Western

All Souls Pizza
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 12 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

In a town that already takes bread seriously, All Souls sets a high bar. In a tiny building that used to be a diner, they grind their own flour, creating a whole-wheat crust with an emphatic chewiness.

175 Clingman Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 254-0169
allsoulspizza.com

 

Birchwood Hall
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday, 12 – 9 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Growing up in Fairview, Chef Nicolas Peek recalls, there was always something that needed doing at home or on his grandpa’s farm. When he and his siblings saw a pail of green beans sitting on the porch, “we knew a chore was coming.” In the kitchen of his own restaurant, Birchwood Hall, tasks like snapping green beans feel a lot more fun. Every delivery from a local farmer is exciting, an opportunity to combine farm roots and fine-dining techniques.

111 North Main Street
Waynesville, NC 28786
(828) 246-6111
birchwoodhall.com

 

Five Points Restaurant
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

In Asheville, one old-school diner serves up the hamburgers and hospitality that have drawn regulars for nearly 50 years. For those loyal customers, all roads lead to Five Points.

258 Broadway Street
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252-8030
5pointsasheville.com

 

Shake Shop
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

The signature meal at this hole-in-the-wall joint has always been a Lottaburger: two burgers cooked on a flattop grill and served inside a hoagie-type bun. With slaw, tomato, and pickle. Only.

505 West Church Street
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 435-5778

 

Plant
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 4 p.m.– 9 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Here’s what you won’t find at Asheville’s vegan mainstay: meat, dairy, or eggs. You will find a creative menu unlike any you’ve ever seen — or tasted. Here in the Barbecue Belt, it’s perfectly fine to be skeptical. But first, take a bite.

165 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 258-7500
plantisfood.com

 

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Here, hand-chopped ’cue, painstakingly pit-cooked over a bed of glowing hickory and oak and slathered in red Lexington-style sauce, pairs perfectly with red slaw and hush puppies.

2000 East Dixon Boulevard
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 482-8567
bridgesbbq.com

 

Shelby Café
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday to Sunday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Shelby has claimed livermush since at least 1933, when two local businesses — Mack’s Livermush and Jenkins Foods — got their start. Try the regional delicacy on a sandwich at the Shelby Café. Think of it as a softer, richer sausage patty.

220 South Lafayette Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 487-8461

 

Smokey Mountain Diner
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Smokey Mountain Diner’s recipes, at their heart, are still old-fashioned home cooking: Many have been handed down through generations, especially from owner Genia Hayes Peterson’s great-grandmother.

70 Lance Avenue
Hot Springs, NC 28743
(828) 622-7571
facebook.com/smokymountaindiner

 

White Duck Taco
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 4 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Inside a cave-like, refurbished Quonset hut by the French Broad River, you’ll find wildly creative fare. Start with the Bangkok Shrimp Taco: sesame-glazed fried shrimp with curry aioli and house-made pickles.

388 Riverside Drive
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 254-1398
whiteducktacoshop.com

 

 
Central

Angus Barn
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 4 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Sure, the grilled steaks are great. But we’re here to talk about the legendary chocolate chess pie: Its signature crackly, crusty top is drizzled with chocolate syrup and dolloped with whipped cream.

9401 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27617
(919) 781-2444
angusbarn.com

 

Fowler’s Southern Gourmet
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

The father-and-son team behind a popular food truck have found a permanent home for their upscale, down-home brand of barbecue.

723 West Rowan Street
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910) 491-5721
fowlerssoutherngourmet.com

 

Hayes Barton Café and Dessertery
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At this Raleigh restaurant, friends and neighbors gather for homey entrées, famous layer cakes, and memories of those who came before.

2000 Fairview Road
Raleigh, NC 27608
(919) 856-8551

 

Inizio Pizza Napoletana
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 12 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Owner Grant Arons is a stickler for details: He brought his ovens (and even his water) from Naples. Here, pizzas are divided into two camps: red sauce and no red sauce. Either way, expect lots of speckles and char on the crust, chewy edges, and a soft center.

2230 Park Road, Suite 101
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 900-0929
iniziopizza.com

10620 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 846-8909

 

Keaton’s Barbecue
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 7:30 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

The fried chicken at Keaton’s is dipped in a secret, magical barbecue sauce — hot or mild — and served with a white bread bun.

17365 Cool Springs Road
Cleveland, NC 27013
(704) 278-3048 
keatonsoriginalbbq.com

 

Kermit’s
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

People come to Kermit’s for a taste of nostalgia. They long for the warm buns, the freshly chopped onions, the coleslaw, and the homemade pimento cheese.

