People Drive From All Over North Carolina To Try These 8 Iconic Southern Breakfast Spots
North Carolina’s breakfast scene serves up Southern comfort on a plate like nowhere else.
From fluffy biscuits smothered in gravy to crispy chicken paired with golden waffles, these morning meals have become legendary across the state.
Breakfast enthusiasts regularly hit the road before dawn, traveling hours just to snag a table at these celebrated eateries that have mastered the art of Southern morning fare.
1. LaFarm Bakery: Where French Techniques Meet Southern Charm
Morning sunshine streams through the windows at LaFarm Bakery, illuminating pastry cases filled with buttery croissants and country biscuits that practically beg to be devoured. This Cary gem blends French baking precision with down-home Southern ingredients, creating breakfast magic that’s worth every mile of your journey.
The line forms early as patrons crave their famous sweet potato biscuits and seasonal jam-filled pastries. Owner Lionel Vatinet, a master baker from France, kneads his passion into every loaf and morning treat.
Regulars swear by the breakfast sandwich on house-made bread – a simple creation elevated to art form through perfect execution and quality ingredients. Come hungry and leave with a box of goodies for later; you’ll thank yourself when snack time rolls around!
2. Big C Waffles: The Crispy-Fluffy Kingdom Of Charlotte
Waffles reign supreme at this Charlotte hotspot where the griddles sizzle from dawn till mid-afternoon. Big C Waffles has transformed the humble breakfast staple into a canvas for culinary creativity, attracting waffle enthusiasts from Asheville to the Outer Banks.
Founder Charles Robinson perfected his grandmother’s recipe through years of Sunday morning experiments, resulting in the perfect balance of crispy exterior and cloud-like interior. The signature red velvet waffle topped with cream cheese drizzle has become Instagram-famous, while savory options like the fried chicken and bacon-infused batter satisfy those with less of a sweet tooth.
Weekends bring wait times upwards of an hour, but regulars will tell you – sipping their house-blend coffee in line is part of the experience. Bring cash and an empty stomach!
3. Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken: Biscuit Nirvana In Durham
Biscuit lovers, rejoice! Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken has elevated the humble Southern staple to an art form that draws dedicated followers from across the Tar Heel State. Their biscuits achieve the seemingly impossible – simultaneously flaky, tender, buttery, and sturdy enough to hold generous fillings.
Founded by Tom Ferguson in 2012, Rise quickly developed a cult following for their Righteous Chicken – brined for 24 hours before being fried to golden perfection. The menu rotates seasonal donut flavors that sell out within hours, making early arrival essential for sweet-toothed visitors.
Counter service keeps the line moving, but don’t rush out! The cozy Durham flagship location offers prime people-watching as locals and tourists alike experience that first-bite euphoria. Pro tip: grab their cinnamon biscuit for the road.
4. Beasley’s Chicken + Honey: Raleigh’s Brunch Phenomenon
Celebrity chef Ashley Christensen’s breakfast masterpiece sits in downtown Raleigh, drawing pilgrims of poultry from every corner of North Carolina. Beasley’s Chicken + Honey marries Southern tradition with modern flair, creating breakfast dishes that haunt your dreams long after the last bite.
The signature chicken and waffles elevates the classic pairing with local honey infused with hot sauce that creates a sweet-heat symphony. Early birds catch more than worms here – they snag the coveted window seats where morning light makes the honey drizzle glisten like liquid gold.
Weekend brunch brings special offerings like chicken biscuit benedicts and grits bowls topped with crispy chicken skin cracklings. The industrial-chic space buzzes with energy as servers deliver plates that prompt immediate phone photography sessions before the feasting begins!
5. Scrambled Southern Diner: Greensboro’s Time-Traveling Breakfast Experience
Walking into Scrambled Southern Diner feels like stepping through a time portal to grandma’s kitchen circa 1955. This Greensboro institution serves nostalgia by the plateful, with checkered tablecloths and servers who remember your order from last month.
Chef-owner Mary Lacklen sources ingredients from farms within 50 miles, transforming them into morning classics that taste like childhood memories. The secret to their famous scrambled eggs? They’re whisked with a splash of heavy cream and cooked low and slow in real butter – no shortcuts here!
Families drive from Charlotte and Winston-Salem for weekend breakfast, filling the waiting area with anticipation. Their signature Souther-rito wraps scrambled eggs, pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes and bacon in a flour tortilla – a cross-cultural creation that somehow feels authentically Southern to the core.
6. Biscuitville Fresh Southern: Drive-Thru Breakfast Legends
Fast food breakfast gets a homemade makeover at Biscuitville Fresh Southern, where biscuits are scratch-made every 15 minutes throughout the morning. This regional chain inspires devotion that national brands can only dream about, with cars lining up before dawn at locations across North Carolina.
Founded in Graham, NC in 1966, Biscuitville’s commitment to local ingredients includes flour from Henderson and eggs from nearby farms. Their spicy chicken and honey biscuit creates a perfect harmony of flavors that keeps construction workers, office professionals, and road-tripping families coming back.
The drive-thru moves with surprising efficiency despite each order being freshly prepared. Lucky customers might catch a glimpse through the window of the “Biscuit Theater” where bakers pat out dough by hand – a rarity in today’s automated fast-food world. Grab extra napkins; these beauties are gloriously messy!
7. Tupelo Honey Café: Asheville’s Farm-To-Table Morning Glory
Nestled in the heart of Asheville’s vibrant downtown, Tupelo Honey Café transformed mountain breakfast culture when it opened its doors in 2000. This pioneer of farm-to-table Southern cuisine draws breakfast enthusiasts from across state lines who brave weekend waits for a taste of their legendary sweet potato pancakes.
The restaurant’s sunny yellow walls and quirky local art create the perfect backdrop for plates of shrimp and goat cheese grits or fried chicken atop giant buttermilk biscuits. Complimentary biscuits arrive with every meal, accompanied by their signature blueberry jam and honey from Appalachian apiaries.
Bartenders shake up morning cocktails featuring local spirits and fresh-squeezed juices, proving breakfast can indeed be happy hour. The restaurant’s expansion to other cities hasn’t diminished the original location’s charm – it remains a mandatory pilgrimage for serious breakfast aficionados exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains.
8. Bojangles: The Fast-Food Phenomenon That Transcends Convenience
No North Carolina breakfast list would be complete without Bojangles, the fast-food chain that’s ascended to cultural icon status across the state. What began in Charlotte in 1977 has evolved into a breakfast religion with devotees planning road trips around locations of this beloved chicken and biscuit haven.
The Bo-Berry Biscuit – a sweet, blueberry-studded creation drizzled with icing – creates traffic jams on weekend mornings. Their signature cajun-spiced chicken biscuits pair perfectly with their legendary sweet tea, creating a combination that’s converted many a visitor to permanent resident.
College students returning home make Bojangles their first stop, while tailgaters at Carolina Panthers games consider Bo-boxes essential game day equipment. The restaurant’s distinctive orange and yellow signs have become beacons of breakfast hope for hungry travelers on highways throughout the Southeast. Worth every calorie!