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Tastes of North Carolina
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items This list started with a simple idea: share a few favorite flavors from my home state. But once I got into the stories behind the snacks, sips, and homegrown staples, it turned into something more—a little love letter to North Carolina, told through ...
Sections
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Pantry Pride North Carolina Style
North Carolina Distilled from Corn to Craft
Wine & Orchards—Sips with a Southern Accent
Cheers to Beers—Breweries & Brews of NC
Tar Heel Treats & Twists
Pantry Pride North Carolina Style
This list started with a simple goal: share a few food favorites from my home state. But once I began digging into the stories behind the snacks and sips, it became something more—a little love letter to North Carolina, told through biscuits, barbecu...
Five delectable flavors inspired by Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. I’ve had my share of Krispy Kreme donuts—haven’t you? Maybe even in bread pudding form (yes, that’s a thing). Born in Winston-Salem in 1937, these iconic treats originally sold for just 25 c...
Jelly Belly Krispy Kreme Gift Box 4.25oz
Great on french fries, potatoes, vegetables, meat, and more. Charlotte Veteran restaurant owners Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas founded the first Bojangles’ restaurant in Charlotte in 1977. They based their concept on three attributes: distinctive flav...
Bojangles Bo's Famous Seasoning Salt (2 Pack)
Opening my lunchbox as a kid, I had no idea those peanut butter or cheese crackers were already classics. Lance has been sandwiching snacks since 1913, right out of Charlotte, NC. Over a century later, they’re still going strong—because when life giv...
Lance Sandwich Crackers Variety Pack, 36 Ct
Sure, Georgia gets all the peanut glory—but North Carolina’s got jumbo peanuts, and we know what to do with them. The Carolina Nut Company in Goldsboro has been turning out bold, addictive flavors for over 70 years. Boiled, roasted, or seasoned in ev...
Carolina Nut Co. Peanuts, Bacon Ranch, 12oz
Cackalacky knows how to bring the heat—right to your snack bowl. These extra-large, kiln-roasted NC peanuts are fired up with the same award-winning spice blend behind their legendary pepper sauce. The Beer-B-Q® flavor? Bold, smoky, and just the righ...
Cackalacky Spiced Nuts - 12 oz - Roasted Peanuts
Cackalacky Cheerwine BBQ Sauce This one's a true Carolina collab—Cackalacky BBQ sauce meets the fizzy legend known as Cheerwine. Born in Salisbury in 1917 (thanks to a sugar shortage!), this cherry-flavored soda is not wine, but it is a state treasur...
Cackalacky Cheerwine BBQ Sauce - 16 oz
Cape Fear Hoggin Carolina Vinegar Sauce: Mention BBQ sauce and things can get messy—especially in North Carolina, where Eastern-style vs. Western-style (aka Lexington- or Piedmont-style) sparks some spirited debate. Eastern ‘cue is vinegar-based and ...
Cape Fear Hoggin Carolina Vinegar Sauce 12oz
Spoiler: Texas Pete isn’t from Texas. This bold and peppery hot sauce was born in the 1940s in Winston-Salem, NC, thanks to the Garner family—three sons, no Pete, and a family stove. Today, the Texas Pete brand brings the heat with wing sauce, honey ...
Texas Pete Shaker Variety Set - 4 Pack
From Greensboro with flavor! These boldly seasoned veggie crisps come in artisan combos like Roasted Garlic & Asiago, Sweet Potato Soufflé, Red Curry Hummus, and more—yes, even Cheesy Cheese Pizza. Made with real vegetables like spinach, tomatoes...
Wicked Crisps Variety Pack, 4oz (7 pack)
You know it’s good when people want to drink the juice straight from the pickle jar. Mt. Olive heard the call and bottled their famous Kosher Dill Pickle Brine for all your tangy needs—cocktails, salad dressings, marinades, and more. Still based in M...
Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Pickle Juice - 12 pk
Did you know that Charlotte is the Pimento Cheese Capital of the World and Ruth's Salads, produces 45,000 pounds of deli salads and spreads, the most in the Southeast. The "caviar of the South" refers to pimento cheese, a Southern American spread mad...
Ruth's Salad
Long live the queen—and long live her cheese! Charlotte, North Carolina, the Queen City herself (named for Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz), is also crowned the Pimento Cheese Capital of the World. This Southern classic—lovingly dubbed the “c...
Queen Charlotte's Pimento Cheese Royale™
Thin, crisp, and packed with flavor, Moravian cookies are a NC treasure with roots that reach all the way back to 18th-century Europe. Baked in Winston-Salem since 1932, Dewey’s carries on the tradition with classic spice thins inspired by German Leb...
Dewey's Bakery Cookie Collection - 9 oz (6 Pack)
North Carolina Distilled from Corn to Craft
North Carolina’s history with spirits runs deep—way deeper than just moonshine lore (though we’ve got stories there too). These distilleries are crafting everything from smooth bourbons and spiced rums to modern takes on gin and vodka, all with Carol...
