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    Primary Restaurant and Bar

    3.6 (41 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Primary Restaurant and Bar Photos

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    PRIMARY RESTAURANT AND BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Allison R.

    Beware...really poor customer service and business practices. I made a reservation on OpenTable and then canceled, but was charged $75 for cancelling with less than 24 hours notice. Apparently, I didn't read the "fine print" at the way bottom of the page. Of course, there was no mention of a late cancellation charge in the confirmation text that I received. I've never been charged a late cancellation at a restaurant before! Why did we cancel? My mother-in-law had been once before and mentioned that the ambience was dark/depressing and the food is way overpriced for the quality. Plenty of other great restaurants in the Highlands to try!

    Trout and crab cake sandwiches with light as air housemade potato chips
    Lala C.

    Beautiful bright modern restaurant with a warm ambience. Bar is large with plenty of bar seating and a small cozy seating area. Dining room offers booths, tables, banquettes, or outdoor options. Dining on a Friday for lunch it was fairly quiet for a sunny mid- November afternoon. Parking is a bit of a challenge in the center but side street or along the ends of the street options are available. We were thrilled to see local trout on the menu. We ordered trout sandwich served on housemade hogie type rolls and a crab cake sandwich served on a homemade brioche bun. For the included side option, housemade thin and crunchy potato chips were devoured. I was surprised that the truffle fries were frozen...why not make them fresh? No problem having the aioli served on the side Service was delightful and we look forward to our next visit. After lunch, we enjoyed strolling along the shops all decked out for the holidays.

    The honey bacon is a must
    Sandra G.

    Food was outstanding! Friends of ours told us to go, made a reservation for 630. I read the reviews before we went, so I was prepared to order the cornbread, bacon, and the crispy Brussels. Outstanding! I ordered a salad for my entrée, husband got the ribeye steak . It was outstanding. A full bulb of baked garlic comes with the steak. The paste along with an extra bite of the bacon was extraordinary. Again, great food but... I would suggest when you make a reservation that you request not to be sat close to the door we were upfront next to the host stand, so every time door opened,We were freezing, and guests that we're waiting were literally standing on top of us while we ate. Beautiful bar area and a nice vibe.

    Up the street
    Michael S.

    What a classy restaurant, should be one of the best. Definitely take the time and make a reservation or you may not get in. Pork chop one of the best I have had. I cook a lot of food on the grill, but this tops the cake. Definitely try the burger which is one of the best in the city! Burger has quality meat and is large in size and is very filling.

    Old fashioned. Lamb lollipops over mashed potatoes served with green beans. Cornbread.
    Melissa B.

    Excellent date night dinner. Cesear salad, oysters, cornbread, and lamb lollipops were enjoyed during our meal. Overall was appropriately priced. The atmosphere is elegant yet comfortable and the staff were friendly and attentive. Cocktails were very well made.

    Dinner menu
    Harry G.

    Had a great dinner here and can't recommend it enough for others to enjoy. It is a Mountain modern restaurant with a very eclectic menu that allows everyone to get something they would want. We had 4 there for dinner and you need to get reservations to ensure your seating. Ensure you look at their website because large groups will likely not be seated together. We got two of their appetizers to share and they were absolutely delicious. The tempura brussel sprouts were some for what best I've ever had. Their tune tower with avocado and Caviar was superb. Their salad items are full meals. They do side salads for meals but if you order just the salad, you will be pleasantly stuffed at the end. I got their country fried beef tenderloin and it was some of the best I have had. We got a decadent chocolate cake and I'll say this, that is a four person sharing dessert due to its size. If you're in highlands this is a great location that you need to try and I'd bet you'll try and come back.

    Chicken Fried Tenderloin.

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    Wine Garden - Trout Dip

    Wine Garden

    4.2(43 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Highlands, NC is truly a little slice of heaven! If you're ever there, you must have lunch or…read moredinner at the wine garden attached to Old Edwards Inn & Spa! It's such a beautiful and peaceful space to dine, especially with the amazing Spring and Fall temps they get there. We were with a party of 6 (plus a baby), and walked up without a reservation a bit late in the evening. We figured we'd try it and see if we could get in if it wasn't too late, and luckily enough, the hostess was kind enough to make it happen for us! The menu actually has a lot of variety for a wine garden - drinks and food wise. I started with the French onion soup and it was delicious. The Caesar salad was also quite yummy, but the meatloaf was the showstopper of the night! I am still dreaming of it now, and wish I could replicate it myself because it was that good and memorable! For dessert, I ordered the affogato which is their house made vanilla bean ice cream with an espresso shot and it was the perfect ending to the night! Our server was so attentive and kind, and constantly checked in on us and cleared our plates since the tables are a bit on the smaller side. I had an excellent experience all around!

