Chef and the Farmer, 120 W Gordon St, Kinston, NC 28501 (252) 208-2433: the most expensive meal I've ever bought! Also the best meal I've ever had at a restaurant!! I understand the Boiler Room Oyster Bar across the street is good also, but I've never eaten there.
Lindley Park Filling Station, 2201 Walker Ave, Greensboro, NC 336-274-2144: great little sandwich shop in the Lindley Park neighborhood of Greensboro. I've heard they have the best Reuben in town. Screw that! Go for the Springwood (Hot pastrami, spicy dijon mustard, swiss cheese on toasted marble rye). Best hot pastrami I've found in GSO! And their Sunday Brunch is great.
Yum Yum Better Ice Cream and Hot Dogs, 1219 Spring Garden St, Greensboro, NC (336) 272-8284: Hot dogs (no onions but every thing else for me) and a chocolate shake. It don't get no better than this!
MJ's Raw Bar and Grill, 216 Middle St, New Bern, NC 252-635-6890: consistently good. So good, in fact, that we've been known to eat there twice in one day.
Danny's Cafe, 110 W Front St, Burlington, NC 336-226-4422: nothing fancy, just a good little hole-in-the-wall cafe. Great breakfast!
Smokey Joe's BBQ, 1101 S. Main St., Lexington, NC 336-249-0315: try the ribs (Wednesday and Saturday)! I tell you like a friend and a brother!
Full Moon Oyster Bar, 103 W Main St, Jamestown, NC 336-307-2887: Oyster Monday (Edit: now $0.85/ea oysters on the half shell). Do I really need to say anything else?
Cheesecakes by Alex, 315 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 336-273-0970: O!M!G!
Finz Grill and Bar, 330 Front St, Beaufort, NC 252-728-7459: our go to restaurant in Beaufort. Some of the best fried oysters I've ever had!
Royal James Cafe, 117 Turner Street, Beaufort, NC: a hole-in-the-wall pool hall that serves some of the best greasy hamburgers and cheese burgers that you've ever had.
Food Dudes, 1216 S Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 252-441-7994: funky little restaurant in a small strip mall. I've never been disappointed here.
San Luis Restaurant, 1503 W Lee St, Greensboro, NC 336-851-2158: the best Mexican, that I've found anyway, in GSO. On par with the food I got in Mexico City.
Deano's Barbecue, 140 N Clement St, Mocksville, NC 336-751-5820: yeah I know it says barbecue. All you need to know is: the homemade Pimento Cheese burgers!
Clarks Barbecue, 1331 Nc Highway 66 S, Kernersville, NC 336-996-8644: There are two things you need to know about Clarks: 1) the Double Deluxe Cheeseburger and 2) the course chopped BBQ with the bark on it. Oh baby!
Nina's Classic Cuisine, 111 Central Park Ave, Olmsted Village, Pinehurst, NC 910-235-4600: stumbled onto this place when Elaine had her hip replaced at Moore Regional. Slightly upscale but not bad and the food was great.
Now straying further afield...
McNamara's Irish Pub and Restaurant, 2740 Old Lebanon Rd, Nashville, TN 615-885-7262: Elaine and I stumbled onto this place. Probably the best Irish Pub I've ever been in. The Scotch Eggs were exquisite. And they draw a proper Black and Tan!
Uncle Bud's Catfish Shack, 2719 Old Lebanon Rd, Nashville, TN 615-678-8080: The best fired catfish I've had this side of Arkansas. And the Arkies know catfish!
Delta Q, 1112 N Washington St, Forrest City, AR 870-633-1234: "Purveyors of fine Southern swine". Rated the #1 restaurant in Forrest City and I know why. They bring out fresh pork rinds like Mexican restaurants bring out chips and salsa. And they have barbecue egg rolls! Hello Lexington! Are you listening?!
Pal's Sudden Service, 1735 Fort Henry Dr, Kingsport, TN 423-247-3360: I'd heard the burgers were good. I had heard correctly! The burger was one of the best fast food burgers I've ever had! They have an orange cream milk shake that tastes like an orange Creamsicle! YUM! Drive through only.
The Branding Iron, 104 E Scott Ave, Wichita Falls, TX 940-723-0338: we just think that we've had good brisket...
The Catfish Hole, 24 Collum Ln W, Alma, AR 479-632-9718: I'll put it to you this way, Elaine and I plan our trips to Colorado so that we can eat here going and coming. Some of the best fried catfish I've ever had. And the fried pies are to die for! What more can I say?
Chappy's, 213 Main St, 213 Main Street, Westcliffe, CO 719-783-0813: One of the consistently good restaurants in town. Burgers cooked over wood coals. Fresh cut fries. And Smithwicks on tap. Yum!
Silver Cliff Mountain Inn & Restaurant, 700 Ohio Street, Silver Cliff, CO 719-783-2688: Family style restaurant in the Wet Mountain Valley. Since The Mining Company closed this is my go to breakfast restaurant. Breakfast burritos in 8", 10" and 12" sizes. Stuffed with diced potatoes, scrambled eggs and sausage (or bacon) and covered with green pork chili. Best be hungry if you order the 12" one!