Fayetteville North Carolina is the home of Ft Bragg, the largest Military Base in the world with over 50,000 active duty personnel. Fayetteville has a rich history and offers a lot for visitors to see and do.
There are a lot of reasons to visit Fayetteville, but while you are there why not check out some of the best local places to eat and drink? Why go to another boring chain restaurant or fast food joint when there are some really great restaurants in Fayetteville?
Here is my pick for places to go with great food, drinks and excellent customer service.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Fayetteville N.C. and was hosted on my visit by the Fayetteville CVB who provided lodging and meals.
Metro Diner
Metro Diner is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and you had better show up with an appetite. The food is good, the portions are big and delicious. The only problem I found was it took forever to decide on what I wanted.
I stopped in for breakfast and with choices like Chicken and Waffles, Breakfast Pie, Omelets, Protein Breakfasts, and more, you can see my dilemma. Lunch and dinner offer homestyle shrimp and grits, meatloaf, chicken tenders, well you get the idea. Good food, lots of it, and a modern take on an old-school diner.
Luigi’s Italian Chophouse and Bar
Luigi’s Italian Chophouse and Bar has been part of the Fayetteville restaurant scene for over 50 years. Luigi’s is the place to go for Italian food in Fayetteville. Not only Italian food, but steaks, chops and seafood. Pair that with a great wine list and really good cocktails and you can see why this place has been in business so long.
Fayetteville Pie Company
The Fayetteville Pie Company serves up really good savory and sweet pies. This is a popular place for lunch and they have a daily menu that is always changing. Depending on the day, you might have a choice of a Chicken Pot Pie on steroids, a Carnitas and Cornbread pie, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken Marsala Pie or a whole bunch of others.
Pair that with a sweet pie like Carrot Cake Pie, Caramel Apple or one of the many others and you have a meal. The Fayetteville Pie Company is open for lunch only Monday thru Saturday 11 am – 3 pm.
Fowler’s Southern Gourmet
Think good BBQ, ground brisket burgers, tacos and a variety of sandwiches and you have Fowlers Southern Gourmet Restaurant. Fowlers has great food, I know. All the other people that flock to this place know it, as well. It might be a little crowded when you get there, but that’s okay, that lets you know it is a favored spot. I had the Brisket Sandwich and it was really tasty. I am told the burnt ends are great, but they were not serving them the day I stopped in.
Dirtbag Ales
Ok, so a guy in the Army wants to make beer and his friend has a beer making kit. He gets the kit for the promise of free beer for life. His beer gets better, his friends urge him to open a business and fast forward a couple of years and you now have Dirtbag Ales, North Carolina’s first contract brewery.
They now host a farmers market every Sunday, have special events throughout the year (like a food truck rodeo), special dinners (such as a Low Country Boil which I attended), and others. This is a popular place with live music, a room that can be used for group reservations, an outdoor patio, and really good beer.
Drop by the River Seafood
Drop by The River Seafood was started by a former US Army Cook, so I have a question. Where was this food when I was in the Army? It’s good, I mean really good. You can tell a place is good when, on any given day, the place is packed and people are waiting 10-20 minutes for a table.
Once you are seated, you might as well settle in and chat for awhile because the food may take awhile to come out to you, but when it does it’s worth it. The only thing I can recommend is to come with an appetite but still be prepared to take home a doggy bag.
Want more Fayetteville, NC? Our Destination Expert Roxie shares a look at the best things to do in this historic and patriotic city in this post.
The Mash House
The Mash House Brewing Company and Restaurant has been the go to place for locals since 2001. They have consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in Fayetteville.
Mash House is known for their steaks, chops and award-winning beer. To tell you the truth, all of their food is excellent.
Order a beer flight when you go and sample a wide variety. They have a huge menu with excellent appetizers. I tried the fried green tomatoes. The menu consists of steaks, seafood pasta, burgers, fish tacos, fish and chips, prime rib, plus a whole lot more.
If you can’t find something you like on the menu, then you’re not hungry. Mash House’s dining room is open Monday thru Friday 5 to 11 p.m., with extended hours on Saturday and Sunday.
Lake Gaston Brewing Company
As I stated earlier, Fayetteville, North Carolina is home to Ft Bragg, the largest military base in the world, with over 50,000 active duty personnel. It makes sense with all that military power that more than a few former military personnel would make Fayetteville home. This is the case of Darrin Jones, a former paratrooper with the famed 82nd Airborne Division. Darrin wanted to open a brewery and pub in downtown Fayetteville, but needed a really good Brew Master.
Enter Troy Rasmussen, a former Green Beret. The two met and the result is Lake Gaston Brewing Company. Great Beer, really good food, a fun atmosphere, and veteran-owned right in downtown Fayetteville.
Fayetteville is a military town, a city full of history, a very diverse city and one that is continually making itself family-friendly. It is a wonderful place to visit and now you know they have some delicious local places to eat. Whether you are driving I-95 through Fayetteville, or making it a destination for a visit, check out some of these local businesses and skip the chain restaurants.
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Article written by Destination Expert Bob Bales of The Traveling Fool
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