2220 Thomasville Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27107
(336) 788-9945

 

Kindred
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 5 – 10 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Baked in a graniteware bowl and sprinkled with delicate flecks of hand-harvested sea salt, Kindred’s milk bread is more than a mere loaf. Warm and pillowy, sweet and salty — it’s pure magic. A hug, if you will, in carbohydrate form.

131 North Main Street
Davidson, NC 28036
(980) 231-5000
kindreddavidson.com

 

Lexington Barbecue
Dining: Take-out, Curbside service
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At this legendary Piedmont joint, the meat is the thing: pulled from slow-roasted pork shoulders and enhanced by a dark, thin sauce — or “dip” — that is neither too mild nor too fiery.

100 Smokehouse Lane
Lexington, NC 27295
(336) 249-9814

 

Mama Dip’s
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At Chapel Hill fixture Mama Dip’s, the beloved sweet potato pie has a custardy filling made with milk, eggs, and melted butter, plus warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The sweet potatoes are boiled until tender, then mashed until smooth.

408 West Rosemary Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-5837
mamadips.com

 

Merritt’s Store and Grill
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Thursday to Saturday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Merritt’s calling card is the B.L.T. — a destination sandwich. And while a standard B.L.T. has a recipe only three letters long, the Merritt’s version comes in three sizes: single, double, and triple. The numbers correspond to how many layers of bacon, lettuce, and tomato the sandwich contains. Dreams do come true.

1009 South Columbia Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-4897
merrittsstoreandgrill.com 

 

Mission Pizza Napoletana
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 4:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (times vary)
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

A taste of Naples has come to Winston-Salem. At Peyton Smith’s restaurant, the humble, cheesy pie you think you know is transformed into something you’ll never forget.

707 Trade Street Northwest
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 893-8217
missionpizzanapoletana.com

 

Old North State Winery
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Don’t let the name fool you: When it comes to pairing sips and savories, Old North State Winery offers so much more than cheese and crackers.

308 North Main Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 789-9463
oldnorthstatewinery.com

 

Pizzeria Mercato
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 5 – 6 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Gabe Barker, son of Durham restaurant legends Ben and Karen Barker, has set up shop near the Carrboro Farmers Market to make the most of the seasonal ingredients around him. His margherita crust is thinner and crispier than some, and his toppings are adventurous (think mustard greens). There’s an anchovy version, too, for those who crave the salty bits.

408 West Weaver Street
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 967-2277
pizzeriamercatonc.com

 

Postal Fish Company
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Thursday to Friday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

More than 60 years ago at Miller’s, hamburger met pimento cheese. The rest is history. It’s no longer the only pimento cheese burger around, but the faithful — who don’t mind spreading it on thick sometimes — will tell you it’s still the best.

710 Wilkesboro Street
Mocksville, NC 27028
(336) 751-2621

 

Price’s Chicken Coop
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 7:30 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

“The Coop” has been dishing out the same light and crunchy fried chicken since 1962. Service is carryout only, but when customers can’t wait for that first savory bite, they simply feast inside their cars parked along the street.

1614 Camden Road
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 333-9866
priceschickencoop.com

 

Snoopy’s
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Eating at the original Snoopy’s Hot Dogs is a Raleigh rite of passage. Since the restaurant opened in 1978, folks have been lining up for a hot dog served eastern Carolina-style: mustard, onions, and chili, steamed in a bun.

1931 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27608
(919) 839-2176
snoopys.com

 

Snappy Lunch
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Wednesday and Friday, 5:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Thursday and Saturday, 5:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

It’s the only Mount Airy business ever mentioned during the eight-year run of The Andy Griffith Show, but it’s Snappy Lunch’s pork chop sandwich that endures. Fans will drive for hours to stand in a line so they can eat, on a bun, a piece of fried pork bigger than a dessert plate.

125 North Main Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-4931
thesnappylunch.com

 

Stone Table
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

For Union County diners, one chef’s modern take on traditional fare is a constant source of discovery and delight.

101 West Franklin Street
Monroe, NC 28112
(704) 225-7675
stonetablemonroe.com

 

The Dairy Center
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Mount Airy’s (other) famous sandwich? Ground-steak: ground beef thickened with flour and water, served on a toasted, buttered bun, and topped with coleslaw, tomato, chopped onion, and mayonnaise. It’s like a sloppy joe without the ketchup.

