It can be tough to find truly great food in a small mountain town—but Burnsville delivers. We've been to Burnsville a few times over the years and recently spent three days here exploring the town, attending the NuWray Hotel re-opening, and, of course, during our visits, trying as many local restaurants as we could.
After 20+ years of adventuring through the Blue Ridge Mountains, we’ve gotten good at spotting the standouts. And Burnsville has some gems—whether you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, a casual lunch, or a memorable dinner with a view.
Here are our favorite places to eat and drink in Burnsville, based on our latest trip and personal taste buds. Come hungry—you’re in for a treat.
Updated 6/4/2025 - New restaurants added, updated to reflect our additional visits to Burnsville, and new photos and information added.
Appalachian Java
Appalachian Java is located in the heart of downtown Burnsville, and not only serves up excellent coffee, expresso drinks, and teas but also serves some fantastic sandwiches and other breakfast and lunch items.
So don't let the name fool you, they are more than just coffee.
We've visited a few mornings for coffee and breakfast and have visited for lunch as well. The food was delicious, and the staff was very courteous.
For breakfast, they have a bunch of different options, including fresh baked goods, bagels, breakfast burritos and wraps, breakfast sandwiches, and breakfast plates. They also have an excellent yogurt parfait with granola and fresh fruit.
We love their coffees and have tried many of the various flavors during our visits. The Vanilla Latte is still out go to. We've also tried sweet and healthy options as well, including chocolate muffins, cinnamon buns, the parfait, and breakfast sandwiches. All very delicious!
On the lunch menu are various salads, and sandwiches, including a Chicken Melt, a Greek Grilled Cheese, and a gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly. We went with the Greek Grilled Cheese and the Turkey Press. We shared the halves so we could both enjoy them.
They are a fantastic option in town for hot coffee, breakfast and lunch.
While waiting, we sat outside and enjoyed the warm sun while sipping on some cold drinks. Our sandwiches came out freshly made and hot, in nice bakery boxes. They were excellent, and not too heavy.
Appalachian Java is a great little place, that is really convenient when exploring downtown Burnsville.
Garden Deli
The Garden Deli is primarily a lunch spot, but on the weekends, they are a fantastic spot to grab some delicious food as well. They have a large selection of sandwiches, salads and soups.
The Garden Deli is owned by the same husband and wife that also own Snap Dragon. Garden Deli is one of, if not the oldest, restaurant in Burnsville. The Garden Deli opened its doors in 1987, and has been serving up fantastic food in Burnsville ever since.
Both Garden Deli and Snap Dragon offer fantastic food, but very different menus and atmospheres. But more on Snap Dragon, one of our personal favorites, below.
The Garden Deli is located right at the town square in Burnsville. What we really liked about it, though, is that it's very private, even though it's right in the center of town. The outdoor seating area is surrounded by large shrubs that provide not only some wonderful shade but privacy as well.
Garden Deli offers both indoor and outdoor seating in a casual dining environment. They have both a lunch and dinner menu, with different items. We didn't eat there for lunch but heard from others it was very good.
We had dinner there, and their dinner menu contains a number of interesting items, including salads, steaks, baby back ribs, shrimp, fish and more. They also have dinner specials which change frequently.
The evening we had dinner there, one of the specials was a lobster roll which we tried. It was the best lobster roll we've had anywhere, no joke. Definitely not what you would expect from a restaurant in a small mountain town.
We also had the Greek chicken plate, which was also excellent. The Garden Deli offers up a number of beer and wine options as well.
Overall, we really enjoyed dinner at the Garden Deli, and we would definitely eat there again. Our server Kaylee was super friendly and attentive as well.
Homeplace Beer Company
Homeplace Beer Company is a large brewery and restaurant located just outside of downtown Burnsville, and just down the road from the Terrell House Bed & Breakfast where we stayed for the weekend.
