Great food. Wonderful service…read more Quaint rustic decor with horse theme decor. I love this place. Try to stop as often as we travel thru.

We have been loyal customers for about 12 years, usually regularly going early on Sundays for the…read morebuffet lunch. We loved the atmosphere, saw other repeat customers and got to know several of the friendly, on-the-ball servers. The buffet food offered country-cooking foods with a variety of selections.  We liked the atmosphere and food so much that we drove about 2 hours round trip to just eat at The Hitchin Post. We took a break for several months then recently returned to learn that there was a new owner. We didn't recognize any of the staff. We were told by our server that the owners were making some positive changes. OK, we thought, we will give it a chance.   Today we arrived on Sunday again and we were so disappointed. First off, the music was blaring (saying a lot coming from a person with a hearing loss!) with pop music which is disconcerting in a western-themed, country restaurant. We nicely mentioned the loud music to our server but nothing was done.  And, no I am not some ornery codger who hates contemporary music.  But who the heck wants their eardrums punctured early on Sunday morning?  The Hitchin Post is usually busy on Sundays at this time, but there were few customers today. I would not be surprised if other regulars are unhappy also.  The fried chicken, cornbread, rolls are still good. Overall, the food quality has also gone downhill - definitely not enough vegetable choices.   Plus, no one should ever mix butterbeans and corn together.  My gosh, the cake slices are so small, close to paper-thin and not tasty to boot. Sadly, we won't be returning. I hope the new owners can turn this around before they lose more regulars.

Yes great atmosphere great service and the the outside for the summer is great! I enjoyed the lemon…read moredrop and strawberry drop!

We went for dinner for my husband's birthday. I think they were serving a large party upstairs…read more Part of his dinner was missing (a seafood trio which came as a duo) and was overcooked. I had stuffed scallops, but they were not rinsed so there was sand in them. But the waitress was great and tried to make it up to us by comping a dessert (homemade donut with whipped cream which was very nice). I've heard they're great for lunches, but we won't be back for dinner.

They had a buffet! Total surprise. It wasn't on the menu but I believe it is a regular thing…read more All of the food was great!

Never a bad meal. Just ordered from there last night and everything was AWESOME!!! Service was also…read moreawesome!!

Outstanding!! The ribs were nothing short of wonderful with the best BBQ sauce I have ever had…read more All of the sides were very delicious and plentiful. A small restaurant that deserves very high praise!

Such an amazing place! First of all, we drove up at around 8:45pm, with closing time being around…read more9pm. The cook was outside and greeted us to come in. The food they prepared was simply fabulous. We will be back!

On our way back up from Florida. Rocky Mount is the perfect halfway point heading north. We stopped…read moreat Lou Reda's for dinner with friends who were part of our caravan. It was great food to nourish the soul after 12 hours in a car. The brisket burger was perfectly cooked. A good size Patti, pink in the center as we requested, with a big slab of juicy flavorful brisket on top. It was served with a beautifully executed coleslaw on a soft squishy bun. The french fries were well seasoned. We also ordered a beet salad, piled high with red and golden beets, and lots of flavorful textured toppings from pickled peppers, golden raisins to crunchy pork rinds. The salad dressing was a perfect compliment. The best part about the meal was Christiy. She was filled with great recommendations and a personality that just sparkled. After all those hours in a Car, she made us feel like she had personally welcomed us into her own home. We will be back next year on our way down to Florida.

So many gluten free options and the waitstaff was the best! I have celiac disease and we are…read moretraveling through. I definitely will be coming back anytime we are in the area.

This was a nice restaurant on the sound. Pet friendly on the deck. Our service was good and food…read morewas delivered quickly. The meals and drinks were excellent. Cannot beat a beautiful day with good food and drinks.

Very disappointing. We have eaten there many times in the past 2 years and were always pleased with…read morethe food and service. My daughter was visiting and we chose the Herringbone for dinner on Tuesday before New Years Eve. I ordered the loaded potato soup and the tuna small plate. My daughter had the salad and the shrimp appetizer The soup arrived barely hot and watery. Her salad was fine Then came the tuna with a smear of avocado and corn relish. None of it was edible. The tuna was definitely not fresh . By contrast the shrimp dish was delicious. The waitress graciously offered a replacement but by then I had lost my appetite. I am hoping that this was an uncommon experience because we really liked it beforehand.

Food was absolutely amazing...service was awesome. Great place if your traveling right off of the…read moreinterstate

The restaurant was highly recommended by the staff at the Fairfield Marriott, Weldon and it truly…read moredid not disappoint. We sat at the bar and we were immediately warmly greeted by Lena. She was so friendly and helpful. They had a March special on drinks and I decided to have The Pot of Gold which was 1800 coconut tequila, grand marnier, and pineapple juice.. it wasn't too sweet.. it was so good! I really think they should add it to their drink list The Swiss cheeseburger, seasoned veggies, hamburger steak were all so very very good! Atmosphere was relaxing and fun. I highly recommend this restaurant.