    Had an fantastic afternoon visiting this place for lunch and drinks. The food was delicious, and…read moresitting out under the trees next to a little waterfall and stream as well as the nearby architecture really feels like you've traveled somewhere special. Our waiter was also very nice! Highly recommend!

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    Wine Garden - Charcuterie board

    Charcuterie board

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    Ristorante Paoletti - Melanzane parmigiano

    Ristorante Paoletti

    4.2(218 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    My family and I had the privilege of dining at Ristorante Paoletti twice during our recent stay in…read moreHighlands. The restaurant is located on the main street that runs through the town making it easy to find. Be sure to make a reservation as it fills up quickly. The staff we encountered during both visits were friendly and professional. The food was exceptional each visit. The eggplant parmigiana starter was tender and so flavorful. Three of the four of us ordered it on the second visit as it was that good. The beef carpaccio and meatball starter were also enjoyed. For entrees we had the trout Frances, stuffed halibut special, the gnocchi special, the mushroom tortellini and the linguine pescatore. All dishes were delcious while the trout Frances, mushroom tortellini and linguine pescatore were our favorites. It is worth mentioning their gnocchi could not have been better prepared as it was like a fluffy pillow as gnocchi should be. Had it been paired with the truffle sauce from the mushroom tortellini then it would have been perfection. For dessert, we sampled several ice creams, sorbets, the tiramisu and the Blueberry Coconut Layered cake. The raspberry sorbet and cappuccino Oreo gelato were the fan favorites for the dessert course. Ristorante Paoletti receives our highest recommendation as it is on point with offering a positive atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food.

    The ambiance and service were great. With that being said, unfortunately the food was terrible…read more Everything was covered in cheese- usually a good thing but not on these dishes. The grouper was over fried and doused in butter. The pasta dishes had so much cheese- it was over powering- same for potatoes. Lasagna was good. Unfortunately we won't be back.

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    Ristorante Paoletti - Menu

    Menu

    Ristorante Paoletti - Melanzane alla parmigiana

    Melanzane alla parmigiana

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    Oak Steakhouse - Egg Frittata with salad

    Oak Steakhouse

    4.5(91 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    We live in Charleston so we are very familiar with the Oak Steakhouse that's located here but the…read moreone at the Skyline Lodge, really delivered!! Everything about the restaurant was so special, amazing location for a sunset dinner, perched high above the Blue Ridge Mountains - amazing views. The best thing is if you stay at the Skyline Lodge, it's just steps away from your room and that comes in super handy when it's brunch time! We were fortunate enough to enjoy these two meals; dinner & brunch with our kids (who are foodies too) and they are now huge fans of Oak Steakhouse. They said it was the best steak they ever had, you can't go wrong with the Filet! The menu is not huge but really has all of the dishes you would want for an amazing dinner. Plenty of options, even if you don't eat steak. Amazing sides to accompany each dish and you must start with the bread, which is made in-house. I went with a dish I have not tried before and it did not disappoint, Venison Wellington while my wife tried the trout. I will let the photos do the talking. They also pour an amazing espresso martini by the way and to finish you have to try the chocolate cake, trust me! We also want to give a shot out to all of the staff and servers; their attention to detail and overall service was outstanding! Seems to be the case at all Indigo Road establishments, they really know hospitality. We cannot recommend Oak Steakhouse enough, even if you're not staying there but in the Highlands of NC make sure you give them a visit.

    My wife and I had an excellent meal in our first visit to Oak this holiday season. It's a modern…read morerestaurant with a subtle mid-century vibe that nods to the Skyline Lodge that it is incorporated into. Our server was very friendly and (unprompted) comped our bread service after a lengthy delay. Once received, the bread was amazing and went nicely with my lettuce wedge salad. The entrees were excellent as well, with my wife loving her risotto and my steak frites being top notch with fork-tender beef and amazing truffle fries. The portions are generous so to-go bags are a common sight. Oak is not inexpensive, but clearly the value is there if you are looking for a proper steakhouse experience near Highlands.

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    Oak Steakhouse
    Oak Steakhouse - Very fresh filling, double eggs

    Very fresh filling, double eggs

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    Primary Restaurant and Bar - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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