Two North Carolina brunch spots rank among nation’s best. Why fans love them
If you’re searching for a new favorite brunch spot, two North Carolina restaurants may have you covered.
Herons in Cary joins the O.Henry Hotel in Greensboro on a list of the “Top 100 Brunch Restaurants in America,” according to results published April 22.
To determine the nation’s best places for brunch, the restaurant reservation website OpenTable said it studied more than 10 million reviews that “verified” customers left online in the year leading up to Feb. 28. The website considered whether restaurants across the country received brunch-related feedback and whether they offered Sunday brunch.
The results were released before Mother’s Day, which falls this year on Sunday, May 11. OpenTable said a survey of more than 1,500 people found 73% of moms want a family brunch to mark the occasion, according to a news release.
Why the NC brunch spots are fan favorites
While Mother’s Day is a popular time for brunch, fans have shared their love for Herons and the O.Henry Hotel month after month. The two North Carolina destinations also earned spots on the OpenTable list last year, McClatchy News reported.
This time around, Herons made it into the rankings after some customers went on OpenTable to rave about the setting and customer service. The restaurant at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary — just west of Raleigh — offers pancakes, omelets and other brunch classics on its menu.
“The intimate, 98-seat dining room features a full-view kitchen, a meticulously curated private art collection and floor-to-ceiling window views of the surrounding gardens and grounds,” Herons wrote on its website.
Also receiving a nod was the O.Henry Hotel in Greensboro. The destination was honored for its afternoon tea experience, which features “traditional scones, savory finger sandwiches and sweet treats,” according to its website.
The O.Henry Hotel sometimes hosts “special” afternoon teas, with themes such as the Mad Hatter or the Nutcracker. On OpenTable, the restaurant received several high scores for its food and mid-day ambiance.
The results were released after Yelp published a similar list of the best brunch restaurants in each state. The review website said the No. 1 place to eat brunch in North Carolina was Young Cardinal Cafe & Co. in Winston-Salem.
On its more recent list, OpenTable said winners were listed in alphabetical order rather than ranked order. The state with the highest number of fan-favorite brunch spots was California, where 22 restaurants were recognized.
“Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches,” the website wrote.
This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Two North Carolina brunch spots rank among nation’s best. Why fans love them."
