Renee Wants to Know

The Comfort of Cuisine

Memories of favorite North Carolina diners

by Renee Roberson

Misty Utech, owner of The Soda Shop in Davidson. Most of us have a place that is our go-to for comfort food—the place where we can get cheeseburger with a side of fries or a plate of barbeque with mac and cheese and the vegetable of the day. When I came across D.G. Martin’s book, North Carolina’s Roadside Eateries: A Traveler’s Guide to Local Restaurants, Diners and Barbeque Joints while shopping at Main Street Books one day, my curiosity got the best of me and I brought it home.

Martin is a Davidson College graduate and attorney who now works as a newspaper columnist and hosts UNC-TV’s program “North Carolina Bookwatch.” In the book, he guides readers through some of the best roadside eateries on down I-26, I-40, Interstates 73 & 74, I-77, I-85, and I-95. He shares either his own memories of how he first discovered the establishments (some memories are tied to eating out with his co-workers, teammates, attending political events, trips during his time as an attorney, etc.) At each stop he shares stories of the history of the establishment, some of the best dishes and other places in the areas to check out once you’ve enjoyed your meal.

Reading this book brought back my own memories of roadside eateries. Growing up in Western North Carolina, Stoney Knob Café in Weaverville, founded in 1962, remains etched in my mind. As a teenager, it was always my go-to stop for inexpensive comfort food, and I enjoyed chatting with Yotty and Jon Dermas, whose father owned the café. They eventually inherited it from him, and one of my friends in college even dated Jon for a time. In the early 2000s, I returned to Weaverville for a visit and was surprised when I saw the old diner of my memories had been completely transformed. While the two brothers still own the café, the building’s exterior and interior is now a sleek, sophisticated eatery with an eclectic menu of Greek, Mediterranean, American, and southern comfort cuisine. The service remains excellent, the food beautifully presented and prepared, and even though the prices have changed, I still enjoy visiting while I’m in town. Stoney Knob Café is not featured in Martin’s book, but another place I ate frequently while living in the Asheville area, Moose Café, receives a mention.

The Soda Shop in Davidson is to my kids what the Stoney Knob is to me. They’ve been going there since they were little kids and can now drive themselves there to get milkshakes, burgers, and my daughter’s personal favorite, the cherry limeade. They enjoy the atmosphere of eating in the diner, watching staff make the specialty drinks at the soda fountain and looking at the photographs of the Davidson College athletes throughout the years.

I hope this column makes you remember some of your favorite roadside eateries, and according to Martin, some of LKN’s “must visit” spots include The Soda Shop, Lancaster’s Bar-B-Que and Isy Bell’s Café. Make plans to visit one soon, or check out somewhere new, and soak in the atmosphere along with a vegetable plate or a piece of pie. These family-owned businesses will be glad you did.