Central North Carolina

I'll be flying to NC at the end of October for a week. We plan to rent a car and explore, using my brother's house in Troy as a base.

My mother's a quilter and has already found quilt shops in Pittsboro and Carrboro to visit. We'll probably try to time that so we can go to Allen & Son in Pittsboro for lunch. Anything else in that area that's not to be missed?

I'm a pottery fan, so we'll also spend a day in Seagrove checking out all the potteries. Anyone know any good places for lunch nearby?

Don't go to Allen & Son in Pittsboro. The one on 86 just north of Chapel Hill is the one you want to hit. The Pittsboro one is a gas burner from way back whereas the one on 86 (not sure if it is in Hillsborough or Chapel Hill) is the one that is famous for breaking up their own firewood and smoking the pork exclusively over wood.

The Weaver Street Market in Carrboro is worth visiting. It's the kind of coop organic grocery store you find in college towns and has a lot of unique items.

Thanks for the info, Brent. I'm revising the itinerary right now!

Fosters, on Columbia in Chapel Hill, is a nice stop. It's kind of a college town deli; great food. Spice Street, in University Mall in Chapel Hill is good; great flatbread sandwiches for lunch.

I believe there is still a Sir Pizza in Troy. However, I dont know if you think that is roadfood.

Yes, I've been to Sir Pizza before when I visited and we'll probably eat there at least once while we're there. The rental car will let us get around and see some places we haven't been before. Isn't there a "ladies' lunch" kind of place in Albemarle? I remember my sister-in-law taking us there, but it's been a few years so maybe it's gone.

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=19055

This should give you a starting place for Albemarle and Stanly Co. restaurants. The restaurant you remember may be "Rosebriar"

Do a Google search "albemarle nc restaurants"

click on "local results for restaurants near albemarle nc"

It will list the restaurants and give you a map.

Rosebriar -- that's it! Thanks, Scarlett!

K&W Cafeteria in University Mall, Chapel Hill, is the real southern deal. Try the fried chicken, sliced peaches, greens, soft yeast rolls. All-you-can-drink sweet tea. Ultra-cheap.

There are a couple of good tex-Mex options, both on the healthy side (lots of vegetables)- Carrburrito's, in Carrboro, and the Flying Burrito on Airport Rd. in Chapel Hill.

On the way to Seagrove, there's also a good BBQ place - I want to say it's on Rt. 54, somewhere between the Chapel Hill area and Asheboro. Blue something BBQ - Blue Star? Blue Sky? It's in one of the Road Food books...

quote:

Originally posted by dctourist



On the way to Seagrove, there's also a good BBQ place - I want to say it's on Rt. 54, somewhere between the Chapel Hill area and Asheboro. Blue something BBQ - Blue Star? Blue Sky? It's in one of the Road Food books...

"Blue Mist" on 64 just east of Asheboro.

Thanks Hillbilly!

You must go to the soda shop in "downtown" Pittsboro.

Actually, prius, I think we might spend a little time in Pittsboro. I googled the Chamber of Commerce and found antique shops, a winery and a couple of other things that looked rather interesting. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I didn't get to try all the suggestions. I passed Blue Mist twice, both times after eating elsewhere, so we never stopped. Nor did I get to try Allen & Son, although we also drove by the Pittsboro location twice. (Note: it may or may not be as good as the Chapel Hill location but there were plenty of cars outside!) But I did get some NC bbq at Troutman's in Mount Pleasant. That was on the first day, driving from the airport in Charlotte to my brother's in Troy.

We had an afternoon snack at the soda shop in Pittsboro, and found another retro soda shop on our last night in Davidson.

The other memorable meal was at The Lob Steer in Southern Pines. The main courses were all very good, but the salad bar is really incredible and has to be seen to be believed.

You must try Dip's Kitchen in chapel Hill. It is located on the road that run's parallel to Franklin St. near Carrboro. It is the meca of all southern cooking in that area. Bullocks in Durham is a great stop, the BBQ is good but the other dishes is what makes it so special.