Chapel Hill Restaurants on West Franklin Street

Named to Gourmet Magazine's list of "America's Top 50 Restaurants," dining at Lantern needs to be on everyone's list. The seasonal menu puts an Asian spin on local ingredients. You'll discover tastes like sake and tea-cured salmon, red curry stew with local butternut squash and pumpkin, and classic Vietnamese Pho.

Just meeting for drinks and appetizers? Don't miss the exotic black-out bar in the back. It has black walls and lets in absolutely no daylight. Dinner entrées $17-$26.