Tag Archives: Banner Elk

Restaurants We Love in Banner Elk

I often get asked for dining recommendations when people visit our hometown of Banner Elk, NC. For such a small little town, BE has quite the offerings. So much in fact that we often don’t feel the need to go outside the area to eat (but we still do, because duh). I am currently working on a post that is much more extensive of top spots to eat in the entire High Country, but for now, here’s a list of restaurants that rarely disappoint in Banner Elk, NC, where you can come relax and just BE. This list is in no particular order, but I did place the higher end restaurant on top. Also, don’t let the all over the place addresses fool you. All of these restaurants are in Banner Elk proper. There are some restaurants that are literally in the same complex and one address will say Linville and the other will say Sugar Mountain and don’t ask me why….we’re all just scratching our heads up here.

Artisanal Restaurant 1200 Dobbins Road, Banner Elk $$$$
Artisanal is one of a kind. The quality of the food, the service and the ambiance are simply extraordinary. You’ll enjoy a truly elevated chef curated experience with a menu that changes often. We have taken our children here (youngest is 12) and they’ll make a meal for them too if they’re picky (chicken tenders, buttered noodles). My older child loves the food here. All that to say, it’s best enjoyed as a date night or with adults. It’s business casual so be prepared to dress cute.

LP on Main 171 Main Street, E, Banner Elk (Lousiana Purchase) $$$
One of our absolute favorites and most visited for a date night, LP is in a new space in downtown BE and is just beautiful. The food and service never disappoint. I love the BBQ shrimp, but I also enjoy trying new items from the menu. The salmon, the burgers, the meat loaf, the lobster poutine! There’s a variety of price points to suit your budget and now that it’s the high season, LP is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday.

LP on Main

Reid’s Cafe & Catering 4004 NC 105 Suite #8, Sugar Mountain $$$
Hyper local and focused on seasonal ingredients and craft cocktails, Reid’s is definitely a favorite of mine and go-to if you want to really see those ingredients in play and truly promoted. They make it all in-house. I recently enjoyed brunch at Reid’s for the first time last month and it was stellar (they are not serving brunch this summer). It’s absolutely not your run of the mill shrimp & grits or duck at Reid’s. Be prepared for some creativity. Open Tuesday-Saturday lunch/dinner.

Reid’s

The Painted Fish Cafe 2941 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk $$
Another frequently visited restaurant facing beautiful Sugar Mountain, The Fish, as it’s affectionately known is a wildly popular for Sunday brunch and for changing up his menu. Very family-friendly, reservations are always still recommended this time of year. We love Fried Chicken Wednesdays and Fried Catfish Thursdays and you can count on a chef’s special all the other nights as well. Open Wed-Sunday.

Stonewall’s Restaurant 344 Shawneehaw Ave, Banner Elk $$$
For a great steak, you’ll find it at Stonewall’s, which has been locally owned for decades. If the Cowboy ribeye is on the menu, we recommend as it is suitable for sharing. Don’t miss the deviled eggs or the wedge salad while you’re here.

Luna Thai & Sushi 3990 NC 105, Linville $$
BE’s brand new itty bitty baby Thai/Vietnamese/Asian Fusion restaurant just a few doors down from Reid’s (notice the address is totally different). Stir fry, pho, Tom Kha, Curry dishes with noodles or rice and sushi. It’s all just delicious and we haven’t had a bad meal there yet.

Banner Elk Cafe 324 Shawneehaw Ave, S. Hwy 184, Banner Elk $
You might call BE Cafe the most popular spot in town and I wouldn’t argue. It’s a very large restaurant, dog-friendly patio, and generally where most people go for a quick easy bite. They offer two huge menus (one is the Lodge menu) and you can find sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta, burgers and entrees. I personally go for the burgers and the trout here. Mr. foodie loves their salads for lunch. They have a dessert case and a coffee shop too. Full disclosure: It ain’t always rainbows and fairy tales here. I’ve had some moments where I walked out disappointed, but for the price point and the vibe, I keep going back and the fact that they have live music is a big plus.

