Second Empire and Tavern

Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern occupies the historic Dodd-Hinsdale House at 330 Hillsborough Street in downtown Raleigh — an 1879 Second Empire Victorian property originally built for Mayor William H. Dodd, featuring fourteen-foot ceilings and deep bay windows. After the Hinsdale family held the estate for nearly ninety years, the building fell into disrepair following John Hinsdale's death in 1971. The Reynolds family acquired and fully restored the property in the mid-1990s, reopening it as a fine dining destination. The restaurant has earned the DiRoNa award twice, the AAA Four Diamond Award three times, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for eight consecutive years. Executive Chef Daniel Schurr leads the kitchen. The venue hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners, and private events across several spaces: formal dining rooms on the main floor, the casual Tavern downstairs with a climate-controlled wine cellar holding more than 250 labels, a glassed Atrium seating 42, and an intimate Chef's Table for up to four guests dining exclusively with the chef inside the kitchen itself.