Relish Café & Bar

Even though I wasn’t crazy about the food that I had ordered, I’m still giving this place four stars.
The atmosphere is really cozy and nice, and they have a shop inside the restaurant that is filled with all types of cool stuff like bitters for cocktails, greeting cards, aprons, etc.
Our waitress was so friendly and attentive even though it was during their super busy Saturday brunch time.
I ordered a grilled cheese that had bacon and apple slices in it (I think it was called the Wisconsin grilled cheese?).
By the time it came out to me, the bread was already cold and the cheese was not melted anymore… it had re-​solidified, and it too, was cold.
I ate it anyway because it was during brunch (busy) and we had our one-​year-​old son with us, so I didn’t have the luxury of waiting another 15 minutes for a new sandwich.
I would like to go back during non– busy hours, to see if they take more care in serving food when it is still hot.

Very cute brunch spot in Raleigh! Yeah, it’s located in a strip mall, but that’s the only mark against it. Otherwise, service is great, food is wonderful, and the menu is bound to please anyone in your party.
Sitting outside in good-​weather months is a great idea, but if you’re inside don’t fret: It’s equally nice.

I have been to Relish a few times and never have a bad word to say about it! They have fantastic options that are sure to please any palate from Mac and cheese to a refreshing goat cheese salad. The waitstaff is friendly and alway accommodating. This is a great place to go if you don’t know where to go!

Relish is one of my favorite restaurants in North Raleigh! They’re great for take out or a casual brunch or dinner. They have an extensive menu with a southern twist and everything is fresh and phenomenal! One of my favorites is the Mexican shrimp salad. The fried green tomatoes, as an appetizer, are killer with a great sauce. If you want to indulge, the Mac and cheese parm is very different and an awesome dish! They also make homemade jams, spreads and mustards for sale. I bought a few of these for gifts. All around fantastic place!

Because I had just moved this week to my funky little 44 year old split level off Lynn Road, my ktichen was still in a state of disarray with boxes everywhere, and I was absolutely fed up with eating mediocre unhealthy take out food for the last several days. My hungry Southern body was badly craving the veggie-​heavy summer comfort food of my childhood. And it was 9:47 pm. I had driven past Relish a few times, so I checked out the menu and closing time on Unilocal.Much to my delight, I found exactly what I wanted and placed a pick up order at 9:49. Despite the fact that closing time was 10pm, the hostess happily took my order. I arrived at 9:59 to pick up my order. When I arrived, some of my favorite music was playing, and the closing wait staff and crew was gathered at the bar conversing with one another. (note: no beverages were being consumed other than water and sodas, but the well-​stocked bar looked intriguing…) The vibe was notably laid back and friendly, and the hostess who took my phone order quickly brought out my food. I recorded a note to self that the combination of menu, vibe, and attitude were worth a dine-​in experience, and I hadn’t even tried the food yet. Once I arrived home and begin to enjoy the crispy fried green tomatoes, perfectly tender-​crisp green beans, fresh seasonal vegetables, and rustic mashed potatoes, I was sold. Job well done guys. Any establishment that can combine laid-​back vibe, excellent staff attitude (despite it being closing time), good music, and well-​executed Southern food is a winner in my book. And I haven’t even sampled the highly rated drink menu… Will be back!

Love love love this place. Great food, super cozy and very affordable. I tell everyone about this place!!!

We’ve been here for dinner twice and Sunday brunch. Everything is so, so good. The quality of food is great and our servers have been wonderful. Knowledgeable of the menu and the area. We loved the feel of a small town restaurant in a bigger city.

The mac and cheese was really good and probably the best part of the meal. I got the pimento grilled cheese and honestly it was ok, it was good just nothing to write home about. The wife got fish tacos which were not good at all. The fish was bland, and other then the salsa, really had no flavor what so ever. I would come back again to try it but I just wasn’t that impressed this trip.

Unique southern combinations sure to please all. I needed a rescue wheelbarrow with all the fine tastings. One party member even ordered seconds on the pimento cheese fritters. Comes with a delicious jalapeño jello that could stand alone on its own to accompany many dishes. Many unique selections. Heck, even a burger with peanut butter and bacon. Around the table we had shrimp burger — which came with about 12 shrimp. Nice light coating and not greasy the slaw was not my thing but that’s personal. Came with a cilantro tarter sauce with a nice light kick. Fresh hot steak fries. Actually, everything was fresh, hot, and fast. We also had fish and fries. 2 fish were huge. My sister couldn’t eat it all. Crispy and not greasy. Fresh.
Would definitely frequent this wonderful establishment. Rachel was our waitress. Very friendly and represented the owner well.

