North Carolina
Yelp ranked the Top 100 restaurants in NC. Here are the Top 5.
North Carolina has great food towns and restaurants. So, of course, online reviewers offer their thoughts on which spots are the best. One of Yelp’s latest lists ranks the “Best Restaurants in North Carolina.” Or 100 of them, at least. The review site typically compiles the ratings and number of reviews, and volume of submissions for the rankings.
Here’s a look at the top five, which includes a popular Carolina Beach burger spot.
More: These 9 Wilmington-area restaurants made Yelp’s list of the Top 100 in North Carolina
1. Surfin’ Spoon, 3408 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head
Look for cool treats and ice cream sandwiches at this beach shop. The Surfin’ Spoon offers 10 flavors of self-serve soft-serve (like the popular sea salt caramel pretzel frozen yogurt, as well as vegan options and gelato) and a choice of about 50 toppings. As for the sammies, Yelpers like the Lemon Lavberry (a lemon cookie with blueberry-lavender ice cream) and the Classic chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream.
2. Haywood Smokehouse, 403 Haywood Road, Dillsboro
The western part of the state is home to three locations of this barbecue restaurant. (And another one appears on the top 100 list.) They’re known for their brisket and Brunswick stew, sides like burnt-end baked beans, and the bourbon chocolate pecan pie. Yelpers also like their selection of local beer.
3. Odeh’s Mediterranean Kitchen, 3805 Tinsley Drive, High Point
This family-owned restaurant serves classics like Middle Eastern salad, falafel on pita, chicken shawarma, baba ganoush and beef kafta. Online reviews recommend the desserts, too — tiramisu and baklava.
4. Huli Sue’s BBQ & Grill, 1 Page Ave., Asheville
The Asheville area is well-represented on Yelp’s list. But the best in that area is this restaurant that brings a taste of Hawaii to the state. Yelpers say you should brave the crowds to try their huli chicken, poke bowls, macaroni salad and fish tacos.
5. Island Burgers & Bites, 111 Carl Winner Drive, Carolina Beach
Locals already know about this spot. It’s consistently a top contender for best burger in the state. In fact, as one Yelp comment said — “Best burgers in town and everyone agrees.” Top options, according to reviews, are the bacon cheeseburger, the Philly cheesesteak, hot dogs and the chicken bacon ranch sandwich.
STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
North Carolina
North Carolina man extradited to Pa. for $100,000 ATM theft spree: police
A 42-year-old North Carolina man on Tuesday was extradited to Pennsylvania after state police said he stole more than $100,000 from ATMs in Snyder and Union counties.
Between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, Antoni J. Garcia-Cordoba, of Raleigh, North Carolina, stole from four ATMs at Central Penn Bank and Trust locations, state police said.
In a five-hour span, Garcia-Cordoba took $43,000 from three separate ATMs in Snyder and Union counties, according to a police report. On Oct. 1, he stole an additional $58,000 from an ATM in Titusville, bringing the total amount stolen to $101,000.
Garcia-Cordoba is charged with two counts of corrupt organizations – employee, a first-degree felony, and two counts of theft by unlawful taking, a third-degree felony.
After being in custody at a jail in Boone County, Missouri, Garcia-Cordoba was extradited to Union County on Tuesday.
He is being held in the Union County Prison after being unable to post $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2026.
North Carolina
11 firefighters and 2 others injured after North Carolina house fire and explosion
SALISBURY, N.C. — Eleven firefighters and two other people were injured in a house fire explosion in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, officials said.
Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said firefighters did not have life-threatening injuries but were getting treated for contusions, concussions and smoke inhalation following the fire Monday evening. Two other people were taken to the hospital, but Parnell said he didn’t know their conditions and couldn’t confirm whether they were in the house at the time of the fire.
The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the single-family home around 5 p.m. and found it engulfed in flames.
Eleven of the 22 firefighters at the scene went inside the house to search for occupants and “get water on that fire,” which preceded the explosion, Panell said at a news conference.
“It was enough force that the outside walls blew out, the roof came up and went back down,” Parnell said.
An investigation of the fire and explosion is continuing.
North Carolina
Harrison Bertos scores in OT to help Washington beat N.C. State 3-2 and win first Men’s College Cup
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Harrison Bertos scored 1:54 into overtime after Washington blew a two-goal lead in the second half, and the Huskies beat North Carolina State 3-2 to win the Men’s College Cup at First Horizon Stadium on Monday night.
It was the first national championship for unseeded Washington (16-6-2), who became the first team to win six road matches in the tournament — beating six seeded teams along the way under the guidance of coach Jamie Clark. The Huskies won in their second trip to the final after losing 2-0 to Clemson in 2021.
No. 15 seed N.C. State (16-3-4) made the final for the first time behind coach Marc Hubbard. The Wolfpack were aiming for the school’s first national championship since Jim Valvano led the men’s basketball team to the title in 1983.
Zach Ramsey scored unassisted with 1:12 remaining in the first half and Washington took a 1-0 lead into the break. It was only the second time this season that N.C. State trailed at halftime.
Ramsey scored into an empty net after Wolfpack goalkeeper Logan Erb couldn’t corral the ball at the top of the box. It was Ramsey’s second goal of the tournament.
Richie Aman sent a cross to the center of the goal and Joe Dale knocked it in for a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute.
Donavan Phillip answered in the 66th, scoring with an assist from Nikola Markovic to cut it to 2-1 with his fourth goal of the tournament. The Wolfpack entered 11-0-1 when Phillip scores.
Taig Healy scored the equalizer with 3:28 remaining with assists from Justin Mclean and Calem Tommy.
Egor Akulov had an assist on Bertos’ winner.
Huskies keeper Jadon Bowton, the only remaining player from the 2021 squad, had five saves.
Erb saved six shots for N.C. State, which was the last school to concede a goal this season.
The temperature was 28 degrees when the match between two teams that had never faced each other began.
-
Iowa3 days agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Washington1 week agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa4 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Maine1 day agoElementary-aged student killed in school bus crash in southern Maine
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
-
Maryland3 days agoFrigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland
-
Technology7 days agoThe Game Awards are losing their luster
-
South Dakota3 days agoNature: Snow in South Dakota