My wife and I visited Chef & the Farmer in Kinston to celebrate my birthday, and it turned out to…read morebe one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had in years. We were delighted to be personally greeted by none other than Vivian Howard -- James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. It was our first visit since Chef Vivian reimagined the restaurant into its current format: an intimate, chef-driven dining concept she calls "Chef New," inspired by one of her favorite restaurants, Chez Nous in Charleston, where a compact menu of six rotating daily selections keeps the focus squarely on quality and creativity. Chef Vivian herself seated us, and from that moment, the warmth and intentionality of the experience never let up. We were fortunate to be seated directly in front of the open kitchen, where we had the pleasure of meeting Chef Hope and watching the culinary team work with quiet precision. Every member of the staff -- from our server to the pastry and salad chef -- contributed to an atmosphere that felt both refined and genuinely welcoming. The prix-fixe menu, which rotates weekly, offered a wonderful range of choices. We opened with a starter of soft-shell crabs -- caught just two hours prior -- served with charred scallion mayo and a bright corn relish. The dish was extraordinary: delicate, fresh, and perfectly executed. My wife's Brussels sprouts, tossed with spiced peanuts and goat cheese and finished with a honey vinaigrette, were equally impressive. A generous pour of Sorgente Prosecco made it all the better. For our mains, I chose the flank steak, accompanied by asparagus with green butter and a silky root vegetable purée. My wife opted for the house-made tagliatelle in a shrimp scampi that she couldn't stop talking about. Both dishes were beautifully presented and thoughtfully composed, reflecting the restaurant's deep commitment to farm-to-table sourcing and local ingredients. The meal concluded with fantastic desserts and continued conversation with the staff, who were as knowledgeable as they were passionate. Throughout the evening, there was an evident attention to detail in every element -- from the food preparation to the way each dish was explained and presented. This is the kind of dining experience that reminds you why food matters. We will absolutely be back.

We've eaten a few times at Chef & the Farmer, enjoyed the Kitchen Bar experience, and were excited…read moreto try the latest iteration, The Counter. As always, Vivian does not disappoint. The Counter occupies what was once the private dining room at Chef & the Farmer. Decor is cool - bare brick, tin ceiling, polished cement floor, tables and chairs new but antiqued. An eclectic mix of music plays - a little too loud for my liking, but not so loud that we had to shout. Perhaps a dozen tables, plus a few on the sidewalk for when it warms up. The menu is simple, only a dozen or so choices. Some are old favorites, some new creations. A special of the day is offered. You order at the counter, and food is served at your table. You pick your table. We opted for an early dinner, arriving at 4PM on a Sunday. It was quiet in the restaurant, only us and and one other table. Service was good, but a little disjointed - one entrée arrived a full 5 minutes before the rest of the food. I tried shrimp and grits, the daily special. 6 shrimp, atop a bowl of cheddar grits, adorned with ground sausage, mushroom and roaster red pepper sauce. The shrimp are smoky; a crispy crunch to each one. Grits are creamy and perfect, complete with a few lumps. The sauce pulls it all together and adds the tiniest hint of heat. YUM! Also tried blueberry bbq chicken enchiladas. These are 3 to a serving; tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken prepared with Vivian's famous blueberry sauce. They're served in a shallow pool of poblano cream and topped with sliced radish, cilantro and cotijo. With a side of black beans. The chicken is the star.. it's moist, flavorful with the sweet/sour goodness of the blueberry sauce. Delish! Also tried a trio of sides - fried collards, hushpuppies and beets. The fried collards are a familiar favorite - deep fried collard leaves, crispy and salty. Hushpuppies are golf-ball sized, wonderfully crisp on the outside, moist and sweet on the inside. They're topped with apple & jalapeno preserves. Beets are served with slices of orange, topped with spiced and feta vinaigrette. To be honest, you could just order one of each of the sides (there are others) and that would be a meal! The counter offers wonderful food. Not quite the experience of a full sit-down meal (I really MISS Chef & the Farmer), but still - worth the drive to Kinston.

I used to enjoy the food and service, but that changed a few weeks ago. I noticed that Miranda, who…read moreprovided excellent service, is no longer there, and it shows. Makayla informed me that Miranda isn't the only person "out," which may explain why the turnover rate seems high. Recently, I've observed a decline in the care taken when preparing food and in customer service. Like any paying customer, I expect fresh, hot food. Instead, I've been served refried chicken and bacon, which is unacceptable. Chicken pastry should include chicken, but when I brought this up, I was told that the cook had always made it that way and wouldn't change it. Meals should never leave the kitchen unless they're properly prepared. Returned to work late and hungry..

