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12+ Restaurants in Goldsboro and Wayne County for Foodies

Published by Christina Riley. Last Updated on September 10, 2024.

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Every time we visit, delicious and diverse restaurants in Goldsboro and Wayne County keep filling our bellies. It keeps us coming back for weekend visits and even trips during random days of the week.

And if you’re unfamiliar with this area, prepare for a culinary ride because big flavors can be found at these incredible Goldsboro restaurants.

From authentic international flavors to historic and smoky barbecue, we’re going to share a few of our favorite places to eat in Goldsboro and around the county, so you can enjoy scenic drives before and after your meal.

So sharpen your utensils and prepare to feast with us for some of the tastiest food in Eastern North Carolina.

This post is part of our series on Goldsboro and Wayne County and NC’s food and drink scenes.

Restaurants in Goldsboro and Wayne County

Note: Our food guides are always growing, so if you don’t see your favorite place to eat in Goldsboro on this list, let us know and we will get our stretchy pants out for our next trip to Wayne County!

International Flavors

Jay’s Kitchen

Address: 330 N Spence Ave, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Best Restaurants in Goldsboro NC Jays Sushi and Burger Bar Image

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Ever have a house divided? How about a place where you can get both a high-quality burger AND delectable sushi?! Jay’s Kitchen solves that dilemma. Fusing Asian-inspired flavors with American classics, diners choose from the burger menu or the sushi menu.

Snuggle up with the Roma Burgerโ€”which features mozzarella sticks and marinara sauceโ€”or the popular kimchi burger. While you can’t skip the fried crab-filled Goldsboro Roll, there are plenty of unique combinations to share with friends!

Jay’s Restaurant Group has a footprint across Eastern North Carolina. Ninja Restaurants is also in the family, with locations in Goldsboro, Mt. Olive, and Greenville!

Brisas Latin Cuisine

Address: 217 N John St, Goldsboro, NC
Facebook Page

Food in Goldsboro NC Brisas Latin Image
Steak Chimichurri Trifongo.

When researching these restaurants in Goldsboro, we scope out the menu, location, and background, but we often look at the reviews. And at Brisas Latin Cuisine, all I could find were positive reviews! Our experience was a confirmation of the fantastic food, service, and vibe at Brisas!

With plenty of seating and a small stage for live music, this Goldsboro restaurant is filled with authentic artwork and bustling with hungry customers.

With everything from mofongo to fried pimento cheese balls, you can get a wide variety of Latin American tastes fused with North Carolina. The daily specials are always a treat, but you can’t go wrong with the steak chimichurri trifongo plate!

Read More: 50+ Easy Day Trips from Fayetteville (Great Getaways!)

Los Fogones

Address: 209 S Berkeley Blvd, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Yucca better check this place out! Los Fogones is a Peruvian restaurant in Downtown Goldsboro and hotter than an empanada! Using fresh ingredients and authentic flavors, Los Fogones is a local favorite.

Stop by for the Sunday Brunch buffet or order from the menu, starting with some ceviche. Their Peruvian Chicken is a must-order but if you’re dining with friends, the Carlos Grill Platter of chicken, ribs, ribeye, sausage, lamb, and a pork chop is a great way to taste all the flavors!

Legendary North Carolina Barbecue

Grady’s Barbecue

Address: 3096 Arrington Bridge, Dudley, NC
Facebook Page

Barbecue Goldsboro Gradys Dudley Image

Run by the sweetest people you will ever meet, Grady’s is more than just smoked pork. This is a North Carolina Barbecue institution.

When unemployment brought namesake spouses Gerri and Steve together, Grady’s BBQ was born in 1986. We chatted with Mrs. Grady about their journey, which you can read about and listen to here.

The restaurant is tucked inside a small building just off Arrington Bridge road, so get in early or prepare to wait for an open table.

Why? Because you’ll find whole-hog woodsy Eastern barbecue that’s finger-licking and traditional to its core here. With flecks of pepper and that down-home feel, Grady’s is so much more than just incredible ‘cue.

It’s a labor of love and devotion.

Read more: Iconic North Carolina Barbecue: Restaurants and History

Adams Roadside BBQ

Address: 3451 US 70, Goldsboro, NC
Facebook Page

Goldsboro Restaurants Adams

If you’re looking for more than Eastern barbecue, Adams is your answer! This place is where you go for incredible and expertly smoked meat, including pork, Texas-style brisket, Memphis ribs, smoked turkey, and chicken.