Want to plan your own spirited road trip? This list of The 15 Best North Carolina Distilleries from Tripadvisor is a great place to start. Many NC distilleries use local grains, heirloom corn, or mountain spring water to give their spirits a true Car...
THE 15 BEST North Carolina Distilleries (2025) - Tripadvisor
Weldon Mills Distillery (Weldon, NC): “Award-Winning from Grain to Glass” Set inside a historic mill by the Roanoke River, Weldon Mills isn’t just scenic—it’s seriously decorated. As the most awarded NC distillery from 2021 to 2024, they’re known fo...
Weldon Mills: Medals & Mash in a Historic Mill
Oak and Grist Distilling Company (Asheville, NC): “Mountain-Made, Scotland-Inspired” Bringing a bit of the Highlands to the Blue Ridge, Oak and Grist blends local ingredients with time-honored Scottish methods. Everything from fermentation to bottli...
Oak and Grist: Appalachian Roots, Scottish Influence
Eastern NC once had a thriving rum trade, thanks to its proximity to ports and plenty of sugarcane imports. Outer Banks Distilling—the first distillery on the Outer Banks—keeps that coastal tradition alive with small-batch rums inspired by the legend...
Outer Banks Distilling
Did you know North Carolina outlawed alcohol statewide in 1908—more than a decade before national Prohibition began? Bootlegging became an art form in the mountains, and fast cars running moonshine helped inspire NASCAR. Legal distilling didn’t retur...
Distillery Directory - Distillery Trail
Wine & Orchards—Sips with a Southern Accent
From sun-ripened muscadine wines on the coast to crisp mountain ciders in apple country, North Carolina pours a full glass of southern flavor. These stops celebrate everything from heritage vineyards and hillside orchards to the occasional llama-guid...
The oldest operating winery in North Carolina is Duplin Winery in Rose Hill. Founded in the 1970s, it helped revive the state’s winemaking scene—especially for sweet Muscadine wines, a true taste of the South. Did you know Muscadine grapes are nativ...
Duplin Winery - North Carolina History Project article
Their wines are as delightful as their four-legged mascots—though only one of them will let you pet it. The llamas name their wines at Divine Llama Vineyards & Farm. Contrary to popular belief, while the llamas are great and provide insights into...
Divine Llama Vineyards & Farm - East Bend
Nestled in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Sky Top Orchard has been a family tradition since 1967. Sky Top was named the #4 apple orchard in the country in 2024 by USA Today. Did you know apple country in Henderson County...
Sky Top Orchard | U-Pick | Flat Rock
Bull City Ciderworks in Durham helped put North Carolina cider on the map with bold flavors like watermelon mint and hoppin’ jalapeño. It’s not your average apple juice. With four locations—and a bold sense of flavor—they’re hard to miss. Pig City Br...
Bull City Ciderworks | Different is Delicious
Cheers to Beers—Breweries & Brews of NC
If wine is about the land, beer is about the water—and North Carolina’s got both. From mountain-made lagers to coastal sours, the state’s craft beer scene is bubbling over with creativity. You’ll find breweries in repurposed fire stations, on mountai...
Did you know Asheville has more breweries per capita than nearly any U.S. city? It’s been nicknamed “Beer City USA” for good reason—and its cool mountain water and creative spirit help explain why. Use this list to build your own beer trail through t...
THE 15 BEST Asheville Breweries (2025) - Tripadvisor
Wherever you go in NC, a cold one isn’t far behind. This interactive map is the best way to find local breweries—whether you’re planning a road trip or looking for something on tap just down the road. From the hills of Boone to the coast of Wilmingto...
NC Craft Brewery Map - North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild
Blue Ridge Beer Garden is the first of its kind in downtown Hendersonville. Originally a 1950s gas station, the space's reimagining and expansion create a modern-day filling station of a different kind. Boasting 25 beers and ciders on tap, plus more ...
Blue Ridge Beer Garden - Hendersonville, NC
Tar Heel Treats & Twists
Before we wrap things up, let’s take a moment to savor the unexpected—those offbeat bites, legendary sips, and North Carolina originals that don’t quite fit anywhere else but absolutely belong here. These picks reflect the spirit of the state: full o...
Did you know North Carolina is home to one of nature’s strangest culinary marvels—purple honey? Found only in a small stretch of the Sandhills region, this rare honey has baffled scientists and delighted locals for generations. Is it the soil? The f...
The Mystery of Purple Honey – BBC Travel
In 1893, a New Bern pharmacist named Caleb Bradham concocted a fizzy drink he called "Brad’s Drink." Just five years later, it was renamed Pepsi-Cola—and the rest is sweet, bubbly history. This global brand still wears its North Carolina roots proud...
The Birthplace of Pepsi – New Bern, NC
From Calabash-style seafood and livermush to Cheerwine and pimento cheese, North Carolina’s food culture is as diverse as its landscape. This round-up from Visit NC serves up a delicious crash course in iconic local dishes—some familiar, some surpris...
14 Must-Try North Carolina Foods – VisitNC.com