My wife and I visited Chef & the Farmer in Kinston to celebrate my birthday, and it turned out to…read morebe one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had in years. We were delighted to be personally greeted by none other than Vivian Howard -- James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. It was our first visit since Chef Vivian reimagined the restaurant into its current format: an intimate, chef-driven dining concept she calls "Chef New," inspired by one of her favorite restaurants, Chez Nous in Charleston, where a compact menu of six rotating daily selections keeps the focus squarely on quality and creativity. Chef Vivian herself seated us, and from that moment, the warmth and intentionality of the experience never let up. We were fortunate to be seated directly in front of the open kitchen, where we had the pleasure of meeting Chef Hope and watching the culinary team work with quiet precision. Every member of the staff -- from our server to the pastry and salad chef -- contributed to an atmosphere that felt both refined and genuinely welcoming. The prix-fixe menu, which rotates weekly, offered a wonderful range of choices. We opened with a starter of soft-shell crabs -- caught just two hours prior -- served with charred scallion mayo and a bright corn relish. The dish was extraordinary: delicate, fresh, and perfectly executed. My wife's Brussels sprouts, tossed with spiced peanuts and goat cheese and finished with a honey vinaigrette, were equally impressive. A generous pour of Sorgente Prosecco made it all the better. For our mains, I chose the flank steak, accompanied by asparagus with green butter and a silky root vegetable purée. My wife opted for the house-made tagliatelle in a shrimp scampi that she couldn't stop talking about. Both dishes were beautifully presented and thoughtfully composed, reflecting the restaurant's deep commitment to farm-to-table sourcing and local ingredients. The meal concluded with fantastic desserts and continued conversation with the staff, who were as knowledgeable as they were passionate. Throughout the evening, there was an evident attention to detail in every element -- from the food preparation to the way each dish was explained and presented. This is the kind of dining experience that reminds you why food matters. We will absolutely be back.

We've eaten a few times at Chef & the Farmer, enjoyed the Kitchen Bar experience, and were excited…read moreto try the latest iteration, The Counter. As always, Vivian does not disappoint. The Counter occupies what was once the private dining room at Chef & the Farmer. Decor is cool - bare brick, tin ceiling, polished cement floor, tables and chairs new but antiqued. An eclectic mix of music plays - a little too loud for my liking, but not so loud that we had to shout. Perhaps a dozen tables, plus a few on the sidewalk for when it warms up. The menu is simple, only a dozen or so choices. Some are old favorites, some new creations. A special of the day is offered. You order at the counter, and food is served at your table. You pick your table. We opted for an early dinner, arriving at 4PM on a Sunday. It was quiet in the restaurant, only us and and one other table. Service was good, but a little disjointed - one entrée arrived a full 5 minutes before the rest of the food. I tried shrimp and grits, the daily special. 6 shrimp, atop a bowl of cheddar grits, adorned with ground sausage, mushroom and roaster red pepper sauce. The shrimp are smoky; a crispy crunch to each one. Grits are creamy and perfect, complete with a few lumps. The sauce pulls it all together and adds the tiniest hint of heat. YUM! Also tried blueberry bbq chicken enchiladas. These are 3 to a serving; tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken prepared with Vivian's famous blueberry sauce. They're served in a shallow pool of poblano cream and topped with sliced radish, cilantro and cotijo. With a side of black beans. The chicken is the star.. it's moist, flavorful with the sweet/sour goodness of the blueberry sauce. Delish! Also tried a trio of sides - fried collards, hushpuppies and beets. The fried collards are a familiar favorite - deep fried collard leaves, crispy and salty. Hushpuppies are golf-ball sized, wonderfully crisp on the outside, moist and sweet on the inside. They're topped with apple & jalapeno preserves. Beets are served with slices of orange, topped with spiced and feta vinaigrette. To be honest, you could just order one of each of the sides (there are others) and that would be a meal! The counter offers wonderful food. Not quite the experience of a full sit-down meal (I really MISS Chef & the Farmer), but still - worth the drive to Kinston.

Great food. Great drinks. Fun and attentive servers and bartenders. Good quality food. It's open…read morewhen a lot of places are closed AND has a great health score! We ate there twice. Cool place.

We just closed on our house in Washington, so we stopped by 1906 for a celebratory drink. They were…read moredoing a brisk lunch business on a Thursday afternoon. Many people rave about their sandwiches, so we decided to stay for lunch. Hubby had a Cuban sandwich, and I had a warm roast beef and provolone sandwich with banana peppers. We both really enjoyed our food! If you're just visiting town, I recommend staying upstairs at The West Main. They have beautiful renovated rooms and all the amenities of a home away from home.