The Food Guide · Avery & Watauga Counties
Restaurants worth the drive from Beech Mountain
A shortlist of the places locals actually send guests: two pizza spots on Beech Mountain itself, the main street favorites of Banner Elk, and the worth-the-drive kitchens of Boone and Blowing Rock. Every pick comes from the Beech Mountain community's own recommendations, including local Facebook groups, so these are the tables the people who live here favor.
Beech Mountain, NC, is a small town at the top of a mountain, and like most small mountain towns, its dining scene punches above its weight. You can eat well without leaving the mountain, but the real reward is the short drive down: Banner Elk's main street is ten to fifteen minutes away, and Boone and Blowing Rock are an easy twenty-five to forty minutes. This is the shortlist we hand to guests at the cabin.
These picks come from the Beech Mountain community's own recommendations, including the local Facebook groups, so they are the spots the people who live here actually favor. Mountain hours change with the seasons, so call ahead or check each restaurant's page before you go.
No. 01 · On the Mountain
Two pizza joints, right here
Walking distance or a short drive from the cabin, both on Beech Mountain Parkway.
You do not have to leave the mountain for a good meal. Both of these sit on Beech Mountain Parkway, a short walk or drive from the cabin, and both lean into the mountain's casual, family-friendly rhythm: pizza, sports on the screens, and a warm room after a cold day on the slopes.
-
Bullwinkle's Pizzeria & Sportsbar
On the mountainHand-tossed, hearthstone-oven pizza, pasta, and spirits inside the Top of the Beech Inn, with big screens for game days.
- 606 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC
- (828) 387-2354
-
Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria
On the mountainFamily-owned since 1987, with 25 specialty pizzas, live music, and an arcade that keeps the kids busy.
- 402 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC
- (828) 387-4000
No. 03 · Boone & Blowing Rock
Worth the drive to Boone and Blowing Rock
Twenty-five to forty minutes from the cabin, for a real night out.
When you want a real night out, Boone and Blowing Rock deliver: Appalachian fine dining, wild game, family Italian, and downtown cocktail spots. The drive is part of the evening, and these are the places worth making it for.
-
The Local
BooneScratch New American plates built on local ingredients, with billiards and live music on Wednesdays.
- 179 Howard St, Boone, NC
- (828) 266-2179
-
Casa Rustica
BooneFamily-owned Italian since 1981, with fresh pastas, steaks, and homemade desserts on NC-105 between Boone and Blowing Rock.
- 1348 NC-105 S, Boone, NC
- (828) 262-5128
-
The Gamekeeper
Blowing RockWild game like bison, venison, elk, and boar, plus local trout, in a rustic setting on Shull's Mill Road.
- 3005 Shull's Mill Rd, between Boone and Blowing Rock, NC
-
Over Yonder
BooneAppalachian plates with Louisiana flair, from shrimp and grits to pan-fried trout.
- 1377 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC
-
Mountaineer Tavern
BooneTavern fare, burgers, and steaks near the App State campus, with craft cocktails and local beer.
- 610 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC
- (828) 355-9225
-
The Social
BooneNew American with Mediterranean touches and craft cocktails in downtown Boone.
- 585 W King St, Boone, NC
- (828) 386-6405
Plan Around It
Come home to a full stomach
The Heart of Beech Retreat is a simple, cozy cabin on Beech Mountain, NC, with every one of these restaurants a short drive away. Book the cabin and the whole High Country food scene is your backyard.