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    Serendipity Gourmet

    3.5 (141 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

    Serendipity Gourmet Photos

    SERENDIPITY GOURMET ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Very loud
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Serendipity Gourmet

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    Jillian S.

    Excellent choice for a deli in Cary, NC. Convenient location on Academy Street. I parked in a nearby lot and walked over for a takeout sandwich. They offer numerous sandwich options and list daily specials on a white board. I decided on the pastrami and corned beef with a side salad for $10.99. The sandwich was packed with ingredients, enough for a meal and a snack. I ordered at the counter, waited at a table inside, and my meal was brought to me. Overall, I had a positive experience here and recommend this deli to others!

    Chicken salad plate $9, carrot cake $4.50
    Mary A.

    Serendipity Gourmet is an excellent location right next to where the annual Lazy Daze art fest is held in Cary by the Town Hall. It appears like a small house turned into a restaurant with a country home, mom and pop diner exterior and interior. It has a cute patio under umbrellas right on a lively suburban main street. And indoor seating which is more cramped, but still has plenty of seating. Today was 84 degrees in the summer and it was fine inside. But a little humid (all the cook prep is also done behind the open counter), and probably wouldn't want to be there when it's in the 90s. I really liked the ambiance and the bustle of people. It's not the prettiest of interiors (not the brightest light, darker wood). But it does feel comfortable anyway. I ordered the chicken salad plate ($9) and my sister ordered the gyro with chips. We shared a slice of carrot cake ($4.50). Chicken salad plate ($9): said to be the best chicken salad in town and in the menu. It has a pleasant, light, refreshing taste. But I guess there's not many ways to improve chicken salad. It was a classic taste, doesn't have a twist. I did enjoy it though. Finely shredded chicken pieces, a mild mayonnaise (not too vinegary), hint of salt, hint of sweetness, celery. Basic, classic, but nice. The three scoops seemed larger in pictures but smaller on the plate. A decent amount though. The salad was shredded lettuce. Also pleasant, refreshing. But I did want a bigger bed of lettuce. I don't think this was a super filling salad. It had sides of carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, tomato. I loved the sprouts the most as it added a unique flavor. The vegetables were not mixed in which I didn't quite understand--but eventually I made chicken salad crackers with the cucumber and lettuce. Maybe that's the intention? I did not mind that. The sauce was a home made ranch dressing (done right!). Overall I would say the chicken salad plate is reasonably priced for the restaurant experience, but I would likely feel it was overpriced if I just got it at a deli. I liked the atmosphere and location though, so I thought it was a fair trade. Carrot cake ($4.50): Actually the best carrot cake I've eaten. A real star! Super moist. Very tasty. Has golden raisins. And what tastes like a homemade cream cheese buttercream with the sugar crystals. I loved this cake. 100% would buy again. My sister isn't a big sweets fan but she loved this cake too. Sweet, rich, very balanced, and a great bake. Gyro: I tried some of my sister's gyro. The lamb had a good peppery flavor. Packs a punch. Seemed like a good but not noteworthy experience. Though maybe a bit plain with the amount of sauce. Her chips were definitely chips out of a store bought bag. Nice crunch. But I thought it didn't really go with the gyro. Not very original? But did at least make service quick. Yes I would return to Serendipity Gourmet especially to try the home baked cakes.

    Hummus Wrap
    Suvid K.

    Serendipity Gourmet is a hidden gem for a quick, satisfying lunch in Wilmington. I ordered the hummus wrap with beef, and it was honestly one of the better wraps I've had around here--fresh ingredients, good portion, flavorful hummus, perfectly seasoned beef, and a nice mix of veggies and feta that all came together without being soggy or skimpy. The side of ridged chips with a little cup of sauce was a nice touch too. For the price, it's excellent value; you feel like you got a full, quality meal without it breaking the bank. The service was outstanding--the young woman at the register was super friendly, helpful, and genuinely nice. She answered questions, made recommendations, and just made the whole experience feel welcoming. No rush, no attitude, just good people. The place itself is clean and comfortable, with unique indoor and outdoor seating options that feel cozy and relaxed. It's not fancy, but it's well-kept and has a nice vibe for eating in. Big bonus points for no tipping culture here--no awkward tip screen shoved in your face, no guilt-tripping prompts. I appreciate when a business pays their staff fairly and doesn't put that pressure on customers. It's refreshing and makes me want to come back even more.

    Egg Salad Sandwich
    PinkKittyQueen 1.

    I've been wanting to try out Serendipity ever since my friend recommended it and I loved it! I went twice in the span of two days during my visit to NC lol. I ordered the Lamb Gyro and it was probably the best gyro I've had, the meat was so tender and juicy and I love how you get served a pickle with every sandwich order. The egg sad sandwich was very creamy and slightly salty, and again the pickle was a nice palate cleanser that added some acidity to the meal. The owner was very polite and welcoming, and he did a wonderful job with the gyro! Everything from the seating to the little paintings on the walls and menu board is very cozy and adds so much character to this sandwich shop!

    I has the Pastrami Ruben sandwich. Excellent! A generous portion of tender pastrami on grilled bread. Friendly service, plenty of table space and nice tunes over the intercom system.