Sorrento’s 140 Azalea Circle, SE, Banner Elk $$
Not the cheapest place in town for a pizza or plate of pasta, but Sorrento’s in the Village downtown has been around a long time and the pizza is very good. You might enjoy bringing your pup and sitting out on the patio, where you can enjoy live music from the amphitheatre. We usually just get pizza here but if pasta is what you’re craving, you’ll find all the classics plus a very tasty lasagna.

Bodega’s 488 Main Street West, Banner Elk $$
We even have Cuban food in BE! Go to Bodega’s for their beautiful al fresco dining experience and load up on all the little tacos and black beans and be sure to get a Cuban too.

The Ham Shoppe 32 High Country Square, Banner Elk $
This iconic shop is now located in the heart of BE. All of the sandwiches are prepared fresh and you can even order bulk meats (call ahead to check availability) for a longer stay. I love to grab a few sandwiches and take them for a picnic. Annnnnnnnd…..if you see an entire apple pie in the case for sale, I’m going to suggest you go ahead and buy it because it is amazing.

BE. Scooped 144 Azalea Circle, SE Banner Elk $
After you visit the Village or hit Sorrento’s be sure to stop by BE Scooped for a fresh waffle cone filled with ice cream. It’s a sweet little ice cream shop with plenty of flavors and the service is excellent.

Dunn’s Deli 134 Main Street West, Banner Elk $
Another iconic sandwich shop in the heart of downtown BE, grab a warm or cold sandwich to go or BBQ. We love Dunn’s BLT’s and pastrami sandwiches. You can dine in or out.

So there you have it. I promise it’s not all of the restaurants in BE, but these are our tried and trues. Let me know if you try any of these restaurants and what you think. And if I’ve left anyone out that you think deserves attention, please comment below. Also, I’d be remiss to not tell you to give the Wilderness Alpine Roller Coaster a try for a fun family thrill. Come see us!

A Look Back at A Chef’s Table at The Painted Fish

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We had such a wonderful experience at our latest Chef’s Table, the dinner series that’s taken the Triad by storm that is now catching on here in the High Country. We had a great event a year ago at Vidalia Restaurant in Boone and we really thought Chef Tom Jankovich would be the perfect chef to celebrate as we relaunch our series. We have always loved visiting the mountains for vacation (to get away from the summer heat) and when we visited we regularly enjoyed having brunch or dinner at The Painted Fish. If you’ve been following along you know that in the summer of 2017, we took the leap and moved here. Twenty-five of us gathered at The Painted Fish Cafe for multiple courses, each course so different from the rest and a full testament to Chef Tom’s cafe menu that is short and sweet but diverse with something for everyone.

A Chef’s Table celebrates our local chefs and restaurants and the farms and makers they support. It’s food and fellowship at its most fun. Typically, a Chef’s Table is all about letting the chef surprise us, but Chef Tom let us have a sneak peek of his menu and he also told us what to expect when he greeted us before the courses came out. Let’s take a look back!

Course 1: Lobster Chili with lime sour cream, salmon caviar.

This had all the elements of your traditional chilis with spices and smokiness but with lobster. The lime sour cream was a beautiful contrast to the earthy chili.

Course 2: Baby Kale Salad, toasted walnuts, dried cherries, shade radish, goat cheese, honey white balsamic vinaigrette

This pretty salad made for a nice palate cleanser following that robust chili. Chef Tom made a little setting of goat cheese on the bottom so that every bite got a little bit of it. And cherries and walnuts were the perfect complements.

Course 3: Tuna Tartar, wasabi cured egg, soy foam, pickled ginger, Asian micros, grilled crostini. The Painted Fish Cafe and Beer Bar

I don’t normally declare a “favorite” dish of the night but this had everything I loved. Tuna tartar, cool and herby, a wasabi cured egg (that the chefs had been working on for three weeks)…it was ooey and gooey but not runny…oh yum and buttery crostini. A little of the soy foam on the crostini with the tartar…seriously I could eat something like this every day.

Course 4: Lamb Chop, rosemary pesto crusted, pear croquette potato, haricot vert, lamb jus lie The Painted Fish Cafe and Beer Bar

At this point, we’re feeling good and full, but who’s saying no to a precious little lamb chop? Not me. It was perfectly cooked with herby crust and the little potato croquette (shaped like a pear …in the spirit of Christmas) was a touch of whimsy.

