Welcome to Crawford & Son
In the heart of Raleigh, Crawford & Son stands out as a top dining destination. Known for its New American cuisine, this trendy spot offers a menu filled with flavorful dishes like duck sausage pithivier and short rib with crispy rice crunch. The ambiance is charming and perfect for a romantic or business meal. Reservations are a must, as this restaurant fills up quickly. Guests rave about the attentive service and delicious cocktails. With a focus on quality ingredients and inventive specials, Crawford & Son impresses both vegetarians and carnivores alike. Don't miss the opportunity to dine at this culinary gem.
- 618 N Person St Raleigh, NC 27604618 N Person St Raleigh, NC 27604 Hotline: (919) 307-4647
Welcome to Crawford & Son, a gem nestled in the heart of Raleigh's Historic Oakwood neighborhood. This warm and inviting eatery has proudly served the local community since November 2016, delivering an exceptional New American dining experience. With its blend of contemporary dishes and a relaxed yet chic ambiance, Crawford & Son has quickly become a favored destination for both locals and visitors alike.
Known for its thoughtful menu curated by the talented Chef Scott Crawford, this restaurant successfully combines classic techniques with innovative flavors. The cocktails here are a highlight, showcasing creative concoctions such as the La Neta, a delightful mix of tequila and mezcal with turmeric and pink peppercorn, and the Graham Bell, a robust blend of bourbon and rum with mole and sherry. Each drink is a work of art, offering a unique tasting experience.
When it comes to food, Crawford & Son does not disappoint. The Wagyu Beef Shortrib, served with king oyster mushrooms and artichokes, is nothing short of a culinary masterpiece, boasting rich flavors and impeccable cooking. For a lighter option, the Golden Tilefish with English peas and spring onion delivers freshness and brightness, making it a standout dish. Vegetarians will appreciate the Spring Vegetables, artfully plated with foraged mushrooms and a soft egg, embodying both creativity and seasonal ingredients.
Starters like the Mushroom Bread Pudding and Smoked Carrots are equally impressive, showcasing the kitchen's ability to elevate simple ingredients into extraordinary appetizers. Guests rave about the Yellowfin Tuna Crudo, which bursts with freshness and is a testament to the chef's attention to detail.
The ambiance at Crawford & Son strikes a perfect balance between vibrant and comfortable, making it an ideal spot for a romantic date night or a casual gathering with friends. The attentive staff ensures a pleasant dining experience, with service that is both polished and personable. It’s no surprise that customers like Kelli J. and Ralf L. share glowing reviews, praising the food, the cocktails, and the delightful atmosphere.
As you navigate the menu, be sure to leave room for dessert. The Vanilla Tapioca Pudding and Parsnip Spice Cake are perfect finales to an exquisite meal, leaving you with a lingering sense of satisfaction and a desire to return.
If you're planning to visit, remember to make a reservation. The popularity of Crawford & Son often fills its cozy dining room quickly. Whether you're craving inventive cocktails, robust entrees, or deliciously crafted desserts, Crawford & Son promises an unforgettable dining experience that continues to be a beloved cornerstone in Raleigh’s culinary scene.

Absolutely delicious!!! We tried the sausage, short rib and summer squash. They were all 10/10. The cocktails were also amazing. The service was on point. Every person who came to our table was delightful. And the environment was cute and quaint. My husband wanted to go back two days after we left so I guess that says something lol.

Amazing food and service. All of the dishes (appetizer, entrees, side and deserts) we tried were delicious and so flavorful. Our waitress was very helpful in our food selections and attentive to our table. Ambiance was nice for a romantic or business meal. We will be back.

