A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

There comes a time when you’re on the road, when your stomach is growling, and you know that you need food — and you need it fast. We understand the

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

There comes a time when you’re on the road, when your stomach is growling, and you know that you need food — and you need it fast. We understand the

North Carolina Roadside Eats

There comes a time when you’re on the road, when your stomach is growling, and you know that you need food — and you need it fast. We understand the term “convenience,” so we’ve put together a list of 70 great places in the state — all within five miles of a U.S. highway or interstate — to stop when you’re on the go and in a hurry. They’re run by locals, not big chains, and they serve classic American food with their own twists. Enjoy these restaurants for their thick burgers, chili dogs, hand-cut fries, and homemade ice cream. We do.

Editor’s note: This guide is chock-full of classic American eats, except one: barbecue. We intentionally omitted barbecue joints here, because we’re telling you about a different one each month. Check out our Carolina ‘Cue section in the magazine and our website each month.

Download a Checklist

roadside eats checklist.inddGoing on a road trip? Download the checklist for 64 places featured in Our State’s March 2013 issue. You never know where you’ll get hungry along the way!

Editor’s Note: This list was last revised in August 2014. 

Roadside Eats Checklist

This story was published on Feb 01, 2013

Sarah Perry

Perry is a senior editor at Pace Communications. Her stories have appeared in Spirit Magazine, Our State, The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News, and The New Individualist Magazine . She is graduate of Morehead State University and the University of North Texas.

Jeffrey Turner

Jeffrey Turner is an assistant account executive for MMI, a communications firm in Raleigh. He is a former assistant editor at Our State and graduate of Wake Forest University.