“Notes From the Field” with Erin Matson on Chapelboro.com is proudly presented by Chapel Hill Tire.
Erin Matson is a Tar Heel, world-class athlete, team player and champion. Here, in “Notes From the Field,” she’ll be sharing some of her thoughts in an ongoing series set to cover anything and everything on her mind. You can find the full series so far here, on Chapelboro.
WARNING: Is your pantry stocked? Do you have food readily available before getting into this? If you were thinking about ordering take-out, do it now! Because, I promise you, this is going to leave your stomach growling. Just like you shouldn’t head into a grocery store hungry, you shouldn’t read a food blog hungry either.
Critic Erin has arrived, and when does she not bring along her own opinions?
Some of these excerpts you may have seen before if you were following along with my personal blog earlier this year, but a few more places have been added to the list of recognizable restaurants based on awesome experiences, mouth-watering food, and more relationships that have been built. And some of you have yet to see it all!
We’ve got coffee shops, breakfast spots, options for lunch or a casual dinner, and even date night or ‘nicer’ dinner places. If you’re in need of a recommendation, here you have it. (Feel free to scroll to your desired ‘section’ because there is a lot packed in here!)
Chapel Hill, y’all (b)ready for this?
Coffee:
- What can’t a 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, FIFA World Cup Winner, and mom-of-two do?! With their restaurant next door being one of the most popular places on Franklin Street, it’s no shock that Heather O’Reilly and her husband’s new coffee shop is a must-visit. The coffee is strong, and the pastries are delicious!
- Fun fact: Her husband did the interior designing, and you should definitely check it out to give him some credit. How cute!
Starbucks
- Call me basic; I’ll wear it. But what would we do without the classics?! The Carolina Blue artwork on the brick wall inside this particular Starbucks makes it one of my favorite ones I’ve ever been in.
- I am addicted to mobile ordering. Period.
Breakfast:
- Briefly continuing with the coffee theme, PB also serves Gray Squirrel Coffee now, and Paula can confidently add “Wizard Behind the Espresso Machine” to her resume.
- Ask 10 athletes on campus where their favorite açaí bowl place is, and I bet 9/10 say Purple Bowl. (…The one vote is probably someone who doesn’t like acai bowls in general.) Paula and her remarkable family make this place feel like home, and the food is even better.
- I’ve been on this Earth for almost 22 years, and I have yet to find avocado toast as good as theirs. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s how much fun the workers have making it, or maybe it’s … (oh wait that’s a secret!)
- The smoothies, energy balls, wellness shots, and toasts all get an A+ too. And the renovations! Welcome to a new era where dining in at PB is a possibility, and it could not get better than this.
- Again, an amazing owner with an amazing story. I’ve been lucky enough to build my relationship with Alex over the past year, and there is no doubt he is passionate, intelligent, driven, kind, and knows how to run one hell of a business.
- Everyone knows a true New York bagel, and believe me, these (*clap*) are (*clap*) them (*clap*). There are so many different flavors of bagels along with numerous options for deli sandwiches and more! The environment is fun, warm, and inviting, and the people are just the same.
- A hidden secret is Brandwein’s cookies … you don’t want to leave without trying one! Somehow, mine never makes it to “dessert.”
- Finally, it’s fun to see the workers showing off their artistic talents on the bags. Whether it’s your name, field hockey sticks, or a cute design, the extra minute they take to personalize your order goes a long way and starts your day off right!
- I am not lying when I say my boyfriend and I go here 2 times a week when he’s in town. The other day, I was rushing to get him to the airport, but we insisted on squeezing in another CCS date. It’s irresistible!
- When I find a place with amazing food and a really cool interior and vibe, it stands out to me. Not only is the food soooo good, but the history and story Carolina Coffee Shop captures and tells is so unique and different.
- The almond milk latte is perfection, and you could close your eyes, point to something random on the menu, and be thrilled. (My recent obsession has been the Egg Jennifer.)
- Heather and Dave, props to you both on two of my – and many others’ – favorite places on Franklin!
The Root Cellar
- Another place I have been visiting too often. It’s an interesting spot that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The food is clean – Farm to Plate – and the portions are huge! (I can always have my favorite, the Breakfast Burrito, for two meals.) Think typical, American breakfast with a little bit of a healthy-twist, and you’re there.
