“I never thought it was possible that Michelin would even come to the Southeast,” said Raleigh restaurateur Chef Scott Crawford. “I sort of gave up the dream for Michelin stars by staying in the South.”

When Crawford started cooking in the region more than 25 years ago, he says he focused on building up the Capital City’s culinary scene.

Now, three of his places are listed as Recommended Michelin restaurants: Crawford and Son, Jolie and Brodeto.

“It’s the most meaningful recognition that I’ve received in my career,” said Crawford. “We’re incredibly humbled and it is a surreal moment in time for me.”

Crawford himself is credited with having a heavy hand in developing Raleigh’s restaurants. He was the executive chef at Herons when the restaurant received a Forbes Five Star designation in 2008, one of only seventy-nine in the country, before opening Crawford & Son in 2016.

Scott Crawford’s Raleigh Iron Works resto is nothing short of spectacular—the dishes, the drinks, the digs and the delivery will leave you speechless. / Tucked into a humble strip of Person Street, Scott Crawford’s first born doesn’t chase trends, it sets the bar / If Crawford builds it, they will come. With its signature top-tier service and a killer bev program, this polished “redemption story” cements what we already knew: The Crawford name doesn’t miss.

Yes, this is an upscale restaurant, not an ice cream parlor. But it’s one place to make sure to save plenty of room for dessert after dinner (or to skip the mains altogether), as chef-owner Scott Crawford has some of the best soft serve in town. The secret weapon is the specialty machine that his team uses, which makes the ice cream pretty much fresh to order.

No. 3: Brodeto – A restaurant that’s as adventurous as it is approachable, Brodeto has rapidly ascended in popularity. / No. 20: Crawford & Son – An institution and a crowd favorite in Raleigh for any occasion.

When you walk into Brodeto—Scott Crawford’s Adriatic seafood-focused restaurant in Raleigh’s Iron Works—you might expect a wine list to remember or a delicate crudo to start your meal. But what you might not expect is the nostalgic joy of a towering swirl of pistachio soft serve, topped with Sicilian olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

A hulking wooden door at this sister restaurant to Crawford & Son gives way to a dining room filled with earth tones and a quartzite slab behind the bar that’s so thin, light shines through it. Water defines Brodeto—the Adriatic Sea, to be precise. Dishes draw from Croatia and eastern and southern Italy, many of them featuring seafood from sea urchin butter to monkfish, not to mention a crudo section leading the menu. With a range of two-tops, Brodeto is ideal for lovers splurging on a special occasion dinner in the intimate back room.

With all eyes and excitement on the new steakhouse, it’s a good time to snag a reservation at Brodeto, his homage to the cooking of the Adriatic coast that opened last March as the flagship of the Raleigh Iron Works development.

The Adriatica, created by Jordan Joseph, beverage director of Brodeto’s parent company Crawford Hospitality, brings grilled complexity to the glass. Built on a base of Uncle Val’s gin, it layers the citrusy perfume of fire-charred Meyer lemons with fresh basil and a subtle drizzle of Sicilian olive oil. “This drink is all about simplicity and technique,” says Joseph. “It’s a great example of what ‘less is more’ is all about.”

From start to finish, Brodeto is polished and intentional, a truly transporting experience. “The first time I ate here, I was brought to tears,” says Sayre. “I knew what it took to get there. It was fresh and new and unusual and all the creative stuff was still there.”