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. To purchase a print edition of this map, visitgoodprintedthings.com.
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.
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.
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER
Help us cover food and drink across the American South as though it mattered as much as crime and politics (because it does).
