Our State’s Made in NC Awards recognize talented North Carolina artisans and craftspeople, chefs and confectioners. Top honors in 2021 went to a pasta maker in Durham, a potter in Charlotte, a winemaker in Ronda, leatherworkers in Sanford, and a woodworker in Salisbury. Now, it’s time for you to meet the state’s top award winners and honorable mentions.
photograph by Alex Boerner
At a homey specialty pasta shop in Durham, the South meets Southern Italy in a pimento cheese ravioli that would make any grandma proud. Read more.
photograph by Joshua Vasko
Her porcelain pieces may look like works of art, but Julie Wiggins’s teapots are ready for any occasion. Read more.
photograph by Charles Harris
The winemaking traditions of a family-owned vineyard in northwestern North Carolina stretch back to New York City in the early 20th century and, before that, to the fertile hills of Italy. Read more.
photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
Early on, a woodworker in Rowan County learned to infuse his projects with a blend of art, science, and ingenuity. Then, a chance request sparked the idea to add smoke and spirits to the mix. Read more.
photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
A Lee County couple has turned a love of bags and a talent for upcycling old military gear into a career. Read more.
photographs by Matt Hulsman & Anna Routh Barzin
The 11 honorable mentions in our Made in NC Awards impressed our judges — and us! — with their incredible creativity, craftsmanship, and stories showcasing the best that North Carolina has to offer. Read more.
Check out last year’s winners.
In North Carolina, spring brings the scent of fresh-cut grass and memories of helping Dad mow the lawn.
Nostalgic burger joints are like time machines, delivering something extra special that keeps us coming back.
This tiny city block in downtown Greensboro once had a gigantic reputation. Not so much for its charbroiled beef patties — though they, too, were plentiful — but for its colorful characters and their wild shenanigans.
In the 1950s, as Americans hit freshly paved roads in shiny new cars during the postwar boom, a new kind of restaurant took shape: the drive-in. From those first thin patties to the elaborate gourmet hamburgers of today, North Carolina has spent the past 80 years making burger history.
