I'm driving from Miami to NY, mostly straight up 95. Looking for recs of places to stop along the way.
Criterion A: I don't want to go too far off 95.
Criterion B: I'd like to find places that are particularly good for local food I can't just as easily have when I'm in NY. For example, Carolina bbq, great southern food, etc.
I am willing to be flexible with criterion B if there is something outstanding...
Thanks in advance.
Fuller's Barbecue in Lumberton, NC
Doing a similar drive, we organized each leg to be able to stay overnight in Lumberton (lots of chain hotels) and eat at Fuller's.
The place is casual and frankly, we didn't care for many of the items on the long, long buffet line. But since I like NC style barbecue, Fuller's excellent chopped pork alone makes it one of the best meals I've ever eaten. NC style barbecue is cooked with vinegar, red pepper flakes, the slightest amount of brown sugar, and salt and black pepper. If you come to Fuller's expecting a tomato-based sauce, especially a sweet Kansas City style sauce, you're going to be disappointed. We had a taste of the collard greens. Nothing more than acceptable, although I probably could have improved them by using some vinegar and red pepper flakes on my portion. I enjoyed the braised cabbage. A limited taste of mac and cheese was suitably creamy but not cheese-y enough. Nothing on the dessert buffet line looked appealing and, we decided the healthy choices on the green salad line could wait for another day.
I was happy to gorge on the sublime chopped NC barbecue, the crackling wonderful fried chicken, and the crispy skinned roast chicken
Here's the URL for Fuller's: http://fullersbbq.com/
On Fuller's contact page, there's a map of its location. You'll see how close the restaurant is to I 95.
Day #1 lunch...Exit 191 on FL's I-95: River Rocks. Good food and great view of the Indian River Lagoon.
Funny how different people have different tastes. When I read your post, my first thought was Fullers in Lumberton, NC. Unlike Indy 67, however, I would say skip the bbq (its not cooked over wood, so technically it can't be called bbq) and load up on the very good southern-style vegetables and fried chicken. Get a biscuit and put some molasses on it for desert.
In Joppa, MD (north of Baltimore) you can get excellent crab cakes at Baldwins. Do not order anything other than crab cakes, however.
At least we agree on the fried chicken at Fuller's!
Not been to Fuller's (yet) but look at the current thread on Parker's in Wilson which was featured on the cover of SAVEUR a few months ago.
Have you seen the great current thread on eastern NC cue??
http://www.chowhound.com/post/carolin...
I'd put B&J's Steakhouse at the top of the list--in Darien, Ga, only 5 minutes off Rte 95. Never had the steaks but the fried oysters and shimp are stellar. If you have sussisted all these years on farmed Asian shrimo, what we mostly get inn NY, you are in for a revelation. Essential.
http://www.bandjssteaksandseafood.com...
We drive this route twice a year and I've written a few reports here.
http://www.chowhound.com/post/wilbers...
http://www.chowhound.com/post/frills-...
We now take the Bridge Tunnel rather than I-95 the better to drive through the heartland of eastern NC cue AND stop fopr seafood lunch in Delmarva. (First night's stop is usually Hampton Inn in Edenton which puts you near Bunn's in Windsor and about an hour or so from breakfast at Skylight Inn) And if you've not been to Skylight Inn, you really need to try.
In SC, McCabe's is just off the highway. Never been as it is close to Darien.
Note the Le Creuset outlet not far from Yemmasee, a few feet off the highway.
We've done the western route, too, through Lexington with first night's stop in Stanton, Va for Zynodoa.
An entire planet of delicious treats awaits, and many are close to 95.
Just saw this thread - wondering where you stop to eat in the route down the Eastern Shore these days? We are very fond of that drive but it’s been so long that I am sure many of our old faves are no more.
Jen: Very few tempting options that I know of. Exmore
Diner in Exmore has good home-cooked food. Warm and friendly spot. Metompkin seafood in Mappsville can be good in warm months when crabs are in the Bay. When off season,crab cakes and much else is frozen. Eating there is outside on picnic tables. Other than that we have not found anything; long ago sworn off Great Machipongo Clam Shack due to their focus on imported seafood; very few local options in December and in late April when we pass through. There are a few low-key Mexican spots that we have not tried.
