Explore Downtown Raleigh

When you research downtown Raleigh, you’ll find six destination districts: Capital District, Fayetteville Street, Glenwood South, Moore Square, Warehouse District, and Seaboard + Person Street. When you work with us, we’ll help you find your perfect neighborhood.

But we know that it helps to have a starter guide.

FAYETTEVILLE STREET DISTRICT

Fayetteville Street is the one of the oldest streets in the City of Raleigh. At the north end, it begins at the majestic State Capitol building, and at the south end it emerges as the central hub for the arts with the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts—home to the NC Symphony, the Carolina Ballet, and traveling Broadway musicals through NC Theatre.

In this downtown district, you’ll walk to see mixed-use high rises, office skyscrapers, and over 50 restaurants and bars—including many of the restaurants from James Beard winner Ashley Christensen.

Living here offers you walkability to the majority of Raleigh’s most acclaimed restaurants, multiple options for live music, and easy access to the best community festivals held in the Downtown—from the local arts festival SparkCON to the International Bluegrass Festival.

Where:
North Downtown, begins at the Capitol Building

Attractions:
Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Red Hat Amphitheater, and James Beard Award-winning Poole’s Diner

Monarch’s Picks:
Death & Taxes, DECO, Lucettegrace, Capital Club 16, Garland, Kings, Neptunes, Foundation, St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, Slims Raleigh, Fox Liquor Bar, Young Hearts, and Trophy Brewing.

MOORE SQUARE DISTRICT

Adjacent to the Fayetteville corridor and an 8-min walk southeast of the Capitol Building, the Moore Square district is marked by the two recently-renovated anchors: the beautiful Moore Square Park and the GoRaleigh Transit Center.

Moore Square is one of the most dynamic parts of downtown Raleigh, home to both corporate headquarters, high-rise residential buildings, nationally-acclaimed restaurants, and even a museum for kids. It’s also becoming the most densely populated with recent developments such as SkyHouse, The Lincoln, and The Edison Lofts.

Moore Square offers the most artistic side of downtown living—from multiple music venues to galleries with artists-in-residence.

Where:
East Downtown, 8-min walk from the Capitol Building

Attractions:
Moore Square Park, Lincoln Theater, IMAX Theater, and Marbles Kids Museum

Monarch’s Picks:
Pour House Music Hall, Transfer Co. Food Hall, and Artspace

HISTORIC WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

You know you’re in the Warehouse District when you spot the historic red bricks and feel the artistic revitalization. In the last ten years, Raleigh’s downtown Warehouse District has evolved into a vibrant mix of art museums, restaurants, destination retail, and technology firms. It offers convenient access to expanding transit travel with Raleigh Union Station and both for-sale living options like the condos at The Fairweather (see those listings here) and for-rent choices, like the apartments at The Dillon.

Featuring nationally-recognized architecture, the Historic Warehouse District is one of the most dynamic parts of downtown. Living here gives you easy access to downtown’s first grocer, an expanding restaurant scene, and multiple options for coffee and drinks.

Where:
Southwest Downtown, 10-min walk from the Capitol Building

Attractions:
Contemporary Art Museum, HQ Raleigh, Raleigh Union Station, Nash Square, Weaver St. Market, and the non-profit art gallery VAE

Monarch’s Picks:
Videri Chocolate Factory, Humble Pie, A Place at the Table, Heirloom Brewshop, and Tasty Beverage

CAPITAL DISTRICT

As you walk north along Fayetteville Street, you arrive at Raleigh’s oldest district: the Capital District— home to both the North Carolina’s State Capitol Building and the Governor’s Mansion. Built in 1840 with the Greek Revival style, the State Capitol Building presides on a park square dating back to a city plan designed in 1792. Many of the government buildings reflect the popular Classical Revival style of the late 19th century, but a few buildings from the late 18th century still stand, including Haywood Hall and the White-Holman House.

Although state government buildings and facilities define this district, it’s also home to the NC History Museum and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Combined, these two museums attract over 1.5 million visitors annually—more than any other attraction in the state of North Carolina. As the center of downtown, the Capital District is a short walk away from the hundreds of businesses, bars, and restaurants that fill the nearby downtown districts.

