham, burger, pulled pork, spicy pickles, Swiss cheese, and lime-Dijon aioli) you likely won’t be eating another meal that day!

They only use local produce, dairy, and cook to whatever temperature you like. Choose from 6-, 8-, or 12-ounce burgers and spring for one of HBB’s specialty sides.

We got the zucchini-carrot chips and red onion rings and didn’t leave a single one on the plate! Oh, and don’t forget to check out the local brews while there, too!

Jerusalem Market on Elm

Website | 310 S Elm St

Jerusalem Market on Elm has fed the Triad for over 30 years, and where you’ll find the best Middle Eastern food in Greensboro, and all of North Carolina.

It’s family-run by kids using their father’s recipes, which adds to the appeal. Omar and Easa take pride in offering authentic and fresh fare, where you can eat in or take your food to go.

The Shawarma is roasted in house daily and they serve colorful, fresh, and bright salads to complement the rest of the menu. No matter what you do, don’t leave Greensboro without coming here!

Liberty Oak

Website | 100 W Washington St

Serving up innovative and freshly prepared dishes to Gate City since 1980, Liberty Oak Restaurant is one of the best-known Greensboro restaurants. They offer everything from sandwiches to the most delicious finger-licking shrimp and grits you’ll find outside mom’s house!

You’ll also be inclined to order their Fried Goat Cheese Salad served with bourbon-soaked cherries, perfectly cooked Seafood Risotto Carbonara, or their namesake Grilled Chicken.

Don’t feel pressured by us, though. These are just some of the offerings at Liberty Oak.

Natty Greene’s Brewing Company

Website | 345 S Elm St

Natty Greene’s serves up delicious brews at their Brewery (1918 West Gate City Blvd) and Brewpub (345 South Elm St) with a concentration on ales and sours.

However, we’re big fans of the latter, which also serves up delicious grub! Natty Greene’s sources local as much as possible and you can tell from the tastiness that comes out.

You’ll love their Southern-inspired dishes like the Cowpen Burger (bacon, pimento cheese, Jim’s Own sauce). Their small bites are also very nice. Our favorites are the pork rings, Southern Spreads (black-eyed pea hummus, tomato spread, and pimento cheese) and deviled eggs!

Of course, you’ll find Natty Greene’s among our favorite breweries throughout North Carolina, too!

Print Works Bistro

Website | 702 Green Valley Road

Inside the LEED-certified and employee-owned Proximity Hotel, Print Works is not to be forgotten when discussing restaurants in Greensboro. It’s so good that many people come here even if they’re not guests of this amazing North Carolina hotel.

Soak up the outside patio’s beautiful greenery while eating or sit in their sophisticated dining room. Also, don’t overlook the drink menu! 

With hundreds of wines to select from and delicious, handcrafted drinks there are so many ways to explore their bar’s capabilities.

We loved brunching at Print Works and included it among our favorite breakfast restaurants in North Carolina.

Stamey’s Barbecue

Website | 2206 W. Gate City Blvd & 2812 Battleground Ave

Stamey’s Barbecue sits across from the Coliseum, and this Greensboro restaurant is not to be overlooked!

This place landed itself on the NC BBQ Society’s Historic Barbecue Trail, thanks to a long history of making the good stuff. Their pit building is one of the state’s largest and best-equipped to keep the fire going, too.

Its ten brick fireplaces are lined along a rectangular building and smoke pork shoulders over hot coals, typically taking six hours.

You’re welcome to choose your own path, but for me, Stamey’s chopped barbecue and sweet tangy slaw are finger-licking good. 

We also included Stamey’s in our guide to North Carolina barbecue, which you can read here.

Final Thoughts

We’re still hungry to revisit these awesome Greensboro restaurants, just so we can keep tabs on our favorite dishes while trying new things. If you’re new to the city, which spot would you try first?

We also know there are more great eats to find in Gate City and can’t wait to share our discoveries with you.

If you know the area, we’d love to know your favorites. Let us know in the comments where you would take someone if they hadn’t dug into Greensboro’s awesome food scene yet.