There is something about a good slice of sweet potato pie that makes a soul food meal feel complete. Across North Carolina, family-run kitchens and cafeteria-style spots are turning out plates of fried chicken, collards, oxtails, and mac and cheese, then finishing you off with a slice of pie made right in-house.
This list rounds up eight places where the pie is a genuine highlight, spread from Charlotte all the way to Spring Lake. Whether you are planning a Sunday dinner run or just chasing dessert, these stops are worth knowing about.
Grab a fork and let’s find your next favorite slice.
1. Nana Morrison’s Soul Food, Charlotte, NC
Sunday dinner energy lives at this Charlotte spot, even on a random Tuesday. Tucked into a strip mall at 2908 Oak Lake Blvd, it runs cafeteria-style, so you move down the line and build your plate as you go.
The desserts here are made in-house, and the sweet potato pie is a fitting close to a big meal. Regulars pile plates high with fried chicken, turkey wings, mac and cheese, lima beans, yams, potato salad, and cornbread muffins, usually with sweet tea on the side.
The vibe is casual and quick, with counter service rather than table service. There is a full vegetarian menu, plus vegan lima beans and a vegetarian stuffing for anyone skipping meat.
Open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM, it gets busiest on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, so mornings early in the week are your quiet window. Parking is easy and free, and takeout, delivery, and catering are all on the table if you cannot dine in.
2. Vittles at the PARK, Durham, NC
Off Highway 54 in Durham, this relaxed soul food kitchen has built a name on fried ribs and oxtails. The dessert case earns attention too, and the sweet potato pie is a standout way to finish.
Portions lean generous for the price, and you can add two sides for only a couple of dollars more. The menu covers a lot of ground, from a chicken and dumplings combo and turkey collards to Cajun catfish fillet, fried shrimp, pulled pork BBQ, and a basket of six hushpuppies.
Service is a big part of the draw here, with a clean, friendly counter-service setup that works well for solo diners and small groups alike. There are high chairs and a kids’ menu, so families fit right in.
Hours are limited, so plan around them. The kitchen is closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6:30 PM, and Sunday from 1 to 6:30 PM.
Curbside pickup and takeout make it easy to grab a slice on the run.
3. Grill 119 Restaurant, Burlington, NC
Chef Big Al is running the show at this Burlington kitchen, and the pie has become a bit of a local legend. Some folks walk out calling it the best sweet potato pie they have ever had, and the restaurant sometimes brings out a sample slice so you can decide for yourself.
The rest of the menu leans into slow-cooked, home-style classics, with crispy fried favorites and saucy, tender plates. Chicken livers are among the dishes that keep people coming back, and the sauces get plenty of praise.
Prices stay friendly, roughly $10 to $20 per person, and the dining room is clean and easygoing. It works for a quiet lunch or an early dinner with a group.
Keep the schedule in mind before you go. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday, and open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM.
Parking is free and plentiful, and both dine-in and takeout are available.
4. Raleigh Soul Kitchen, Raleigh, NC
People drive in from Durham just to eat here, which tells you something about the food on Bragg Street in Raleigh. The sweet potato pie has a devoted following, and it is an easy add-on to a plate.
The menu keeps things interesting with a mix of traditional and creative options. Think a fried soul wings platter, vegan collard greens, oxtail rasta pasta, and peach cobbler egg rolls for dessert.
It is a takeout-focused operation with no dine-in and no restroom, so plan to grab and go. There is usually a wait, and parking can be a little tricky, so build in a few extra minutes.
Hours run Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM, with Monday closed. Fridays and Sunday afternoons are the busiest, while Wednesday afternoons tend to be calmer.
Prices sit in the $10 to $20 range, and catering is available.
5. Taste of the Triad, Winston-Salem, NC
Free Pac-Man and a basketball arcade game set this Winston-Salem diner apart before you even reach the food line. The retro vibe pairs with a cafeteria-style setup and a spread that reads like a soul food greatest-hits list.
Walk in and you are looking at yams, cabbage, potato salad, collards, and sweet potato pie all lined up and ready. The wider menu adds smoked turkey legs, chitterlings, fish and grits, oxtails and rice, pork ribs, a pork chop sandwich, and banana pudding.
This one accepts reservations, which is unusual for the group, and it offers table service along with a private dining room. Families are welcome, with high chairs and a kids’ menu on hand.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 AM to 7 PM and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 6 PM, with Monday and Saturday closed. Sunday afternoon is the peak.
Portions are hearty and prices stay in the $10 to $20 range, with free wi-fi and easy parking.
6. Ackingna’s Place, Winston-Salem, NC
Family history runs deep at this New Walkertown Road spot, and it has been part of Winston-Salem for a long time. The pie here is homemade in the morning, and the place has been known to send diners off with a slice on the house.
The lineup is classic soul food: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and the kind of plates people compare to a grandmother’s cooking. Prices are gentle too, landing on the lower end at roughly $1 to $10 per person.
One thing that makes this stop different is the early start. The kitchen opens at 5 AM on weekdays and 7 AM on Saturday, so breakfast and coffee are part of the routine here.
Hours run Monday through Friday from 5 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 7 AM to 6 PM, with Sunday closed. Saturday afternoon is the busy stretch.
It is dine-in and takeout only, with no delivery, and parking can get a bit tight.
7. Dab’s Soul Food Cafe, Spring Lake, NC
Finding soul food this good in Spring Lake is a happy surprise, and Dab’s leans into it with a menu that stretches well beyond the basics. Sweet potato pie is a featured highlight, sitting right alongside the mains and sides.
The kitchen makes room for a little variety, from fresh sauteed shrimp and gumbo to shrimp and grits, neckbones, smothered chicken wings, and Friday catfish. Daisy’s homemade banana pudding is another dessert worth saving space for.
The cafe is welcoming and inclusive, listed as an LGBTQ+ friendly and transgender safe space, with a gender-neutral restroom. Families are covered too, with high chairs and a kids’ menu.
It accepts reservations, which helps on busier days. Hours vary by day: Monday 10:30 AM to 4 PM, Tuesday and Thursday through Friday 10:30 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM, with Wednesday and Sunday closed.
Dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering are all options.
8. Pure Soul, Durham, NC
Vegan soul food might sound like a contradiction, but Pure Soul in Durham makes the case with a plant-based menu that still hits like the real thing. The sweet potato pie carries a subtle ginger note that sets it apart from the rest of this list.
The rest of the menu keeps things creative and fully plant-based. Standouts include the NC BBQ Plate, vegan soul rolls with BBQ sauce, the Soul Bowl, a Big Kale Caesar, and cornbread that draws its own fan club.
Set in a relaxed strip-mall space, it pulls in college students, families, and groups, and it is listed as LGBTQ+ friendly with a transgender safe space designation. Dogs are welcome outside, and there is occasional live music.
Hours run Monday and Tuesday 11 AM to 7 PM, Thursday through Saturday 11 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday noon to 4 PM, with Wednesday closed. Saturday afternoon is the busiest.
Curbside pickup, delivery, outdoor seating, and free wi-fi round it out.
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