LaGana

LaGana has a lunch-counter feel and a menu built around double smash burgers made from North Carolina-raised wagyu. The Textbook is the signature: two smashed patties with American cheese, the house sauce and a shredded lettuce and onion mix, served with tots.

The menu has more playful choices too, including a bánh mì-inspired burger finished with pâté and a heftier option called Mr. Thick. It sits in the Smoky Hollow area just north of downtown, which has become one of Raleigh's busier food neighborhoods, so it is easy to pair with a drink nearby.