I had a looooong day and wanted something quick to eat, so I was going to try MOD Pizza. However, a family of 5 had entered right before me and spent a looooong time asking questions and ordering 6 pizzas. There was only one person making food despite the fact that there were two other workers in plain sight, so I ditched and went across the street to try Relish.
First, let me just say the menu is HUGE. I feel like there’s probably something for everyone. Also, here were quite a few people seated outside since it was a nice evening but the bar only had about half a dozen people there. The bartender was very quick to serve me and I didn’t have to wait long for my sandwich at all, which was very tasty. They have a half dozen fancy variations of grilled cheese. I ordered the Wisconsin, which has bacon, sharp cheddar, and thinly sliced apples. It came with a choice of house made chips or fries, and you can also upgrade to other sides for a charge. They have bacon cheese fries. I might want to try those next time, because I think they’re made with real melted cheese instead of cheese sauce. Melty cheese on fries is always superior! But looking at some of the photos on Unilocal,I might want to try the skillet mac and cheese. Looks like this is a good spot to come to if you want comfort food. And I needed it! I had spent two hours phonebanking for Turn Out NC and had some lady trying to tell me I need to read the bible and anyone who opposes HB2 is not a Christian.
I will say that I ordered a cocktail — oh lord did I need a cocktail after that phone call, though I did talk to a number of allies as well — that wasn’t on the menu and it didn’t knock my socks off. I’ll probably just go for a beer next time. But otherwise, I’m happy with my meal and will come again if I’m in the area.

I generally stick to the burgers here, because almost everything else is way overpriced. No dish of mac and cheese is worth $ 10. To me, mac and cheese is a side dish. Anyway, the real bargain here is the $ 10 half-​rack of ribs.
Service is usually OK. If you like to try «unique» dishes, you might appreciate this place more than I do. They have a variety of dips and spreads at the front counter, free for the tasting. That’s a plus for what is otherwise for me, just an OK place.

A great find. A Raleigh must for Brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks. The drinks are great and have awesome variety. The food is amazing and lots of things are fresh/​local making things very unique and different from other places. The pimento cheese fritters are my favorite.
Def make a reservation as this place is very popular. Parking can be tough on weekends as this strip can get busy.
We hosted a family party there on a Saturday afternoon. Room isn’t completely private but felt private. They did a wonderful job, the food was perfect and we got a lot of compliments about choosing this place. The staff was amazing and kept up with all the drink request and making sure food was fresh/​stocked. Couldn’t have picked a better place!

We started with some draft beer, they had a great selection. Then we had a foursome of hummus, different flavors. Very good. I had the half ribs with fries. Also very good. Hubby had a mexican type item, can’t remember what, but he liked it. All in all a good meal with great service, but a little on the pricey side.

My first time here. The waiter was very nice. Explained everything on the menu and gave His faves. Service a little slow. I had the fried black eye peas. Tasteless and disappointing. I also ordered the chicken parm Mac and cheese. Large portion and cheesy. Waiters recommendation and very good. My friend had goat cheese salad with blackened salmon. Large portion but not worthy of cost… boring and salmon was very dry. Also the addition of meat is extra 8.00. Which makes the salad very over priced considering its not especially tasty. I will not go again. Now I know.

We’ve been going to Relish since they opened a few years ago. The thing I like most about it is the Parisian sandwich. However, the thing I like least about it is also the Parisian sandwich. The reason is that because it is SO good that from the first time I ordered it I simply cannot get anything else there. The Mac and Cheese skillets and everything else I ever had there before I discovered my beloved Parisian sandwich were also delicious.
It does get a little crowded at lunch but the place is huge and they have the system down so there’s usually not a wait and the food comes out quickly.

This place was soooo good. I was so caught up with the food, that I forgot to take pictures. I went with my bestie for brunch and we were not disappointed. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it is in a strip mall. It is totally worth it. There was plenty of outside seating. The interior is quirky and quaint. There is a huge menu with plenty of option. We were both sold on the Not your Mama’s grilled cheese selections. The best part was that we could substitute fried green tomatoes as our side for free! We did resist the urge to order everything that the people next to us were eating. I will say, for dessert, get the doughnut holes! They are made fresh and served with warm chocolate sauce and a raspberry sauce. It was amazing.

When twice over the last week. Both time I went after the lunch rush at 1:30pm (one other table outside was occupied). The waitress was rude, and forgot half the order — funny enough when reminded of items she became apologetic and friendly. The food was okay, have paid a lot less for MUCH better. The goat and pecan salad was not fresh. The second time, again after the lunch rush to avoid the havoc since they are very busy. The waitress did not come by to see us until a colleague made a comment to the host/​hostess inside.
The food was cold, seemed like it was sitting waiting for the waitress to pick up. It may have been good fresh; however, it was again — less than par of what we expected. I may give it one more shot next week and see how it goes with the after lunch rush timing.

I’ve never had a bad meal at Relish, and I’ve tried quite a few dishes there. I usually try to get something off of the Test Kitchen menu, but some of their permanent entrees are great too.
My favorites are the fish tacos (with mango salsa), Mediterranean grilled cheese (without the feta — I’m weird about warm feta), and the shrimp burger.
Food is good, drinks are excellent, and I’ve never had a bad time at Relish.

I got the shrimp burger, just because it sounded very odd, but it was so delicious! Get both sauces, because the spicy tartar sauce is great on the burger, but the other sauce is great to dip the steak fries in! Speaking of the steak fries, they are the best I’ve ever had. Must places undercook steak fries, but Relish knows what the are doing, the were perfect!

