North Carolina Restaurant Named In Yelp’s Top 100 of 2024
With the start of a new year we see a nice mix of shout-outs in January. This includes “best of” features from the previous year, and then what we have to look forward to this year. Yelp recently published the top 100 restaurants of 2024, and a North Carolina establishment made the top 20.
Haywood Smokehouse in Dillsboro, North Carolina, ranked as the 11th best restaurant for 2024. Furthermore, it was the first barbeque establishment highlighted.
To compile this list, Yelp stuck with its community engagement strategy. “This year, our huge, food-loving community reviewed and rated their faves from coast to coast, so you can find lots of new restaurants to love, whether you’re at home or on the road,” they explained.
This final compilation is vast and, as you can imagine, covers just about every food group. Specifically, Yelp calls out how popular noodles seem to be in addition to Latin cuisine.
Here’s What You Need To Know About Haywood Smokehouse
Located at 403 Haywood Road, this barbeque joint that shares a name with the street now has three restaurants in North Carolina. Franklin and Waynesville are the other two. Regardless, the cooking process at Haywood Smokehouse is the same. Some of the meats (like brisket) take 14 – 20 hours to properly cook.
“They specialize in (and are known for) dry-rub meats prepared Texas-style—“ridiculously delicious” brisket cooked low and slow, and ribs that are “fall-off-the-bone-tender,” Yelp said. If that’s not enough, you will find sliced turkey, sausage, and chopped pork.
As for the menu, it’s extensive and full of flavor. Platters, sandwiches, and quesadillas are the main events. However, small plates and stews are also available. Haywood Smokehouse also allows customers to buy meats by the pound. Of course, no original barbeque joint is complete without dry rub and sauce options. Haywood has your typical sweet red and Carolina sauces. In addition, they make unique mixes like chipotle ranch and strawberry chipotle.
You can see Yelp’s full list of top 100 2024 restaurants here. Hint: three other North Carolina establishments made the list.
North Carolina Spot Among the Best Cheap Spring Break Trips
Spring break always arrives at just the right time. It’s when the holiday cheer has totally worn off, and it’s also right when spring is around the corner but it’s not quite here yet. I remember loving spring break in school. But, even if you’re not in school or college anymore, why not take a fun spring break trip this year? Thankfully, there are plenty of trendy, cheap spring break destinations available. One North Carolina spot is even among the best cheap spring break trips in the US. (South Carolina is in here, too.)
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, as they say, stay close to home. It doesn’t have to be a staycation. But, why not travel to a town that you’ve never been to that’s within road trip distance? Of course, if you live in a cold climate, you might want to travel to a hot spot. The good news is that a lot of warm spring break destinations have great rates, because tourist is simply their business. So, if you go to a popular spring break spot, chances are they’ll have some good deals and be able to cut you a good deal due to just how many people who travel there each year.
The perfect spring break destination is really about getting away from it all. You want a place that fun and exciting. But, you also want a spot that really helps you break away from routine and, hopefully, your electronic devises. Another bonus is if you find a spring break destination near friends who you maybe haven’t seen in a while. It can be a really fun trip to find a central location and meet up with long-lost friends.
Read on for some trendy, cheap spring break trips in the United States, including the North Carolina and South Carolina ones. Here’s hoping for a super fun spring vacation. Oh, these work for summer, too.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.