Home cooked meals at its finest. Everyone is so friendly. And you must try the homemade chicken…read moresalad. Everything I had ordered from there has been delicious!

It was delicious! The seating area was clean and well managed. The cashier was polite and patient…read morewhile we figured out what we wanted to eat. The customer service was great!

Wow! I can't say enough nice things about this Biscuitville! The man who waited on us when we…read morearrived was the manager, Robert Gould, unbelievable customer service and that's saying something... I've been in customer service for 45 years and base all of my customer service experiences off of how I would treat someone, and he was outstanding, friendly and so professional! The restaurant was clean and not one thing on the floor, register area or soda area. Food was hot and delicious! I will be telling everyone I know about it and will definitely be going back. Thank you Mr. Gould, I honestly love Biscuitville but can't get my husband to go with me and today you changed even HIS mind!!

I came to check out the nc product barn.. full of nc made products! I know on Friday I can get a…read moreplatter of the famous Mac n cheese from the fridge up by the counter but I always look to see what all they have. So many great products.. sauces, dips, food stuff and a lot of others! You can see what goes into all the products and where they are from! They even had samples on counter of several products.. I tried a granola and fell in love! Pineapple walnut! Owned and operated by veterans, hand crafted called staats bakery..Dobson nc.. one example of nc made ! They have a corner with local wines and you can sample them.. I love this barn it's always an adventure.. oh and yes I've eaten in restaurant and had deserts from gift shop the ice cream is a delight and foods yummy.. come early and come hungry!

Enjoyed a wonderful family style birthday dinner with friends. Fresh hot biscuits with sorghum…read moremolasses, ham, succulent pork loin with gravy, wonderful fried chicken, green beans, corn, cheesy Mac & cheese, and sweet tea. Desserts after all that food, are an after thought... The incredible gift shop featuring all made in North Carolina items. Live music on Saturdays. This place is always busy, but always worth it!

Tasty food. Fun waitress. Surprisingly good glass of wine. We were passing through late from my in…read morelaws house and needed a food stop. Great experience and we will definitely stop here again! I can vouch for the fries, jerk tacos, and Cuban sandwich. Give them a try!

Food - fresh and quick. Havana bowl was very flavorful. Loved the potatoes…read more Pancake was only half crispy, but great flavor. Eggs were fluffy.

Definitely try their Dutch Potatoes!! 10/10 !! The staff are very kind as well. Always clean,…read morealways wholesome.

Food is good as always. Had a little hiccup with the wait-list but management immediately fixed the…read moresituation.

My fiance and I love Celia's. I have only ever gotten take out but he goes often for lunch with his…read morefather. Saturdays are our favorite when they have the steak fajita burrito special. I literally dream about it! Soooo good.

Didn't get my extra side of rice and when I got home to eat my meal I opened the box I smelled a…read moresour smell and thought it was just my imagination I started on the rice and gravy and it became overwhelming and tasted horrible just like soured milk couldn't eat it and got sick. I found out that the gravy is where the smell was coming from because some I had on the side in a cup had exploded out the side bubbling and oozing out like some kind of chemical reaction.

Excellent! My friends brought me here for dinner. I had been here many, many years ago but am…read morenever in the area, so what a delight it was to come. The menu has so many wonderful items to chose from, along with the specials of the night. We must have changed our minds three times. Our poor waitress just laughed. She was a sweet girl but I don't have the bill to remember her name. My friend always gets seafood; shrimp and scallops. He loved it. My friend and I both got the Country Fried Chicken Breast and a cheddar scallion biscuit smothered with sawmill gravy served with whipped potatoes and garlic green beans $28.95. OMG so much food. We ended up taking 3/4 of it home. I had lunch for the next two days. Our service was excellent. Our food excellent. The atmosphere pleasant. We dined on a Friday night around 5:30. We did not have reservations, but it is recommended that you do. Kudos to the Chef.

Floyd's was by far the best restaurant that we tried while at Atlantic Beach…read more Everything from the artwork to the wine selection, menu options and very sweet waitstaff were just outstanding! We will definitely return next year since everything was impeccable.

Please note- Address;…read more 4763 Highway 11 north Bethel, NC 27812 This place is a great hole in the wall. Right next to a gas station, very unassuming. We ate breakfast, lunch, and got a to go dinner for later as they open 5:30a - 2pm M-F. Closed Sat/Sun. They had really good chicken tenders they had just made for the gas station hot bar next door. They were good. My hubby got the chicken gizzards- he said they were very good. We will be stopping by again when in the area,

The food is great! Simple fare and tastes home cooked! They fix my breakfast every morning, just…read morewished they were open on Saturdays!