3 minute read
DINING
Customers enjoy lunch at LouReda’s: An American Table in Barkley Square. (File Photo)
DINING in style
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By Paige Minshew
Food probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Rocky Mount.
But the city’s food scene is legendary to residents of Greenville, Zebulon and Wilson, just to name a few. If you’re in the mood for modern American cuisine, hamburgers with a spin, classic pizza, Mexican, food with a Southern flair or a good steak, Rocky Mount is the place to go.
Lou Reda’s: An American Table, opened its doors in the fall of 2013. Owner Lou Reda and chef partner and Culinary Director Justin Gaines bring a wealth of experience to the table in order to serve the crowd.
An American Table offers comfort food with a modern twist and bourbon-infused cocktails. Fan favorites are the roasted beet salad and crab cakes.
If you want a juicy hamburger loaded with unique flavors, Barley & Burger is the place to go. Holly Blanton and her husband, Josh, make Barley & Burger a frequent date-night destination.
“Barley & Burger is definitely one of our favorite places to go,” Blanton said. “They have burgers that are out of this world and an amazing beer selection.”
For those with a distinguished palate, “The Godfather” burger with fried mozzarella, pepperoni, marinara sauce and fresh basil is a fine choice. And lovers of the Southern favorite, pimento cheese, can have their share topped onto waffle fries with bacon.
Who doesn’t love Mexican food? El Tapatio Authentic Mexican Restaurant has been the
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Jose Emanuel, left, serves lunch to Gary and JoAnn Zimmerman on March 21, 2019, at El Tapatio Authentic Mexican Restaurant. (File Photo)
Left, Brandon Clarke prepares a burger on Nov. 15, 2018, at Barley & Burger. Right, Clifton Ray Batte cleans off a table at Moe & D’s Restaurant Grill & Bar. (File Photo).
go-to Mexican restaurant in eastern North Carolina for years.
“We have tried all of the other Mexican restaurants in town and we always go back to El Tap,” Blanton said.
You can’t beat family-owned Moe & D’s Restaurant Grill & Bar if you’re in the mood for either a laid-back atmosphere or a place to grub out on bar food while watching the big game. Michael, Steve and Moe Deloach, all natives of Rocky Mount, can provide any traditional comfort food you can imagine.
The Prime Smokehouse: Barbecue & Beyond has “the best macaroni and cheese in town hands down,” Blanton said.
Lifelong friends Ed Wiley III, his wife Yalem Kiros and Harold Worrell Jr. wanted to create a space where the “food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere warm and cosmopolitan and the service stellar,” thus, The Prime Smokehouse: Barbecue & Beyond was born.
Food enthusiasts from surrounding towns and cities have many diverse and interesting choices to satisfy their palates.
If steak and mac-n-cheese is your thing, head to The Prime Smokehouse. If you want to watch sports and chow down on comfort food, head to Moe & D’s. Fancy Mexican cuisine? El Tapatio is the place to go. For the best burgers in the area, head to Barley & Burger. And for contemporary American cuisine, Lou Reda’s: An American Table is where you want to be.
