Find the Best Things

Explore the Classic Diner Cuisine in North Carolina

nc diners

Even though diners were traditionally housed in passenger cars of trains, they evolved throughout the decades to become quaint restaurants known for their hearty fare at reasonable prices. Typically, home-cooked foods, diner fare runs the gamut from all-day breakfast to burgers and fries, liver and onions, and chicken pot pie. The following diners are tops in North Carolina. Stop into one or more!


Scrambled Southern Diner, Greensboro, NC

Visit the Scrambled Southern Diner in Greensboro for a variety of hearty dishes. Voted #1 for Best Breakfast in North Carolina by TripAdvisor, the breakfasts truly are tops. Their biscuits & gravy are a fast seller, followed by their homemade corned beef hash and shrimp ‘n grits. Enjoy a North Carolina shrimp po’ boy for lunch, along with a large assortment of burgers and sandwiches. Blue Plate Specials headline the dinner menu, with the popular Carolina barbecue beef brisket sandwich available on Wednesdays, followed by fried chicken on Thursdays.

Midnight Diner, Charlotte, NC

Open 24/7, Midnight Diner in Charlotte serves up pretty much anything you could possibly want to eat. Featuring Breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night selections, enjoy fried chicken, a bevy of egg dishes, pancakes, shrimp ‘n grits and more. Their pecan Belgian waffle is technically a breakfast dish, but goes down like a giant, rich dessert.

Metro Diner, Huntersville, NC

If you’ve never had fried chicken & waffles, don’t balk at the notion until you’ve tried it. A favorite on many diner’s menus, it is very popular at Hunterville’s Metro Diner. So is their Breakfast Pie. Layers of eggs, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes and bacon or sausage bakes up into a hearty, tasty dish that will last you from breakfast to lunch with no problem at all. Lunch and dinner items include fried chicken, steak tips, burgers, sandwiches, and more.

Stack’s Kitchen, Matthews and Waxhaw, NC

The tagline for Stack’s Kitchen is “Good Food & Plenty of It,” and that sums it up quite nicely. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, they also feature an excellent kid’s menu and they are known for their comfort food. Dine on chicken pot pie, Mom’s stuffed cabbage, shrimp and grits, classic baked meatloaf, and more. Breakfast finds all the usuals, along with a line of skillets that cater to hearty eaters. Choose from a Western Skillet, Popeye Skillet, Big Daddy Skillet and more. You won’t go hungry when you eat at Stack’s.

42 Diner, Asheboro, NC

If you enjoy beans as a side for breakfast and lunch, and you believe grits go with just about everything, too, you’re going to love 42 Diner. Serving breakfast and lunch, choose from a 42 Special (eggs, bacon, grits, beans), a variety of egg dishes, waffles, hotcakes and more for your morning meal. Select from burgers, club sandwiches, smothered hamburger steak, baked ham steak and fried chicken—to name just a few options—for lunch. Any way you pick them, you won’t leave hungry.

True Flavors Diner, Durham, NC

True Flavors Diner touts itself as an “upscale” diner that features familiar diner fare. Serving breakfast, lunch and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, choose from fish & grits, chops & eggs, farmer’s hash, buttermilk battered French toast and more. The retro diner feel is enhanced by exceptional service and a direct line of sight into the kitchen—something many diners don’t wish for their patrons to have.

Carolina’s Diner, Greensboro, NC

When was the last time you indulged in a hand-dipped milkshake? If it’s been a while, it’s high time you visited Carolina’s Diner, and enjoyed one with a hearty cheeseburger and fries. Perhaps you’d prefer visiting late at night after an evening on the town. Ask for their famous country fried steak & egg sandwich or eggs with a side of fried bologna. Sit on a stool at the counter and feel yourself transported back decades while you treat yourself to some delicious, home cooked food.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • Scrambled Southern Diner, Greensboro - Known for the best breakfast in NC, featuring popular biscuits & gravy, corned beef hash, and shrimp ‘n grits. Lunch includes a shrimp po’ boy and sandwiches, with Blue Plate Specials for dinner like barbecue brisket and fried chicken.
  • Midnight Diner, Charlotte - Open 24/7, offering extensive breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night options like fried chicken, egg dishes, pancakes, shrimp ‘n grits, and a pecan Belgian waffle.
  • Metro Diner, Huntersville - Famous for fried chicken & waffles and the unique Breakfast Pie. The menu includes comfort favorites like fried chicken, steak tips, and hearty breakfast options.
  • Stack’s Kitchen, Matthews and Waxhaw - Known for generous portions, with a menu full of comfort foods like chicken pot pie, baked meatloaf, and hearty breakfast skillets. A great spot for family meals with a dedicated kid’s menu.
  • 42 Diner, Asheboro - A breakfast and lunch spot serving hearty, classic dishes like grits with everything, eggs with beans, and lunch favorites like burgers, club sandwiches, and fried chicken.
  • True Flavors Diner, Durham - An upscale diner serving diner classics with a twist, like fish & grits, chops & eggs, and buttermilk French toast. Known for a retro vibe, excellent service, and an open kitchen.
  • Carolina’s Diner, Greensboro - A nostalgic spot for hand-dipped milkshakes, cheeseburgers, and comfort foods like country fried steak & egg sandwiches and fried bologna, open late for after-hours dining.
  • Hot Stories
    Select a North Carolina town to find
    the Best Things To Do and Places To Go around you