Our readers love food. Restaurant profiles and other culinary features top the popularity charts across the board.  

If you’ve ever hit up a local spot after reading about it in Cary Magazine, odds are you have one guy to thank: David McCreary. He’s been doing the grueling job of sampling fare from area restaurants as our resident food writer since the publication was founded in 2004.  

For the Food Issue, we decided to turn the tables and ask him the questions. So read on as David dishes on his life, favorite foods, and what restaurant he would add to the Triangle dining scene.   

David McCreary chats with Chris Harol at Nightingale Rooftop.

Tell us who you are in a nutshell!

I’m a North Carolina native and an East Carolina University alumnus (1990) who lives in Fuquay-Varina with Jenny, my wife of 31 years. We have two adult children, Noah and Joy.

How did you get into food writing? Is this your day job?

One day a former colleague called me. At the time, he was working for Cary Magazine, and he said the publication needed a freelance food writer. I asked him what was involved. His answer: “Writing about food and getting paid for it.” Without hesitation, I replied, “Sign me up!”

My day job is a marketing and communications role at Cary-based Christian nonprofit media organization TWR, also known as Trans World Radio.

What is your all-time favorite food? Anything you don’t like?

Probably pad thai with chicken. Or barbecue chicken pizza. Or maybe fish tacos. It depends on the day and/or hankering. As for things I don’t enjoy, I’m not a fan of liver, escargot, or olives.

David McCreary reviews video footage for an eastern North Carolina feature in Cary Magazine.

Do you have, say, a top five local restaurants you visit often?

When it comes to full-service eateries, a few go-to haunts are Yuri Japanese and Cilantro Indian Café in Cary and Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi in Holly Springs. Fast-casual spots I visit often include Nil’s Mediterranean Café in Fuquay-Varina as well as Chicken Salad Chick in Cary.

What changes have you observed in the food and restaurant industry over the last 20 years?

Most of the major changes I’ve seen have occurred within the past five years. Since 2020, a lot of people have fled from working in the industry. I recently saw one longtime chef who said, “I left the grind behind.” I’ve also talked to several restaurateurs who practically cried on my shoulder because they had to shut down or significantly pivot toward a different way of operating. Even now, it’s tough for owners of small mom-and-pop shops to keep the lights on and meet payroll. That’s why I urge everyone to mindfully support small, local businesses.

Spazio Vino & Cucina

What do you do if you are writing about a place and find the food is less than stellar?

This rarely happens, since I typically do a “scouting visit” prior to featuring a place. It’s important to determine if the quality of the food is up to our readers’ standards.

What goes into choosing the restaurants you profile?

Personal research, recommendations from trusted friends, and suggestions from the Cary Magazine staff.

Describe the best restaurant experience/meal you’ve ever had.

I’ve enjoyed some exceptional and elaborate chef’s table experiences over the years, but I want to share about the best restaurant outing I’ve savored recently. My wife and I had dinner at Spazio Vino & Cucina, a cozy Italian bistro in Holly Springs. We started our meal with the tagliere, an antipasti selection that involved a chef’s choice mixture of excellent charcuterie and cheeses. We then relished a sausage-infused risotto brimming with fresh mushrooms, capping off the meal with classic tiramisu and a panna cotta made with vanilla beans and homemade raspberry coulis. Service was impeccable, and the restaurant’s warm and inviting décor provided a romantic, intimate vibe.

What would you love to see more of in the Triangle restaurant scene? Anything you think we could use less of?  

I would love to see a soup-centric café that serves amazing goodness in a bowl. Last year when my wife and I traveled to New York, we visited The Original Soup Kitchen in Midtown Manhattan, the place that inspired “The Soup Nazi” episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was fantastic! Why not have something similar in the Triangle area?  

As for what we could use less of, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if fast-food restaurants not named Chick-fil-A or Cook Out totally disappeared. 

How do you keep food writing fresh and fun after doing so many profiles?