Dukes in Wallterboro, SC is perhaps 7 minutes from the interstate. Good example of SC mustard sauce BBQ.
Closed Mon. & Tues. Closes at 2 pm Sun. Don't try to eat their bbq sandwich in the car...just sayin!
B' Crackling' Barbecue in Savannah may be a little far from the interstate for you, as may be McCabes in Manning, but Shuler's in Latta, SC, just before the NC line, would be perfect. McCabe's is good and a traditional humble bbq place, and they have good greens, etc., but they pull the pork in rather long strands which can be awkward to manage with just a plastic fork. They need to chop it finer. Shuler's has very good barbecue and a good-looking buffet, and it's just a very nice place, overlooking a pond, with a store adjacent. It's a good sort of place to stop on a long drive. All three places cook over wood and all are very good. All of these places are reviewed in johntannersbbqpage, if you want more detail and photos.
Do not under any circumstances stop at the Maurice's BBQ in Santee.
Where do you plan to spend the night on the trip? That will help us focus some.
In North Carolina, you should plan to stop in Wilson. Both Bill's BBQ -- a big buffet that includes a whole hog every day -- and Parker's, which has, very good slaw, wonderful fried chicken, and the best corn sticks in the world. Both cook over gas, but Parker's especially has a real local feel. And if you stay the night, you can't beat a steak at the Beefmastor. All are close to to 95.
Places that are worth a detour are Wilber's in east Goldsboro and Sam Jones in Winterville, SW of Greenville. Both are sensational. Sam Jones has beer and wine. Again, all have full write-ups in the blog
A million thanks..two new spots for me for December's trek....Parker's and Shuler's!! Your blog is tops! Thank you.
aw, shucks!
The corn sticks at Parker's may seem really dry at first, but give them a chance and you will love them. Also, as dcbbq notes, their fried chicken is outstanding.
NB: Their sweet tea is not good. More sugar water than tea.
I like Parker's slightly better than Bill's (AKA Bill Ellis BBQ) but it's the exact same food -- cue, chicken, corn sticks, slaw.
dcbbq will be jealous to hear that, a few years ago, we stopped at Ed Mitchell's former place in Wilson. It was near closing time, the place was empty, and we got a private tour from the master himself.
Want to thank those who mentioned Fuller's. Lumberton is closed due to the flood, but we had lunch the other day at one of the two branches in Fayetteville. While I would give the edge to Shuler's (we tried it twice last year but their opening days are limited and they were closed on the Monday when we passed through), there were some pretty spectacular dishes on the long buffet lines at Fuller's.
Having had the pork BBQ at Bum's in Ayden a few hours prior, I skipped that in favor of some other dishes at Fuller's. The highlights were the chicken, both the braised (not sure what they call this but it is superb) and the sensational fried BBQ chicken. Fried barbecue! How can you go wrong???
You can't, if this one is anything to go by. Great faintly spicy sauce, tender meat..just terrific!! They had a lot of unusual dishes, or at least dishes that I could not identify. Not sure if there are any Lumbee dishes in the buffet but would sure like to learn more if they are, indeed, featured.
GReat eating spots are much more limited in Florida I think, but if you can bear to drive about 15 minutes off I-95, O'Steen's is great. I am kicking myself for not bringing home a jar of their Datil pepper sauce. Never had anything like it. Are there any commercial brands that come close to O'Steen's home made version, cause I'd like to buy a bottle. I'm not as crazy as some about the fried seafood at O'Steens, but their Minorcan chowder is divine. Too bad I dropped the quart of take out soup while unpacking the car once we reached the condo! Note to self: Next time ask them to put the styro container in a plastic bag. Prepare for a wait at O'Steens; no credit and no reservations.
I'm glad you enjoyed Fullers! Their BBQ may not be the best example of what NC has to offer but I've always felt that it is a good stop for local fare if you are traveling and only have one stop - plus time for a nap! Their vegetable selection and fried items are quite good. And the turn over is fast so things are quite fresh.
O'Steens Datil sauce is unique and I haven't found anything comparable. I love their chowder and usually ordera vegetble plate with it. The shrimp is good but I'm not as enamered with it as many are. I travel with zip bags and containers since most "to-go" containers don't fit my cooler or pop open. Many places are open to using your own containers if you explain that you are traveling. Enjoy your Florida season!
