Updated in 2026
If you're a food lover visiting Raleigh, NC, you will be glad to know you are coming to a fantastic part of North Carolina. Restaurants in the Triangle area are expansive. We're quickly becoming a top culinary destination. The City of Raleigh has its share of good places to eat almost on every street corner, and that's great news for a first-time visitor to Raleigh.
For this post, though, we are going to concentrate on lunch spots near NCSU (NC State University). For those of you who may be visiting Raleigh for the first time, the good news is that you can get to many great local restaurants (think downtown, North Hills, and even Cary, NC) quickly, but I wanted to pinpoint where to eat near NCSU. We are concentrating on restaurants near Hillsborough Street, Western Boulevard, and NC State's Centennial Campus for these great lunch breaks. We could add more to this list about dining near NCSU, but I had to stop somewhere. There are so many dining options on Hillsborough Street and in the vicinity of campus.
For this post, though, we are going to concentrate on lunch spots near NCSU (NC State University). For those of you who may be visiting Raleigh for the first time, the good news is that you can get to many great local restaurants (think downtown, North Hills, and even Cary, NC) quickly, but I wanted to pinpoint where to eat near NCSU. We are concentrating on restaurants near Hillsborough Street, Western Boulevard, and NC State's Centennial Campus for these great lunch breaks. We could add more to this list about dining near NCSU, but I had to stop somewhere. There are so many dining options on Hillsborough Street and in the vicinity of campus.
Where to Eat Near NCSU
When visiting Raleigh, the NC Farmers Market is a must-visit. It's adjacent to Centennial Campus, and the wide-open area houses a hot dog stand, the NCC Seafood restaurant, and the biggest draw of all, the State Farmer's Market Restaurant. It's only open for breakfast and lunch, and it serves until 3 pm. It's one of the few places in Raleigh where you can get breakfast all day. No matter when you go, it's always packed, so be prepared for a short wait. It's first-come, first-served.
This Japanese restaurant in Cameron Village has a great lunch special. Ajisai, a Japanese-fusion-sushi restaurant, offers indoor and outdoor patio seating and attracts visitors with its specially-priced lunch menu for under $10. You can get two sushi rolls, miso soup, and a green salad for $8.95. For sushi fans, you know that is incredibly reasonable, but the best part of all is that the sushi is delicious. HireScene employees gave me this lunch recommendation, and I tried it for the first time this month. I'll certainly be back. I adored the crunchy salmon roll. Lunch is served from 11 am to 4 pm.
This family-owned Mediterranean restaurant, located on Beryl Road (near the NCC State Fairgrounds), has been a Raleigh staple since 1989. Using family recipes, the deli offers daily lunch specials along with fresh sides, vegetables, kabobs, and shawarma.
When the Saleh family immigrated to the United States in the 1970s, they brought with them their passion for bread along with their mother's recipes. The brothers opened Neomonde Baking Company in 1977 as a wholesale bakery and later moved the operation to the Beryl Road location. Neomonde has another restaurant location in Morrisville. Neomonde is one of the best Lebanese-influenced restaurants in the Triangle. They are also a vendor staple at the NC Fair yearly.
The Player's Retreat, known as PRs to the locals, has been a popular spot since 1951. With lots of gourmet burgers on the menu, it's a hotspot from daytime to late-night. Burgers are $1 off at lunch, ground from Angus beef on-site, and it's home to the NCSU Wolfpack Burger, either 4-ounces or 6-ounces, served with mustard, chili, and slaw. The menu has a variety of cuisine, and all lunch specials are under $10.
5. Raising Cane's on Hillsborough Street
Raising Cane's came to NC State in January 2026 and became the go-to place for delicious chicken tenders, fries, Texas toast, and a drink for under $10. There are only two locations in North Carolina, and you guessed it, both are on college campuses. For those locals not within walking distance, parking can be a challenge.
6. Amedeo's on Western Boulevard
Nothing screams NCC State like Amedeo's Italian Restaurant on Western Boulevard. It's a shrine toto NCCtate athletics and the perfect choice for dining on a college visit toto NCCtate. This college staple serves a daily lunch special from 11 am to 3 pm weekdays. My favorite entree is spaghetti and meatballs, but they have solid pizza, too.
Cloo's Coney Island is so retro, it doesn't even have a website. What it does have, though, is food from a hot grill that will make you drool. Known for its hot dogs and chili-cheese fries, this little restaurant tucked away in Mission Valley Shopping Center off of Avent Ferry Road has been around for 30 years. You can also get cheesesteaks, burgers, gyros, and fresh salads. It's open from 11 am to 8:30 pm, but on Monday it closes at 2 pm.
8. Local Food Trucks in The Triangle Area
The Triangle area has an awesome food truck scene. You can find food trucks parked at breweries, businesses, nd onon NCtate's Centennial Campus. NCSU Dining has two food trucks parked on Main Campus Drive on weekdays from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. HireScene employees tell me that they mark their calendars for the days when American Meltdown arrives on campus. That's a day not to miss, apparently.
It's the perfect situation for students who need to work around their school schedules, retirees,s and people who want to earn some extra money but need that flexibility.
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