From farm-to-table spots to century-old institutions, here’s where to eat on your next eastern North Carolina road trip
By Catherine Currin

Come summertime, Raleighites flock to eastern North Carolina to escape the bustle of the city — for a coastal respite, time on a farm, a visit to family. But what about for dinner? Eastern North Carolina’s dining scene is one of the state’s most underrated road trip destinations. Each region and town in this part of the state is distinctly different, but its culinary scene shares a common thread. “We tell the story of this place through food, hospitality, local farms and local culture,” says chef Luke Owens of Native Fine Diner in Greenville. 

You can feel the energy at a farm-to-table spot that features seasonal produce from a neighbor and through a menu centered around seafood caught just miles away. It’s just as prevalent at old-school establishments that have barely changed in almost a century as it is in fine-dining establishments up-fitted to pay homage to their historic spaces. “The food, the hospitality, the building, the farms we work with, and the stories we tell all reflect this community,” says Owens. “When guests feel connected to a place through food, that’s what makes a restaurant worth the drive.”

Read on for six dining experiences that just might inspire your next road trip. 

The Beefmastor Inn

Since 1966, The Beefmastor Inn in Wilson has been a dining destination for North Carolinians. Just 45 minutes outside of Raleigh, the classic steakhouse boasts a colorful salad bar but otherwise no menu: a slab of marbled ribeye is presented and cut for guests tableside and served with a baked potato. 

The petite restaurant has roughly a dozen tables with checkered red-and-white tablecloths. The bar program is simple, with a few wines and beer to choose from, but diners can bring their own bottle to enjoy with dinner. 

Returning guests know the wait is a big part of the experience: Arrive in the afternoon and put your name on the list — Beefmastor doesn’t take reservations — then settle into the parking lot to tailgate. 

2656 US-301, South Wilson, NC 27893; thebeefmastorinn.shop  

Olivero 

Two Raleigh culinary vets are at the helm of Olivero in downtown Wilmington: chef/owner Sunny Gerhart, of St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, and co-executive chef Lauren Krall Ivey, who spent many years at Death & Taxes. Named for Gerhart’s great-grandfather, Olivero taps into his culinary experiences while sailing from Spain to New Orleans. Despite the international influence, the rotating offerings at Olivero always feature local products, including its cuts of meat, spirits on the cocktail menu, and produce from Eastern NC. 

“We draw inspiration from Italy, Spain and North Africa,” says Ivey. “The wood-fired grill and hand-made pastas keep everything grounded in ingredients people know and love. The food feels like an adventure. The whole experience feels like exactly the kind of night you’d make a road trip for.” 

522 S. 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC 28401; oliveroilm.com 

Chef & The Farmer 

For almost two decades, Vivian Howard has run and reimagined Chef & the Farmer, her downtown Kinston restaurant popularized by the PBS series A Chef’s Life. Just an hour from Raleigh, these days Chef & the Farmer is open Thursday through Sunday for dinner serving a prix-fixe style menu that changes weekly. She coined the dining style Chef New, an homage to a favorite restaurant with a similar format, Chez Nous in Charleston. She also hosts a monthly ticketed tasting menu at the kitchen bar, too — it sells out fast, so sign up for her newsletter if you want to get a ticket! 

120 W. Gordon Street, Kinston, NC 28501; vivianhoward.com/chefandthefarmer 

Native Fine Diner 

At Native Fine Diner, chef Luke Owens is reinventing the classic American diner experience. The retro space in Greenville’s historic arts district is the former home to Carolina Grill Diner, and Owens is putting his twist on eastern NC fare with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. There, you can find a rotating pickle plate and a vegetable starter that changes with what the farmers are growing — but also a pastrami on rye with house aioli, or a burger, best served with pickles and Duke’s mayo. There’s also the Blue Plate Special, a monthly dinner series inspired by diner culture from around the world. “Guests are looking for a sense of place,” says Owen. “We focus on the ingredients, traditions and people of eastern North Carolina while presenting them with a level of care and intention we refuse to put down.”

907 Dickinson Avenue, Greenville, NC 27834; instagram.com/nativefinediner 

Sunnyside Oyster Bar 

In an unassuming building in the small town of Williamston sits an oyster lover’s haven. Sunnyside Oyster Bar opened in 1935 and has been shucking oysters ever since. 

Like Beefmastor, the wait is half the fun: Guests put their name on the list and enjoy a $2 PBR while playing darts or watching TV. When it’s time, they belly up to the U-shaped oyster bar (it seats around 25 guests) and are assigned their very own shucker — many of whom have been doing it for decades. (You can meet the team on their paper menu.) 

Sunnyside is consciously “no-frills” with a lean menu featuring oysters by the dozen, peck or bushel; crab legs, shrimp or scallops; and a side of broccoli and cheese. Don’t miss the house cocktail sauce served warm in a tea kettle. Brave diners will attempt the Rooster: a saltine piled high with hot sauce, peppers and an oyster, heat level determined by the shucker. 

1100 Washington Street, Williamston, NC 27892

The Hackney

Just down the road in “Little” Washington, NC, The Hackney is getting national attention with James Beard-nominated chef Jamie Davis. Situated in a restored bank building, the restaurant makes a point to showcase local farmers and fishermen. Summer dishes include a collard green salad, softshell crab with Tidewater grits from nearby Oriental and chilled peach soup with cucumber and cornbread. The restaurant also doubles as a distillery, with their house vodka on the menu for cocktails like the Waterfront Breeze, a concoction made with St. Germain, raspberry and lime. 

192 W. Main Street, Suite A, Washington, NC 27889; thehackneywashingtonnc.com

This article first appeared in the August 2026 issue of WALTER Magazine.