acclaim

In The Press

N&O Best Restaurants 2017 Silver Medal

Wine Spectator 2017 Award of Excellence

N&O Best Restaurants 2016 Silver Medal 

Wine Spectator 2016 Award of Excellence

Chapel Hill Magazine 2016

Downtown Chapel Hill Business Spotlight

N&O Best Restaurants 2015 Silver Medal

Wine Spectator 2015 Award of Excellence 

Chapel Hill Magazine 2014

What People Are Saying

“His cooking is refined, yet earthy; stylized and complex, yet soulfully satisfying.…”
-Downtown Chapel Hill 

“It’s like eating in the big city, but better because it’s here. Refined without being snooty. Totally cool, dark and romantic, full of beautiful people…”
-Sky Magazine, Delta Airlines

Don’t miss the renowned appetizer of grilled venison sausage patties layered with tiny, fluffy corn pancakes in maple syrup sauce. It’s both as comforting as breakfast in bed and as fancy as a night on the town. I’d never have thought to pair foie gras with bits of country ham and grilled pineapple but I’m glad Bret did. …..”
–Southern Living

“Jennings serves up sophisticated fare such as steamed mussels with Thai coconut broth to the educated elite at Elaine’s on Franklin. But Jennings gave all that up last month to become a tiny minnow in the food’s biggest pond—Paris—where he spent a week of 9 a.m. to midnight days in the kitchen of the celebrated Taillevent restaurant-and considered it a privilege…”
–Raleigh News & Observer

“As a young proprietor he has already landed the prestigious Wine Spectator Award of Excellence…make reservations. Enjoy. Then visit the farmer’s market on Saturday and tell them you ate at Elaine’s.”
–Triangle Lifestyle

“It was indeed a pleasure to witness the culinary excellence of Bret Jennings and his amazing culinary team. The words on the souvenir program said it best: “Food for the soul, prepared from the heart.”
–The Durham Herald-Sun