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While most people think of Boone, North Carolina as a destination synonymous with stunning natural beauty, outdoor adventures, and mountain vistas – what they soon discover is that it also has a thriving foodie scene.

When visiting this college town, there is no better way to soak up the memories of it all than around a good meal and tasty pint of craft brew.

Our cabin in Boone

Boone has a fantastic Appalachian tale to tell through its food. The top restaurants and bars in Boone have an emphasis on local, fresh and farm-to-table dining.

While we did not get to taste test all the amazing places to eat in Boone NC, we gave it a good try and discovered the following top spots.

Whether you’re looking for a casual eatery or a fine dining establishment, these places really wow-ed us!

1. Hatchet Coffee (The Best Place for Coffee)

Enjoyed the decor at Hatchet Coffee

East Boone is where you’ll find the best coffee in Boone. Yes. We taste test. And yes, as Australians, we’re coffee snobs!

Great coffee is always on our list of things to do in Boone, thankfully, had outstanding coffee to add to our list.

Hatchet Coffee in East Boone has a roasting lab, slow bar, and coffee lounge.

Hatchet Coffee

There is plenty of space for you to hang out for a while with the other students and remote workers enjoying the chill space and delicious warming cup of coffee.

2. Melanie’s Food Fantasy (The Best Place for Breakfast)

Bacon and avocado Benedict

Known for having the best breakfasts in Boone, Melanie’s Food Fantasy is where you can soak up Southern style food that speaks to the culture and landscape of Boone.

I guess you’d call Melanie’s Food Fancy Southern hipster. Like a traditional diner, with quality of service and homemade goodness, but with food that goes beyond a greasy sausage and grits.

On this menu you’ll find tempeh with your scramble, breakfast burritos, pimento cheese grits, and stuffed French toast.

The Potato Madness satisfied my belly, Kalyra devoured her Bacon and avocado Benedict, and the Trucker Breakfast will fill any guys stomach with love.

The interior is small and cozy with local art adorning the walls and colorful cloth tablecloths. If the weather is not too cold or wet, enjoy a meal in the outside patio area.

Melanie’s also serves lunch and has plenty of gluten free options.

3. The Local (The Best Place For New American Cuisine)

Brazillian char-grilled steak

You know those food experiences where you don’t want anyone to move or speak, as you just want to sit quietly and savor every bite of your creative meal washed down with a smooth, velvety red wine.

From the service to the ambiance, food, and drink selections, I loved everything about The Local in downtown Boone. In a sea of dining out experiences across the USA, The Local will stand out as a favorite.

As the name suggests, Local uses local ingredients and beers were possible, and has a focus on creating a space where family and friends gather. You’ll also find local art decorating the walls. Live music is on the weekends.

Roasted salmon

There is a covered, and heated, patio if you just want a drink or while you wait for your table.

The menu is diverse with burgers, tacos, and handhelds, and specialty dishes that will take you on a journey through Asia and the Americas. There are also plenty of gluten free options.

I was drooling over our appetizer of Thai beef tidbits – sliced NY strip in soy, curry, and butter sauce and the Roasted Salmon over Caesar Brussel sprouts with applewood smoked bacon and turmeric roasted cauliflower.

Craig loved his Brazilian char-grilled steak with sweet plantains, roasted asparagus, ancho chile black beans topped with homemade chimichurri. And Kalyra enjoyed a margherita flatbread.

Flatbread pizza / cocktail

Because I wanted to have one more glass of that delicious Syrah from Upper Left Winery in Washington State, we ordered a Mississippi mud pie and Carolina beignets for the girls’ deserts.

Mississippi mud pie

But, wait. There’s more. They also have expertly crafted cocktails. While I was guzzling velvety smooth Syrah, Craig was enjoying his Old Timer bourbon cocktail.

Prices here were very reasonable for the quality, and we feel it’s definitely one of the best places to eat in Boone!

4. The Cardinal (The Best Place For Burgers)

Wild game burger at The Cardinal

If you like mouthwatering burgers, be sure to add The Cardinal to your list of places to eat in Boone. It has an eclectic, laid back vibe and is a perfect casual place to eat after fun exploring Boone (or to fuel up before you go).

You’ll find fresh ingredients, classic American food (with vegan surprises like tempeh tenders and beet burgers) exotic burgers, and crafty beverages.

The Cardinal

Craig chowed down on the rotating Wild Game burger! And I could not resist the 50/50 burger – Amaroo Hills Emu, Chorizo, Queso, Grilled Jalapeño, Onions, Greens, Tomato, Cilantro Sour Cream.

I’ve never had a burger quite like it and was overtaking with the exploding flavors in my mouth.

5. Lost Province Brewing Company (The Best Place For Entertainment)

Cool vibes at Lost Province Brewing

Lumberjack Hipster was the word that came to mind when I walked into the Lost Province Brewing Company in Downtown Boone.

I instantly felt like I was in Oregon, a state that is filled with cool experiences and people that put nature and beer at the essence of it. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there and soaked up the vibe.