This was my first time visiting Relish and it will definitely not be my last. This is the perfect place if you are looking for good comfort food in the form of grilled cheese or mac and cheese. We visited here after a tiring morning of shopping at Crabtree and their food seriously hit the spot.
We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table which gave us some time to look around their cute little shop. While we waited we were also able to sample their homemade chips with some of their salsas. The mango salsa was delicious and super refreshing and I also really liked the pepper jelly.
Once we were sat at our table, I had to make the difficult decision of whether to go with the Brunch menu or the regular menu. Cheese lovers, the regular menu will make you salivate as you read it. So many cheesy dishes! But for those who aren’t big on cheese, there are still plenty of options for you. The brunch menu had some super tempting banana gingerbread pancakes. But I already had my mind set on a grilled cheese. And then I saw someone order a turkey wrap and it was one of the biggest wraps I’ve ever seen. It made me question if I wanted something cheesy at all (but only for a second). I ended up going with The Big Cheese with Tomato Basil Soup as my side.
The Big Cheese had the perfect crunch to the outside and the fried green tomato was sooo good. The amount of cheese was perfect and it paired amazingly well with the tomato soup. It was a very generous portion of soup and every time I get a grilled cheese here, I will get the soup as the side instead of the fries. You can really taste the basil in it and there are also big croutons/​bread pieces that complete the soup.
In addition to the delicious food, the service was great. This is a very family friendly restaurant and I am most definitely a fan. I can’t wait to come back and try other things off the menu.

I was hoping to eat light, so wasn’t thrilled about going to a mac’n’cheese spot… but relish won me over when I walked in the door and into a counter full of local items to sample. I tried mango salsa, cinnamon peanut butter… and then promptly stocked up on 8 different items to give as holiday gifts.
I gave in and ordered mac’n’cheese (the classic) and wasn’t disappointed. Everyone at my table ordered wine flights (at $ 11, how can you go wrong?), and we ended up sharing a platter of 4 salsas (tomato cranberry was hands down my favorite).
Couldn’t believe that dinner + wine flight + shared app came in under $ 25. Not bad!
As for atmosphere, it seemed like a diverse crowd: some families, some girl’s nights, a large party… nothing fancy, but definitely warm and cozy — with nice service. I’d go again!

Don’t be fooled by the strip mall location/​initial vibe! My boyfriend and I went here recently for brunch and we were blown away! Can’t believe that it has taken me this long to eat here!
When we arrived around 12pm on a Sunday, it was packed! The only available immediate seating was at the bar which I deemed «too cold» since the AC was pumping and I did not have a jacket with me. Rather than freeze at the bar, we decided to put our name on the waitlist. We were excited to see a pretty nice little gift shop which contained some local goodies and food samples. This definitely kept us entertained while we waited and before we knew it, our name was called for a table on the outdoor patio.
The menus are incredible — both the main menu and the «test kitchen» menu! Everything looks delicious. My boyfriend ordered a cherry coke carolina «shine» and we decided on fried pimento cheese served with pepper jelly, fried avocado served with jalapeño ranch, and a buffalo chicken mac and cheese skillet to share. The pimento cheese was my favorite but everything was incredible.
Definitely can’t wait to come back here and try more items from the menus and shop around in the gift shop! I am also eager to bring my family back here when they are visiting town! I feel like it is a very family friendly option that they would enjoy.

It’s hard to resist a place that has an entire section of their menu devoted to grilled cheese sandwiches. They have my heart already! And the menu is extensive. If you can’t find something you want at Relish, well, you might want to cook at home. On my last visit I had the Creamy Tomato Basil Soup and Goat Cheese Salad, and both were delicious. The soup was about as creamy as creamy tomoato soup could be and with great flavor, and I appreciated the generous helping of goat cheese on the salad (sometimes folks are skimpy with their goat cheese).
The atmosphere is a little scattered. The outdoor seating area is lovely, but when you step inside there are a few things going on. To the left is a bar area that is quite nice. What I would expect in a decent hotel lobby or an upscale sports bar. To the right is the hostess station and a small gift shop area that gives a hint of country charm. But the actual seating/​restaurant area looks more like a Denny’s. It’s an odd mix. Regardless, the food is great and the beer is cold!

I relished the Relish experience :). I went to Relish for brunch at noon and it was jam packed. People were even sitting outside which had to be uncomfortable since it was so hot and humid today, and thus my first impression was that the food must be great. I was delighted that our group had reservations.
I like that for brunch, we were able to choose off the brunch menu, lunch, or dinner. There is a lot of variety between the three menus and I was pleasantly surprised with how many selections they had for breakfast (breakfast lover here!). It is mainly southern comfort food so everything sounds delicious but heavy. Unfortunately, I did not bring a big appetite on this particular day, but the Veggies for Dinner plate was perfect. They do offer lighter options and, of course, plenty of salad choices.
Side note: On Sunday they have $ 5 Bloody Mary’s/Mimosas and $ 2.5 domestics.
Besides the food tasting great, I think their key attribute is the variety of their menu. I can imagine I will always be able to find something that I will be in the mood for.