Goldsboro Restaurants Adams Roadside

Found off the side of the road before you exit US 70 for Goldsboro, Adams gets rave reviews for their lean brisket and oh-so-cheesy mac-n-cheese. You’ll also want to stop here for elevated country flavors, especially for their homemade desserts.

And if you’re in Goldsboro and feeling something closer to town, the recently opened Adams Downtown serves the same incredible food. Check out Wing Wednesday and the special Brisket Meatloaf for starters!

McCall’s BBQ & Seafood

Address: 139 Millers Chapel Rd, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Serving up pit-smoked barbecue and Calabash-style seafood since 1989, McCall’s is a Goldsboro restaurant perfect for anyone’s itinerary.

Unlike a lot of the barbecue institutions, McCall’s offers an unbeatable value lunch buffet and a drive-thru window for those on the go.

There is a huge selection here, including Eastern barbecue, crab cakes, fried shrimp, and finger-licking chicken. Save room for dessert, though, especially that warm banana pudding!

Wilber’s Barbecue

Address: 4172 US-70, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Barbecue Goldsboro NC Wilbers Image

Wilber’s is a true NC Barbecue icon. With a house-made vinegary sauce and a tradition of smoking whole hog since 1962, Wilber’s has been a favorite to the two barbecue addicts behind NC Tripping.

While the restaurant temporarily shut down in 2019, we are happy to report that it is back open! Local investors bought the Goldsboro restaurant and reopened in the spring of 2020 keeping the Wilber’s tradition alive. They have restored the building and have kept the pit-cooked barbecue we all know and love.

And don’t forget to get some of that legendary gravy meant for dipping hushpuppies!

Sweet Treats

Heritage Farms General Store

Address: 145 Arrington Bridge Rd, Goldsboro, NC
Website

While Heritage Farms General Store isn’t necessarily somewhere to grab an entire meal, we do think it holds some must-eat food in Goldsboro. It’s typically known for loving all things pig, selling North Carolina food products and clothing.

Not only do you HAVE to stop and take home some of their legendary Cheshire Pork and browse the North Carolina local products, but the milkshakes are also made of #instagram goodness.

Using Simply Natural Ice Cream from Ayden, NC these handspun milkshakes are famous all across North Carolina. They are guaranteed to bring all the boys to the yard!

Also, we heard from a little birdy that Heritage Farms will be opening up a pork-themed restaurant soon. You bet your bottom dollar we will be one of the first folks in line to chow down!

Mickey’s Pastry Shop

Address: 2704 Graves Dr, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Did you know that the second-oldest bakery in North Carolina stands in Goldsboro? Mickey’s is family-owned and operated since 1946, and the first bakery with three generations of Certified Master Bakers!

From incredible fluffy donuts, cakes, and pastries, Mickey’s is the perfect spot to satisfy your sweet tooth. Pull up through the drive-thru window and grab some fresh donuts or step inside to grab a sniff of sweet sugar and watch the masters at work.

Cry Freedom Missions Shoppe

Address: 111 N Center St, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Goldsboro Food Cry Freedom Missions Shoppe Inside Image

While Cry Freedom Missions Shoppe is not a restaurant, their work in Goldsboro is so incredibly important that buying a scoop of ice cream or a snack from there is literally saving a life. That’s why we had to include them in this guide.

Cry Freedom Missions is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “eradicate sex trafficking through identifying, rescuing, equipping, empowering, and employing victims.” The shop’s products are either made by rescued locals or by companies that support victims.

Inside, you’ll find ice cream as well as snacks. Eating at Cry Missions and shopping there really helps people in the community and a business we can stand behind.

Drink-Focused

Gypsy Bean

Address: 114 S Center St, Goldsboro, NC
Facebook Page

Coffee Shops in Goldsboro NC Gypsy Bean Image

With a chill vibe and delicious specialty coffee drinks, Gypsy Bean Coffee Shop is an awesome place to sip some java in Goldsboro. Beans from Blackbeard Coffee Roasters out of nearby Greenville give that special local boost that makes Gypsy Bean better than the rest.

