Twenty-five restaurants have been selected to compete this summer in the Best Dish in North Carolina competition. The finalists will represent one of two regions within the state in either the fine or casual dining category. Each region will have a single judge who will be responsible for choosing that region’s winners in both categories. Competition finalists are required to feature the dish or combination of courses in their restaurant for at least a four-week period running between May and September. During this time, the judges will visit each finalist within their region to sample the entries and judge each restaurant on its use of North Carolina products, creativity, presentation, taste and promotion. First-, second- and third-place winners will be announced in November.
Representing the Eastern Piedmont/Coastal region are Gravy Italian-American Kitchen of Raleigh, Sitti Restaurant of Raleigh, Rhett’s Restaurant, Personal Chef and Catering of Southern Pines, Market Restaurant of Raleigh, Bull Street Gourmet & Market of Durham, Angelina’s Kitchen of Pittsboro, Bald Head Island Club Restaurant of Bald Head Island, Catch of Wilmington, and Tonali of Durham.
The finalists in the Western Piedmont/Mountain region are Pleasant City Wood Fired Grille of Shelby, Bistro 42 of Asheboro, HomeGrown of Asheville, Curate of Asheville, Sunny Point Café of Asheville, Off the Square of Albemarle, Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen of Greensboro, Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar of Winston-Salem, Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar of Boone, Red Stag Grill of Asheville, Season’s at Highland Lake Inn of Flat Rock, Marisol of Greensboro, Westglow Resort and Spa of Blowing Rock, Gallery Restaurant of Charlotte, Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant of Blowing Rock, and Mast Farm Inn of Valle Crucis.
The annual event is sponsored by the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Our State magazine.