Homeplace Beer Company is a relatively new brewery, only open since 2018 but already making a name for itself in the local craft beer culture. They offer up a great selection of their own beers plus guest taps from other regional breweries. They also serve up food that pairs perfectly with their beers.
We've eaten and enjoyed some cold brews at Homeplace Brewery a few times during our visits to Burnsville.
We've sampled several of their beers and ate lunch and dinner there as well. We enjoy sitting outside on the deck, which provides splendid views of the surrounding area and their live music stage.
The beer selection was great, with a variety of styles including IPAs, lagers, stouts, and more. Larry's favorite is the Mustang Oil Stoute.
The food is really good too! We've ordered several of their specialty wood-fired pizzas, the garlic knots, and the wood-fired Jalapeno Poppers too.
Both were delicious, and the perfect way to enjoy a good meal, and relax after a busy day. In fact, if you just want a relaxing place to chill, drink a cold beer, and catch some live music, Homeplace Beer is perfect.
Definitely one of our favorites from our visit, and a place we look forward to visiting again.
Live Oak Gastropub - Recently Opened!
One of Burnsville’s newest restaurants—and already one of our favorites—is Live Oak Gastro Pub. Formerly located in Spruce Pine, they were forced to relocate after Hurricane Helene caused significant damage.
Their new space in Burnsville is beautiful, with stylish interior décor and a welcoming vibe that works just as well for a casual lunch as it does for a night out. Outside, there’s a great patio with gas heaters—perfect for cooler mountain days.
We visited for lunch with a group of seven, and everyone walked away impressed. We kicked things off with a Jalapeño Margarita and a round of appetizers: the Dirty South Deviled Eggs and Poke Nachos both hit the mark with bold flavors and eye-catching presentation. For our main dishes, the Blue Ridge Trout BLT stood out—crispy, fresh, and packed with local flavor and fried green tomatoes! And we couldn’t skip dessert: the Fudgery Bourbon Pecan Pie was rich, warm, and every bit as indulgent as it sounds.
What really stood out beyond the food was the hospitality. The owner took time to come out and chat with us, sharing some of the challenges they’ve faced after losing their previous restaurant. That personal touch, combined with the excellent food and service, made this one of the highlights of our visit.
Live Oak Gastro Pub is a welcome addition to Burnsville’s culinary scene. It’s one of those spots we’ll be coming back to again and again.
NuWray Restaurant - Recently Opened!
We had the chance to attend the NuWray Restaurant’s grand opening—and we were lucky enough to be part of their very first dinner service.
Dinner began out front, as the staff gathered around the large diner bell, cheering and celebrating as the dinner bell rang loudly for the first time in many years. The staff was pumped, excited and emotional. It has been a long hard road getting the hotel and restaurant re-opened.
This new fine-dining addition to Burnsville delivers a truly elevated experience, and it’s easily one of the best meals we’ve had in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The dining room itself is elegant but not overly formal, with a warm, polished atmosphere that perfectly complements the historic character of the NuWray Hotel. Service was exceptional—attentive, friendly, and clearly passionate about creating a great guest experience. Recommended attire is “smart casual,” and while we did see a few jackets and dresses, we also saw folks in jeans—it’s refined, but still relaxed.
The food? Outstanding.
We started with their house-made bread service, which was fresh, soft, topped with just the right amount of salt, and served with butter so good we almost asked for seconds. For entrees, we went with the market fish selection—Sheep’s Head served over perfectly cooked rice with Broccolini. We also tried the Filet Mignon, which was tender and flavorful with seasonal vegetables.
Others at our table (we were with a group) enjoyed the fried chicken and pork schnitzel with the NuWray's historic and signature cream gravy.
For dessert, our group shared two: a rich, layered chocolate cake and their playful spin on Baked Alaska called “Baked Burnsville.” It was just as fun and creative as it sounds.
If you are staying at the hotel, the restaurant also serves a breakfast buffet in the dining room each morning, which includes Cathead biscuits, NuWray's cream gravy, eggs, sausage, home fries, grits, fresh fruit, yogurt and more. We also had the pleasure of enjoying their very first breakfast buffet service, and it was delicious. Again, the service was on point!
