About Us

Empire Eats is a community of unique, chef-driven restaurants located in downtown Raleigh. Together we comprise The Pit Authentic Barbecue, Sitti Authentic Lebanese, Gravy Italian-American Kitchen, The Raleigh Times Bar, The Morning Times Cafe and The Mecca Restaurant. 

In our humble opinion, great food and great hospitality are all it takes to make someone feel at home. Our fondest memories take place around the kitchen table, and we think yours should, too. This is how we define ourselves: by each guest’s experience in our home. It’s a family dinner at Gravy, a beer with friends at the Raleigh Times, a celebration at The Pit, a cocktail at Sitti, a quiet coffee moment at the Morning Times. We’ve been called a lot of things, but ordinary isn’t one of them. We pride ourselves on fresh, local, seasonal eats and chef-driven concepts rooted in truth, not trends. So, grab a seat and get comfortable. There’s always room for more at the table.