407 West Lebanon Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-2349

 

The Fried Turkey Sandwich Shop
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

It is what you think it is. You can get your sandwich in a dizzying array of options: turkey with cranberry sauce, turkey with stuffing, turkey with cranberry sauce and stuffing. All this on Texas toast — gravy on the side.

2318 Paintersmill Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28304
(910) 425-2755 
friedturkeyshop.com

 

The House of Fish
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 – 6 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

An unassuming cinder-block building in Moore County proves to be the perfect stage for one chef’s take on “classic American soulful seafood” — and plenty of his star power.

9671 NC Highway 211
Aberdeen, NC 28315
(910) 944-0826

 

The Roast Grill
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

There are no “show dogs” here. What brings people are charred dogs — the restaurant’s motto is “We burn ’em for you” — topped with mustard, onions, chili, and homemade slaw. The chili is so good that it even inspired a no-ketchup rule. You wouldn’t want to cover up all that flavor, would you?

7 South West Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 832-8292
roastgrill.com 

 

Village Diner
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 4 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

After more than 40 years, the hub that brought mill workers and civic leaders together over meat loaf and mashed potatoes is still the heart of Hillsborough.

600 West King Street
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-8915
facebook.com/villagedinernc

 

Yum Yum’s
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Some customers come to Yum Yum Better Ice Cream for — you guessed it — the ice cream. It’s legendary. But so are the hot dogs, served six ways in a warm bun, each boiled weenie as red as a Christmas tree light.

1219 Spring Garden Street
Greensboro, NC 27403
(336) 272-8284

 

Eastern

B’s Barbecue
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At B’s, there is plenty of whole-hog barbecue, cooked to tender perfection and doused in an eastern-style sauce.

751 State Road 1204 
Greenville, NC 27858
(252) 758-7126

 

The Beefmaster Inn
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Daily, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 9 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

No substitutions. No choices. And most definitely no menu. The Beefmastor serves rib eye — and only rib eye. Customers are greeted with a slab of meat on a wooden butcher block. They make a selection. Then, they eat their meal with a baked potato and Texas toast.

2656 U.S. Highway 301 South
Wilson, NC 27893
(252) 237-7343

 

Big Oak Drive-In
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday and Monday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At Big Oak, the star of the walk-up window is the shrimpburger: small, very lightly battered shrimp; a little tartar sauce and coleslaw; a little ketchup. It’s a honey-pack-the-car-I-need-one-today meal on a bun.

1167 Salter Path Road
Salter Path, NC 28575
(252) 247-2588
bigoakdrivein.com

 

Baker’s Kitchen
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

Bill’s is take-out only. There are no fancy condiments. Just order a bag full of white paper-wrapped, oil-fried, nuclear-red hot dogs “all the way” — that’s with special spicy chili, onions, and mustard — and be prepared to share.

109 Gladden Street
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-3343

 

Chef & The Farmer
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: Yes

The breakout dish at Chef Vivian Howard’s landmark Kinston restaurant was the barbecued chicken slathered with her special blueberry, eastern-style sauce.

120 West Gordon Street
Kinston, NC 28501
(252) 208-2433
vivianhoward.com/chef-the-farmer

 

Dick’s
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

A Wilson landmark, Dick’s Hot Dog Stand has been serving up dogs since 1921. And, pssst, it would be a mistake to leave without trying the chili, made from the same recipe for nearly 100 years.

1500 West Nash Street
Wilson, NC 27893
(252) 243-6313

 

El’s Drive-In
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

At El’s, the drive-in hasn’t given way to the drive-thru. Since 1959, carhops have been delivering a bagged bounty — shrimp and oyster plates, cheese dogs, the signature Superburgers — right to your window.

3706 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
(252) 726-3002
elsdrivein.com

 

Flo’s Kitchen 
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 4 a.m. – 12 p.m., Sunday, 4 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Good homemade biscuits require a lot of hand-holding, and the famous, hoop cheese-stuffed cathead biscuits at Flo’s are no exception. It takes two hands to make them, and two hands to eat them.

1015 Goldsboro Street
South Wilson, NC 27893
(252) 237-9146

 

The Hackney 
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 12 – 8 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

Farm-to-fork dining gets a posh polish in a historic bank building in Washington.

192 West Main Street
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 623-2368
thehackneywashingtonnc.com

 

The Original Salt Works 
Dining: Take-out
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sunday, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gift cards for purchase: No

This Wilmington pit stop is tiny — and that’s on purpose. At this little diner, breakfast and lunch are served with a personal touch.

6301 Oleander Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-0018