- I think they serve lunch and dinner options too?? But I’ve only ever gone for the first meal of the day because it’s yummy, quick, easy, and there’s never a line.
- Feel free to order a delicious smoothie, yogurt bowl, or coffee too. The possibilities are endless!
Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen
- Yes, Chapel Hill. Yes! I have now crossed this off my list! The quaint, famous, drive-thru spot has finally been experienced. I’ve actually had their food twice now – whoa!
- Only joking because before this semester, this Tar Heel through-and-through had never been to one of CH’s most prized possessions. And now, I can join in on everyone raving about it!
- It wouldn’t be my first choice for breakfast, but how can you not love it?? The biscuits made from their cinnamon roll dough – yes you heard that right – flat-out work, and there isn’t another spot in CH you could find a true, Southern biscuit for breakfast. Or a drive-thru! Sunrise, you’ll always be a part of us.
Lunch/Casual Dinner:
- My. Goodness. This place is phenomenal any day of the week.
- (1) I guess they understand college kids loving leftovers because, man, you get what you pay for! (2) Everything is so fresh and clean while being super flavorful. The Mediterranean diet does not mess around, and Med Deli doesn’t mess with it. (3) The best is when it’s sunny and warm out and the front windows/doors are open so you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of the college main street. It’s hard to give it enough credit, so you’ll have to check it out for yourself!
Roots Natural Kitchen
- Quick. Clean. Fun. GOOD.
- Roots Natural Kitchen is the newest thing taking over college campuses … as they should be! If you like grain bowls and salads, this place is right up your alley. With tons of options and healthy ingredients, the delicious possibilities are endless.
- Also, for a limited time, they’re introducing Roots Wraps! Get your concoctions in wrap-form and experience satisfaction. Let’s hope these don’t go anywhere anytime soon! #FueledByRoots
- Sandwiches/Wraps/Salads/Beer/Wine. Nuff said. TRU is another adorable spot with fresh ingredients and a cozy-chill vibe. You’ll catch students doing homework here, athletes grabbing lunch to-go, or maybe you’ll overhear the tea-spilling during a GNO-wine-night.
Al’s Burger Shack
- Do I reallyyyyy need to go into detail about why Al’s is on the list? Does the “Best Burger in America” have be any more specific? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
- It’s no joke. Go see it for yourself. And experience another great spot to eat overall while you’re there! Classic.
- You can’t be a UNC student, fan, professor, anyone without loving Sutton’s. It’s been around since 1923, and they have it ALL. Hamburgers, hot dogs, wraps, breakfast, old-school candy, gourmet pickles – you name it.
- Have fun playing “Where’s Waldo” with Tar Heel legends since countless pictures, jerseys, and autographs line the walls. Sutton’s is exactly what it says on the menu, “A Tar Heel Tradition!”
- Fun fact: The pharmacy in the back is still in use!
- Fun fact #2: Pre-COVID, Sutton’s used to have a food truck outside of arguably the best bar at UNC, Pantana Bob’s, which – c’mon now – was irresistible when the bars closed on a Saturday night. The glorious truck is still there, yet we all dream of the day Macaroni Bites come flowing out the window again.
Carolina Brewery
- Is Franklin St. packed? Can’t seem to get a table right away? 45 minute waits everywhere? Head to Carolina Brewery!! It’s closer to Carrboro, so a bit further down Franklin, but it’s worth the extra block of a walk.
- It tastes like the Carolinas should! Burgers, sweet potato fries, quesadillas, salads, nachos, and so much more are waiting for you.
- You’re always able to find a table since the space is huge, and it’s a great spot to grab food before cheering on the Tar Heels in any sporting event. The vibes are high, and on a nice day, the windows are open and the environment couldn’t be more welcoming.
- Oh, Cava. This chain is now growing even faster than before, and I think it puts anything like Chipotle to shame. It’s Mediterranean, yet again, and nothing but delicious.
- Clean, simple, fresh, and leaving you satisfied no matter what time you go. Whether you order off the menu or make your own creation, you won’t be disappointed.
- I’m spoiled where I have one near my house in PA now too – yikes!
Hawkers
- So cool and fun!!!! It was my first time eating here with my boyfriend this past week, and we were in awe! I’ve heard about it for a little bit now but never found the right time to go. It blew our minds!!
- The environment right when you walk in is captivating, the service was great, and the food tasted suuuper legit. Their menu was fun to read, and there was a ton of history and culture woven throughout the entire dining experience. I can’t wait to go back and bring more people!
