Some places just get it right from the very first bite, and I’m talking about the kind of burger that makes you reconsider every other burger you’ve ever tasted. I’d heard whispers about this unassuming spot tucked away in Brevard, where locals line up with the kind of devotion usually reserved for championship games.
Cardinal Drive-In sits at 344 S Broad St, Brevard, and it’s been flipping patties since 1966 with zero interest in changing what works. North Carolina knows a thing or two about comfort food, and this place proves why the state’s burger game remains undefeated.
Red vinyl booths, carhop service, and the smell of grilled beef wafting through mountain air create an atmosphere that feels like stepping into a time machine. What makes this drive-in special isn’t just nostalgia, though there’s plenty of that…