I have to admit, one of my favorite things about traveling is the eating! Having returned from my trip in which I stayed in Andy Griffith’s Homeplace, I thought I would create a little Mt. Airy Food Guide!
Mt. Airy Food Guide
Before I get into this guide, I think it’s important to point out a few facts. For starters, this will lean into the Mayberry experience in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. As in, I will recommend the restaurants on Main Street whenever possible. However, the area tends to keep limited hours. For instance, I do not recommend visiting on a Sunday as most places are closed on Sundays. Due to the limited hours of operation, I will be breaking this guide down based on meals.
Mt. Airy Breakfast
Breakfast can be a bit of a hassle to find in Mt. Airy, particularly on Sundays. My first recommendation is for a restaurant a little removed from Main Street. Rusty Rooster is open for breakfast and lunch everyday of the week! In fact, we had breakfast here on Sunday before heading home. My mom and I split an order of biscuits and gravy as well as a croissant French toast! The biscuits and gravy were tasty! It was definitely better than the theme park food we’ve been eating. The croissant French toast was a fun spin on a classic as well. Overall, it was a good meal at a neat restaurant.
Snappy Lunch and Barney’s Cafe are on Main Street and technically offer breakfast as well. However, they do not serve breakfast on Sundays. Fun fact: Snappy Lunch is the only real Mt. Airy business mentioned on “The Andy Griffith Show”! Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to sample either of their breakfast offerings this trip. However, they seem like great places to grab some!
Mayberry Lunch
If you really want the Mayberry experience, then you have to eat lunch at Snappy Lunch! Andy Griffith used to eat lunch here as a kid! In fact, the restaurant is celebrating 100 years in 2023! We were lucky enough to eat lunch here on a Saturday with no wait. We had to sample their famous pork chop sandwiches! I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but man was I surprised! It actually made me like pork chop! The addition of chili and coleslaw added moisture and depth of flavor to a typically boring meat! Plus, it was only about $5! My mom and I were both very impressed with Snappy Lunch. I feel like I must point out the limited hours of Snappy Lunch. They close at 1:45 PM on weekdays and 1:15 PM on Saturday. I recommend eating here early.
I’m sad that I didn’t have time to also try Barney’s Cafe on this trip. It seems like a quaint little spot with tasty dishes. However, it closes at 4 PM and we didn’t have stomach space by that time yet. If I ever go back and eat here, I will update this post to include pictures.
Dinner
Dinner can be another difficult meal to find in Mt. Airy. We ended up eating over by the mall for both of our dinners due to the timing. Our first night in Mt. Airy, we ate at Aunt Bea’s BBQ. I know it’s not the same Aunt Bee as from the show, but it was a nice start to the trip anyways. Once again, we were pleased with the affordable prices and tasty meal. The BBQ really hit the spot. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy macaroni and cheese or a biscuit! They are also open for breakfast and lunch, if you are looking for something to eat during those meals.
I don’t have pictures of it, but on Saturday night we ate at Libby Hill for dinner. Granted, this is a small local chain restaurant not related to Mayberry. However, it is a restaurant that my mom used to eat at with my grandma and dad. It features very affordable fish meals. I got baked shrimp skewers here and was pleased.
October 2023 Update: My husband and I visited the highly recommended restaurant 13 Bones for dinner and were pleased. They serve ribs, steak, and seafood.
Snacks and Desserts
Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t visit a location without knowing about their baked goods! This trip was no different. In fact, I had to restrain myself from trying or purchasing additional baked goods in Mt. Airy. Unfortunately, as of 2024, my favorite place closed. However, you can still purchase tasty baked goods come from Twilight Farm Shoppe at Pages Books and Coffee. Her cupcakes and bars were really good! My husband and I loved her lime bar, strawberry lemonade bar, and blueberry lemonade bar.
I can also recommend Anchored Sweet Treats & Savory Treats for a little snack!
If candy is more your thing, you can stop by Opie’s Candy Store. It’s a cute little old time candy shop with a nod to the show with the name.
Tasty and Affordable
While you will need to check store hours to enjoy a trip here, you can find lots of good and affordable food here. So, what do you think of my Mt. Airy food guide? Did I leave out your favorite place?
Sherri says
13 Bones is a must! Be sure to try that out next time.
Lindsay says
Hello, Sherri! Thanks for the comment! I will definitely make an effort to try it next time!