The Triangle Raleigh, Durham Chapel Hill

The three cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill compose The Triangle, a collection of liberal cities in the middle of conservative North Carolina. Of course, three highly acclaimed universities also inhabit these cities North Carolina State in Raleigh Duke University in Durham and North Carolina University in Chapel Hill. Most of the restaurant, natural food, and farmers market listings revolve directly around the colleges. 

Hillsborough Street fronts NC State and houses a number of cafes, bars and restaurants. The Rathskeller, featured below, is among them. 

A few miles outside the downtown area, the recently opened Second Nature Cafe (3201 Edwards Mill Rd., a 919-571-3447) serves organic and vegetarian dishes in a casual setting. 

THE RATHSKELLER, 2412 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, b919-821-5342 www.concentric.net/ ratwork. Price -. Hours Lunch, Monday through Friday, ll 30am-5pm Saturday and Sunday, noon-5pm Dinner daily, 5pm-10 30pm. 

The dark and forbidding Rathskeller seems more suited for cigars, bourbon and backroom political intrigue than vegetarian food, but don t let the name or the gloom keep you away. The Rathskeller serves up some interesting entrees, and once you re in your booth, the darkness adds an intimacy you won t find in sunnier digs. 

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