Dinner/Date-Night/Sit-Down:
- Two words: Steak. Rolls.
- Absolutely everything on this menu is fire, and the steaks are always cooked to perfection. The vibe is cool, you get bread rolls [automatic brownie points (I just can’t help it with the puns)], and I envision a wine cellar like theirs in my dream home.
- But if I had to pick the perfect meal from their menu, I would choose steak rolls for an appetizer, steak rolls for dinner, and then an order of steak rolls to-go. Trust me, you’ll want the same eventually.
- This place is my boyfriend and I’s current obsession in Chapel Hill!! As you know by now, I love a good interior design job paired with yummy food, and Ben appreciates the same!
- Dan Jackson, the Executive Chef here, is THE. MAN. He is down to earth and knows how to own a kitchen. The lasagna is the best I’ve ever had, and I love a menu with words that I can’t pronounce – am I wrong to think it’s even more legit! Dan and his family make this place even more spectacular in my mind.
- You’ll leave in a food coma and be satisfied from a boujee night out. (After ordering the tiramisu because you don’t want to leave without enjoying it.) It’s perfect for date-night, and the drinks are suuuper great too. 10/10 for this gem!
- The owner of Lucha, Khoa, is practically the field hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse team’s private chef. I don’t ever want to know – or my parents to know for that matter – how much money my friends and I have spent here because it is JUST. THAT. GOOD!!
- When I try to describe this “Latin-Asian” restaurant to newbies, I always get a confused look. But the minute anyone smells and tastes the food, they’re hooked too. Everything from the appetizers to the main courses to the fun desserts are sure to hit the spot. Khoa knows what the people want, and he does a fantastic job giving it to ‘em!
- The ‘shared supper’ at Tandem is to die for. Imagine an entire pot of creamy mashed potatoes, a separate pot of mixed vegetables, and a plank covered by bone-in steak and chimichurri. Uh…yeah. When Ben and I order this for just the two of us, the waiter makes sure to remind us how much food it really is. But then again, they don’t know what two athletes can put down! (Or how much two athletes love a challenge…)
- Another dope interior doesn’t go unnoticed either. Oh! – and I recently discovered their brunch is just as good, if not better. Tandem FTW!
- Ask my parents, my coach, my scholarship donors, one of my best friends, and probably the rest of the Chapel Hill community what their favorite, classic Italian restaurant is and you’ll hear, “411.” Makes sense because it is nothing short of spectacular.
- You know a menu is good when you can get a different thing every time and still be in love. My only request is that you save room for dessert because this tiramisu is also to die for, and the presentation is adorable!! *chef’s kiss* (bah, dum, chaaa)
Crossroads at The Carolina Inn
- An underrated one. The Carolina Inn holds enough meaning when it comes to the highlights of Chapel Hill, and the restaurant inside is no different! I think it’s sometimes forgotten about because it’s 1) in the Inn and 2) a bit of a nicer dining experience in the middle of CH. But it deserves credit!!
- The menu has a lot of intention, and any meals’ flavors always go super well together, leaving you satisfied. It’s the perfect balance of southern elegance.
- On a nice day, there is nothing like getting a table out on the patio and taking in the glorious scene of one of the best universities in the nation. If you have a bit of time after, definitely take a stroll around the Inn itself if you haven’t been inside before. There is so much to see and the breathtakingly beautiful details are overwhelming!
Bartaco
- Okay, last but not least, the best taco place ever!! It’s a good time, with good food, and you’ll always leave in a good mood … and full.
- If you’ve never experienced Bartaco, you must! It’s a different style of ordering and service, but it is super customer-oriented. The food will be flowing, and the unlimited trays of tacos are deceiving. Those little things are powerful! It’s perfect for a date-night, any celebration, or if you’re just grabbing dinner with your family or friends.
- Awesome apps, awesome tacos, awesome non-tacos, and awesome drinks. They’ve also done an awesome job with branding. Bartaco, keep doin’ you, cuz it’s workin’!
Okay. I’m done. Now RUN – don’t walk – to get something in your belly. Or head on over to Chapel Hill to try some places out!! (Or revisit the ones you love.)
Osteria (steak and lasagna)
CCS (Egg Jennifer)
Tandem (Steak Supper & Ribeyes)
Carolina Brewery (burger)
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