What to do and see in North Carolina, United States: The Best Food & Drink

December 24, 2021 Brain Ambrose

North Carolina has something for everyone, with the highest mountains in the eastern U.S., 300 miles of pristine coastline, quaint towns and vibrant cities. From the mountains to the sea, explore the natural, scenic beauty, discover outdoor adventure or try one of 500 golf courses, including the legendary Pinehurst No. 2. Discover a favorite among 100 wineries and 60 craft breweries, tour historic and cultural treasures, sample farm to table delicacies and get the thrill of motorsports in the "home" of NASCAR.
Restaurants in North Carolina

1. Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

588 Chestnut Gap Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792-3256 +1 828-685-4002 [email protected] http://www.SaintPaulMountainVineyards.com
Excellent
84%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 489 reviews

Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards is a family-owned operation located in the heart of Henderson County's apple country. Nestled on 10 acres of a land grant from England are panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains that the family has enjoyed for generation, and now would like to share with you. The 14 varieties of wine-grape vines grown on the vineyards at elevations of 2,300 and 3,000 feet, along with the cool nights, develop some the best wine-producing grapes in the country. Meticulously growing our fruit allows us to incorporate the unique character of our vineyards into each bottle. Come to a place where you not only enjoy beautiful views with a glass of unforgettable wine, but become part of our family too!

Reviewed By 58DavidAthens - Athens, United States

We enjoyed the wine flight very much. Nice setting on a patio overlooking a small vineyard. Servers were very friendly and helpful. We purchased six bottles to take home.

2. Muddy River Distillery

1500 River Dr, Belmont, NC 28012-3578 +1 336-516-4190 http://www.muddyriverdistillery.com
Excellent
91%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 112 reviews

Muddy River Distillery

Reviewed By caughronm - Charlotte, United States

I meet some friends on a rainy Saturday afternoon for the tour and tasting. Was quite surprised to have some excellent rum. Not a big fan of the silver rum (1st tasting) but everything after was completely amazing. The basil was my favorite and the Queen Reserve. Very impressed with the coconut and spiced. If you are looking for a great rum for eggnog, their spiced would fit the bill and then some. Keep your shot glass! Owner gave the tour which was great hearing the history.

3. Mayberry Spirits Distillery

461 N South St, Mount Airy, NC 27030-3533 +1 336-719-6860 [email protected] http://www.MayberrySpirits.com
Excellent
94%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 125 reviews

Mayberry Spirits Distillery

Taste the Spirit of Mayberry! Tour the first legal distillery in Mount Airy since Prohibition. Our sorghum whiskey is handcrafted and made in small batches in copper stills. Come see it made and Lift Your Spirit! Tours & tastings are Fridays & Saturdays 12pm - 6pm, $10 (includes a souvenir shot glass), approximately 40 minutes, and start on the hour. Reservations are encouraged and can be made on our website. Kids 17 and under are free. Distillery amenities include: dog-friendly, handicap accessible, parking lot, bathrooms. Browse our unique gifts in the shop before or after your tour! Everything is made in NC, including hand-rolled cigars, handcrafted copper jewelry, handblown barware, Whiskey-infused soap, barn quilts, and local fine art.

Reviewed By Poohwilliam05 - Akron, United States

Loved that we actually got a tour by the owner, Vann! Kathy was in charge of the tasting and she did amazing! So many samples to try! Loved it!

4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Tours & Tastings

100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, NC 28732-8608 +1 828-708-6176 [email protected] http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/north-carolina/brewery-tour
Excellent
83%
Good
12%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,310 reviews

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Tours & Tastings

We brewed our first batch of beer in 1980 in Chico, California, the lush forests of North Carolina far from our mind. Over three decades, folks tried our bold beers and deemed them fit for friends across the country. In time a second brewery became the wisest, most sustainable way to send fresh beer to the farthest reaches. Today you can venture inside our Mills River brewery to trace our history as a craft beer pioneer and see first-hand our drive to make flavorful beer the status quo. Cruise up our wooded driveway, park under a solar-panel canopy, and head behind the scenes with us. Our tours fill up quickly! You must make reservations online for all tours except the Guided Tasting and the self-guided Visitor Corridor. Click below to check availability and book your tour. Please feel free to contact our Tour Desk before your visit if you have any questions about our tour programs or policies.