Great question! Writing the lede (introduction) for a piece is often tough, but once I get that behind me, I can relax and have fun writing the rest. As for keeping content fresh, I try to read a variety of food articles and listen to food podcasts (shout out to the NC Food & Beverage Podcast), so those things help me gain inspiration.

There have been many tough days at the office for food writer David McCreary.

Do you have any tips for choosing a restaurant to visit?

Support local. If you can make a personal connection with a chef, owner, or chef/owner, that always makes you want to continue visiting and supporting a restaurant.
I also recommend trying places that you normally wouldn’t consider visiting. You never know when you may find a dish that surprises you in a good way.

What does good food mean to you? 

Fresh, locally sourced, and properly prepared. I appreciate restaurants like Poole’s Diner, NoFo @ the Pig, and Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen that have seasonal menus. I also love going to the State Farmers Market Restaurant and savoring fresh vegetables. Never mind the gold-standard biscuits! 

Is there a particular food by which you judge a restaurant’s prowess?

Grits. If they are well cooked (thick, not runny) and well seasoned (plenty of salt, pepper, and butter), I’m impressed.

Do you cook? What’s your favorite dish to make?

I don’t cook often, but whenever I do my favorite dish to make is chicken stir-fry and veggies in the carbon steel wok I received as a gift last Christmas.

Any thoughts on “for the ‘Gram” food trends? 

I’m not a social media guru (or digital native, for that matter), but I think if people want to share mouthwatering photos of restaurant food items on their Instagram timelines, that’s a good thing for all concerned. I’m also fine with seeing recipes for butter chicken, new ideas for charcuterie boards, and healthy snack alternatives.  

What makes a restaurant a no-go for you?

A filthy restroom. I’m serious. Whenever I visit a restaurant for the first time, I always go into the restroom to check out the level of cleanliness. The way I figure it, if the restroom is well sanitized, there’s a good chance the kitchen will be clean as well.

Any other insights you’d like to share? 

I want to take this opportunity to say that it’s such a privilege to work with the fine folks at Cherokee Media Group, the parent company for Cary Magazine. They’ve always treated me with kindness, compassion, and professionalism, making my side hustle immensely joyful.  

Questions from Readers

Submitted via social media:

If you could bring back a restaurant that is no longer in business, which would it be and why?
– Regina Alberici Kaiser

Archive photo from Tangerine Cafe, a now-closed favorite of McCreary’s.

Tangerine Café, a tiny hidden gem in Cary. Back in 2013, I wrote a short feature where I called it one of the area’s best-kept gastronomic secrets. The humble chef/owner served up amazing pan-Asian cuisine including Indian, Thai, Korean, Indonesian, and Singaporean. The restaurant closed shortly after the pandemic, and I’ve especially missed the transcendent Thai coconut soup ever since.

Which food did you think looked unappealing and were convinced you wouldn’t like, then turned out you love it?
– Jennifer Wills Phelps

Sushi. I was late joining the party because I always thought it looked strange. But once I tried it, I was hooked. Plus, there’s eel sauce, which I use liberally for drizzling purposes.

Is there a downside to your job? If so, what is it?
– Brittany Cross

Yes, there’s one downside: Sometimes so much good cuisine gets put in front of me that I tend to overindulge and threaten to negatively impact my cholesterol numbers.

More From Our Aug 2024 Issue

• The Art of Pickling
• Restaurant Profile: Herons
• School’s In!
• The Food Guy
• Worth the Drive: Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
• Abundant Brunch Flavors Await
• Small Business Spotlight: Boba Baba Café
• Nonprofit Spotlight: Howdy Homemade Ice Cream
• Erica Chats: The Triangle Ice Cream Tour
• Worth the Drive: The Hackney
• Liquid Assets: Chicken Yard Pilsner
• Garden Adventurer: Grow a Joe
• Liquid Assets: That CP Espresso
• On Trend: Fondue
• Things to Do: August 2024