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Thread: Road food

  1. #1

    Road food

    A diversion on the Speed Traps thread got me thinking - I bet there are a number of DBR folks who have favorite stops along commonly traveled highways. Locally owned places to eat that help avoid the chain restaurants located right at the exit ramps. Sometimes driving 3 or 4 miles off the exit ramp leads to a great place to eat.

    I mentioned Nottaway Restaurant (on I-85 about 20 miles north of the NC state lne, exit 39).

    Anybody have any other favorites, especially along the I-85, I-95 and I-40 corridors?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by allenmurray View Post
    A diversion on the Speed Traps thread got me thinking - I bet there are a number of DBR folks who have favorite stops along commonly traveled highways. Locally owned places to eat that help avoid the chain restaurants located right at the exit ramps. Sometimes driving 3 or 4 miles off the exit ramp leads to a great place to eat.

    I mentioned Nottaway Restaurant (on I-85 about 20 miles north of the NC state lne, exit 39).

    Anybody have any other favorites, especially along the I-85, I-95 and I-40 corridors?
    Sami's Pizza in Selma, NC, I-95 exit 97. It's on the southeast quadrant of the exit, in the same building as the Mobil gas convenience store, in front of the Soffee outlet store (a great place to buy Duke shirts, btw) and the JR Cigar outlet. Devildeac and I have both reviewed Sami's in the food threads. They have the best steak and cheese/cheesesteak I've ever had (better than either Pat's or Geno's) and the lasagna is out of this world. The pizza is also excellent!
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau

    Beacon Drive In

    My first "restaurant" thought along I-85 is the Beacon Drive In in Spartenburg SC. It's been a local fixture since it opened in 1946. You can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there. On Easter Sunday you can attend a nondenominational sunrise church service in the parking lot.

    My first time there Johnny White, Mr. White to everyone, was still greeting everyone who came in. You tell the man standing at the beginning of the line what you want and he shouts it out to the kitchen staff who gather it up as you go down the line to the cashier. The Beacon is famous for the ham biscuits, cheese burgers, a type of platter called a "plenty" and the chocolate milkshakes... and a few other things I haven't tried yet. Please allow an hour - two hours to enjoy your experience. The food is ready almost instantly, but there's lots of it. Take time to enjoy it!
    http://www.beacondrivein.com/

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Good topic area. And there's a website named roadfood.com that is a good resource (the 30+ listing for NC are pretty heavily barbecue places).

    I go back and forth from the Triad to the Triangle at least once every two weeks or so on business; a little off the beaten path is a small barbecue place in Mebane that's good, A&M Barbecue.

    Not exactly a mom and pop place, but I also like the Carolina Ale House locations (now 5 or 6) in the Triangle area for lunch. They have 5 daily specials, which are reasonably priced and generally very good. It's a well run operation; for example, the salads are always good and frequently feature fresh local produce.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC

    G'boro

    Yum-Yum's hot dogs and ice cream. Across the street from UNCG, so either take the Lee St exit and drive a ways, or from the G-boro Coliseum, go east on High Point (it becomes Lee St) and take a left onto S. Aycock, right onto Spring Garden, down on your right. Try their lemon ice cream. All homemade.

    I also have to stop at Steak N Shake in Burlington, right off I-40, for a shake. Probably a good thing there's not one in Durham.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Charlotte

    Shelter Cove

    Here's a little hidden gem:

    If you take I-40 from Raleigh to Wilmington, get off on the exit for Burgaw. Take a left and about 1 mile down the road on the right is a seafood restaurant named Shelter Cove. Great food, awesome view outback of the River (can't remember which one) and a pretty neat interior. Overall a nice halfway point to the beach from Derm and seafood as good as what you'll get once you get to the beach.

    If you go down 74 from Charlotte, Dale's is a restaurant off the Waccamau exit that is also a real neat place. Check 'er out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Skinker-DeBaliviere, Saint Louis
    Honeymonk's, Business I-85 Lexington NC

    There's a great German restaurant, signed from the highway on I-81 near Staunton VA

    Nice German restaurant in the mall in Alletown PA on US 22.

    Saffron, Business I-55, Cape Girardeau MO (pan-Asian)

    Ruchi, exit 102 SB access road, Jackson MS (Indian)

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  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by throatybeard View Post
    Nice German restaurant in the mall in Alletown PA on US 22.
    Mr Dunderbak's?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by Schwarz View Post
    Mr Dunderbak's?
    There used to be one of those in the food court at Crabtree Valley Mall, but it closed a couple of years ago.
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
    9F 9F 9F
    https://ecogreen.greentechaffiliate.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lompoc, West Carolina
    Quote Originally Posted by OZZIE4DUKE View Post
    There used to be one of those in the food court at Crabtree Valley Mall, but it closed a couple of years ago.
    Still residing in Four Seasons Mall in Greensboro.

  11. #11
    Mary Trujillo Restaurant off I-25 in Wagon Mound, NM. GREAT chili.

    Los Amigos Restaurant located about 1/2 mile north of I-80 and I-180 (US 85 - Greely Hwy) on the west side service road (620 Central Ave) in Cheyenne, WY. Their beef and bean burritos are to die for - as well as all food things Mexican.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Indoor66 View Post
    Mary Trujillo Restaurant off I-25 in Wagon Mound, NM. GREAT chili.

    Los Amigos Restaurant located about 1/2 mile north of I-80 and I-180 (US 85 - Greely Hwy) on the west side service road (620 Central Ave) in Cheyenne, WY. Their beef and bean burritos are to die for - as well as all food things Mexican.
    Weird. That place is in the middle of nowhere. It is not at the end of the earth, but you can see the end of the earth from the parking lot. And I have eaten there. Only on DBR . . .

