James Pharmacy: Just What the Doctor Ordered

The North Carolina rivers and coast offer a veritable treasure trove of fresh fish and seafood options. As you can tell from their menu, the folks at James Pharmacy (named for the original Pharmacy building in Historic downtown Hillsborough) celebrate the beauty and simplicity of these natural resources. If these ingredients were any fresher, you’d be at the beach.

Saxapahaw General Store: GF Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Happy New Year! In the spirit of adventure, and trying new things, let’s drive west of Chapel Hill to visit Saxapahaw, NC. Saxapahaw is a happenin’ little hamlet with music (The Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw’s Historic Cotton Mill), a seasonal farmer’s market, and locavore food that garners the attention of The New York Times,

Acme Food & Beverage Co.: Gluten-Free Skillet Cornbread

Where: Acme Food & Beverage Co., 110 E Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510 GF Menu: Yes. Though items are not currently marked on the menu posted on their website, they are clearly noted with gluten-free symbols on dine-in menu. When I contacted Acme about their gluten-free options, the General Manager, Stephen Murtaugh, offered these important

Lantern: A Light on the Hill

Where: Lantern, 423 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Lantern, located in Chapel Hill, NC, is one of Gourmet America’s Top 50 Restaurants. Chef-owner Andrea Reusing was the 2011 James Beard award winner for Best Chef in the Southeast, has given a TedX talk on collaborating with small farms, and has written a new

Catch: Has Me Hook, Line, and Sinker

Where: Catch, 6623 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28405 When you dine at Catch, you are in for an exquisite culinary experience because Chef Keith Rhodes was named the 2011 Best Chef of the Southeast, he was a NC James Beard Semifinalist, and has been on Top Chef. Gwyneth Paltrow visited Catch in July 2012 for

Panzanella: Local Commitment

Note: This restaurant is no longer open. After many years of great service, Panzanella closed its doors on December 21st, 2013. Where: Panzanella, part of the Weaver Street Market Cooperative, in Historic Carr Mill Mall, 200 North Greensboro Street Carrboro, NC 27510 GF Menu: No. What I ate: Salmon Caesar Chef Salad from the Brunch

Miel: A Real Honey of a Place

Where: Miel Restaurant, 343 53rd Avenue North, Nashville, TN, 37209, located in the historic Johnson’s Meat Market building in Sylvan Park, Nashville. GF Menu: No. All meals at Miel are seasonal and made-to-order, so most items can be modified to meet GF needs. Servers will mark “GF” on the ticket so the kitchen staff will know

Top of the Hill: French Quarter Jambalaya

Where: Top of the Hill Restaurant, 100 East Franklin St., Third Floor, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 GF Menu: Yes. If you ask, they offer a laminated menu on which everything that is NOT Gluten-Free is marked with an “X”, making your decision-making that much easier. What I ate: French Quarter Jambalaya from the Dinner Menu. How

The Chelsea: Worth the Trip!

Where: The Chelsea, 335 Middle Street, New Bern, NC 28560 GF Menu: Yes! According to a helpful reader comment below, The Chelsea now has a GF menu. What I ate: Potato Crusted Salmon and Southern Osso Buco with seasonal vegetables from the Dinner Menu How to order it: The Chelsea is famous for its “New

604 West Village: I’m Just Wild About Saffron

October 2017 Update: This restaurant has now closed. Where: 604 West Village, 604 Fernway Avenue, West Village Section of Downtown Durham, NC 27701 GF Menu: No. While the menu at 604 West Village offers many (non-GF) pasta and pizza items, the entrees include several salads and dishes (such as risotto and polenta) that are GF,