    Daily Specials
    Brilynn C.

    If grandma made sandwiches every day for my neighbors ... With plenty of seating, inside and out, you are sure to find a comfy seat to enjoy downtown Cary for lunch. The deli has a menu full of hot and cold sandwich options, friendly quick service, daily specials and a local spot since 1975! Great location and easy parking. Highly recommend shop local!

    Greek Grilled Cheese Sandwich
    Melinda B.

    I've lived in Cary my whole life and never stopped in to try this cute sandwich spot! The lunch items while simple and classic are done right and give much to be desired. You have your pick from specials and desserts. Service is very friendly and inside while small provides a laidback weekend atmosphere for quick lunch. Can't wait to stop in again to try some of their weekly specials.

    Lovely place for lunch
    Queenny C.

    We came here for a light lunch. We ordered a reuben and pastrami sandwich, a Philly steak sandwich and a veggie sandwich. All came out pretty fast and tasted good enough. When we ordered an order of chocolate chips and pecan pie, it was out from freezer and it was impossible to eat so we had to request to be heat up 10 seconds in microwave for it to get softer. The kitchen should have done that without us asking though. Ambiance is casual, they have outdoor and indoor seatings. Overall, food and service is good and the prices are just right.

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    9 months ago

    The broccoli cheddar soup was amazing! Was busy but still very fast service. Ate here with my toddler, will return!

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    9 months ago

    The grilled chicken wrap was saggy and tasted the overwhelming perfume inside the restaurant. Disappointed and dissatisfied

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    10 months ago

    I love this little gem! This is my go-to place for lunch with friends. It's fast and always delicious!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Lamb gyros! Best I've had in a long time....go sit outside, weather permitting. I wish I lived closer yo I could eat here more frequently.

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    1 year ago

    Yellow rice and chicken soup is awesome. Also love their veg, tahini dressing pocket.

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    2 years ago

    Great food and fast, friendly service. My fave spot for lunch. Love the outdoor section.

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    Page 1 of 4

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    Scratch Kitchen and Taproom - House Chex mix

    Scratch Kitchen and Taproom

    4.0(336 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    •$$

    Inventive cocktail menu using aquafaba instead of egg white which was great for the egg allergy in…read moremy group. Solid mix of food options that met our demand of egg/whey allergy and a vegetarian. Completely unrelated, but 4 ginger waitstaff. They are only 2% of the population. Is this a family operation? Delighted by this fun little mystery

    I arrived a little early to meet a friend from the other side of the triangle and sat at the bar at…read more4:45 on a Saturday. I grabbed a Jalepeño Mango Margarita and read my email. (Great WiFi!) The interior is glass on two sides, so it very bright, and appointed with comfy chairs with waist-high dividers around the bar and small table area. My friend arrived at 5:15 as promised and we were escorted to a table further down the building. The bartender brought my bill to the table later, and I asked if it could be added to the total but he said no. I had read about the pimento cheese wontons, so we decided to try those as a starter. They arrived hot and dressed with a red pepper jelly sauce. (Not too hot, a nice foil to the pimento cheese!) My friend liked them as well. Neither of us are eating large meals these days, so we opted to share an entree. We decided on the NY Strip steak ($38) which comes with smoked potato au gratin and collard greens. We tried to sub the greens for anything else, and the only other option was Brussels sprouts. (Green beans? Broccoli? Asparagus? Anything else? Nope, just stinky stuff.) So, stinky veggies were the only option. (We asked the waiter not to bring them, but they arrived anyway, and we had someone remove them quickly!) The potato's turned out to be more a chunky soup, rather than a casserole, but were tasty. Just difficult to share. (No spoons were offered for the soup!) The steak was phenomenal. Cooked to perfection (rare/medium rare) with a nice finishing sauce, and was just enough. Somehow, that steak, the wonton app ($11) and a regular house marg were billed at $88 after tax, which meant over $100 with tip, but I was enjoying my friend's company too much to dispute the bill. After I left, I did the math and figure they charged extra for something in there. But I was gone and never take the receipt, because most waitstaff do a good job of putting info into the POS system. Maybe I need to reassess my trust of waitstaff data entry. Suffice it to say this will not be a regular spot I go to. Stinky veggies, poor data entry and sides that can't easily be shared made for a sour first impression. The steak was good, but I can't find that extra $30 in anything, unless it was the toxic veggie disposal fee.

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    Scratch Kitchen and Taproom - Full bar.

    Full bar.

