Synonymous with sumptuous seafood feasts plucked fresh from the Atlantic shores and barbecued meats slipping from the bones and dripping in sauce, the cuisine scene in North Carolina has long been oriented around classic southern flavors. Influenced by the tastes transported into the state by its growing immigrant population and by innovative young chefs and mixologists twisting traditional classics, the southern state’s status as a food-forward destination has been shifting increasingly into the spotlight.
Not solely centered on urban epicenters, culinary pioneers are cropping up across smaller cities and even the inviting small towns classically associated with quiet mountain getaways. With limited public transport, travel across the state is most easily achieved by car. With a rental, you can reach North Carolina’s major foodie destinations within a few hours of its well-connected airports. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the state’s largest airport and a soaring hub of design, dining, and smooth travel, has direct connections to 150 cities across the U.S., making a mouthwatering road trip easily accessible for travelers from across the country.
Durham
Fusing indulgent southern feasts with an emerging high-end cuisine scene, Durham’s excellent restaurants range from comforting local favorites to widely-acclaimed creative eateries. Start out with the state’s classic flavors and hunker down for a hearty whole hog platter with a side of hush puppies at a picnic. Gorge on freshly fried North Carolina catfish at Sho Nuff seafood, or a loaded chicken biscuit at Monuts. Then, taste the exceptionally fresh fish being served up at Saltbox Seafood Joint, where the dishes are curated to match the seasonal catch, before straying away from the strictly southern flavors. Little Bull’s indulgent Mexican menu is built around the state’s seasonal produce, while travelers can taste flavors from across the globe while perched on a bar-style stool at the Durham Food Hall.
Beyond its excellent eats, Durham has a litany of creative cocktail bars on offer — there’s a reason that the North Carolina city’s vibrant downtown is known as ‘America’s drinking capital’. Jammed into the span of a few blocks, a number of exceptional bars have cropped up to cater to the city’s cocktail-hungry crowds. The Bar Beej’s Desi-inspired carefully crafted drinks earned it a spot at on the James Beard Awards semi-finalists list, with all the cocktails prepared in its Bollywood-themed speakeasy being built on the building blocks of Indian cuisine. Meanwhile, Alley Twenty Six’s ‘farm-to-sip’ drinks turn their sights a little closer to home, utilizing liquor distilled in Durham and creating personalized cocktails for its patrons. Higher on the skyline, the revellers on the outdoor deck at the Velvet Hippo can sip their seasonally-shifting signature cocktails with a view.
Asheville
Sandwiched between North Carolina’s Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, Asheville’s gorgeous surrounding scenery draws travelers from around the globe, but before heading out into the parks and the peaks it’s imperative they get a taste of the city’s exciting cuisine scene. Propelled by creative chefs and inviting restaurant interiors, crowds gather at all hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the city’s more than 250 independent eateries. As soon as the warm southern sun creeps over the mountains’ rim, diners converge on Old Europe’s array of freshly baked pastries or snare a table at Tall John’s for comforting brunch dishes. On Saturday’s foodies also satiate their mid-morning snack cravings with fresh North Carolina produce stacked up on stalls at the Asheville City Market, the city’s weekly farmer’s market…