If you’re looking to top off your espresso with something more filling, their pastries and baked goods from Farmer and the Dail are highly recommended!

Friendly staff, an incredible central downtown location, and Eastern North Carolina-roasted beans earn this coffee shop an A-plus from us.

Read More: How to Join Blackbeardโ€™s Pirate Jamboree on Ocracoke Island

Brewmasters

Address: 2402 E Ash St, Goldsboro, NC
Website

At Brewmasters, you’ll find tons of beer and food all in one place! They serve delicious Boar’s Head deli sandwiches alongside an impressive beer selection. With 22 craft beers on tap and hundreds of bottles in stock, Brewmasters a great place to grab a drink in Goldsboro.

A couple of more bonuses is their tons of easy parking available and weekly events such as Music Bingo, Trivia, and Pints and Poses. No matter when you’re in Goldsboro, pop on over and join the fun at Brewmasters!

We’ve also visited their location in Wilson, which you can read more about here!

Beyond Goldsboro Restaurants

Bonus: Goldsboro Beer Shops and a Brewery Nearby

Brew Works

Address: 207 N John St #3634, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Goldsboro Brew Works Goldsboro NC Image

A comfortable place to grab a beer since 2016, Brew Works is located in Goldsboro’s up-and-coming business district. With 30 beers on tap as well as an extensive bottle list, this veteran-owned place is well-known as a beer-lovers haven.

And a visit to Brew Works goes beyond stopping by for a pint. You can also enjoy old-school arcade games here and get some tips on your homebrew kit.

Also, rumor has it that Brew Works owners will be opening up a microbrewery in 2020, so stay tuned for more hoppy fun!

Well Travelled Beer

Address: 201 S Center St, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Beer in Goldsboro NC Well Travelled Beer Bottle Shop Image

Perfectly situated at the southern end of downtown Goldsboro near the soon-to-open Cornerstone Commons is a unique and funky veteran-owned bottleshop known as Well Travelled Beer.

As Goldsboro’s first craft brew store, they carry a colorful array of cans from across the world and various beers on tap. And if beer isn’t your thing, Well Travelled also offers an interesting collection of sake in the bottle shop.

If you’re shopping for a beer-loving friend or family member, check out their shop’s beer-themed gifts, too!

Tobacco and Hops

Address: 112 W Chestnut St, Goldsboro, NC
Website

Tobacco and Hops Smoking Bar Goldsboro NC Image

There aren’t many places left for one to enjoy both a good puff of tobacco and a brew at the same time. Tobacco and Hops fills that need as Goldsboro’s only tobacconist.

Here, patrons can choose their cigar to smoke from the walk-in humidor before ordering their brew.

T&H also caters to those whose style is more aligned to pipe smoking, with a wide selection available.

R & R Brewing

Address: 541 NW Center St, Mt Olive, NC
Website

RandR Brewing Mt Olive NC Image

Before you feed us to the wolves, we know that R&R Brewing doesn’t specifically count as a Goldsboro restaurant. However, this Mt Olive brewery is so incredible that it most definitely creates the need for a trip to Pickletown.

Inside, the vibe is chill and the beer? It’s perfect for a wide range of palates. The people behind this place are full of passion and just as importantly, you’ll typically find an incredibly adorable giant dog that is a very good boi hanging around.

Owner Ryan Roberts and his team make sippable beers for everyone, for people new to craft beer and regular Untappd-ers. We can’t say enough about R&R Brewing, so be on the lookout for a post dedicated to these great pints!

We also included R&R among our favorite breweries in North Carolina. Want to see what else made the cut? Check it out here!

Our Thoughts and Yours, Too!

Goldsboro and the rest of Wayne County are bursting with flavor and we can’t wait to keep coming back for more. While we know there are plenty more places to grab a nosh from, this list is just the beginning!

If you’ve been through the area, we’d love to know where you’d eat first. Also, please feel free to let us know of a place that should be included here.

And for anyone who’s never been, we’d love to know which of these places sounds most delicious. And finally, if you’re needing a nudge to visit this area, just do it already! Seriously, we’ve been fans of Wayne County from the first moment our car crossed the line and we keep coming back.

Disclosure Note

Special thanks to Visit Goldsboro for hosting some of these meals during multiple visits to the area. All opinions within this article are our own.