| This post was kindly contributed by The SAS Training Post - go there to comment and to read the full post. |
UPDATE–Since the original post, I have added a new restaurant (Bella Mia Coal Fired Pizza) to the list of “more affordable” restaurants below.
In my last post, I offered some advice on where to stay if you’re coming to SAS Headquarters in Cary for training. But let’s face it–when I travel to teach a class, the question I get on returning is not “How was the class?”, or “How was your hotel?” The important question is “Where did you eat, and what did you have?” So, in this post, I’ll address the question you’ve all been waiting for–Where do I eat?
All of the places listed below can be found on this map.
Breakfast
Most of the hotels you are likely to stay at in Cary provide some form of free breakfast. However, if you’re taking a class in our Training Center, you will find a nice assortment of free breakfast goodies, including bagels, muffins, fruit, egg sandwiches, and cereal. Specific items that are available will vary from day to day. Just make sure you arrive at the training center before 9:00 AM to make sure you get your share! If you absolutely must have your Starbucks fix, you can find a location at the Arboretum shopping center (see map).
Lunch
No need to search out a lunch place. SAS provides lunch for all course attendees in the Skylight Cafe, which is in our Training Center. On the first day of class, you’ll be given a handout with the menus for all days that you will be attending class. If you have any special dietary requirements, or you don’t like what’s on the menu, just let the training center staff know, and they will arrange for alternatives.
Dinner
Here’s the good part. If you’ve got the transportation (and the money) you can dine in some of the finest restaurants in the country–or at least what the New York Times considers the finest restaurants. Even if you don’t have a car, there are a number of excellent restaurants within walking distance of hotels near SAS.
Since there are a lot of choices, I’m going to break the choices down as follows:
In this post:
- Upscale restaurants close to SAS, within walking distance of the closest hotels
- More affordable restaurants close to SAS
In the next post:
- Upscale restaurants in the Cary area that will require a car or taxi to get to (within 5-15 minutes)
- More affordable restaurants in the Cary area requiring a car or taxi
Finally:
- Upscale restaurants in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill that will require a car or taxi to get to (within 15-30 minutes)
- More affordable restaurants in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill requiring a car or taxi
Upscale restaurants close to SAS, within walking distance of the closest hotels
- Herons–Warning! This restaurant will blow your budget! However, it just might be worth it. Heron’s is described by Condé Nast Traveler as a “culinary gem,” and it’s located in the Umstead Hotel, right on the SAS Campus. So, if you’re staying at the Umstead, you can just stagger to your room from Herons and fall asleep while trying to figure out how to explain the bill to your boss. The menu is “New American”, entree prices run from $25-$35 and the service is impeccable. Now for the bad news–Herons will be closed during July and August of 2010 for “an extensive renovation of our kitchen design”. If Heron’s is out of your price range, you might consider dining at the bar at the Umstead, which is described under “Less expensive restaurants close to SAS”.
- Ãn New World Cuisine–is located in the Arboretum shopping center, which is about a block from SAS and within walking distance of the Embassy Suites and Studio Plus. The restaurant is in a building separate from the rest of the shopping center. (Very) upscale pan-Asian, with a focus on Vietnamese. Menu items include Five Spices Duck Pappardelle, Miso Sea Bass, and Vietnamese Bison Tenderloin. Most entrees run $16-$25.
- Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse–also in the Arboretum shopping center. Just like all of the Ruth’s Chris locations around the country. Big meat at big prices.
- Bonefish Grill–also in the Arboretum shopping center. Admittedly, it’s a chain, but IMHO, it’s one of the better ones. Mostly fish and seafood (duh!), with most fish entrees in the $15-$24 range. There are menu alternatives that can bring the prices down to the “more affordable” class. It’s a popular spot and can get crowded and noisy.
More affordable restaurants close to SAS
- Umstead Bar–this is the bar at the Umstead Hotel on the SAS Campus. If you can’t afford to stay at the Umstead or to eat at Herons, it’s worth dropping into the Umstead bar for a drink and something from the bar menu, which is probably not like any bar menu you’ve encountered before. The setting, both inside and outside, is great.
- Yum Yum Thai–in the Harrison Square shopping center between the Embassy Suites and SAS. Walkable from Embassy Suites and Studio Plus. Good Thai, with (IMHO) the best Pad See Ew in town.
- Rally Point Sports Grill–in the Harrison Square shopping center, a couple of doors down from Yum Yum. Rally Point has only been open for a few months and I must confess that I have never been there, but it appears to be a classic sports bar with the usual burgers, wings, etc. Make sure you make a visit to the restrooms to see the Texas sinks (you’ll understand when you see them).
- Baba Ghannouj–in the Harrison Square shopping center. Small local chain featuring Middle-Eastern and Greek items.
- NY Pizza–also located in Harrison Square. Not really a sit-down restaurant (although they do have a few tables), this is the place to go if you want to take a pizza back to your hotel or have one delivered there.
- Andy’s Burgers–in Harrison Square. Part of a North Carolina chain. Burgers, wings, hot dogs, ets. in a 1950’s setting.
- Cafe Carolina–located in the Arboretum shopping center. This is a good choice if you are looking for something lighter. Sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, etc.
- NEW! Bella Mia Coal Fired Pizza–Just opened (June 2010) in the Arboretum. According to their press release “Bella Mia’s coal-burning ovens reach temperatures of 900 degrees, twice as hot as a gas oven, allowing the pizza to cook in less than three minutes with a light, airy crust.”
In addition to the above, you’ll find the following fast (and semi-fast) food outlets at the Arboretum or Harrison Square:
- McDonalds (Harrison Square outparcel)
- Wendy’s (Harrison Square outparcel)
- Burger King (Harrison Square outparcel)
- Starbucks (Arboretum)
- Moe’s Southwest Grill (Arboretum)
- Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream (Arboretum)–not really “dining”, but I believe that ice cream is one of the four basic food groups.
If You’re a Hermit
I have actually encountered people who, when they travel, buy food at a local grocery and take it back to their hotel room to eat. While I personally believe that this defeats the whole purpose of traveling (I want to know if the McDonalds in Cary is different from the one in Detroit), to each his own. If you do want to load up on supplies, here are your options:
- Kangaroo–mini-mart/gas station on an outparcel at Harrison Square. This is really the only option within walking distance of the Umstead, Embassy Suites, or StudioPLUS.
- Harris-Teeter–about 2 1/2 miles south of SAS on Harrison Ave, on the left side as you are going from SAS. Full service supermarket, with deli, bakery, etc. There are also several restaurant choices in the same shopping center. There’s also an Arby’s and a KFC/Taco Bell across the street from the center.
- Food Lion–full-service supermarket, a little farther down Harrison, on the right. A couple of restaurants in this center as well.
Coming Up Next
I hope these suggestions will keep you well fed if you are staying close to SAS and can’t go very far. If you have any questions about the places I’ve mentioned or want to agree/disagree with my evaluations, feel free to post a comment. Next time, I’ll share some popular choices and personal secrets only available to those with wheels.
| This post was kindly contributed by The SAS Training Post - go there to comment and to read the full post. |