3 Best Restaurants in North Carolina, USA

Cocktails and burgers achieve sublimity at this temple of ground meat, be it locally raised bison, the game of the month, or a 50/50 blend of emu and chorizo. Infusions like beet vodka and bacon fat bourbon ensure that the creations from behind the bar rival those from the kitchen. A log cabin interior packed with curios (and classic Pac-Man on the back porch) sets a friendly tone that's matched by the good-humored service. 

Having built a following for his food at Krankies, Winston-Salem local Justin Webster took his smash burgers from pop-up to James Beard–nominated restaurant in his first year. Justin and his wife Heather (nicknamed Heff) focus on accessible but high-quality food, in a fun, eclectic environment that's heavy on nostalgia. All ingredients on the simple menu are NC-sourced—the furthest is brioche buns from Asheville—and highlight favorite regional flavors like pimento cheese and Cheerwine soda. Order a Ladykiller with white American cheese, black garlic sauce, pickles, and onions, with a side of crinkle-cut fries, while you peruse the pop-culture stickers and snacks in the vending machine.

This Greensboro mainstay (now with two locations in town) was early to the gourmet burger bandwagon. They keep up their sterling reputation with a commitment to well-sourced ingredients and inviting offerings like the North Carolinian (bacon, fried green tomato, pimento cheese, and a fried egg). There's a quality selection of local beers to wash down the caloric overload.