Reviewed By 535aliciaw - Louisville, United States

I was able to take my husband on the Beer Geek Tour at Sierra Nevada - a 3 hour behind the scenes tour that included many samples and a great explanation of the Sierra Nevada experience and history. We already enjoyed the beer, but seeing the brewery, including the workers walking around, really added a connection. The tour was not expensive, especially compared to similar experiences at other breweries, and it was worth every penny! The Beer Geek Tour is a maximum of 6 guests, so we never felt rushed or questions weren't answered. Our tour guide, Julia, was awesome and was very friendly and patient with us as we walked around the brewery. I had injured myself 2 days before and she never made me felt like I was holding the group back. We can't wait to come back to Sierra Nevada and try another tour or even more of the beers! And be sure to go to the restaurant afterwards - the food there is incredible!

5. B&C Winery

2427 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC 28751-7858 +1 828-550-3610 http://www.bcwinerync.com
Excellent
79%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 28 reviews

B&C Winery

Reviewed By travelfamily1421

I am not a wine connoisseur by any means, but Chris' Pink Moscato wine was the best I have ever had. It was sweet, but not too sweet,and incredibly smooth with not a bit of bitter aftertaste. The dark chocolate kiss palette cleanser was an extra bonus since I am gluten-free. The selection is respectable and the shop is as cute as can be. This is a definite destination if you visit Maggie Valley

6. Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom

5435 Corporation Dr, Hope Mills, NC 28348 +1 910-426-2537 http://www.dirtbagales.com
Excellent
86%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 36 reviews

Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom

A local brewery owned and operated by a group of great friends serving up great beers! The Blood Orange Kolsch, the Cold Brew Mocha Porter, and the IPA are always on tap, and they can be found in many restaurants within the surrounding areas. Be sure to check out the webpage for upcoming events and food truck schedules. See you soon!

Reviewed By jcR467NN

We visited on a weekend with 2 other couples and this place is always good. Not loud so you can converse and have a good beer. Very pet friendly so we normally take our pup. I have not tried the on-site food/restaurant yet. They usually have a food truck or 2 on the weekends. Great selection of their local brews as well as a few others. Parking can be scarce at times but I recommend that you stop in for a cold one.

7. Walton's Distillery

261 Ben Williams Rd, Jacksonville, NC 28540-9213 +1 910-347-7770 [email protected] http://www.waltonsdistillery.com
Excellent
97%
Good
3%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 189 reviews

Walton's Distillery

Walton's Distillery is a craft distillery making Moonshine, Whiskey and Bourbon. It is a full production facility with daily activities related to the mashing, fermentation, distillation and bottling of spirits. Tours offer a very thorough understanding of the process and the unique experience of seeing a functioning moonshine still. Free tastings of all Walton's products are offered and the facility has a gift shop which has lots of antiques and souvenirs. The Hours of Operation are Monday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm with tours running every hour, on the hour. The final tour runs at 4:00. Please call in advance if you have a group of more than 10 people coming. Times of tours may vary depending upon staffing and traffic volume. We will do our best to accommodate all visitors at arrival.

Reviewed By ericgY3142PB

We really enjoyed the tasting session and decided on the Pina Colada flavored moonshine. The store is full of interesting things to look at and buy

8. Southern Distilling Company

211 Jennings Rd, Statesville, NC 28625-9447 +1 704-978-7175 [email protected] http://www.SouthernDistilling.com
Excellent
93%
Good
7%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 29 reviews

Southern Distilling Company

Curbside Spirits and Hand Sanitizer Purchases & Tastings available Monday-Friday 10:00-5:00. Main Tasting Room & Distillery Plant currently CLOSED to the public due to Covid-19. No Tours at this time. Destination Distillery offering Tours, Tastings & Craft Cocktails. Contract Distilling & Co-Packaging to the trade. Located in beautiful Statesville, NC, famed as the “liquor capital of the world” before Prohibition. Makers of award-winning Southern Star Bourbons, Rye Whiskeys, and Double Shot Coffee Bourbon Cream Liquor.

