EDITOR’S NOTE: For a printable “Southern Sandwich Travel Guide,” click here.
BLTMerritt’s, Chapel Hill
1009 South Columbia Street
(919) 942-4897
merrittsstoreandgrill.com
You’ll stand in line for a while, but the bacon and local bread are out of this world, making the wait more than worth it.
FRIED BOLOGNABrooks Sandwich House, Charlotte
2710 North Brevard Street
(704) 375-7808
eatbrookschili.com
Brooks’s fried bologna sandwich is topped with homemade chili, providing an extra bit of flavor.
ICE CREAMNye’s Cream, Wilmington
Retail locations throughout the state
(910) 859-7059
nyescreamsandwiches.com
Both the cookies and ice cream are made from scratch, making this the freshest ice cream sandwich around.
FLUFFERNUTTERRight from your own pantry.
Go ahead and lick the marshmallow creme off your fingers — no one is watching.
GROUND-STEAKThe Dairy Center, Mount Airy
407 West Lebanon Street
(336) 786-2349
You’ve got a great selection of Mount Airy restaurants where you can try the ground-steak sandwich. For less than $3, The Dairy Center’s option is a fantastic cheap eat.
SHRIMP BURGERBig Oak Drive-In, Atlantic Beach
1167 Salter Path Road
(252) 247-2588
bigoakdrivein.com
Walk up to the window and order this sandwich that satisfies after a morning spent beachside.
PIMENTO CHEESESmith’s Drugs, Forest City
139 East Main Street
(828) 245-4591
smithsdrugsfc.com
With its sweet and tangy combination of American cheese, pimientos, and mayonnaise, this sandwich’s simplicity is what makes it great.
GRILLED CHEESEAmerican Meltdown, Durham
Food truck location varies
americanmeltdown.org
This isn’t your kid’s grilled cheese. American Meltdown features ingredients such as figs and arugula pesto.
BARBECUEOh, you know the place.
We’re not looking to start feuds. But we will say this: Any barbecue from North Carolina is better than whatever Texas is serving.
PORK CHOPSnappy Lunch, Mount Airy
125 North Main Street
(336) 786-4931
thesnappylunch.com
With its coleslaw, mustard, and chili, this pork chop sandwich is so good, it’s celebrity-endorsed.
BREAKFASTFlo’s Kitchen, Wilson
1015 Goldsboro Street South
(252) 237-9146
The biscuits are made from scratch, the cheese is bubbly and plentiful, and we can’t think of a better way to start the day.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOLindley Park Filling Station, Greensboro
2201 Walker Avenue
(336) 274-2144
Fried green tomatoes get all gussied up with a little herb mayonnaise and cheddar cheese at Lindley Park Filling Station.
FRIED CHICKENPrice’s Chicken Coop, Charlotte
1614 Camden Road
(704) 333-9866
The chicken is marinated for one day before it’s coated with flour and deep-fried, locking in all those savory juices.
FRIED CATFISHSaltbox Seafood Joint, Durham
608 North Mangum Street
(919) 908-8970
saltboxseafoodjoint.com
The restaurant might be located in a shack, but its fish is as fresh as can be and wonderfully seasoned.
BANANAAt home.
Seriously, where can one get a banana and mayonnaise sandwich around here? Better question: When can one eat such a delectable creation in peace without having taste buds judged? You naysayers can keep your peanut
butter and honey.
Growing up in North Carolina, the swelter of a late Southern summer was all about finding the best ways to cool off.
North Carolina pharmacists may not prescribe Pepsi anymore, but the sweet treats at these historic soda fountains can still cure a case of the blues.
The National Register of Historic Places has documented some 95,000 structures, sites, and districts across the country. In North Carolina, around 2,900 properties — from churches and cotton mills to farms, homes, and schools — have earned this designation. Now, these special spots representing our state’s history are known nationwide.
Boiled, brittled, or bagged at the ballpark, there’s a peanut for practically every time and place. We’re proud that so many of them come from eastern North Carolina — ranked fifth in the nation for peanut production — where a whole lot of legumes find purchase in our sandy soil.