We had a great experience at Crawford & Son. The food, drink, and service were all excellent. This is one of the best restaurants we've been to in the Triangle. The cuisine is New American. Reservations are recommended. There were barely any left when we looked for a Saturday reservation about two weeks out. Crawford & Son is open for dinner only. Every seat in the dining room and at the bar were taken at one point during our visit. I saw walk-ins get turned away. You can book reservations through Crawford & Son's website via Tock: http://crawfordandsonrestaurant.com/ Sorry, no OpenTable points here. This restaurant has been around since November 2016. It's located in downtown Raleigh's Historic Oakwood neighborhood, in the same strip as Oakwood Pizza Box. There's no dedicated parking. Free street parking is available in the residential area around the block (e.g., Pace St, N Bloodworth St). Read the signs for parking restrictions. This isn't a big restaurant, but it's not tiny either. The dining room and bar share the same space. There are some tables in the front and then a long banquette that runs the length of the bar and more. The layout is similar to Jolie French bistro, Crawford & Son's sister restaurant next door (opened August 2019). Unlike Jolie, Crawford & Son doesn't have nearly as much outdoor patio seating (only a couple two-tops) nor rooftop seating (none). Chef-owner Scott Crawford opened a third restaurant, Crawford Cookshop in Clayton, in December 2021. The ambiance here is elevated, but not pretentious. The restaurant definitely has a hip vibe, but it's not overdone either. It's comfortable. The menu was fairly simple and straightforward. To give you an idea of the number of selections, our party of four tried one of every cocktail (4) and one of every entree (4). Below is a list of what we ordered. It'll also give you an idea of what kind of food and drink to expect, along with pricing. Cocktails * Komodo ($16) - gin, blood orange, shiso, Montenegro * Dungeon Dragon ($16) - tequila, grapefruit, lemon verbena, campari * Spiritual Gangster ($16) - Mezcal, mulled wine, falernum, cynar * BB King ($16) - bourbon, brown butter, PX sherry, bitters Appetizers * Little Gem Caesar ($17) - truffle pecorino, cured duck egg, fried garlic * Grilled Clam Toast ($16) - focaccia, nduja, chimichurri, pickled onion Raw * Yellowfin Tuna Crudo ($18) - garum vinaigrette, winter radish, ginger ice Entrees * Lion's Mane Mushroom Schnitzel ($28) - caper cream, cauliflower, lemon confit * Pan Roasted Sea Trout ($36) - blood orange beurre blanc, trout roe, root vegetables * Duck Breast ($45) - Sarladaises potato, glazed pearl onion, black currant sauce * Beef Short Rib ($37) - crispy shallot salad, hakurei turnip, sweet, sour, and savory glaze Save Room / Desserts * Vanilla Tapioca Pudding ($12) - creme fraiche, honeycrisp apple granita * Parsnip Spice Cake ($13) - ginger ice cream, maple carrot, walnuts After Dinner Drinks * Big Mac dessert drink ($16) - Macvin, hazelnut, egg cream * Special "Banana Flip" (not on menu, $17) - banana liqueur, egg cream Everything was outstanding. The presentation was absolutely beautiful. Visually stunning. The plating was some of the best I've seen in the Triangle. Probably top five in that regard (just take a look at my pictures). Thought and care was evident in each dish and cocktail. They looked like works of art. Everything was creative, well executed, and tasted as good as it looked. My wife, who's especially picky with cocktails, said the Komodo was one of the best cocktails she's had anywhere. The flavors were balanced and smooth. The color was unexpectedly clear despite being made with blood orange. That's because they filtered the cocktail using curdled milk. The Dungeon Dragon was memorable because instead of just a salt rim, citric acid was added too, to give two flavors: salty and sour. The Grilled Clam Toast popped with colors, textures, and flavors. It was savory and unique. The Yellowfin Tuna Crudo was fresh and citrusy. Both the Sea Trout and Duck Breast were perfectly cooked and delicious. The trout was the best I've had in recent memory. I love mushrooms and was impressed with the hearty and satisfying Mushroom Schnitzel. Little things like the way they cut the cauliflower and lemon - the latter into thin edible slices - really showed the kitchen staff's attention to detail. The Vanilla Tapioca Pudding was phenomenal. The consistencies were terrific with creamy and appetizingly chewy tapioca topped with delicately flaky granita. Service was fantastic. Our server was Sydney. She was kind, knowledgeable, and attentive. Everyone else we interacted with was great too, from the hostesses/managers to our food runner. One of the hostesses/managers noticed me trying to Shazam a song. She brought over an iPad and let me take a picture of the song on the restaurant's playlist. Very thoughtful of her. That kind of service is above and beyond.

We ate here for our anniversary and really enjoyed it! We made reservations for 2 at the bar because all the table reservations before 9 pm were full, but when we arrived, a table was open and offered to us, which was really nice! (LIkely, we also would have been happy at the bar, but I'm pregnant, so the comfy booth seat was welcome.) The service was superlative, both from our attentive server and others who jumped in any time they walked by and saw something that could be done. The non-alcoholic cocktail was fantastic! Both food and drink menus are curated rather than extensive. We are parents of a small child who rarely get out to restaurants, so when we do go, we love to taste a variety of options on the menu. Your ordering style may vary. For starters, we ordered the yellowfin crudo (a standout and possibly the best dish from my perspective) and crispy porcelet belly (very tasty, although the skin was more tough and chewy than crispy). The manchego-herb biscuits were amazing in taste and texture, like, how do they do that? For entrees, we had the lamb loin and bavette steak. My lamb was nice, but the flavor of the steak dish (my husband's) was unreal. (Normally, I would have ordered the seafood, but the only option was swordfish, and I had already used up my weekly serving of potentially-high-in-mercury seafood with the yellowfin crudo, worth it!) After sharing two appetizers, biscuits, and an entree each, we were really full. However, I had been anticipating the triple cheesecake with rhubarb, so we got a portion to go. It was unusual - very strong on the savory cheese flavor in the cake - but we both really liked it. (Would I have liked more rhubarb? Yes, but I love rhubarb, and not everyone agrees. Rhubarb skeptics, this is a safe dish for you.) Two starters, two entrees, a side, two drinks each, and one dessert put our total just north of $200. Not a huge consideration for us, but it's a small-ish space with dark decor and modern, minimal lighting. I've spoken with others who remembered it as a bit cramped. The music is... not quiet... with prominent bass, but we sat next to each other and were able to talk. We definitely plan to go back. Edited to add: We were also really impressed by the short ticket times! Our food came out very promptly, and we finished three courses and had our take-out dessert ready to go in just over an hour. We also didn't feel rushed, as though we could have lingered without any pressure from the server to free up the table. As folks who no longer get out much, that's a huge plus.

