The Bluffs Restaurant seemed like the perfect place for my celebratory lunch after making it to Alleghany County, my last county in the state. Bluffs is a historic restaurant located at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It opened in 1949 and was the first dining establishment on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The restaurant closed in 2010, but funds were raised to renovate and reopen it in 2021. Things needed to get up to code, and the kitchen needed to be modernized. But they made sure to keep the dining area as it was back in 1949. They kept the retro lunch counter and cigarette machine. The green-and-white checkered floor was preserved, and the restaurant has wooden tables. They went for a rustic style with high ceilings, exposed wooden boards, sturdy beams, and low-hanging vintage lights. The goal during the New Deal Era was for it to blend in with the Appalachian landscape. Then Hurricane Helene hit in September 2024, and the whole parkway was closed due to landslides, fallen trees and infrastructure damage. Eight miles of the parkway reopened in September 2025, and Bluffs could reopen. The restaurant is currently open Thursdays through Sundays, so plan accordingly. Reservations are not taken, and it is walk-in only. I had to wait for a table as I didn't want to sit at the bar. My table was ready early, and the host came looking for me nearby at the Parkway gift shop. I thought that was really sweet. Service here was spot on, and everyone was so friendly. I ordered the NC Mountain trout as I wasn't going to be able to get that anywhere else. It is a locally sourced fish and came from the Blue Ridge streams. It had a pecan crust that was tasty too. I chose the baked apples for my side, and some rice, veggies and cornbread came with it too. It was filling, but I was ready to try the peach cobbler. They didn't have peach cobbler by itself, but the version they had came with blackberries and peaches. I was taken aback by it at first, as it looked like cake and not the cobbler I was familiar with. But it is an Appalachian technique, or "lazy man's cobbler," in which the wet batter rises through the fruit as it bakes, creating a soft, cake-like structure. The flavors were good, and I enjoyed the fruit in it. Eating heritage trout surrounded by the historic 1949 decor was the absolute perfect way to toast my final North Carolina county! Completing all 100 counties has been an unforgettable journey, and I couldn't have picked a more perfect or historic landmark to cross the finish line. read more