North Carolina is for Foodies

Nikki
Jul 24
3 min read

Updated: Jul 30

We recently enjoyed exploring North Carolina for the first time. The food we experienced was varied, high quality, and endless. Please enjoy a few of our favorite foodie memories from this trip!

Charlotte

We kicked it off in the Queen City. Our favorite bite from our romantic dinner at the underground The Cellar at Duckworth's was a Brussels Sprouts and Candied Jalapeno Bacon Flatbread. The next morning, before hitting the road in our rental ride, we were pleasantly surprised by the tastiness and reasonably priced room service breakfast at The Ivey's Hotel.

Yogurt parfait, juice, coffee, oatmeal with all of the toppings.

Biltmore Estate

Spencer visited this grand estate when he was a child on a trip with his folks. It was fun for him to go down memory lane, and incredible for me to see for the first time. We opted for lunch at the Stable Cafe. I ordered an Everything Bagel Seasoned Wedge. It was delicious, although quite the gamble in this summer of questionable veg.

I had some fingers crossed the whole time. I needed a vegetable!!!

It was a long, hot, beautiful, educational tour day. We ended at the Antler Hill Village for a wine tasting. All tastes were fabulous, I would definitely go back for a glass or two.

It was so hot I mostly sampled sparkling and white, but I never say no to a cab.

Cherokee Valley

We spent one night at a casino, and I always say yes to Guy Fieri's Trashcan Nachos.

Maggie Valley

Strawberry Salad at Switchback. I like to salad gamble in the Summer of 2026!! This was beyond good.

A big part of our trip was visiting Spencer's brother Adam and his wife Victoria at their gorgeous cabin in MV. She grew up visiting the area every summer as a kid, and they have had the cabin for a decade, so they definitely have their favorite haunts.

Our first stop was a little hole in the wall Mexican place, Guayabitos. My in-laws are here so often, they are treated like family. We all ordered margaritas the size of your head; these came with a hug from one of the owners and a giant shot of Grand Marnier. Equal parts lethal and endearing.

We hiked to Cataloochee Ranch, right in the Great Smoky Mountains, and enjoyed stunning views and surprisingly elevated cuisine at Switchback. We wore matching family vacation shirts, ordered everything on the menu, and had one of those perfect, easy afternoons.

Pimiento Cheese-we all raved about the spice level and the housemade crackers.

We took a hired car into Waynesville for a special dinner at The Chef's Table. This place is tiny and offers a window into the kitchen, where the pasta is made fresh. Reservations are highly recommended. Everything was exceptional, and I am lucky to be part of a family that shares bites.

Deconstructed Lasagna-Two 4oz 1855 petite filets of beef tenderloin, spinach, Vermont white cheddar - parmesan cream sauce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, hand rolled pasta sheets.

Asheville

Summer Vegetables, a Soft Egg, Green Goddess Dressing. Delightful.

Our next stop was Asheville. Spencer and I enjoyed a dinner date at Tall John's, followed by a Shakespeare in the Park by the Montford Park Players. The service at Tall John's is super friendly, the food is simple, well executed, and features seasonal ingredients. I would eat here every week if I lived in the area.

A brunch of outstanding, elevated Mexican eats was also devoured at Mountain Madre. The Nachos were perfect, the star of the show was the Chorizo Stuffed Avocado.