Course 5: Chefs Trio Dessert, chocolate Cabernet truffle w/sea salt, tomato stuffed strawberry with balsamic syrup, champagne shot.

This dessert trio had strawberries and chocolate but not just strawberries and chocolate. Each berry half was filled with a balsamic-y tomato jam. The truffles were a riff on The Painted Fish’s Chocolate Torte which is on the menu. Just in truffle form. Incredibly rich and decadent. Plus there was champagne.

In between courses we enjoyed hearing from Shannon Carroll who was there as my guest representing Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture’s High Country Food Hub, which serves as an online farmer’s market for residents in the High Country. Definitely check them out as they’re a great supporter of our local farms and makers in this area.

It’s always so fun to check out what’s going on behind the scenes and get an idea how the chef is handling all these dishes. Imagine 5 courses x 25 people and we’re all getting served pretty much at once, staffed by two servers. It’s intense but I can tell you Chef Tom Jankovich is just go with the flow. He and his sous chef, Adam Johnson, actually looked like they were having fun! I’m guessing they did.

Toward the end, this little one, Chef Tom’s granddaughter, Kaydn, was tuckered out enough to just catch some zzz’s. So cute.

We’re making plans for another Chef’s Table up here in the High Country. We would love your input and suggestions on where we should go in the future. We’re thinking late January and would love to have a Chef’s Table on a monthly basis or at least every other month. Yes, during all the seasons!

Those of you who attended, we’re so grateful for your support and fellowship and we hope we see you again. Those of you just taking a look here, we hope we see you soon!

Beyond the Triad: triadfoodies vacation on the Rock

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ASU view from Howard’s Knob, Boone

Greetings, Foodies! After a week in the mountains and a busy first half of this week, I’m ready to share all the deliciousness we found on the ROCK. If you don’t know what the ROCK is…just look west and you know that I mean the area of Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, etc, otherwise known as the High Country. But Rock is shorter :).

This is going to be a not-so-brief recap of the week and I believe a couple of these spots deserve their own blog post and, if time permits, that will happen one day soon. First, we head straight to our Date Night at one of my favorite places to be and eat ON THE PLANET. Gamekeeper Restaurant & Bar.

Known for Mountain Cuisine, The Gamekeeper offers an adventurous gastronomic experience. You may find Ribeye but you’ll also find Boar Belly or Elk or Ostrich and delicious seafood items. A charcuterie plate could feature Rabbit Livermush (which ours did…and it was fantastic). The menu changes constantly. The service is absolutely impeccable. It’s a cozy and casual atmosphere where you can be dressed up or down comfortably. And the view is so very serene. Here’s what you look out and in at.

Gabriel, our server, brought us an amuse buche of mystery food. It actually turned out to be very thinly sliced lavosh with berries (including Huckleberry) and dusted with cocoa and yogurt powders. Interesting and eaten right up.

Just a little something to get us tempted….

The charcuterie also had quail egg, beef tongue, homemade mustard, pickles and grilled bread. Fab. We also ordered an appetizer of the wild mushrooms with pattypan squash.

Mr. foodie ordered the Braised Ostrich which featured meat from the wing and had been shredded and was incredible. It was on gnocchi, with smoky eggplant. Divine. I ordered the seafood of the day which was 3 huge scallops on brussels, okra, corn, field peas, gherkins, purslane with tomato vinegar. Fresh and gorgeous. Look!

After meeting Edwin Bloodworth, the chef-de-cuisine, and receiving a sweet little cherry sorbet to top off our night (too full for dessert) we bid farewell to this incredible place, knowing there are many visits to come! Here’s the menu and a list of their local farms and purveyors.

Onward! On Tuesday we got to try 1861 Farmhouse TWO ways. For lunch, we stopped at the 1861 Farmhouse Market for some sandwiches to take on a picnic. They have great sandwiches that are specialty creations or you can custom build. Plus an awesome market featuring Carolina Coffee and all kinds of jams, jellies, ham, bacon and local baking mixes. I ordered a Hawksnest with ham, capicolla and provolone with fixings on sun-dried tomato bread. And Mr. ordered the Valle Scorcher with turkey, spicy pepperjack on jalapeño bread WITH horseradish. He’s a stud.