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Howard's Pub and Raw Bar Ocracoke, NC

    Okay, it's more of a destination, than a stop along the road, but it's one of my favorite little places in the world (what am I doing at the office?...I should be at the beach).

    Start with the elements of a good sports bar---200+ varieties of beer, including 24 on tap; dozens of TV's, and a collection of college banners, license plates and memorabilia from all over. Add fresh local seafood...clams, oysters, shrimp, and fish. And locate it within sight of the ocean on one side and the sound on the other; smell the salt air and feel the breeze.

    Add frequent live music and an eclectic clientele.

    Eat, drink, and be merry; it's a virtual Maragrita-ville.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by roywhite View Post
    Howard's Pub and Raw Bar Ocracoke, NC

    Okay, it's more of a destination, than a stop along the road, but it's one of my favorite little places in the world (what am I doing at the office?...I should be at the beach).

    Start with the elements of a good sports bar---200+ varieties of beer, including 24 on tap; dozens of TV's, and a collection of college banners, license plates and memorabilia from all over. Add fresh local seafood...clams, oysters, shrimp, and fish. And locate it within sight of the ocean on one side and the sound on the other; smell the salt air and feel the breeze.

    Add frequent live music and an eclectic clientele.

    Eat, drink, and be merry; it's a virtual Maragrita-ville.
    Plus, if you go to Ocracoke during the off season, it's pretty much the only place open!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Newport News, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by allenmurray View Post
    I mentioned Nottaway Restaurant (on I-85 about 20 miles north of the NC state lne, exit 39).
    That should be about 39 miles north of the NC state line, exit 39. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau
    Quote Originally Posted by aimo View Post
    Yum-Yum's hot dogs and ice cream. Across the street from UNCG, so either take the Lee St exit and drive a ways, or from the G-boro Coliseum, go east on High Point (it becomes Lee St) and take a left onto S. Aycock, right onto Spring Garden, down on your right. Try their lemon ice cream. All homemade.

    I also have to stop at Steak N Shake in Burlington, right off I-40, for a shake. Probably a good thing there's not one in Durham.
    The Yum Yum's got a long history of feeding people great hot dogs and wonderful ice cream. My parents used to go there on dates when my mother was still in college at what was then the Woman's College. (Her 89th. birthday is today. We ate lunch at Stamey's... also a good choice off I-85 and I-40.)

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Fairfax County, Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by allenmurray View Post
    I mentioned Nottaway Restaurant (on I-85 about 20 miles north of the NC state line, exit 39).
    Allen,

    Please tell us a little more; I drive past that exist a dozen times a year, and I have even filled up at their Citgo pumps occasionally, but the Nottaway always seemed to have a bit of the "dive" atmosphere. If you endorse it, however, I'll stop during my next DC - Durham round trip.

    Thanks.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by 4decadedukie View Post
    Allen,

    Please tell us a little more; I drive past that exist a dozen times a year, and I have even filled up at their Citgo pumps occasionally, but the Nottaway always seemed to have a bit of the "dive" atmosphere. If you endorse it, however, I'll stop during my next DC - Durham round trip.

    Thanks.
    It does have a bit of a "dive" atmosphere - you have to go in seeing that as part of the charm. Actually, the restaurant is much nicer on the inside than you might think by looking at the dumpy motel that is next door.

    It has been owned by the same family for at least fifty years (the length of time I have been going). They have wonderful home made yeast rolls, which paired with their country ham (not nearly as salty as the NC variety) is a meal in and of itself. The fried chicken is great, the mashed potatos home made, the fried fish almost always fresh and good (always cooked to order rather than sitting under a heat lamp). The pies are home made. A lot of the other things are average restaurant food (burgers, sandwhiches, etc.) The salad bar is horrible.

    It is a much nicer place to relax and unwind when on the highway than any of the chain places. You don't go for gourmet fare, but for the family atmosphere and the pie. Like most family run country restaurants some things are much better than others. If you stick to the basics here you'll be happier - if you ask what is good that day and/or homemade they will tell you honestly.

    One warning - restaurants in Virginia seem to have very loose regulations on smoking. Almost always I've been able to sit in a non-smoking section, or simply move to a part fo the place less full and not near smokers. Cigarette smoke in restaurants bothers me, but I have never found it to be a problem here. But there will be occasions where folks will be puffing away.
    Last edited by allenmurray; 08-06-2009 at 12:47 PM.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by 4decadedukie View Post
    Allen,

    Please tell us a little more; I drive past that exist a dozen times a year, and I have even filled up at their Citgo pumps occasionally, but the Nottaway always seemed to have a bit of the "dive" atmosphere. If you endorse it, however, I'll stop during my next DC - Durham round trip.

    Thanks.
    Another reccomendation while on the DC trip is Houndstooth Cafe. It is in Hanover VA, and it will take you a good ten minutes of driving of I-95 to get there, but it is well worth it. Exit onto Highway 54 East (about 15 miles north of Richmond - exit 92). Take 54 to Highway 301. Turn left on 301 and go about 1/2 mile. The BBQ is great, the fresh seafood and crab cakes are wonderful, and the myriad selection of home made desserts is astounding. It is a bit pricey for "road food" and popular with Richmond "foodies", but a great place to stop. I've never had a bad meal there.

    http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._Virginia.html

  20. #20

    Advice on Houndstooth Cafe

    It is only open for dinner, so unless you travel will put you in the area between 5:00 and 9:00 there is no need to stop. By 8:00 they will be out of the daily specials and a lot of the desserts. On the other hand it is so good that I know folks who plan the DC to NC trip such that they will be there at dinner hour.

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