The Best Restaurants In Boone North Carolina

Boone, North Carolina, is a lively student city, full of outdoorsy things to do and beautiful mountains to see. Unsurprisingly, there are also plenty of great restaurants. Here are our top 10 picks.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

The Gamekeeper

Recently listed as one of the best restaurants in all of North Carolina, The Gamekeeper is a mountain gem. Here, they love their region, they love food, and they love putting the two together to create an ever-changing, always organic, and always local menu full of seasonal surprises. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the meat choices you find. Just allow yourself to be wowed by a restaurant that can put elk and ostrich on the same page and make everything equally delicious.

Coyote Kitchen

CoBo Sushi Bistro and Bar

Trout & Barrel’s take on a burger and fries

Think sushi in a mountain paradise – this is the atmosphere that you’ll find at CoBo Sushi. The interior, with its stone columns and warm lighting, will welcome you in, and then the menu will make you stay. You’ll find all your favorite rolls, and then check out their specialty options for some excitement. Given all the choices, you’ll probably want to get several and then share them – or keep them all for yourself! If you’re squeamish, don’t worry. They’ve got you covered with plenty of (cooked) entrées and appetizers, in addition to an impressive beer list.

Stick Boy Kitchen

Originally opened in 2001 as just a bakery, Stick Boy has become quite an institution in Boone. The bread became so popular that eventually the owners capitulated to the demands of their customers and opened Stick Boy Kitchen, a cafe that puts their delicious baked goods to use. Their bagel sandwiches, using their own freshly baked bagels, are always a big draw. Or, you can get a breakfast plate that puts together all your morning favorites. Come lunchtime, you’ll find all the soups, salads, and hot and cold sandwiches that your heart desires. Stick Boy really takes pride in their town, and they exist to make Boone happy.

Proper

Southern society has always focused on being “proper” – and now they’ve gone and made Proper, a restaurant where you can get a proper southern meal whenever you feel like you need it. Welcome to the world of biscuits, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, fried chicken and waffles, and sweet tea in mason jars. Fair warning, though – once you’ve had a meal here, you might not want to live in any other region.

Melanie’s Food Fantasy

While lunches at Melanie’s are excellent, it’s the breakfast section that has really catapulted them to local fame. When you have a look at the menu, you’ll find that there are vegetarian and vegan options almost everywhere. Try one of their breakfast plates, all of which are loaded with enough eggs and sides to keep you going throughout the day. You’ll be impressed with the quality of the food, its presentation, and even the prices.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.