Could you get any more lumberjack hipster image then craft brews with the names, Up Schitt’s Kriek, What’s Up Bro?, Kiss My grits and Hipster Juice.

Lost Province

Lost Province is a microbrewery and live music venue in one, known for their Neapolitan style pizza baked in a wood-fired copper kettle that uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Their attention to quality brews, farm to table, and community sustainability reminded me of Yachats Brewery on the Oregon Coast.

Great beer + pizza at Lost Province Great pizza, and burgers!

They also have live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

6. Appalachian Mountain Brewery (The Best Place For Cider)

AMB Brewing

Appalachian Mountain Brewery (AMB) is just south of downtown and is probably the most well-known Boone brewery, given they distribute over North Carolina, South Carolina, and East Tennessee.

As we drink them all the time, we were delighted to visit the location where this Boone brewery started.

Not only does Craig love their award-winning beers, but I love their innovative ciders.

Nice stout at AMB

It’s one of the few East Cast cider brands I like. I usually drink their mystic dragon but was delighted to try a pint of their mimosa cider and give it a double thumbs up!

AMB has a spacious covered porch, perfect on sunny days, and enclosed and heated during the winter. They also have the Farm 2 Flame Food Truck on premises with wood fired pizzas.

7. Booneshine Brewing Company (The Best Place For Families & Pet Owners)

Cool space at Booneshine

Booneshine Brewery is located in East Boone and has a great communal feel with an outside patio area and large separate beer garden area with views. It’s perfect for families and pet owners!

Cheers Booneshine!

You can also dine in at the restaurant, but it was a two hour wait when we visited the day after Thanksgiving.

We grabbed a beer and wine from the bar and sat out in the beer garden. There is a food truck option there as well.

8. The Pedalin’ Pig (The Best Place For NC State BBQ!)

The Pedalin’ Pig

Ready for some High-Country style smoky BBQ made from fresh, local gourmet ingredients?

Our takeout choice after a day of exploring Boone and just wanting to collapse in our cabin in front of the fireplace and a game of Rummikub was the Pedalin Pig.

Expect slow cooking here – fall of the bone meat that’s been turning for 16 hours. This is NC State BBQ, where the meat has been soaked in a vinegar or honey mustard glaze, and pit-fired to perfection. You have to try it once while visiting NC, it’s a must!

Pedalin Pig has been serving high country folks since 2014 when they opened their first location in Banner Elk.

We thoroughly enjoyed our smoked beef brisket, smoked baby back ribs and delicious fixins of baked beans, slaw, and collard greens! Apart from BBQ plates, you’ll find tacos and sandwiches.

The dining area inside is huge with a bar and a large selection of drinks, including specialty cocktails and local craft beer.

9. Hole Lotta Doughnuts (The Best Place For Desserts)

These are popular doughnuts

One for the kids, old and young, are the oversized handcrafted yeast doughnuts in Whole Lotta Doughnuts. Their Boone location has closed, but they are still operating in nearby West Jefferson, and are well worth the trip.

Take your pick from flavors such as jelly filled, peanut butter dream, maple, and seasonal doughnut delights.

Our kids were happy!

They also have fritters, pastries, sweet breads, cookies, gourmet popcorn, gourmet coffee, ice cream, and shakes.

10. Local Lion Coffee (Best Place for Homemade Goodness)

The Local Lion

Another place for good homemade doughnuts and coffee is Local Lion, named after the local mountain lion that crossed the owners path on a mountain camping trip.

They want you to savor coffee, understand it’s not a throw down, pep me up drink of a morning, but delicious drink that wakes up your taste buds and widens your horizons.

We thank you for maintaining the coffee art form and dedicating Local Lion as a place for a cup worth enough to be included in this Boone highlights post!

Coffee & donuts!

Their organic, fair trade coffee is roasted in the shop’s small batch roaster and brewed the way you like it: pour over, lattes, and straight espressos.

This quality runs through their doughnuts, which are made from scratch daily. In the summer local fresh fruits are used for their jelly fillings and berry glazes.

And you will not find preservatives, hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup.

Okay parents, these are the kinds of doughnuts your kids can have double servings of.

Other places to eat in Boone

There were many other restaurants in Boone we wanted to eat at, but didn’t have the time.

The below restaurants in Boone are where we have been recommended and have marked to visit next time:

• Horton Hotel rooftop bar has 360-degree views of Howard’s Knob, Appalachian State University and downtown Boone over shared plates, craft beverages and specialty beers and wines.
• Wild Craft Eatery: Cafe serving global fare made with local, organic ingredients, plus beer, wine & spirits.
• F.A.R.M Cafe: a Pay-What-You-Want concept, bringing inclusivity to the table. Maggie Kane at A Place at the Table in Raleigh does the same thing and we love it! It was inspired by F.A.R.M.
• COBO Sushi Bistro and Bar: Urbane Japanese restaurant & full bar with sake & cocktails in sophisticated designer digs.

Did you find a place to eat in Boone from this list? What do you think about the restaurants in Boone? Let us know in the comments.

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