Best Dish in NC finalists revealed

by | May 4, 2011

Last week, our Marketing Division announced the Best Dish finalists – 26 restaurants from across the state that are vying for top honors in creating the best menu from North Carolina products.

This year, in addition to breaking it down between fine and casual dining categories, there also will be separate winners in eastern and western regions. The contest runs from May to September and restaurants have to offer their “best dish” for at least four weeks during this time period. Social media outlets Facebook and Twitter are great resources to keep up with these restaurants and to stay up-to-date on when they’ll be offering their finest local menu. Below are the finalists, links to their website, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. We also have a Twitter list that you can follow that consolidates all the restaurants’ twitter feeds. Warning, though: Reading about their daily menu specials will make your lunch of peanut butter and jelly and chips seem kind of lame.

Eastern Piedmont/Coastal

Casual Dining

Mez Contemporary Mexican Restaurant Durham Facebook
Circa 81 Morehead City Facebook @Circa81
Market Raleigh Facebook @MarketRaleigh
Tribeca Tavern Raleigh Facebook @TribecaTavern
Kornerstone Bistro Wilmington Facebook @KstoneBistro
Yancey House Restaurant Yanceyville @YanceyHouse

Fine Dining

Il Palio at The Siena Hotel Chapel Hill Facebook @SienaHotel
1895 Grille Pinehurst
Elliott’s on Linden Pinehurst Facebook @Elliotts_Linden
McCormicks & Schmicks Seafood Restaurant Raleigh Facebook @McandSchmicks
Zely and Ritz Raleigh Facebook @ZelyandRitz
Marc’s on Market Wilmington Facebook
Deluxe Wilmington Facebook @DeluxeNc
Circa 1922 Wilmington

Western Piedmont/Mountain region

Casual Dining

Off the Square Albemarle Facebook
Bistro forty two Asheboro Facebook
Café Azalea Asheville Facebook @CafeAzalea
Kitchen Roselli East Bend Facebook

Fine Dining

Crippen’s Country Inn and Restaurant Blowing Rock Facebook
Table at Crestwood Boone Facebook @CrestwoodNC
The Gallery Restaurant at the Ballantyne Resort Charlotte Facebook @GalleryRest
Mimosa Grill Charlotte Facebook @MimosaGrillCLT
Savannah Red Charlotte
Zebra Restaurant Charlotte
Knife & Fork Spruce Pine Facebook
Simplicity at the Mast Farm Inn Valle Crucis Facebook

Which of these restaurants have you tried? Tell us your favorites in the comments below.