The NuWray Restaurant is setting a new standard for dining in Burnsville and we can't wait to go back.
Carriage House Sundries
The NuWray Hotel is a historic hotel and inn, and one of the oldest buildings in downtown Burnsville. The hotel opened in 1833 and was a stagecoach stopping point. The hotel is not only well known for its rooms, but for its food as well (See our feature on the NuWray restaurant above).
The hotel is now open after undergoing a complete restoration, including the installation of a full-service restaurant giving a healthy nod to NuWray's culinary history and regional traditions. The hotel and restaurant officially opened on 5/31/2025, and we were there.
Associated with the Nuwray Hotel is Carriage House Sundries. We visited about 2-months before the grand reo-opening on the hotel and the town of Burnsville.
"The Carriage House" is a mix of gourmet food store, cigar shop, winery, and restaurant. It's a place where you can hang out and enjoy a glass of wine or whiskey, or have a full meal. If you enjoy cigars, they have a large humidor with all of your favorites.
It’s the kind of place where you want to slow down—whether you’re enjoying a meal or just having a drink. Every corner feels intentional, from the lighting to the furniture to the soft music playing in the background. It’s not just a restaurant—it’s a full experience, and a gorgeous one at that.
Whether you're dining in or just stopping by for a treat and a peek, Carriage House Sundries is a standout for both its style and its inviting atmosphere and one of our favorite places to hang out in Burnsville.
Pig and Grits
From our visits to many different small mountain towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains, each town seems to have its own popular BBQ restaurant. Burnsville NC is no different, and Pig and Grits is a staple.
Pig and Grits BBQ is located just down the road from the town square and has been serving up delicious, slow-cooked barbecue since 2014. They are local, family-owned and pride themselves on their locally-sourced meats that are slow-cooked daily over hand-cut hickory. This provides a wonderful simple, but rich and smoky flavor to their brisket, chicken, pulled pork, ribs, and turkey.
They also offer up a number of different in-house-made barbecue sauces, which are regional in flavor and style. Our favorites were the specialty sauces: Cherry Bourbon and Applewood Smoked BBQ.
From their delicious brisket to their down-home sides, you can't go wrong with anything they serve! We had a salad, smoked turkey, and a pulled pork BBQ plate.
If you like BBQ as we do, be sure to stop by and get your fill of barbecue goodness from Pig and Grits! You won't be disappointed.
Snap Dragon
Snap Dragon restaurant in downtown Burnsville offers a variety of Asian-infused dishes in a Maritime-themed bar and restaurant. The Snap Dragon is next door to the Garden Deli, and while owned by the same owners, has a very different menu and atmosphere.
The menu is full of interesting items like: Topsail Fish Tacos, Calamari, Dragon Spring Rolls, and Cannon Balls. The Cannon Balls are ground pork meatballs with a tangy sweet and sour sauce.
You'll also find Thai market ribs, a spicy island burger, and a Habernero Cordon Blue sandwich. We had heard from a few locals that the burgers at Snap Dragon were some of the best in town.
We started off by trying their evening drink specials and the fried pickles as an appetizer. The drinks were cold, fruity, and delicious, as were the fried pickles. The batter was very light, and they weren't greasy at all, which was nice.
For dinner, we ordered a burger and fish tacos and finished off our meal with a key lime pie and chocolate lava cake.
The food was excellent, served quickly, and hot. We really enjoyed the small and intimate atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating and a large open bar area. We were able to meet and talk with the owners as well, who are just super nice folks, and very proud of their restaurants and the heritage behind them.
While all of the restaurants were really good, if we had to pick one that was our favorite, it would be the Snap Dragon both for the unique food options, taste, and atmosphere. Our server was also super friendly, upbeat, and excellent, which really helped.
Snap Dragon is a must-try for anyone looking for something unique!
