New Bern restaurants: your opinions?

[shugga]

We'll be moving to New Bern, NC in July and would like to hear your opinions on restaurants in the area.

I know there are lots of chains, but beside these, which are your favorites?

Thanks.

[shugga]

Just wanted to bump this up to the top.

Isn't anyone familiar with this area?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Actually I found a number of different restaurants in New Bern, NC ...

click right here .. enjoy looking over what appears to be good options on every price level!

[Alex]

MY MIL lives in New Bern. I've been there only a few times, and not in the past six years or so, but Ms. Alex goes there regularly. She said that "New Bern is no Chicago" but that a decent meal can be had. She's eaten at The Chelsea and Clementine's and enjoyed both. She's heard very good things about A Catered Affair Cafe but hasn't been there yet.

Also, Wilmington isn't all that far away. Here's an eG Wilmington thread.

[seahawg]

Might want to try the Harvey Mansion. Beautiful setting and great food. Not on the caliper of much larger cities, but good solid offering. Morehead City and Beaufort are less than an hour away, and that opens the offerings considerably.

Doug

[catdaddy]

Unfortunately New Bern is pretty much a culinary wasteland. As mentioned above Morehead City and Beaufort have much better restaurants.

[The Hersch]

I had lunch at Capt. Ratty's once, because my car broke down. It wasn't awful.

[shugga]

Got back from visiting friends and had gone to Pollock St. Deli for breakfast and had a delicious breakfast. the grits were the best.

I think they have lunch and early dinner also.

We went to the Henderson House for dinner and it was wonderful. The only bad thing is that the old house it is in is for sale and the owner of the house also runs the restaurant. Apparently she is elderly and is ready to get out of the business and into a smaller place.

Too bad, the food was GREAT!

[shugga]

We are finally here. We moved into our rental house about a week or so ago. Waiting to begin building.

We had lunch today at the Gallery Cafe on Craven Street. I had a delicious quiche with fruit and hubby had a chicken Ceasar Salad. Both were excellent. This is a restaurant I would surely return to.

[shugga]

This morning we had the brunch at Crabby Jack's on Rt. 17 in New Bern. What a selection! There were scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, eggs benedict, florentine eggs, biscuits, sausage gravy, grits, fruit, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salmon cakes, chicken, waffles, muffins, cakes, and more that I cannot remember. Very good food, excellent service. The brunch is Sunday from 9am til 2pm.

[shugga]

We think we just found our favorite restaurant here in New Bern. It's Clementines and it's on Trent Road in a little strip mall. Italian food or as Italian as you can get in the south.

Hubby had filet mignon with gorgonzola butter. He loved it. Of course the gorgonzola isn't what we're used to up north but good never the less. I had veal, pounded very thin, with crabmeat chunks on top in a very light cream sauce. Excellent.

Even the salads were good. Not just the iceberg lettuce that's standard in most restaurants here, but good field greens with a great raspberry balsamic dressing. Hubby had the honey mustard dressing.

We shared a Creme Brulee for dessert. Very good.

[lauderdale75]

Thanks for the recommendations - if I ever find myself in New Bern, NC, I'll be sure to go by. Im equally fascinated as to what made you move from Bergen Cty, NJ, to New Bern NC. Care to share your story?

Thanks,

Chirag

[shugga]

Well, we've been here since the end of July and eaten in quite a few restaurants. We have not found any good Italian pizza places yet. Someone mentioned "A Taste of Italy" and "Luigi's" in Morehead City but we haven't gotten there yet. Red Apple pizza tastes like the cardboard box!

Tonight we are going to Nicola's, which is supposed to be a Northern Italian restaurant. I'll post a review.

Harvey Mansion, Island Grille, Chelsea, Clementines, MJ's Raw Bar, The Baker's Square, The Gallery Cafe, Beartown French Bakery and Bistro, Fred and Claire's, and The Flame are all good restaurants.

Moores BBQ is very good.

EL's hamburgers in Morehead City is super!

I'll keep posting as we try different restaurants.