This is just a portion of a wall.

Later that night, I was so excited to go with the fam (including my MIL) to 1861 Farmhouse. A beautifully restored house that features its OWN winery’s selection and delicious southern cuisine. You need to visit their website to get an idea of how this 150 year old home was transformed into what it is today by its owners. It’s also the kitchen of previous Fire on the Rock winner, Sam Beasley, a true talent. He was chef-ing that night!

Wine room

Wine from their own winery.

For apps, we ordered the pork belly that was braised with Cheerwine and topped with shallots and served with a grilled banana that worked mighty well. And we shared a grilled romaine salad that was like a BLT on a plate, with bleu cheese. Yum. We also got a bottle of wine, the Victoria’s Vale, that was really good.

My MIL ordered the BEST trout I’ve ever had.

I ordered the NC Snapper special on cheesy grits with a crawfish and bacon gravy. Amazing.

And Mr. ordered the cumin and cocoa rubbed pork. It was lovely and gives me an idea for preparation at home. Thanks, Chef!

My eldest wanted a hotdog. And the little one wanted grilled cheese. Oh well..they liked. And after seeing claims of the BEST banana pudding EVER, the MIL and I each ordered one and Mr. foodie ordered the terrific bread pudding. It WAS the best banana pudding, no lie. And my boy saved me some calories again by stealing some of it.

Art by Ava 🙂

We also experienced the joy of eating at Coyote Kitchen in Boone. It’s a small, “Southwest Caribbean Soul Food” type restaurant with chips, salsa, nachos, burgers and these killer “boats” that are like naked burritos but with all kinds of interesting toppings and combos. You have to try this place. We couldn’t decide if we wanted a “boat” with coconut rice or sweet corn bread so we ordered one with rice and then corn bread on the side. We know how to call it. We just tried a nice sampling of the chips with 3 salsas (all homemade from sweet and mild to spicy), the mixed fries (sweet and russet), the Cactus boat and MIL ordered a Catalina Salad. Coyote Kitchen also has tacos, melts and burritos. And on top of the salsas, they also have these homemade hot sauces that just pack an even bigger punch so you should try them with your meal. Definitely going back!

Oh and the chicken right there? “Pups” Menu. Yummy battered is all I can say.

We couldn’t leave Banner Elk out of our culinary adventures so we took the recommendation of Chad-the-Wahoo’s Whitewater rafting-guide and headed over to The Painted Fish the day before our departure. Banner Elk has come a long way in the past few years and there’s no shortage of places to get GREAT food. Chef/owner Tom Jankovich’s Painted Fish Cafe is no exception. You get a wonderful view of Sugar Mountain and enjoy burgers of all types, entrees, salads …all featuring local ingredients and fresh seafood. I ordered the Tuna Burger and Mr. ordered the Tilapia Tacos (fried). We both got a sweet potato salad as our side. So good with bacon and onion. Perfection. Kids ordered …I don’t know…grilled cheese and plain pasta with butter (who are these people??).

The chef was in the kitchen but he was nice enough to grace us with his presence, give us a few more dining suggestions (for our next trip) and pose for a triadfoodies pic.

Chef/Owner Tom Jankovich

Okay…so dessert…yes, yes. What you see here is a Krispy Kreme cheesecake. The doughnuts are the crust, with a traditional cheesecake, topped with a salted caramel and bacon sauce. Whaaaat? I die.

Oh and while you are there, you should really take advantage of the Liver and Onions on the kids menu. It’s only $82.00. There’s a similarly-priced broccoli AND cauliflower casserole I bet the kids would LOVE. I know mine would ;).

So that’s a sampling why you should eat LOCAL on the ROCK. It’s a wonderful place to get locally-sourced dining at a variety of locations. The great thing about that area is there’s way more local than chain. Just the way it should be. I could really live up there…but then I’d have to change our name to Rockfoodies….ooooh…I kind of like that.

Stay tuned….my next post will be an exclusive on the brand new, just-opened The New Public House & Hotel (which is in the former Crippen’s) in Blowing Rock. We gave them a try on what ended up being the first REAL opening night and we have lots of pics. Until then…there are links within the blog to the places we visited. And I look forward to hearing what some of your favorite restaurants are on the Rock.

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