Burlington to Willow Spring

Not so very long ago, the first stop in this set of exits was even closer to the Interstate, but the revered restaurant has since shut down its satellite locations. It still gets a mention, though, because this map features representative hot dog joints and barbecue pits in western North Carolina, eastern North Carolina, and the Piedmont, where it’s hard to get more representative than Zack’s.

EXIT 143: Zack’s Hot Dogs

A notice posted at Zack’s announces there’s “no social media posting without permission” at this nearly century-old restaurant. In other words, these chili dogs aren’t content: They’re the lifeblood of a community. A favorite of laborers and political leaders alike, Zack’s—named for its founder, Greek immigrant Zack Touloupas—is best known for its cheese dogs, composed of an oblong block of cold, orange cheese (“no wienie!” the menu warns), sauced with chili that’s spicier than what prevails at either end of the state.

EXIT 263: New Hope Market

If rather than taking the interstate to New Hope, you were teleported there from a faraway place, it would take about 30 seconds to figure out you’d landed in Chapel Hill. This wonderfully wholesome all-day destination’s menu of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, largely forged from local ingredients, runs long; still, almost everything on it is morally and nutritionally defensible. For those headed somewhere that requires a host gift, the market’s selection of North Carolina products is unbeatable.

EXIT 278: Boxyard RTP

For drivers who don’t have time to duck into one of the Triangle’s downtown dining districts, Research Park Triangle’s sprawling open-air food hall supplies an ideal summary of the area’s culinary scene, with tacos, Korean barbecue, salads, and ice cream all represented. That said, the obvious choice in the most collegiate section of the state is pizza, and Fullsteam makes a mean one: Its square slices are elevated by the same respect for grain that informs the groundbreaking brewery’s celebrated place-based beers.

EXIT 297: State Farmers’ Market Restaurant

In appearance, the Raleigh State Farmers Market’s expansive restaurant is a doppelganger for oldfangled museum dining halls. That impression won’t survive a meal, though, since its country cooking is stellar, particularly when vegetables are involved. On most days, there are a dozen lunch specials, and twice as many listed sides, but the conflicts posed by country ham steak versus fried flounder, and collards versus pickled beets are counterbalanced by the guarantee of top-notch hush puppies, a biscuit, and banana pudding.

EXIT 319: Stephenson’s Bar-B-Q

A don’t-miss barbecue institution regardless of which road you’re traveling, Stephenson’s has been smoking hogs magnificently since 1958. Barbecue’s always on the menu, along with hush puppies made carnivalesque by unstinting sugar, acclaimed fried chicken, and masterful hand-cut fries, but you have to show up during collards season if you’re after greens. Like the liver and gizzards on offer, they thrum with the promise of future strength. To put it another way: They’re wonderful.