    Scratch Kitchen and Taproom - Bone-In Pork Chop / Pear-Fennel Chutney / Potato Parsnip Mash / Bacon Collard Greens

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    New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar - Artisanal grocery sauces/rubs

    New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar

    4.5(29 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    Stopped into this lovely little shop and was very impressed. It didn't disappoint at all. They are…read moreopen 7 days a week and have a large time frame of open hours. You walk in and have a little self-type market area and immediately to the right there are refrigerators with prepared meals to buy and take home. Straight after the Shelf section there is the butcher shop with all cuts of meats. I liked the concept where you could even pick your meats and have the chef cook them there for you and you can dine in! They also had an area for dining in and sitting at a bar. The bar had many choices of drinks and a wine section in the back to the side. There was a patio area as well. I decided to have some lunch so I got the salmon BLT which was delicious and I got the side of hot honey brussel sprouts. I ordered some lasagna to take home for a meal later. The salmon was cooked perfectly at a medium temperature and the flavoring was great. The brussel sprouts had just enough kick to them and was a great portion size for two or more. The lasagna was good and also a good size but it is a little bit spicy so if you dont like spice be prepared for a little tiny bit. All was delish.The pricing for everything is on point and not too expensive. They also have specials most of the days of the week! Peyton helped me with my to go orders and I met Ralph the owner who told me about the concept of everything. I will definitely be back and I would highly recommend! Second time back was wonderful! Sat and dined in. I got the $1 wings special with barbecue, mac and cheese, and salmon salad. The wings were jumbo size which is great because unlike other places they weren't the size of your pinky. The mac and cheese was very flavorful with the small crisp. The salmon salad was neat because it came and deconstructed segments so you could really pick which toppings you wanted on each bite. The dressing on it was amazing and so was the ranch for the wings. I was attended to by Desiah and Liam who were other so personable and lovely! All of the portions are amazing and I love it because I have food for a few days. Definitely going to come back again to try some of the new items that they've added to their menu.

    I went for a wine dinner at New York Butcher shoppe and was impressed with the food…read more They are a butcher and wine shop but you can also sit and eat they. They have a full menu or you can pick out a steak of your choice and they will grill it for you. There is no corking fee so you can buy a bottle and drink it there with your steak. A huge selection of meats and wines. As far as the 6 course dinner, everything I had was really good. My favorite was the Pan Seared American Wagyu and the Olive Oil cake.

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    New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar - Inside

    Inside

    New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar - Artisanal groceries

    Artisanal groceries

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    Great Harvest Bread - Dakota and honey wheat

    Great Harvest Bread

    4.7(106 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    •$

    I always come here for my birthday deal because I love their breakfast sandwich with garlic aioli…read more I wish they were closer cos I'd def visit more often! I'm not sure what happened to the toaster to leave dots on the bread like this, but it was just so-so this time. A little slight on the filling and a bit dry. Otherwise, everything looked so tempting Employees are always Very nice!!

    An acquaintance shared his Great Harvest experience and how much he enjoyed the sandwiches. I…read morepopped in this afternoon after my midday appointment. I really enjoyed the Baja turkey sandwich on Dakota bread. This was very flavorful and every ingredient was so fresh and the sandwich is prepared and presented very nicely. My concern was the bread getting wet but it wasn't at all. I would have to agree with this being "the best sandwich on earth" as mentioned on Good Harvest website cafe menu. Baja Turkey is made with turkey breast with chipotle honey lime yogurt sauce, shaved cabbage, pickled red onions, avocado, and pepper jack cheese. I didn't get avocado and added bacon and WOW! What a sandwich this was. Every bite was bursting with excitement. Don't walk, run over there to get yours. You will not be disappointed. I can't wait to try Breakfast. Great Harvest is close proximity to areas I frequent and had never really noticed Great Harvest in all these years. I'm glad I have experienced what they have to offer. The service was pleasant. The staff were helpful. They offer all types of fresh baked goods and were also offering samples. I passed on the baked sweet goodies but I bet they're just as delicious. It's a small cafe style space and it somewhat reminds me of LaFarm.

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    Great Harvest Bread - Bakery items

    Bakery items

    Great Harvest Bread - Maple scone

    Maple scone

    Great Harvest Bread - One of my favorites in town.

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    One of my favorites in town.

    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca - Tiramisu

    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca

    3.8(208 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    •$$

    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca is such a cute, authentic little spot in Cary. The atmosphere genuinely…read moremade me feel like I was back in Italy, and you can tell they use fresh, high-quality ingredients in everything they serve. The pizza and sandwich bread were both excellent, and I especially loved the flavorful green sauce on the sandwich. The pizza was delicious, although the dough was a little soggy in the center. The tiramisu was rich and tasted very authentic, with a noticeable alcohol flavor, which I personally enjoyed! I also took a sfogliatella home with me, and it was absolutely delicious. Everything else pictured we enjoyed at the restaurant. The staff was friendly, and the space is small but very charming, with wine and other Italian goodies available for purchase. It is a little on the pricier side, and while everything was very good, a few small details kept it from being a full five-star experience for me. Still, I would absolutely return in a heartbeat! Parking is free for two hours when you scan the validation code inside, so be sure not to pay for parking beforehand. We didn't have trouble finding a spot, although I could see it being more difficult on a busy weekend.

    Love this spot! Super cute Italian cafe vibes, and I love everything we've tried on the menu. My…read morefav is the roasted cauliflower sandwich - I get it every time, with a cappucino and a sweet treat!

    Photos
    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca - Shop area

    Shop area

    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca - Tiramisu

    Tiramisu

    Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca

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    Serendipity Gourmet - delis - Updated October 2026

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