"What’s there to say about Poole’s Diner that already hasn’t been said a million times over? Perhaps that chef Ashley Christensen’s beloved restaurant takes its commitment to equality as seriously as its commitment to serving expertly-prepared, locally-sourced Southern food. A mural on the side of the building reads “All are welcome in Raleigh,” with the word Raleigh in rainbow colors, and Christensen along with her wife Kaitlyn Goalen have regularly spoken up in support of LGBTQ+ policies and raised funds for local organizations such as the LGBTQ Center of Raleigh." - Matt Lardie