Where:
Central Downtown

Attractions:
North Carolina State Capitol Building, North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Centro, Virgil’s Original Taqueria, and a short walk to the Fayetteville Street District

Monarch’s Picks:
Longleaf Hotel and Lounge, State of Beer, and Taverna Agora

SEABOARD/PERSON STREET DISTRICT

Peace University anchors the quietly hopping commercial centers of Seaboard Station and Person Street Plaza on this northern end of downtown Raleigh. This neighborhood offers some of Raleigh’s most beloved local businesses—from bakeries and restaurants to cycling and boutiques, and as more residents move in, more businesses will continue to set up shop.

Nearby subdivisions include the beautiful historic neighborhoods of Mordecai, Oakdale and Oakwood, and nearby residential developments Blount Street Commons (which includes row homes, lofts, and carriage homes), Elan City Center Apartments, and Peace Street Towne luxury townhomes.

In addition to the new residential developments, a mixed-use redevelopment of Seaboard Station will bring new life to the area with a boutique hotel, 650 apartments, and 90,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space.

Where:
North Downtown, 10-min walk north of the Capitol Building

Attractions:
Raleigh City Farm and Seaboard Station

Monarch’s Picks:
Oakwood Pizza Box, Logan’s Garden Shop and Cafe, Escazu, Stanbury, ish-Delicatessan, Krispy Kreme, Edge of Urge, Galatea, Oak City Cycling, Unlikely Professionals, and Crawford and Son’s from 5-time James Beard semifinalist Scott Crawford

GLENWOOD SOUTH DISTRICT

Sitting just northwest of the Capitol building, Glenwood South describes both a street name and a vibe; it has an identity all of its own within Downtown Raleigh—and maybe even two identities. While in the daylight, Glenwood South draws people to business lunch spots, art galleries, and boutique stores, at night, it’s lit—literally. Neon signs invite social club goers, and live music escapes into the streets. As the weekends turn late-night, sidewalks fill up with dancers queueing behind velvet ropes.

This neighborhood has long been considered an entertainment district, but in the last decade, it’s shifted toward supporting more residential units. Residents of this district can enjoy the cooperation of the Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative (GSNC), which provides residents and businesses a platform to communicate and work together to shape the future of the neighborhood. This collaborative will continue to expand; over 1,300 new units have recently been delivered or are under construction.

Where:
Northwest Downtown, 15-min walk west of the Capitol Building

Attractions:
42nd St Oyster Bar and Tin Roof

Monarch’s Picks:
Cortez Seafood and Cocktail from James Beard-nominated Oscar Diaz, Revolver Consignment, and Raleigh Wine Shop

OLDE EAST IS A Short Walk from Downtown Raleigh

The historic Olde-East Raleigh-South Park is just a short walk from the Fayetteville St. corridor, and the oldest sections defined the edge of Raleigh’s original city limits. Development began in 1865 and continued to 1940 (although the oldest houses here date back to 1850).

This emerging neighborhood is anchored by the HBCU Shaw University and is marked by architectural styles that range from Neoclassical to Craftsman to Colonial Revival, and these houses are marked by quaint plots, gables, and well-kept gardens. More recently, at the junction of South Park and East Raleigh neighborhood, Monarch Property Co. bought and redeveloped the historic Carolina Coach Garage to open Transfer Co. in 2019 bringing a local food hall, market, and community event space.

Where:
East Downtown

Attractions:
Transfer Co. Food Hall and Market, Historic City Cemetery, Moore Square Park, Chavis Greenway, and Chavis Park

Monarch’s Picks:
Mama Crow’s Burger & Salad Shop, Burial Brewery’s Outpost, and Beasley’s Chicken + Honey.

Oakwood is Raleigh’s First Local Historic District

Historic Oakwood is one of the most architecturally-rich and well-preserved neighborhoods in Raleigh, and it was Raleigh’s first local Historic District.

It has Raleigh’s largest number of nineteenth-century Victorians—including houses built in the style of Second Empire, Queen Anne, and Italianate—but later builders also brought Craftsman, Colonial Revivals, bungalows and the American Foursquare.

One of the most beautiful features of this neighborhood is its setting on the eastern side of the iconic and idyllic Historic Oakwood Cemetery, one of Raleigh’s most treasured sites. This historic neighborhood also sits adjacent to Oakwood Dog Park and is only a short walk to Moore Square and downtown destinations like Artspace.

Where:
Northeast Downtown

Attractions:
Oakwood Cemetery, Lane St & Oakwood Commons Park, Halloween

Monarch’s Picks:
Nice Price Books Jr., Annisette Bakery, ish-Delicatessen, Krispy Kreme, Historic Oakwood Cemetery and the Holiday Candlelight Tour.

