No reservations, no problem: how Over the Falls became the default answer
Award-winning salads, house-infused bourbons, and a waitlist worth joining.
The 4.9-star bookstore: Page 158 and the case for staying independent
Sue and Dave Lucey took over a downtown bookshop in 2015. Ten years, one expansion, and 400 five-star reviews later, it’s the town’s literary living room.
One roof, every Saturday: The Factory’s answer to the family logistics problem
Ice rinks, indoor golf, laser tag, and dinner — without moving the car.
Let our kitchen love you: Farm Table’s seasonal case for slowing down
Farmhouse-chic, chef-driven, and rewritten with every season’s produce.
Best balls in town: how Strike and Barrel collected every local trophy
Bowling, food, and a shelf of Best Of awards in downtown Wake Forest.
Southern-Scandinavian: Norse Brewing’s unlikely comfort-food formula
A neighborhood cookout, two couples, a bottle of Basil Hayden, and the brewery that came out of it.
The hidden gem on South Main: Pat Murnane’s earns its regulars
An Irish pub with 650-plus reviews, a salad bar, and an owner who shows up.
Two rinks, every age: Polar Ice House is where Wake Forest learns to skate
NHL-regulation ice, Learn to Skate at age three, and hockey leagues for everyone.
The Northeast neighborhood’s gathering place: inside the Alston-Massenburg Center
A town-owned hall in one of Wake Forest’s most historic neighborhoods, built for the community’s milestones.
The farm where dogs get a second chance: Saving Grace’s rescue mission
A Wake Forest nonprofit with 800-plus reviews, a farm setting, and a Host Program that turns neighbors into lifesavers.