Extra yum and hold the boring

Before you can even think about food, you’ll probably need to think about coffee. Check out Gray Squirrel’s espresso bar in downtown Carrboro for a cup of small-batch joe. All of their coffee is locally roasted, beloved, and sure to leave you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Once you’re good and awake, switch your focus to breakfast. Get a real taste for what the South’s all about at Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, a true mainstay around these parts. Drive up, drive through, and enjoy a biscuit that’s bigger, and definitely more buttery than most.

Later, when you’ve explored enough to work up an appetite again, prepare to sit down to something special. Visit New Hope Market for lunch, where you’ll find a menu that offers a little something for everyone––all made with local, seasonal ingredients, of course.

Take a break from food to celebrate all your good eats like a Tar Heel: at Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery. Enjoy a locally brewed beer from the tap while taking in the Franklin Street scene on the rooftop.

Finally, it’s time for the grand finale: dinner at Lantern. Named one of America’s Top 50 Restaurants by Gourmet Magazine, Lantern is a sophisticated spot for Asian flavors perfected with North Carolina ingredients. Reservations recommended.

If you’re here on the weekend, be sure to check out the heart of our local food scene: the Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market. Every Saturday from 9AM - noon.