A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

[caption id="attachment_177780" align="alignnone" width="1140"] Chef Dino Mitsides serves phyllo spinach pie — along with a “Strawberry Fields” salad — at his restaurant.[/caption] Lucy in the Rye — Sylva In the

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

[caption id="attachment_177780" align="alignnone" width="1140"] Chef Dino Mitsides serves phyllo spinach pie — along with a “Strawberry Fields” salad — at his restaurant.[/caption] Lucy in the Rye — Sylva In the

6 Classic North Carolina Diners

Grilled pound cake, phyllo spinach pie, and a sandwich from North Carolina diners
The phyllo spinach pie from Lucy in the Rye, a North Carolina diner in Sylva

Chef Dino Mitsides serves phyllo spinach pie — along with a “Strawberry Fields” salad — at his restaurant. photograph by Tim Robison

Lucy in the Rye — Sylva

In the leather booths of this Jackson County diner, guests dig into American classics like buttermilk-fried chicken on Belgian waffles, burgers, BLTs, and phyllo spinach pie, which nods to the owner’s Greek heritage. And even little guests are celebrated at this establishment: Instead of children’s menus, kids are given pieces of paper and crayons to draw masterpieces that will be taped on the wall of the restaurant after their meal, leaving colorful pieces of art for future patrons to admire as they savor fluffy biscuits and steaming cups of coffee.
Read more here.

612 West Main Street
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-4601
lucyintherye.com


Slices of grilled pound cake from Franklinville Diner, a North Carolina diner in Franklinville

Slices of Franklinville Diner’s vanilla pound cake are grilled in butter on the flat-top. The cake is made using the owner’s great-grandmother’s recipe. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel

Franklinville Diner — Franklinville

This eatery’s location in the heart of Franklinville makes it an ideal gathering place for groups like the men’s Monday morning Bible fellowship, firefighters from the local station, those celebrating special occasions. Although the diner dishes out comforting classics like omelets in the morning and meatloaf for lunch, locals flock for one menu item in particular: grilled pound cake This family recipe is made with care and includes buttering each slice before toasting it on the griddle.
Read more here.

159 West Main Street
Franklinville, NC 27248
(336) 824-2117
facebook.com/franklinvilledinernc


A sandwich from East Frank's Suprette, a North Carolina Diner in Monroe

East Frank’s menu has almost a dozen innovative sandwiches choose from, alongside hot dogs, plates, salads, and breakfast dishes. photograph by Joshua Vasko

East Frank Superette and Kitchen — Monroe

With a rotating menu of cleverly named sandwiches and burgers, this retro-inspired restaurant sources as much as they can from local growers the owners have met over the years. Though classic breakfasts and lunch plates are always up for grabs, menu items extend beyond just diner mainstays: vegan and vegetarian options abound, from loaded grits to tofu cheesesteaks.
Read more here.

209 East Franklin Street
Monroe, NC 28112
(704) 776-9451
eastfranksuperetteandkitchen.com


The Loaded Biscuit order from Old Bridge Diner, a North Carolina diner on Oak Island

Old Bridge Diner keep the locals and vacationers fed with popular dishes like the Loaded Biscuit, topped with sausage, hash browns, Cheddar, gravy, and eggs. photograph by Matt Ray Photography

Old Bridge Diner — Oak Island

Whether you order benedicts, pancakes, waffles, fried seafood, or the restaurant’s famous clam chowder — which, yes, you can purchase by the pint to take home — this Brunswick County staple is a welcoming space for everyone from beach bums to snowbirds. And time stands still in more ways than one: Owner Michael Jones designed the daily menu to cover both breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. “You can get a cheeseburger at 6 a.m. or an omelet at 1:30 in the afternoon,” he says.
Read more here.

132 Country Club Drive
Oak Island, NC 28465
(910) 250-1184
oldbridgediner.com


The house omelet and home fries from The Original Salt Works, a North Carolina diner in Wilmington

The Original Salt Works’ special house omelets are stuffed with ham, bacon, sausage, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. photograph by Matt Ray Photography

The Original Salt Works — Wilmington

At this tiny coastal diner, loaded omelets are served with a side of crispy potatoes and local love. The Original Salt Works has been a Wilmington landmark since 1973, and current owner Bob Hubbard — who bought the restaurant in 2003 — has kept the menu traditional and familiar while adding his own laser-like attention to detail: The slaw and chili that top the hot dogs are homemade, as is the chicken salad. The baby lima bean soup recipe was passed down from the restaurant’s first owners and is a secret. And the cheeseburgers, Hubbard’s personal favorite, are loaded with fresh toppings and crowned with slices of American cheese — everything that any burger snob could hope for.
Read more here.

6301 Oleander Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-0018
facebook.com/the-original-salt-works


Breakfast food on the table at The Country Biscuit, a North Carolina diner in New Bern

A breakfast smorgasbord: over-easy eggs with sausage; cheesy, bacony grits; a buttermilk biscuit, and biscuit doughnut holes. photograph by Chris Rogers

The Country Biscuit — New Bern

What’s breakfast without biscuits? At this Craven County comfort food joint, the fluffy morning treat takes center stage on breakfast platters alongside grits, eggs, and bacon. But owner Michelle Lynn’s twist on the buttery staple might be the restaurant’s most popular item: Her fried biscuit doughnut holes are topped with shiny glaze and draw devotees from miles around, morning and after morning.
Read more here.

809 Broad Street
New Bern, NC 28560
(252) 638-5151
thecountrybiscuit.com

This story was published on Jan 22, 2025

Our State Staff

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