Some of the best midday meals in North Carolina come from places where you sit on a stool, order at a counter, and get your food fast. This list covers eight of them, from old drug store fountains and soda shops to a century-style market with a butcher counter and a Raleigh diner that has been feeding downtown since the 1930s.
You will find famous pork chop sandwiches, towering BLTs, pimento cheese in more forms than you can count, and banana splits big enough to share. Several of these spots keep short hours and close early, so it pays to know the details before you head out, and every one of them has a specific reason to earn a spot on your lunch rotation.
1. Sutton’s Drug Store, Chapel Hill, NC
Every famous Tar Heel athlete seems to have landed somewhere on the walls at Sutton’s. Framed photos of regulars, UNC stars, and celebrities cover the room, along with signed jerseys that turn lunch into a small sports history lesson.
The food keeps things classic. Think piping hot cheeseburgers, fries, shakes, a well-loved BLT, a Patty Melt, and the Piles of Pastrami Sandwich for anyone who shows up hungry.
Hot dogs are a quiet star here, and the Chili Cheese Fries Basket makes an easy add-on. The Tar Heel Turkey Sandwich is the menu’s nod to its hometown crowd.
I like this stop because it works for more than one meal. Breakfast starts at 7 AM Monday through Saturday and 9 AM on Sunday, with pancakes and French toast on the menu, and the kitchen wraps up at 2:30 PM daily.
Before you leave, browse the shelves of bottled sodas and hard-to-find candy. Parking on Franklin Street can be tricky, so a paid garage nearby is often the smoother move.
2. Merritt’s Grill, Chapel Hill, NC
Bacon is the headliner at Merritt’s, and the Triple BLT proves it. This small corner store and sandwich counter on South Columbia Street has built its whole reputation around the BLT, and the website address even says so.
The menu goes further than one sandwich, though. Pimento cheese, egg salad, a Turkey Bacon Guacamole sandwich, a plain Bacon Sandwich, and a hamburger all share the board.
Save room for dessert. Banana pudding and coconut cake are regulars, and deviled eggs make a very Southern side.
Out back, a garden patio framed by bamboo offers outdoor seating and cornhole games. Dogs are welcome outside, which makes it a handy stop for anyone walking a pup around town.
Merritt’s runs Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 4 PM and closes on Sunday. Expect a line at lunch, since there is usually a wait, but service moves quickly and parking tends to be plentiful.
3. Neal’s Deli, Carrboro, NC
Sweet potato biscuits are reason enough to plan a lunch break around Neal’s Deli. This casual Carrboro spot bakes its biscuits in-house and pairs them with fillings like pimento cheese.
Much of what lands on the menu is locally sourced, and the sandwich lineup leans hearty. The hot pimento cheese sandwich with spinach is a signature, and there is a Muffuletta for anyone craving something piled high.
Creamy coleslaw rounds out a plate nicely. Soups and salads are available too, for lighter appetites.
Timing matters here. Neal’s is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, and Saturday from 9 AM to 2:30 PM, with Mondays and Sundays off.
One charming extra: the deli keeps doggie biscuits on hand, so four-legged friends are not left out. Free lot and street parking make a quick stop easy, and takeout is a solid option if the tables are full.
4. S & T’s Soda Shoppe, Pittsboro, NC
Egg creams are not something you find on many North Carolina menus, which is one of the first clues that S & T’s takes the soda fountain idea seriously. The family-run shop on Hillsboro Street is filled with antique furnishings and vintage signs and odds and ends.
Lunch leans toward burgers with a twist. The Pimento Cheese Burger is a Carolina favorite, and the Hawaiian burger gives it some friendly competition.
Classic red hot dogs and fries also make the lineup. Pair any of it with a Cherry Coke, a Cherry Smash, or a root beer float for the full throwback treatment.
Then comes dessert, which might be the main event for some tables. More than 30 rotating ice cream flavors, Steve’s Super Shakes, a Cola Sundae, and the Monster Banana Split keep the freezer busy.
S & T’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7:30 PM. Weekday mornings are the calmest, while Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds, and the kids’ menu makes it a natural pick for birthday outings.
5. Conrad & Hinkle Food Market, Lexington, NC
Lunch in Lexington does not have to mean barbecue. Right on North Main Street, Conrad & Hinkle Food Market has earned its own following for one thing above all: pimento cheese.
The store is an old-fashioned market built around a butcher counter. Fresh cuts of meat and steaks sit alongside locally grown produce, canned goods, and plenty of unusual food items worth browsing.
Fresh oysters show up here too, which is a surprise for an inland downtown grocery. Still, most shoppers head straight for the famous homemade pimento cheese.
I would save this one for a picnic-style lunch. Grab a container of pimento cheese, pick up some produce, and you have the makings of a very North Carolina meal to take along on the road.
Visits tend to be quick. The market is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM, with Saturday mornings the busiest stretch.
6. Soda Shop, Davidson, NC
Davidson’s Main Street has a college-town rhythm, and the Soda Shop sits right in the middle of it. The quaint fountain is styled after a 1950s soda shop and has become a hallmark of the town.
Hand-spun milkshakes are the classic order. Handmade sodas, banana splits, and other fountain treats keep dessert well covered.
For the lunch side of things, burgers and hot dogs lead the way. The chicken salad is a local favorite, and fries come along for the ride.
Families will appreciate the extensive kids’ menu and high chairs. There is outdoor seating too, where dogs are allowed.
Hours run longer than most spots on this list, from 10 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and starting at 8 AM on weekends for breakfast. Just note that it closes on Tuesdays, and parking downtown can take a lap or two to find.
7. Snappy Lunch, Mt Airy, NC
Road trippers heading to Mount Airy usually have one sandwich in mind before they even park. The pork chop sandwich at Snappy Lunch is the famous order, and it is the reason many visitors plan their downtown stop around a meal.
This local landmark diner keeps things no-nonsense. Lunch is homemade, made fresh to order, and served in generous portions.
Prices are a big part of the appeal, with most meals falling between one and ten dollars per person. Simple standbys like Bologna and Cheese or a Butter and Jelly sandwich show just how old-school the menu stays.
Early risers get rewarded. Doors open at 6 AM, and breakfast brings the Gravy Biscuit and the Tenderloin with Egg Biscuit.
Plan accordingly, because the grill shuts down at 2 PM Monday through Friday and 2:30 PM on Saturday, with Sundays off. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than the Saturday rush, and free street parking is available nearby.
8. Mecca Restaurant, Raleigh, NC
Since the 1930s, this family-owned spot on East Martin Street has been serving Southern comfort food to downtown Raleigh. Many of the fixtures are original, so the booths and counter look much like they did generations ago.
Servers wear shirts printed with the motto “He profits most who serves the best,” and that philosophy shows up on the plate. Fried chicken cooked to order is a standout.
Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey and macaroni and cheese make the classic sides. Breakfast is just as traditional, with Country Ham and Egg and a Western Omelette on the menu.
This is the kind of place I’d visit when showing a first-timer what old Raleigh was like. It sits in the heart of downtown, just a short walk from the busy government district.
Hours are limited, so check before you go. The Mecca is open Thursday and Friday from 7:30 AM to 3 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 3 PM, and parking downtown usually takes some patience.
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