Crave Dessert Bar has been bringing together the Charlotte, NC, community over farm-to-glass cocktails, a dessert and savory menu inspired by the region’s culture, and a darn good time for over 13 years.

Located in a bed & breakfast in Greensboro, North Carolina, The Historic Magnolia House has been serving classic cuisine from the time it was a Green Book site in the 1950s. Featuring a menu of soulful, elegant southern dishes and chef-inspired cocktails, they offer a truly historic culinary experience.

Located in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Smiths Smokehouse and Smoothies specializes in Texas-style BBQ and dessert smoothies that complement their smokey, tomato-based, Texas-style offerings. Imagine a flavorful smoked brisket chased by a blueberry cobbler smoothie, or a fall-off-the-bone oxtail complemented with a creamy banana pudding smoothie, and you’ll start to get the picture.

Since 2015, What the Fries has been serving up elevated, innovative, and unexpected dishes atop hand-cut fries, as well as handmade tots and sandwiches, using locally sourced and scratch-made ingredients. The Charlotte-based, family-run restaurant (and food truck) is led by chef/owners Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams, both founding members of the popular dinner series Soul Food Sessions.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Zweli’s is the first known Zimbabwean restaurant in the U.S. It was established in 2016 as a catering business, and moved into its brick and mortar location a year later. The flavors of Zimbabwe shine in their signature dishes, which include beef-and-collard stew served with sadza, a Zimbabwean porridge, the peanut-butter-based dovi chicken, and chakalaka.