Reviewed By pilottodd - Statesville, United States

I received a 10 liter Oak Cask for my 50th birthday. I needed to find a place where I could purchase 10 liters of white dog (unaged corn whiskey) to fill it up and make my own Bourbon. Melissa, at Southern Distilling Company, educated me on the whiskey making process, history, and latest trends. She was a joy to speak with and very knowledgeable on the company history and the history of whiskey in general. I stopped by to meet Melissa in person and purchase 14 bottles of unaged corn whiskey for my personal oak cask out front. It was a great experience and I look forward to taking a tour and sampling other SDC’s products when the Covid Ban is lifted. SDC and Melissa, thanks for a great experience!

9. Childress Vineyards

1000 Childress Vinyard Rd, Lexington, NC 27295-2061 +1 336-236-9463 [email protected] http://www.childressvineyards.com
Excellent
59%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
4%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 451 reviews

Childress Vineyards

By opening the doors to Childress Vineyards in 2004, NASCAR team owner Richard Childress fulfilled a longtime dream that grew from the days when he first began racing in California and visited wineries with friends. What began as camaraderie and good times soon became an engaging passion for world-class wines and then the vision to build a world-class winery. After looking at options in California and New York, Richard chose farmland in Lexington, NC located less than five miles from his RCR Racing operations. The location situated Childress Vineyards as the gateway to the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), North Carolina’s first federally designated region for grape growing. Childress Vineyards is one of the most prominent wineries in the state’s re-emerging wine industry that has grown from 21 to more than 180 wineries since the year 2000.

Reviewed By PensacolaPeachy50 - Pensacola, United States

It was a reasonably priced wine tasting with beautiful Olga. The sweet wine tasting was $12 per person and the dry selection was $15 per person. If you sign up for the sweet selection tasting , the wine club membership is $199 and the dry selection club membership is $250 which both offers 9 bottles of wine to be delivered in September (3) , December (3) , and April (3) plus you take home a large bottle of wine if you sign up for the annual membership with Olga who is excellent. There’s a 20 % discount for wines and 10% at really nice gift shop . With the membership you can order any wines - sweet or dry. We normally would do the dry selection, but we did the sweet wine tasting not knowing the significant different membership prices. All the wines tasted great ! We liked the 3 White , Riesling , and the Sangria - and pretty much all were tasty. The grounds and the Tuscan villa atmosphere rivals Tuscany and Napa which we have visited . Mr. Childress, no doubt, built a lasting vineyard that is a must see in the area . We truly enjoyed it and hope to be back. It’s tastefully done. The gift shop and bistro were nice. There’s plenty of space available for large ceremonies. Great place to stop along interstate travel . Excellent lunch menu ! Tours are at noon and 3 when they are open. Check their website for days closed. Must stop and see it if you are a wine lover.

10. Silver Coast Winery

6680 Barbeque Rd NW, Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469-3634 +1 910-287-2800 [email protected] http://www.silvercoastwinery.com/
Excellent
60%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
5%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 161 reviews

Silver Coast Winery

Silver Coast Winery is a family owned and operated winery that produces International Award Winning Wines from Chardonnay to White Merlot and Cabernet. Have a wine tasting and browse our art gallery and gift shop. Enjoy a glass of wine while rocking the day away in the rocking chairs on the front porch. Silver Coast offers tours and tastings daily. Come learn about the winemaking process!

Reviewed By AshleyB4546 - Estill Springs, United States

This is a tiny bit off the beaten path (i.e., you have to drive off the main roads to get to it, unlike most places here. It’s a lovely spot with a very kind and accommodating owner and a pretty varied selection of wines for tasting and purchase. Reservations not required, but probably a call ahead for groups of 5+ would be appreciated.

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