Innovative, passionate chefs are fueling the booming restaurant scene in Raleigh, N.C., with a bevy of great meals to choose from overall. To help you make your dining picks, we tapped local food bloggers for their suggestions on tried-and-true dishes that please time and time again:

My favorite dish and guilty pleasure are the Carolina Nachos at Tyler's Taproom in Apex. They take a heaping pile of crispy nacho chips, drizzle them in a rich and cheesy beer queso sauce and then top with smoked pulled pork, hot sauce and green onions. Crunchy, savory, smoky and rich! They're listed as an appetizer, but I consider it a meal.
—Ron Wen, NC Triangle Dining

The Rockford's buffalo shrimp is one of my favorite dishes in Raleigh, N.C., because it takes a familiar staple and puts a fun little twist on it. It's also considerably less messy than traditional buffalo wings, so that's a plus!
—Tessa Nguyen, Triangle Foodie Adventures


 

 



If I had to narrow it down to one, I'd pick the Bibimbap Mixed Rice Bowl at Kimbap. It's a huge bowl of delicious seasonal veggies and I get it with pork belly and my favorite thing is the sunny-side up egg on top. Always satisfying and tasty and seems healthy for lunch or dinner. Get the dumplings, too.
—Chana Lynn, RaleighWhatsUp 


 

 



I love the BBQ Pork Nachos from Raleigh Times Bar. This dish is everything I love about Raleigh, N.C. It pays respect to the deep-rooted traditions of the South with barbecue pork but also paves way to new ideas by combining it with nachos. Sweet, savory, spicy, crunchy and creamy, it’s Raleigh on a plate.
—Elliot Acosta, eatRaleigh

After spending time in Vietnam, I was craving a legit bánh mì and I found it at Pho Vietnam. The Bánh Mì sandwich with BBQ pork is topped with vegetables including fresh cilantro, cucumber slices, jalapeño, shredded carrots and daikon. The bread is flaky and has a perfect amount of crunch when you bite in the sandwich. Reminds me exactly of the sandwiches they serve off of street carts in Vietnam!
—Kristen Baughman, Gadabout Food


 

 



Read more about Raleigh, N.C.'s food scene here

Header photo: Kimbap