BIG ED'S CITY MARKET RESTAURANT

We really like Big Ed's City Market Restaurant! I credit Big Daddy for the discovery, the downtown Raleigh venue serving up down home goodness with true Southern flair. We've been twice now. The first time we were there for breakfast. I wanted grits and Big Daddy was craving country ham. Both plates were served with red-eye gravy and both plates were loaded with fresh baked biscuits and fatback. They have easily stolen the award for our favorite breakfast spot.

The second time we went for fried chicken only to discover that they don't serve fried chicken every day. But we weren't discouraged, choosing the daily Blue Plate Special instead. On this particular day the special was fried catfish with a whole host of sides including cornbread and a biscuit. The meal also came with sweet tea and dessert. It was a wealth of food for $8.50 per plate.

Big Daddy ate his fried catfish with butter beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. I chose the collard greens and butter beans.  From start to finish the meal was exceptional with only a few bumps. The butter beans were on point and we were both thoroughly pleased. 

Big Daddy enjoyed the mashed potatoes and they were real potatoes not powder. The collards were the only real disappointment for me. Cooked with real pork meat the flavor was on point but they were horribly over-cooked and were more paste and stem than anything else. They had absolutely no bite or chew to them at all. But I loved the coleslaw that came with the fish and that's saying a lot because I'm not a big fan of coleslaw.

They have some of the best cornbread I've ever eaten and the biscuits are good, too, but I prefer them with breakfast. We both selected the banana pudding for dessert. We've had better but theirs was not bad at all.

Overall, both meals earned an easy A+ from us. The staff is friendly and pleasant, the atmosphere engaging and service was exceptional. They have an extensive MENU that's sure to please everyone. We will definitely frequent Big Ed's City Market Restaurant again. We just have to try the fried chicken!