After visiting Crawford & Son just two times, it builds an amazing case for one of the best restaurants in Raleigh, hands down. On our last visit, we started with manchego biscuits and the beef tartare (both incredible). The beef tartare was incredibly tasty and so unique, we were not expecting the crispy rice crunch to already be incorporated in the dish. I ordered short rib and it exceeded all my expectations - perfectly tender and delicious. We also loved the pavlova and videri brownie sundae for dessert - the brûléed banana was a nice touch. Excellent service and a little noisy but absolutely worth it!

***FOOD: cerebral pairings of vegetables and mains and deliciousness from James Beard nominee chef. Duck Sausage Pithivier had duck & baked pastry covering - good, Smoked Sturgeon Chowder - smooth delish, Pan Roasted Sea Trout - delicate & delish, Duck Breast- cooked perfectly, Beef Short Rib -good with sauce. It's the veggies accompaniment that were the star. Wow on the Parsnip Spice Cake & Citrus Pavlova desserts ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $$$ ***DÉCOR: urban dark crowded small place modern casual ***SERVICE: attentive, glasses always filled, plates delivered promptly and hot ***RECOMMEND: YES definitely RECOMMEND.

Hands down, one of my top 3 best meals of my life!!! The ambiance, friendliness of staff, & most importantly the food ALL OF IT was so amazing. We had appetizers, entrees, sides, wine, desserts & left with full hearts & bellie

They take reservations for both the bar and the tables, but do know that at least the Tuesday night that we went, they had plenty of walk-in availability. So while this place is awesome for a planned date night, it's also terrific for after work. Parking: this is still a bit of a mystery to us. There are a couple lots nearby but we couldn't tell if any were for the restaurant. Street parking is the name of the game in front of the restaurant (which is kitty corner from Krispy Kreme near downtown) Just pay attention to signs! We parked in the neighborhood behind, but read carefully. Sis & I chose the bar and had terrific service and food. Both of us enjoyed our wine selections after the friendly Bartender helped us pick ones to our tastes. What had inspired me to come in was the pic I saw here on Yelp of their Crab Bucatini. Normally I would be happy to share everything with Sis, but I had to let her down that I would not be sharing mine, so we each ordered it. And opted to share two side dishes with it. Squash Tempura with a remoulade sauce and Brussels. Everything was cooked perfectly and super tasty. The Bucatini had a strong tarragon flavor, which was surprising but delightful. Although the Bucatini was considered a small plate, we were both too full for dessert, which was a bit of a shame cause they sounded great. Tip: Check the menu online before you go as it changes at least seasonally if not more often.

We were in and around the area for just under a week, and Crawford & Son was the culinary highlight of our trip. We're not local, and may not be in the area again for a very long time, but I would unquestionably go back given the chance. Reservations may be tough, and the items a bit pricey, but the service, food and drinks were all top notch. I've remarked about that double-cut pork chop's cook and flavor many times since our visit, and the picture honestly doesn't do us justice. The cocktails were also incredibly well balanced. Having a beer as my first drink, despite it being a good one, was a mistake considering how good the cocktails were. The only slight negatives would be that the venue is a bit tight, and the parking can be a pain. You'll probably have a less frustrating experience if you just accept ahead of time that you're likely going to have to park pretty far away. Maybe drop the rest of your party at the door first. On a side note for parents or picky eaters, the menu changes and is limited, so check it in advance.

Solid menu with some inventive specials. Accommodates both vegetarian and carnivore patrons. We went there to celebrate an anniversary, and we had a nice cozy table along the wall. The decoration in the restaurant is sparse but eclectic. They have some good non-alcoholic cocktails, in addition to their regular selection. Their appetizers are quite tasty. The heirloom tomato caprese was very flavorful, and pretty inventive, since they had a whipped mozzarella cheese under the tomatoes, with pine nuts added for texture. We also had an octopus carpaccio, which was a great way to serve octopus in a way that it would not be chewy, but actually quite flavorful with some harissa and tapenade on top. So you'll get a bit of salty and sweet with a very nice texture. The skirt steak was perfectly done, although I must admit I did not care for the chimichurri puree. I also enjoyed a fried eggplant dish that was the perfect combination of crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. It was vegetarian, but did not leave you feeling lacking. The prices are reasonable, and I would highly recommend it for either a special occasion or just a nice night out