Jason Gillikin of Williston, N.C. picks up burgers for lunch at the White Point Take Out on Thursday, June 8, 2017 in Atlantic, N.C.
Robert Willett
rwillett@newsobserver.com
In the summer of 2017, News & Observer reporters lit out across the state to visit, chow down and write about some of the beloved cafes, diners, drive-ins and joints that are well known to locals, but perhaps not to our regular N&O readers.
We looked for locally-owned, relatively inexpensive places that hadn’t gotten much press in the past — at least not in our pages. We tried to convey a sense of place, giving readers a feel for the community and the people behind the food.
The stories appeared each Monday from Memorial Day through Labor Day — 15 weeks in all.
Here is that collection of stories — The N&O’s 2017 Good Eatin’ Guide — to help out when you’re building your road trip food plans.
Mike’s Chicago Dog in Asheboro
Mike’s Chicago Dog (and more) in Asheboro, NC, offers authentic Chicago-style hot dogs. Here is one made by owner Mike Jones at the restaurant on May 18, 2017. It consists of: A steamed poppy-seed bun and a steamed premium Vienna Beef hot dog (from Chicago) with (order of ingredients is important) - yellow mustard, neon green sweet relish, chopped sweet onion, a couple of tomato wedges, a couple of sport peppers (fairly hot), a dill pickle wedge and a sprinkle of celery salt. Chris Seward cseward@newsobserver.com
Tim Pattan, right, owner of Pattan’s Downtown Grille, and Josiah Boyce fill orders during a busy lunchtime in Rockingham, N.C., Thursday, May 25, 2017. Chuck Liddy cliddy@newsobserver.com
Arthur House pulls the pork from the cooker to be taken inside and chopped up at B’s Barbecue in Greenville NC, on June 7, 2017. B’s is an old-time barbecue restaurant that ranks near the best in the state in several surveys. Chris Seward cseward@newsobserver.com
The soft shell crab sandwich with homemade tartar sauce and slaw from the White Point Take Out restaurant in Atlantic, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Kenzie Hansley serves a group sitting at dockside tables overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway at Sears Landing Grill & Boat in Surf City. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
At the House of Fish Seafood Restaurant diners can get grilled striped bass fillet, shrimp and scallops and organic purple potatoes with a mango salsa. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Southern Smoke employee Rodolfo Sandoval prepares the smoked pulled pork in the kitchen on Friday, June 30, 2017 in Garland, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Despite having the word barbecue in their name, Keatonís is famous for their fried chicken dipped in hot or mild sauce, served with macaroni and cheese with hot vinegar spicy slaw. Photographed on Thursday, July 6, 2017 in Cleveland, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Fried chicken is pulled out of a cast iron skillet at Miss Ora’s Kitchen restaurant in Winston-Salem, N.C., Thursday, July 27, 2017. Miss Ora’s Kitchen is next door to Sweet Potatoes restaurant on North Trade Street. It opened in July 2017. The recipe comes from one of the owner’s grandmothers. Chuck Liddy cliddy@newsobserver.com
An order of Buffalo fries awaits delivery to a table during lunch at the Pass the Salt Cafe in Currituck, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017. Chuck Liddy cliddy@newsobserver.com
Fried dolphin, crab cakes, shrimp and grouper along with a copious amount of fries await delivery at John’s Drive-In located at Mile Marker 5 in Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. Chuck Liddy cliddy@newsobserver.com
The classic Melvins’ hamburger, all the way: with slaw, chili, mustard, onions (plus ketchup on this particular burger.) . Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Brooke Cain is a North Carolina native who has worked at The News & Observer and McClatchy for more than 30 years as a researcher, reporter and media writer. She is the National Service Journalism Editor for McClatchy.
