The Bayberry Bistro, located downtown just off Business 40 near the Baptist Hospital, is probably a restaurant that few Wake students have heard of. The fact it is situated inside the Hawthorne Inn and Conference Center most likely has contributed to this. After all, how many times do you find yourself strolling into a hotel to have dinner? There are many negative stereotypes associated with hotel restaurants (expensive, mediocre food, poor ambiance, etc.), but thankfully, the Bayberry Bistro is able to break out of those stereotypes and establish itself as a relatively good location for a meal.

For dinner, the interior of the Bistro is dimly lit with soft yellow lamps and candlelight. This style of lighting really aids the ambiance of the restaurant. The dark toned wood chairs and tables compliment the lighting nicely as well. There is a reasonable selection of appetizers, sandwiches and pizzas on the menu daily. Entree options are available at night from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

My roommate and I went to the Bistro for dinner. I ordered a half rack of Bistro Baby Back Ribs ($11.95) and some Maryland Crab Cakes ($17.95). The Crab Cakes were well cooked and very enjoyable. The Baby Back Ribs were extremely tender, but were a little overpowering with the taste of rosemary.

Our waitress strongly recommended a side of onion rings to go with our entrees, so we went along with the recommendation. The great thing is that onion rings can be added to any entree as a side item without an additional charge. The beer battered onion rings were especially good when paired with the ribs. Then again, how can anyone go wrong with adding some pieces of deep fried goodness to a meal?

The Bayberry Bistro may not be your typical place to pick for a night out, but it should definitely be considered an option. The laid-back atmosphere of the restaurant allows you to get away from the stress of Wake for a while to enjoy a pretty decent meal.