Located inside the eco-friendly “greenest hotel in America,” Print Works is the best of the city’s legacy fine dining options. The lavish, high-ceilinged space with flowing white curtains manages to avoid feeling stuffy, making it a favorite for anniversary dinners and graduation celebrations. The seasonal menu offers dishes like a seared scallop risotto with mushrooms, leeks, and goat cheese, but a more straightforward brunch menu is also worth the trip, especially on Print Works’ open-air patio.

Don’t let the name, shared gas station parking lot, or American-style wing and sandwich menu fool you. Saint Louis Saveurs — named for the city in Senegal, West Africa, rather than the American counterpart — is home to arguably the best Sengalese food in the state. The layered flavors of the jollof rice with expertly seasoned chicken showcase the hours of preparation required, while the heat of the okra soup with savory beef and smoked turkey pair seamlessly with the housemade, hibiscus-based bissap.

Despite opening moments before the pandemic, Machete held on and quickly rocketed to the top of the Triad’s dining scene. Chefs Kevin Cottrell and Lydia Greene — expats from the late LaRue — came into their own at this New American restaurant. They just received a massive recognition to prove it: being named as a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant nationwide by the illustrious James Beard Awards. Customers can sit in the open (but covered) lounge area to try the spread of rotating small and large plates, which include items like a divine roasted cauliflower with brown butter and hazelnut, smoky king trumpet mushroom skewers, double-fried and massive crispy duck wings, and a pillowy olive oil toast topped with warm chocolate ganache.

Kris Fuller may be the most well-known, recognizable chef in Greensboro. When her wildly popular taco joint first opened, few if any experimental dining options existed in the area. The success of items like the Big Truck tacos with pulled pork and mac and cheese catapulted Fuller to the forefront of the region’s culinary scene, setting her up to consult for restaurants like Hops and opening several more restaurants. The flagship downtown Crafted always remained the busiest, slinging tacos stuffed with everything from Nashville hot chicken to battered fish with roasted corn and cotija cheese.

Named for owner and chef Sean Reaves’ grandparents Lucille and Roscoe, ‘Cille & ‘Scoe made its mark on the city’s dining scene within just a few months into operating. That’s not surprising considering that Reaves made his bones in some of the area’s most well-known restaurants, including Southern Roots, 1618 Midtown, and Green Valley Grill. Dubbed a “Southern eatery,” the restaurant reaches beyond the norm with plates like a Swedish meatball with homemade pasta, popcorn cauliflower with roasted garlic oil and anchovy cream, and an Outer Banks ahi tuna with white beans, bacon, and tomato tarragon pan sauce.

This casual-yet-classy pizza place has long been a hallmark of Greensboro’s dining scene. Located in the heart of the Lindley Park neighborhood and diagonally across from sister restaurant Fishbones (and adjacent to standouts Emma Keys and Lindley Park Filling Station), Sticks impresses with its pizzas named for Ryan Adams’ songs, including the walnut pesto and chicken Mockingbirdsing, fried eggplant and mushroom A Kiss Before I Go, and rich, unforgettable Let It Ride with shallot cream sauce, fried chicken, prosciutto, collards, and mozzarella. The salads and beer menu are also among the best in town.

This quintessential neighborhood restaurant offers a little of everything, from a large family-friendly patio that often hosts dogs under tables at brunch to a quick nightcap at the bar after enjoying pizza across the street at Sticks & Stones. Lindley Park Filling Station isn’t showy, but the deft execution of classics like buffalo shrimp and fried green tomatoes deserves recognition. Sandwiches named for neighborhood streets like Madison Avenue rightly dominate the menu, but more than half a dozen salads help round out the year-round offerings.

It may be across the street from UNC-Greensboro, but there’s nothing sophomoric about Don. The popular restaurant excels at Japanese and Korean dishes.. With three ramens, curry don katsu don, and a spread of rice-based entrees delivered in a hot stone bowl including the city’s best bibimbap, Don always brings a bit of comfort, especially when the temperature drops. It’s more relaxed and affordable than sister restaurant Sushi Republic, making it ideal for a quick solo lunch or a night out with friends.

Originally from Durham, Damion “Dame” Moore’s restaurant quickly became a Greensboro staple. Plenty of restaurants offer fried chicken and waffles, but the juicy chicken cutlets, fluffy waffles, and accouterments here are unparalleled in central North Carolina, if not statewide. The Orange Speckled Chabo with its sweet potato waffle and orange-honeycomb spread, is popularly paired with sides of the spicy collard greens and luscious mac and cheese.

Few restaurants offer the intimacy of Freeman’s. The long, narrow space with a brick facade and a minimal deck flanking one side is the kind of spot that countless couples no doubt think of as “our place.” It’s an ideal weeknight date spot, thanks to its unpretentious cocktail menu and mocktail offerings along with meat-heavy popular options like the top sirloin, caprese chicken sandwich with toasted pecan pesto, and poutine appetizer. There’s still an ample kids menu though, and a Butterfinger pie to complete any meal.

In a city swarming with burger options, Hops stands above the rest. An instant hit with locals, its popularity exploded in 2015 after TripAdvisor named it as the “best burger restaurant” in the country. With two house-made vegan burgers and standouts like the Spicy Goat with goat cheese, pepper jelly, and bacon, Hops has something for everyone. Consider the rotating burger special and the truffle oil and parmesan fries.

It’s easy to find Mexican food in Greensboro, and every local has their own favorite spot. But there’s a reason the folks behind San Luis have been able to open two additional locations and sister restaurant Casa Vallarta. With large portions, lunch specials, and seemingly endless menu options including a range of vegetarian choices, San Luis is arguably the city’s standard bearer for Mexican food. San Luis offers consistency, large booths, and standouts like its caldo de pollo, carnitas tacos, and al pastor torta.

Before banh mi became hip, this modest sandwich shop was cranking out remarkably flavorful curry chicken and a range of other baguette-based sandwiches. Options are more plentiful these days, but Banh Mi Saigon’s dominance is practically undisputed. The menu also includes a number of noodle and rice plates, bubble tea, and assorted desserts including taro pudding and Vietnamese honeycomb cake, but the affordable, mouthwatering banh mi remains the primary draw.