Rustic Roots

It's always cool to discover a gem, hidden away in an unexpected place. Let's face it - when you think about Bunn, you think it's a cute little town, well off the beaten path. But you really don't think about fine dining. Well, friends - think again! Rustic Roots offers a balanced farm-to-table menu, upscale rustic atmosphere and excellent service and the food - wow!It's an unassuming building, with a big rooster metal sculpture out front. The dining room is rectangular, with about a dozen tables and a large high-top for seating larger parties. Plus bar seating at the back left. We were greeted and seated immediately. First off, props to our outstanding server Jacquelyn. She's energetic, charming, funny, knowledgeable and professional. Her suggestions were spot on. She timed the meal perfectly and everything was served as-ordered. And she treated us as if she were a family friend. THANK YOU!Tried some Juicy Bread to start. 3 thick slices of crusty bread, slathered in oil and herbs. Juicy, indeed! And tasty. Also tried the burrata bruschetta. A big knot of creamy, rich burrata is served atop an oblong ramekin of home made bruschetta. Super fresh tomatoes, diced onions, fresh basil, olive oil. Plus a few slices of warm, crusty French bread and some shaved parmesan to top it off. MMMMMMM! Also tried the Caesar salad. It's a unique prep - individual leaves of romaine arranged like a flower on the plate, each leaf adorned with a squirt of homemade dressing and a few croutons. The dressing could have been a little tangy-er, but was still delicious. Steaks are a specialty, and so - steak it was! The ribeye is prepared exactly as ordered - medium rare. Lightly seasoned, fork tender and served with a dollop of garlic butter on top. Filet was similarly prepared, prepared exactly as ordered. Sides of a loaded baked potato and baked sweet potato were right-sized, tender, sweet and scrumptious. As we were eating, we saw a few of the desserts pass by enroute to other tables. 5 desserts on the menu, but one of them caught my eye - Brown Butter cake. The cake is served warm... rich, sweet, buttery, creamy and topped with brown sugar, drizzled with caramel, a dollop of whipped cream AND a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Needless to say we finished EVERY bite. It's worth it to drive to Bunn just for that cake. Check this place out - it's really really good!

Amazing place! From the time you get inside they are greeting you and making you feel welcome. The menu is just right. Not so many things that your head spins but just enough to have a nice variety. From the appetizers to the main entrees to the dessert, the food was outstanding! One of the best places around. I've gone to Raleigh's elite places and some of them can't contend. Going back very soon!

First time visiting the highly spoken of Rustic Roots. Atmosphere was fantastic. And service was lovely. Not impressed by food and prices. My pasta dish with a thin cut chicken breast was $30 which I thought insane for what it was. Drinks are all $15...that's something I'd expect for downtown Raleigh at a fancy speakeasy, not a home town restaurant in Bunn. Glad we got to visit but I can honestly say it wouldn't be worth traveling to eat there again.

We had a very nice date here. The food was amazing, the ambience was quaint, the staff were friendly. Prices are a little high, but the quality was there so it may equate. We will be back.

Family-run, mom 'n pop place. Great food. Great service. It just feels good, walking in there

My husband and I really love Rustic Roots! The staff go out of their way to be so friendly and courteous. Russ and Vanessa really put their love into this restaurant and you can see it. We had a date night to celebrate our wedding anniversary and had the best food, drinks and dessert. I love how the menu will change with the seasons (don't worry...favorites usually stay).

What an fantastic meal! We had the ribeye steak dinner that comes with salad and potato. The steak melts in your mouth and the sides were delicious. Desserts looked amazing but could not eat another bite. Everything is made from scratch. Our server, Jacquelyn, was terrific. Super upbeat, charming, and very attentive. Location is on the small side but full of country charm. Reservations are definitely required.

Since my initial review we've made a couple of additional visits. We remain Rustic Roots fans and here are a few updates. Another reliably good appetizer is the deviled eggs: excellent. We've also tried the Nancy's Tacos app and it was quite tasty, but the corn tortillas tended to "deconstruct" a bit. Neighbor Friend had the rib-eye and said it was very, very good (its aroma certainly had me salivating). During our most recent visit I tried the beet and strawberry salad, and it was absolutely delicious: beets, strawberries, goat cheese and arugula, with candied pecans. Spectacular. Conversely, my wife declared the Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad "unremarkable" and "bland". We've yet to try the restaurant's sandwiches, but we'll remedy that in future visits. This remains a fun spot with pretty pretty pretty good food, and we'll definitely return.

We've been to Rustic Roots a couple of times now. The service is always great, the food divine, and we love the atmosphere of southern hospitality we feel. Highly recommend everything on the menu!

We make Rustic Roots our go to place for steaks and sandwiches anytime we are in town. The tomahawk steak like always was great so was the other food. But I got ask who came up with the Caesar salad ? It didn't resemble any Caesar salad I've ever had, (lack of ingredients ) the only reason I didn't send it back is because of our guess at the table. Hope to be back next year.