Cameron Park has Walkability to Shops & Eateries

Cameron Park saw most of its development from the 1910s to the 1930s. Like other developments of its time, architectural styles varied from Colonial Revival to Tudor Revival.

The neighborhood is centered around Forest Park and Edna Metz Wells Park which provide wooded pathways through the neighborhood toward Cameron Village. Most houses are all within a block or two of public greenspace and feature quaint, narrow alleyways running alongside their backyard garages. Cameron Park offers easy walkability to both the shops and eateries at Cameron Village and the classic haunts of Hillsborough St.

Where:
West Downtown

Attractions:
Forest Park and Edna Metz Wells Park, N.C. State Belltower, Cameron Village shopping center, Cameron Village Regional Library, and the YMCA

Monarch’s Picks:
Player’s Retreat, David’s Dumplings, CycleLogics, and Irregardless Cafe

Boylan Heights has Craftsman Bungalows and Quiet Tree-Lined Sidewalks

As one of Raleigh’s earliest planned neighborhoods, this Historic downtown neighborhood is beloved for its collection of craftsman bungalows and quiet tree-lined sidewalks. This neighborhood sits on the lower end of Downtown Raleigh, just west of the Warehouse District.

Living here offers you walks to nearby bakeries and Raleigh’s largest park, Dorothea Dix, and—just a few blocks away—the Greenway Trail head waits across from your neighborhood. In addition, downtown draws like the Red Hat Amphitheater, Poole’s Diner, and Raleigh’s Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) are just 10-min walks away.

Recent developments on the northern end of Boylan Heights include the spacious light-filled condos of The Fairweather bridging Boylan to the emerging energy of the Warehouse District.

Where:
West Downtown

Attractions:
Montfort Hall, Boylan Heights Artwalk, Fairweather Condos, RebusWorks, Bldg Co., and Liz Kelly Pottery

Monarch’s Picks:
Boulted Bread, Liz Kelly Pottery, and Montfort Hall

Mordecai Historic Park & U.S. President Andrew Johnson’s Home

Mordecai Place dates back to the 1700s, and its Mordecai Historic Park features the actual house where U.S. President Andrew Johnson was born.

Several other historic houses still stand, but most livable homes today date back to the 1920s and feature a wide variety of architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Tudor Revival, and Spanish Mission Revival, to name a few.

Today, life in Mordecai offers both the beauty of historic Raleigh and downtown walkability, with new local businesses contributing to the revival where this peaceful neighborhood blends into downtown.

Where:
North Downtown

Attractions:
Mordecai Historic Park

Monarch’s Picks:
The Stanbury, Pine St. Coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, Edge of Urge, and Ezcazu Chocolate

Hayes Barton has Beautiful Set-Back Homes & Open Park Areas

Established in the 1920s and named after Sir Walter Raleigh’s birthplace, Hayes Barton reflects numerous architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival, and Tudor Revival. This neighborhood stands out for its large lots with beautifully set-back homes and open park areas dotting the neighborhood.

Today, Hayes Barton is part of the neighborhoods collectively known as Five Points, and residents enjoy walking to long-standing neighborhood establishments, as well as between each of the beautiful historic neighborhoods.

Where:
North Downtown

Attractions:
Five Points, Rialto Theatre, and Roanoke Park

Monarch’s Picks:
Hayes Barton Cafe, Lola’s Beach Bar, Lilly’s Pizza, Mandolin, and NOFO @ the Pig

Glenwood-Brooklyn has Walkability to Restaurants, Bars, & Shops

Largely characterized by the Queen Anne architectural style, the Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood was developed in the early 20th century along the streetcar-lined Glenwood Avenue.

Other prominent architectural styles include Colonial Revival and Craftsman. What was once considered a suburb of Raleigh during the time of its development, the Glenwood-Brooklyn district is now a historic neighborhood adjacent to many of downtown’s growing attractions and amenities.

Just north of the Glenwood South entertainment district, Glenwood-Brooklyn offers walkability to numerous restaurants, bars, and shops, and offers a more quiet alternative to living in Glenwood South proper. On Saturday afternoons, you’ll find residents of this neighborhood enjoying Fred Fletcher Park or shopping at nearby Cameron Village.

Where:
Northwest Downtown

Attractions:
Peace Street Market, Fred Fletcher Park, and Blue Flame Tattoo

Monarch’s Picks:
Peace Street Market, and King’s Automotive

Five Points Raleigh