The reason we left NJ was retirement. We both retired and living in Bergen County would be expensive on a fixed income. We lived in an old house with lots of stairs and planning for the future, stairs might be difficult to navigate.

Besides we got a good price for our home up north and are building a new, bigger ranch home here for less than we sold our Jersey house for.

I do miss the shopping centers, but one does make concessions for a quieter, calmer lifestyle.

[9lives]

You're only about an hour from Skylight Inn..Ayden, NC...1 of the best BBQ places in the country.

http://hollyeats.com/SkylightInn.htm

[rcarter]

My parents just moved to New Bern after retiring last year. They haven't had any complaints about the restaurants, but they have had a hard time finding good grocery stores. They think that the area is lacking a good selection of fresh produce. Have you had any luck with the local supermarkets? They hit the farmers market over the summer, but I think the selection is still pretty limited.

[shugga]

Arrrgggg! Grocery store wasteland! Harris Teeter is pretty good and they will try to get what you ask for if they can. Food Lion is horrid. Although I've found the one on rt 55 to be better than the one on 70E and the one near CVS. Walmart cannot be beat for prices but their meat is not too good. Piggly Wiggly is good for southern food and brands. Good selection and good meat.

There is a Lowes Food store on 70E in Morehead City that is supposed to be the best.

I go to the Farmer's Market every Sat. morning when it's open. (Closed right now til March.) The eggs and meat from Rainbow Meadow Farm are super. They kill their own hogs and lambs and raise their own hens for eggs.

I'll tell you that the sweet potatoes in NC are better tasting than any I've ever had in Jersey.

Forgot to mention the fruit and vegetable stand behind Moores BBQ off 17 on Trent Road and down Trent Road a mile or so, on the same side, is Parkers Vegetable stand.

By the way, we went to Nicola's for dinner last night, but apparently they only have 2 seatings, one at 5:30 and one at 7:30 and you should have a reservation. Who knew?? So we went to The Flame for steak. It was OK.

Edited December 31, 2005 by shugga (log)

[Kim Shook]

My parents are living in New Bern now after living all over the place and are having some frustrations with restaurants and groceries! She is up in VA this week visiting me and I gave her the info you posted in your New Bern thread. She is wondering where Rainbow Meadow Farm is. The good pork and lamb sounds intriguing to her. Thanks for your info. By the way, she says try again with Nicola - it is one of their favorites!

[Gifted Gourmet]

is this what you are looking for?

Rainbow Meadow Farms

There is also a link to Mapquest here as well.

[Kim Shook]

is this what you are looking for?

Rainbow Meadow Farms

There is also a link to Mapquest here as well.

←

Thanks, Melissa - I think probably that is what shugga was talking about, but I don't see anything on their website about being able to purchase their products. Maybe Shugga meant at the market in New Bern. Thanks, again!

[shugga]

Sorry. I haven't checked this board in a while.

Rainbow Meadow Farms has a spot at the Farmer's Market. And I just discovered that she is there when the market is closed, from Dec. to March in the parking lot. Selling her eggs and taking meat orders every Sat. morning.

Lowe's food store is building on 70E. Across from Taberna. Cannot wait for them to open.

[Kim Shook]

Thanks so much, Shugga. I have emailed the info to my mom. I know that she and my dad will be thrilled.

You will love Lowes, I think. My grandmother has one in the little town she lives in in NC (Reidsville) and I find stuff there that I can't find in Richmond!

[shugga]

Well, 2 good restaurants have closed, Gallery Cafe & Island Grille, but the buzz is... That a "Cracker Barrel" will be opening soon on 70E near Ham's and Ruby Tuesday.

Oh we did get a good restaurant in River Bend, Marina Cafe. We've only been for breakfast twice, but the omelets are great.

I'm going to Morgan's Tavern and Grill for a wine dinner next week and the following week to Chef Bruce's new restaurant. Both have gotten great reviews from all who have eatten there!

[shugga]

Morgan's is at 235 Craven Street. Sorry but I don't have the phone #. It would be a new listing if you call info. They've only been open a little over a month.