Food and Dining
Hungry in the Tar Heel State? This page explores North Carolina’s dining scene from every angle – spotlighting fast-food favorites, North Carolina-based chains, classic pizza and coffee stops, as well as steakhouses and more upmarket eateries. Whether you’re craving a quick bite on the go or a sit-down meal with a touch of Southern flair, you’ll find plenty of options to dig into here.
Did you know North Carolina is the birthplace of several iconic food chains – from Bojangles’ fried chicken and Biscuitville to Cook Out, Krispy Kreme, and Hardee’s – serving everything from biscuits and barbecue to burgers and donuts?
Burgers and American Classics
- Cook Out
- Hardee’s
- Hwy 55
- Whataburger
- Chick-fil-A
- Zaxby’s
- Waffle House
Coffee and Pastry
- Starbucks
- Dunkin’
- Panera Bread
- Biscuitville
- Krispy Kreme
Mexican and Tex-Mex
- Taco Bell
- Del Taco
- Chipotle
- Three Amigos
- Mi Cancun
Pizza
- Hunt Brothers Pizza
- Domino’s Pizza
- Pizza Hut
- Papa John’s
- Marco’s Pizza
- Hungry Howie’s
- Mellow Mushroom
- Pizza Inn
- Jet’s Pizza
- Mod Pizza
Sandwiches and Subs
- Subway
- Jersey Mike’s
- Arby’s
- Waveriders
Fried Chicken and BBQ
- Chick-fil-A
- Bojangles
- Smithfield’s
- Beasley’s Fried Chicken
- Lexington Barbecue
Seafood
- Captain D’s
- Captain Nance’s
- Long John Silver’s
- Oceanic
Steakhouses
- Outback Steakhouse
- Texas Roadhouse
- Longhorn Steakhouse
Casual Upmarket Eateries
- Applebee’s
- Chili’s
- Olive Garden
- Logan’s Roadhouse
- Red Lobster
- Buffalo Wild Wings
Local Coffee Roasters
- Black & White Coffee Roasters
- Carrboro Coffee Roasters
- Counter Culture Coffee
- Pisgah Coffee Roasters
- Asheville Coffee Roasters
Microbreweries
- Highland Brewing Company
- Wicked Weed Brewing
- Green Man Brewery
- Zillicoah Beer Company
- Burial Beer Co.
- Hillman Beer
- Appalachian Mountain Brewery
- Booneshine Brewing Co.
- Blowing Rock Brewing Company
- Fullsteam Brewery
- Neuse River Brewing Company
- Gizmo Brew Works
- Bearded Bee Brewing Company
- Mother Earth Brewing
Drink Spots
- Whiskey Kitchen
- Foxcroft Wine
- Postino WineCafe
- Urban Oak Rooftop Bar and Lounge
- High Rail at Seaboard Station
- La Terrazza
- The Durham Hotel
- The Velvet Hippo
- Boxcar
- Alley Twenty Six
- Coupe & Stein Champagne Bar
- Glasshalfull
- Dram & Draught
- Three10
- SeaWitch Cafe & Tiki Bar
- Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar