Mexican Rock

Not much beats some green beer, scotch eggs and Irish music on St Patty's in an Irish pub in…read moredowntown Blowing Rock. Great selection of beers, drinks, regular food items and of course Irish food at this fun spot right on Main St. I had an Irish ale turned green that was cold one tasty. They even turned my wife's cider green which was a nice addition to the day's celebration. The scotch eggs were delicious. Hard boiled eggs wrapped in flavorful sausage that are baked and then served chilled. The dressing and dipping sauce went perfectly with the dish. Really a fun spot all around with great service, fun and hip atmosphere whether it's St. Patrick's Day or not. We'll be back!

A group of us had an early dinner here and I have to say everyone's dish was absolutely wonderful…read morewith large portions! I ordered the fish and chips which was reasonably priced given how much I received in the order. See the pic. The fish consisted of 3 large pieces of fish! The picture doesn't do it justice. I had leftovers for the next day. My husband ordered the salmon with wild rice and collard greens. He said the salmon and rice were amazing. The collard greens were what you might expect for collard greens but still good and healthy. :-) This was one of our best meals while in Blowing Rock. You don't want to miss this place.

Fish and chips

See all

Parade day after thanksgiving

Blowing Rock Brewing

4.0(473 reviews)

Best burgers and beer served with a smile and friendly service. Try the Bison burger you won't be…read moredisappointed

After a long day hiking, we made our way down from Grandfather mountain, enjoyed the views along…read morethe Blue Ridge Parkway as we drove to Blowing Rock. We found parking on a side street near Blowing Rock Brewing, so decided to enjoy a drink and get some lunch. We were seated quickly, near a heater, which was nice to help us warm up after being on the mountain. A waiter came by with menus to take our order. We asked for some suggestions, but he was a little less than enthused to offer advise. They had a good variety of beers, so my wife and I each got one, and shared them. We got the Pina Colada Kolsch and the Cloud Rise Hazy Ipa. Both were tasty, the Pina Colada Kolsch had a much stronger pineapple flavor than I expected, but in a good way. For food we started with the white cheddar poblano, which I expected to be more of a liquid queso for some reason. It was instead for of a soft, spread, which was really good, and paired well with the chips. And then we split the Turkey Reuben, which I figured would be made with deli meat, instead, it was warm, cooked chunks of turkey, really great flavor, and hit the spot for us. The sides with the sandwiches were a bit lacking, only offering hot chips, and green beans....I've never gotten the whole hot chip craze, but green beans just seamed like too odd of a side option for a sandwich It was a good visit, and a good meal, to get us back on our feet. Overall, a nice space, with bar seating, a back room, a back and front patio, plenty of space to hang out, relax and enjoy their beer. Food and drink were both good and worth a visit if you're in the area.

Images on the walls

See all

The Town Tavern of Blowing Rock

3.5(341 reviews)

We stopped here on a beautiful spring Sunday morning, and it was the perfect way to start the day…read morebefore exploring Blowing Rock. There's so much to do in the area, and this was a great first stop. The food was excellent, the service was excellent, and the menu had a really nice variety. We sat outside on the patio, which made the whole experience even better on such a nice morning. I ordered the blackened shrimp salad, and it was outstanding. It was a very large salad loaded with fresh vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of blackened shrimp. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and well prepared.

Solid tavern in the downtown area of Blowing Rock…read more We popped in here as we were having a bit of a Sunday Funday and got beers and a round of shots. The service was friendly, and the pricing was cheap. While I noticed they did have food, we didn't eat. It seems to be loved by locals though, because it was packed on a Sunday afternoon.

Bar area

Buffalo Chicken side pasta salad

See all

Menu

The Embers

4.2(29 reviews)

0.6 mi

Superb evening at this sleek and modern lounge and restaurant in the lobby area of The Embers…read moreHotel. We weren't expecting such a high level experience when we first booked a stay at this newly finished hotel. Classy cocktails, beers, plenty of wine variety, you name it. Went with the Old Smokey as a starter. An old fashioned kicked up a notch. The house smoked maple syrup and charred orange peal knocked his cocktail out of the park. I could smell that smoky flavor from the other end of the bar as it was being made. Bartender was super friendly and had some great mixology skills. We opted for apps all evening, but can't wait to come back and try some more of the menu. The homemade bread is a must. These puppies come out hot and steaming, with this amazing bacon butter to lather them in...outstanding! Our server also recommended the mushroom pate. Mushroom pate you say?! Yes, yes I do. One of the best pate's we've had in a long time. Super flavorful, creamy and smooth. And the homemade chips sticking out of it were the bomb! Then the goat cheese fritters...I had to battle my wife for these flavor bombs. This place is outstanding and not many people know about it...yet. Newly finished in 2024, this is going to be our go to when we want to be right in the heart of Blowing Rock.

Great Idea, great location, awesome ambiance. Terrible execution…read more Started dinner with our waitress telling us they were out of 2 of their 4 entrees, they were out of 2 beer choices and 1 wine choice, and also out of a shareable. All on a Saturday night. The waitress told us they were out of all the items because it was recently valentines....? A week prior. Quality of food when it came out was subpar. Prime rib was very fatty and steak was somewhat hotel banquet quality. Definitely the quality of the food didn't represent the prices. I felt like we overpaid for items I didn't even really want to order because they were out of most choices. The waitress took also about 20 min per ask- drinks, ordering etc.

The Embers Restaurant opens both to the inner and outer serenity of Blowing Rock

Lemon roasted chicken

See all

Smoked Trout dip

Hellbender Bed & Beverage

Biscuits for breakfast at Hellbenders. Wrlcome, Good Morning, Do you need coffee? The bartenders…read moreand staff at Hellbenders bar are a blessing in Blowing Rock, NC.

Very cute and quaint place. We came in for dinner (recommended to have reservations) . The staff…read morewas friendly and welcoming. We sat in the front room which looks like what would have been a dining room since this is a repurposed house. It was a little dark in that section which is why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars. Most tables needed to bring out their phones for extra lighting. They had a nice selection on the menu.

Dining room

Trout

See all

Beverages

The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop

4.3(502 reviews)

0.6 mi

Took a little day trip while visiting our daughter in Charlotte, and her boyfriend highly…read morerecommended The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop. It's definitely a bit of a drive from Charlotte, but well worth it if you're exploring the mountain towns and scenery in the area. The restaurant has a really cool upscale mountain vibe that feels relaxed and comfortable without being stuffy. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and the whole place just had that quality mountain town feel to it. My wife and I both ordered trout, which felt like the right move here. I had the almond crusted trout with basil potatoes and garlicky grits, and it was excellent. Everything tasted fresh, balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. The garlicky grits were especially good. My wife ordered the smoked trout, and let's just say they do not mess around with the smoke flavor here. It was seriously smoky. A couple hours later she was still burping little smoke rings on the drive home If you love strong smoky flavor, you'll probably love it. They also had a really solid craft beer selection that fit the mountain atmosphere perfectly. Overall, high quality food, great service, fun atmosphere, and absolutely worth the drive. Easy five stars from us.

On our annual trip to Blowing Rock in May, we had to visit Speckled Trout twice. We love their…read morelow-carb options combined with their custom crafted cocktails, this place is a must-visit for every trip to Blowing Rock. Their cocktails are crafted with homemade syrups, and change seasonally. I had the Garden in Tibet--a delicious drink with gin, Prosecco, sugar snap pea syrup (!), green elixir syrup, elderflower liquor, and lemon. You'd think this could be a too-sweet drink, but it was PERFECT. My husband had the Which Damascus the first time, with rye whiskey, cherry basil syrup, hickory syrup, Amaro Montenegro, Tiki bitters, Peychaud bitters, and orange. He enjoyed it, but I thought it was definitely too sweet. He had a Garden in Tibet on our second visit, and preferred the Tibet to the Damascus drink. We love their unique smoked trout deviled eggs as an appetizer. This dish has two eggs filled with smoked trout, and three filled with a deviled egg mixture. The accompanying house hot sauce is so good! For our entrees, we both had hickory-smoked trout on the first visit Mine was definitely saltier than his. We had three sides--collard greens, smoked Gouda grits (our favorite), and corn, hominy, yellow squash & chile hash (so fresh and delicious!). On our second visit, I had the almond and cornmeal-crusted trout with the smoked Gouda grits, and my husband tried their fried chicken sandwich with slaw. He absolutely loved the sandwich--the chicken was thick, juicy, and very tender. He'll definitely get the sandwich again. Service is always good at Speckled Trout, and I love that we can pay with ApplePay at the table via the Toast handheld. We can't wait to return.

Dining room

The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop

See all

Outside of the speckled trout

The Best Cellar

4.2(130 reviews)

•$$$

Make reservations months in advance for this gem! Located in an old stone manor, the Best Cellar is…read morethe best restaurant in Blowing Rock! The rack of lamb and buttermilk chicken are some of my favorites. The staff are very professional and seem to continue working there for years. The renovated the gathering area to make a rustic, yet upscale bar. Parking is not a problem because they offer valet.

First night in blowing rock we got a rez here. Such a beautiful inn and restaurant and great…read moreservice. I had the halibut and chose acorn squash (all entrees come with mashed potatoes too). Delicious! One got steak au poivre and it was highly peppered but so tasty. One got steak and crab cake. One got Parmesan crusted chicken. Everything was so good! We brought home their signature banana cream pie and a peanut butter pie. Both great!

Vacant been here since 5:15 it's now 6 still vacant

Jumbo shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, and oysters Rockefeller

See all

Cellar dining area

Bistro Roca

4.1(526 reviews)

0.6 mi

Food, service and ambiance is perfect!! My whole family loves coming here for anything they make…read more My go to spot for lunch and dinner and the bar area is the best. If you know, you know!! Make a reservation and take someone special you both will have an excellent experience.

We went to dinner here while in the area. It was a cozy setting with a great atmosphere inside…read more However, they sat us on the closed-in patio by a window which ended up being a little too chilly. For my dinner I ordered the Wood Fried Brussels. The Brussel sprouts were not caramelized like I had at other places but it was very good and probably healthier. There were a lot of good flavors with the beets, candied pepitas, pickled peppers and the saffron aioli. I would recommend this dish. Others at the table ordered the Cobb Salad, classic wedge with salmon, & the Artisan pizza. Unfortunately, the salmon was not completely cooked so it went uneaten. Two people in our party ordered diet cokes which were fountain drinks. The diet cokes were not good because there was no carbonation. The pizza and Cobb salad were good. If you eat here during the colder months, I recommend asking for a seat inside. That seemed like it would have been a cozier experience.

The avocado was by request!

See all

The farmhouse Mac. Awesome

Storie Street Grille & Sidecar Bar

3.7(283 reviews)

Service was great. location and vibe was awesome. we ate on the back patio. The tomato bisque as a…read moreside was the best food there. Flawless actually. The monte cristo was good. The salmon stack was not. But that may be just personal preference. I felt they were under cooked and the fish taste stood out way more than I was hoping for. Would go back and try something else though.

Stopped by for a late lunch today. I had not been able to come in for a couple of years and was…read morehappy to see that even though they had updated and changed their menu, they still had the same upscale menu that has always kept my family coming back! I had the original Smashburger. It was delicious. The fries were nice and hot. Everything was cooked perfectly. My waiter was Lance. He was helpful with the menu and very attentive. I had a glass of the house Chardonnay. It hit just the right notes for my lunch. I love that they use locally sourced ingredients. It was nice to see that the kids menu was more than just your normal three or four choices. Still one of my very favorites!

Smashed burgers

See all

Menu

Puerto Nuevo Fresh Mex And Seafood

4.5(37 reviews)

9.8 mi

Oof! This place is top notch yummmyyyy! After a long day on the slopes of Sugar Mountain, Puerto…read moreNuevo was conveniently located right on the corner as you exit. My family and I were hungry and are also TexMex lovers, so we had to stop in. We all agreed this place was great! We ordered fajitas and two quesadillas (chicken and cheese only). The quesadillas were probably the best I've ever had, and the fajitas were delicious. Everything was seasoned on point. Service was great. Very attentive and made sure we always had chips and our beverages filled. Food also came pretty quickly, especially considering they were pretty busy. The restaurant is also decorated very nicely! It had a really cute bar, and I loved the salsa bar!! Prices were reasonable, as well. If you like good Mexican you MUST try this place out. You can thank me later ;)

After tubing at Sugar Mountain, almost every restaurant in the area was closed due to a snow storm…read more We happened upon this place and were seated immediately. They brought over waters and a complimentary bean/cheese dip. My husband ordered a margarita the size of his head; he loved it! The decor was really pretty and had a lot of local artwork. I got steak and shrimp fajitas and they were great! My son enjoyed some ribeye tacos and rice and beans. My husband had the chimichanga and also loved it. Our server was so sweet and helpful. The salsa bar was such a fun addition to the experience. Very cool place!