Smokey's BBQ Shack

Yet another hidden BBQ spot in the Apex area...

Smokey's BBQ Shack is tucked away on the side of the road out in Morrisville at 10800 Chapel Hill Road (Highway 54). Take a ride out Davis Drive, turn right onto Morrisville Parkway, then turn back to the left onto Highway 54 in Morrisville. Drive about three miles and look for a small diner-like shack on the right.

The BBQ is great and both chicken and pork are available. You can also get ribs, sliced brisket and wings! There are lots of fixin's to choose from - mixed greens, fried okra, green beans, potato salad, mac-n-cheese, slaw, baked beans and the ever present hush puppies to go with the meal. You can also get Brunswick stew.

Prices are reasonable and two can dine for less than $20 - dine in or take out.

Hours are from 11 AM - 2 PM Monday-Wednesday, 11 AM 7:30 PM Thursday-Friday and 11 AM - 7 PM on Saturday. Call ahead (919-469-1724) if you want to place a large order or to be sure they are open before making the drive. When they run out of BBQ they close up and go home!

Road trip - Two Frogs on a Bike !

Looking for a fun trip for good food and antiques?

Take a drive to Ashland, Virginia, and check out the ancient little country store at the intersection of Patrick Henry Road and US 301 in the heart of Hanover Courthouse in Hanover County, Virginia. The old store goes by the name "Two Frogs on a Bike" and is truly a glimpse back into a time from the past. The old store was a roadside country store and is now a destination for those that travel around looking for antiques and items for decorating the home. Not open at night.

Across the street is one of the best dining spots in Virginia - Houndstooth Cafe. Go early to avoid the regular crowd and the one hour wait, and be prepared to savor some of the best food around.

Menu choices range from traditional pulled pork or beef barbecue to a variety of Chesapeake Bay seafood items brought in fresh daily. Top it off with a slice of one of several home-made specialty cheesecakes or truffle desserts made by the owner. Dinner will run around $40 for two.

Yana's - Swansboro, NC

Yana's - Ye Olde Drugstore Restaurant - is one of the best small community restaurants found in our travels along the North Carolina coast. The food is outstanding and the character of the restaurant is exactly what you might expect in a small coastal town that depends on visitors for much of its business. Plan to arrive early and sit on the benches outside because the wait time can be as much as two hours during the busy season along the NC coast. Our wait was only twenty minutes at around 11:30 on a Sunday morning in April. As the weather gets warmer the crowds get bigger and the wait get's longer (up to two hours). And - yes - the food is that good and worth the wait.

The small town restaurant occupies an old drugstore building in the heart of Front Street in Swansboro, NC. Furnishings include old cafe' style tables and booths, juke boxes, Christmas trees, lots of Elvis memorabilia, buttons and signs from long ago. Next to the restaurant is Yanamama's 50's Memorabilia Shoppe featuring souvenirs and gifts focused on Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, The Lone Ranger, I Love Lucy, Betty Boop and so much more from an earlier time in our history.

On our visit we had two of the breakfast standards - two eggs, bacon, grits and toast for $5.25, and a cheese omelet with hash browns and toast for $5.25. Add two endlesss cups of coffee and our tab was $15.00 with the tip. The experience was exciting and the service was superb. Head on over to the coast and check out one of the best restaurants in the area!

After dining at Yana's check out the other shops and old homes along the waterfront and Front Street!

The waterfront in downtown Swansboro, NC

Elmo's Diner - Carrboro, NC

Elmo's Diner (near the University of North Carolina) in the restored old Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro, NC, (and a second location in Durham near Duke University) offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual setting. Sit at the bar or at a table, casual dress. Prices are reasonable - dinner for two around $18 plus drinks.

Selections range from salads to burgers and sandwiches and complete meals. The food is great and many items are prepared with a slight twist from standard fare to give diners a break from plain old diner food. Among the choices...

• Grilled marinated chicken breast
• Salmon cakes topped with creamy dill sauce
• Chicken dumplings with chunks of chicken, dropped biscuit dough
• Home style roast beef meal served on open faced toast
• Elmo's Trifecta - triple decker sandwich with turkey, roast beef, three cheeses
• Spicy smothered burritos

and of course, breakfast anytime!

Elmo's is open from 6:30 AM until 10:00 PM Sunday-Thursday, 6:30 AM until
11:00 PM Friday and Saturday.

Telephone 919 416-3823 in Carrboro at 200 N. Greensboro Street in Carrboro at the old Carr Mill Mall, 919 929-2909 in Durham at 776 9th Street near Duke.

Elmo's Diner

Salem Street Soda Shop - Apex, North Carolina

*** The long time owner of the Salem Street Soda Shop and building sold it to new residents moving to Apex from out of the area. The shop has been remodeled and opened under the name "Salem Street Pub" and serves sandwiches, sodas, various beers. ***


The following is the original review of the SSSS in 2007...

The Salem Street Soda Shop is located in the center of the downtown historic district in Apex. The Soda Shop is a quaint little breakfast, lunch and dinner shop specializing in homemade sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and homemade desserts. It's located in an old downtown store that served in a past life as the town's dry cleaner business, owned years ago by the current owner's father. Wade Baker, Jr., converted the old dry cleaner site into a soda shop style restaurant complete with old drugstore style glass display cabinets, a long soda counter serving area with bar stool seats, and several booths and tables for group seating. Behind the counter is an 1950's style soda counter for creating fresh squeezed orangeades and lemonades, ice cream floats, milk shakes, banana splits, and sodas served fountain style.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the shop serves home style cooked-when-ordered food that's always fresh and tasty. The menu lists a complete selection of soda shop style sandwiches and creations. The burgers are hand pressed and cooked on the spot. One of the most popular items is the home-made chicken salad (the chicken salad sandwich is one of the most popular lunch items). The shop gets crowded at lunchtime since it's a favorite of downtown merchants and town residents. Go early to place your order and get a seat without having to wait in line. Be sure to order at the counter first, then get a table - a practice required by the soda shop to make the limited seating available to those that have ordered food.

Our favorites: Chicken salad sandwich, burger and cheeseburger, both served with chips or potato salad. Hand made vanilla or chocolate milk shake or fountain soda. The hot dogs are a favorite also and are great with chili and slaw - another southern tradition.

Location:

113 N. Salem St., Apex, NC 27502

Telephone:

919-387-6506

Hours:

Monday -Friday 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday: closed

Five Guys - Burgers and Fries

Five Guys is easily the best burger establishment in the area. Since the menu is limited, focus is on quality and service and being the best. If burgers, hot dogs and fries is what you crave you'll find these to be the best around.

Burgers are cooked only one way - well done - but always juicy, hot and tasty. Served fresh from the grill with most any toppings you want added. Add fries and there will always be an overflowing cup in your bag with more dumped into the bag.

Our first encounter with Five guys was in Virginia (the business originated in the DC and VA area) and when we moved to NC we hoped they would open stores here because the burgers were so good. The chain has opened restaurants in several areas around the central NC area with more coming.

The company's goal as posted on the Five Guys website is simply "Five Guys goal is to sell the best quality burgers possible. To sell the best burger possible we focus on Quality, Service and Cleanliness."

Check out the menu on the Five Guys website and drop by and check them out! Also read the "corkboard" comments from customers.

• Favorites: Little Cheeseburger with toppings, fries.
• Hours: Generally from early lunch time until late night. Posted at stores.
• Locations: See website locator