I've never eaten at O'Steen's so I can't help you with an O'Steen's-like pepper sauce, but the Hot Stuff Mon store on Treasury Street in St Augustine may be a good resource. This place is run by knowledgeable and friendly people and includes a well-stocked tasting bar to help folks narrow down their choices. We bought several products there including a Datil hot sauce and a Datil jam.
Pepper Palace is a store with branches in 15 different states and, often, multiple locations within those states. The store in Sarasota (St. Armand's Circle) stocks Datil pepper products. Compared to Hot Stuff, there are fewer opportunities for customers to taste the products, but the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. They were out of a particular Datil pepper sauce they thought I might enjoy and they were good about contacting me when a new shipment arrived .
Updating for the record-- King's BBQ in Petersburg VA and Hunter Hill Cafe in Rocky Mount, NC are pretty close to I-95. Both have wood-cooked barbecue, and Hunter Hill is also a good meat and three. Reviews of all of the above are now at johntannersbbqblog on wordpress dot com
In Philadelphia, head to John's Roast Pork. You will find a fine example of a cheesesteak there, but you really want to try the roast pork sandwich, which is the best under-the-radar sandwich Philly has to offer. You can order it plain or topped with sautéed spinach and sharp provolone cheese.
I was introduced to Tubb's Seafood near Florence, SC by a Chowhound who regularly makes the trip on 95, and we really enjoyed it. Here's a link to their website: https://tubbsseafood.com/menu
I recently stopped at Southern Soul barbecue on St. Simons Island in GA. It's about 20 minutes off I 95 IIRC. I had the ribs and they were good as were the collards and corn pudding I had as sides. The other items I saw going to other tables looked delicious too. Southern Living gave them a best BBQ award recently.
I liked Southern Soul the two times I ate there, when staying on St. Simons as a stopover on the NYC-Florida drive.
Last December I checked out a recommendation from a local, and would highly recommend: REDNECK BBQ LAB near Benson, NC. The "new style" of bbq spots, adjacent to a gas station.
About 20 minutes NW off I-95 and very much worth the drive for the ribs, pulled pork (not Eastern chopped, though) brisket, burnt ends (those are 3x week) and much else.
Next door is a Mexican place, La Pasadita, that looked quite interesting. They said they have barbacoa and aguas frescas on weekends.
Loved our lunch stops at Shuler's in Latta, as mentioned above. Open Wednesdays through Saturdays for lunch and dinner, and at dinnertime they serve ribs on the buffet. Excellent chicken, sweet potatoes (very sweet!) and chopped bbq. Never tried the ribs although I've been trying to figure out a timing that would allow us to stop for dinner. They also sell, in their shop, the locally made ginger ale, whose name I cannot remember now.
Stopped at Dixie Crossroads in Titusville (famous for shrimp and other seafood) but thought is was less good than Osteen's in St. Augustine. (Love the O'Steen's Minorcan chowder!) Will not stop again at Dixie.
Sam Jones no longer serves wine, only beer, or at least that was the case when we ate there in mid April. I've been there twice now but neither time was the food spectacular, and it is more pricey than the old-style spots. It's way off the interstate, in any case, but we cut across to get to the Bridge Tunnel, so not far off our routing.
Shuler's is a great place, and just off the interstate.
I like Sam Jones, but it's in a tough neighborhood for barbecue competition. It isn't quite as good as the Skylight Inn in Ayden, and can't hold a candle to Bum's restaurant in Ayden, which has the absolute best Eastern North Carolina style barbecue.
I recently ate at Hunter Hill cafe in Rocky Mount. Its a good place, and pretty close to I-95. And if you get hungry before you hit North Carolina (or after if you're heading north), King's in Petersburg has wood-cooked barbecue. There are reviews of all these places on johntannersbbqblog.
Rye Street Tavern off 95 in Baltimore is a must! Discovered it on our last couple of trips from New York to The Beltway. Noted N.Y. Chef/Restaurateur Andrew Carmellini has partnered here. It's just minutes off the highway with plenty of parking. The menu is local eclectic and what we tried on two visits was delish. www.ryestreettavern.com
As an extra added attraction, it is right next to Sagamore Distillery, if you are interested in a taste and tour. www.sagamorespirit.com
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