8 North Carolina Biscuit Joints That Still Bake Like It’s The 1950s
North Carolina may be racing toward the future, but when it comes to biscuits, some places refuse to leave the past behind.
All across the state, tucked inside small towns and roadside diners, bakers are still using the same cast iron bowls, hand-cutting dough, and sticking to recipes that haven’t changed since Eisenhower was in office.
These aren’t just biscuits — they’re golden, flaky time capsules that carry the flavor of a slower, simpler era. From Chapel Hill to the Smoky Mountains, here are 8 biscuit joints where every bite feels like a trip back to the 1950s.
1. Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen (Chapel Hill)
Mornings at Sunrise feel like stepping into my grandmother’s kitchen circa 1955. This drive-thru-only establishment has cars lined up before dawn, and for good reason!
The biscuits here are hand-patted rather than rolled, creating those signature crispy edges that give way to cloud-like centers. I’ve watched through their window as bakers cut cold butter into flour with two knives – no fancy pastry cutters or food processors in sight.
My favorite Saturday ritual involves their country ham biscuit with a side of hash browns. The tiny building hasn’t changed much since opening, and neither have their methods – still using buttermilk delivered from a local dairy and mixing everything in well-seasoned cast iron bowls.
2. Biscuitville (Multiple Locations)
Grandpa always said chain restaurants lose their soul, but Biscuitville proves him wrong. Despite growing to multiple locations across the state, they’ve stubbornly maintained their 1950s baking traditions.
Fresh biscuits emerge from their ovens every 15 minutes – a practice I’ve timed repeatedly during my countless visits. The bakers still use locally milled flour and follow the original recipe that founder Maurice Jennings developed decades ago.
What makes me grin? Watching employees through the “biscuit theater” windows, rolling dough with wooden pins and cutting perfect circles with tin cutters worn smooth from decades of use. Their sweet potato biscuit makes me weak in the knees – a specialty that’s become my guilty pleasure whenever I’m passing through Greensboro.
3. Baker’s Kitchen (New Bern)
Tucked away in historic New Bern, Baker’s Kitchen feels like a time machine. Last summer, I arrived just as they were pulling a batch of cat-head biscuits from the oven – so named because they’re as big as a cat’s head!
The family-run establishment still uses the same cast iron pans from when they opened in the 1950s. These seasoned beauties impart that distinctive crispy bottom that modern baking sheets just can’t replicate. Their signature butter syrup (don’t call it maple in their presence!) cascades down the sides of these mountainous creations.
What keeps me coming back? The consistency. Three generations of bakers have maintained the exact same technique – mixing by feel rather than measuring, and never, ever twisting the biscuit cutter, which would seal the edges and prevent the proper rise.
4. The Biscuit Factory (High Point)
Walking into The Biscuit Factory feels like visiting my aunt’s farmhouse kitchen. The scent of butter and flour hits you first, followed by the rhythmic sound of dough being slapped against well-floured counters.
Nestled in an unassuming building that was once an actual textile factory, this joint maintains a strict no-machines policy for their biscuit production. I’ve watched in awe as bakers fold dough by hand exactly seven times – no more, no less – creating those characteristic layers that pull apart like pages in a book.
Their signature move? A brush of melted butter mixed with honey before AND after baking. This family-guarded technique creates a crackly, sweet exterior that contrasts beautifully with the savory insides. Owner Miss Patty still inspects each batch personally, rejecting any that don’t meet her exacting standards.
5. Buttered Biscuit (Waynesville)
Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, this Waynesville gem is where I learned what “buttermilk with character” truly means. Their secret? Using cultured buttermilk from a local dairy that’s been operating since 1948.
The kitchen still employs a wood-fired oven that imparts a subtle smokiness you simply can’t get from modern equipment. Watching the morning ritual here is like witnessing a sacred ceremony – flour sifted three times, butter grated while still freezing cold, and dough never touched with warm hands.
My absolute favorite is their apple butter biscuit, slathered with preserves made from heritage mountain apples grown just up the road. The red-checkered tablecloths and metal chairs haven’t changed in decades, nor has their refusal to serve anything that isn’t made completely from scratch that very morning.
6. Blue Ridge Biscuit Company (Black Mountain)
Perched at the edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway, this mountain treasure looks unassuming until you taste their heavenly creations. The vintage Hobart mixer in the corner hasn’t been replaced since 1952 – they swear the older model creates a better texture.
During my fall foliage trips, I always stop for their signature cornmeal biscuits. These golden beauties incorporate stone-ground cornmeal from a water-powered mill just down the road. The bakers still use lard rendered in-house from local hogs – a practice most places abandoned decades ago.
What makes me chuckle? The strict “no photography” policy in the kitchen. The current owner’s grandmother was convinced cameras would steal the biscuits’ souls. While that might sound superstitious, after tasting these ethereal creations with their perfect balance of crisp exterior and tender inside, I’m not about to question their methods!
7. The Biscuit & The Bean Cafe (Winterville)
Every Thursday morning, you’ll find me at this eastern Carolina institution watching Mr. Henry, who’s been making biscuits since Eisenhower was president. His hands move with such practiced precision that he rarely glances down at his work.
The café proudly displays the original handwritten recipe card from 1954, framed behind glass like a priceless artifact. Their method includes a unique folding technique that creates distinct layers, visible when you pull apart their masterpieces. I’ve tried and failed countless times to replicate this at home.
The true magic happens when they brush the tops with rendered bacon fat collected in coffee cans throughout the week. This forbidden ingredient gives their biscuits that distinctive glossy sheen and savory depth that vegetable shortening could never achieve. The café’s worn linoleum floor and chrome-edged tables complete the time-travel experience.
8. Flo’s Kitchen (Wilson)
The first time I stumbled into Flo’s at 4:30 AM (yes, that’s when they open!), I thought I’d entered a biscuit speakeasy. Truckers, farmers, and dedicated biscuit enthusiasts converge here before dawn for what might be the fluffiest creations in eastern Carolina.
Founded by Florence “Flo” Williams in 1953, this no-frills joint still uses her original technique of “slapping” the dough – a rhythmic process of folding and gently smacking it on the countertop that incorporates air without overworking the gluten. The current bakers learned directly from Flo herself, who worked the counter until age 92.
Their cheese biscuits incorporate hoop cheese – a regional variety that’s becoming increasingly rare. The worn wooden rolling pins hanging on the wall aren’t decorative; each has been in active service for decades, developing the perfect texture that new equipment simply can’t match.