Before menus got long and options got complicated, there was meat-and-three! And in North Carolina, that way of eating never went out of style.
These old-school diners still build their days around a simple, perfect formula: one hearty main, three sides chosen with care, and zero interest in rushing you out the door. Lunch comes on sturdy plates, vegetables taste like someone’s aunt cooked them, and the meat does exactly what it’s supposed to do.
This isn’t nostalgia for show…