Up & Coming Weekly

SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 5, 2021 UCW 13 Best of Fayetteville Best Restaurant Overall/Best Italian/ Best Waitstaff Luigi's Italian Chophouse & Bar 528 N. McPherson Church Road 910-864-1810 or www.luigisnc.com Peter Parrous served as a cook in World War II, and like many soldiers, he settled down in Fayetteville. He traded in his boots for kitchen utensils and opened his own restaurant, featuring his mother's spaghetti recipe. For more than half a century, the restaurant has thrived and now under the leadership of the Parrous, Kotsopoulos, Higgins and Ernst families, it has continued to be one of the favorite locations for homemade Italian food — still made from the same recipe. Over the years, the restau- rant added steaks, chops and fish. To the delight of Fayetteville wine lov- ers, the restaurant has an eclectic wine list with more than 1,500 different wines. The updated and well-appointed decor is perfect for a special night with your sweetheart or to celebrate with a large number of friends. During COVID restrictions, the restaurant evolved to accommodate online ordering and reservations, as well as putting together a program for to-go orders and deliveries. Best New Restaurant Jonathan's Cafe 175 East 1st St., Stedman 910-491-5275 or www.jonathanscafe.com While COVID saw many restaurants close, a brave entrepeneur in Stedman not only opened a new restaurant, but also made it a success as Jonathan's Cafe was named the Best New Restaurant. Owner Carmen Headden makes everything from her own recipes using only fresh meats (never fro- zen) and fresh vegetables. Everything at Jonathan's Cafe is made with quality ingre- dients purchased locally. Headden takes the same philosophy with her staff that goes above and beyond to provide quality customer service for every patron. She says the service is quick and most importantly, every client is greeted with a smile. She noted that every- thing about Jonathan's Cafe is a little "extra." The food is extra fresh, the restau- rant is extra clean and the staff is extra happy to serve their customers. The restaurant features homestyle cooking, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Saturday and Sunday breakfast menu offers everything from pancakes and French toast, which are served with bacon or sausage, a two-egg breakfast plate with toast or biscuit, fried potatoes or grits, and bacon, country ham or sausage link. You can also add Red-Eye gravy, breakfast biscuits and sandwiches. The lunch menu Monday to Saturday is just as diverse, offering chicken salad, chicken schnitzel, egg salad, grilled cheese, BLTs, fried bologna sand- wiches, corn dogs, hot dogs and the ever popular hamburger. The dinner menu offers voodoo pasta, penne, pasta covered in a delicious cajun cream sauce with blackened Andouille sausage, chicken, bell peppers and served with garlic bread. Also offered are hamburger steak with onions and gravy, pork chops, shrimp and grits and more. Best Local Caterer Peaden's Seafood Catering 1600 MacArthur Road 910-488-1972 or www.peadens.com Family owned and operated, Peaden's Seafood & Catering has been bringing Calabash to Fayetteville since 1972. This is the third win in this category. Voted Best Caterer in 2019, Peaden's has so impressed its cus- tomers that it rose to the top this year as well. Peaden's specializes in Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue and true Southern-fried chicken, as well as some of the best seafood on the Eastern seaboard. And they're famous for their hushpuppies. If you prefer to dine-in, the dining room offers a down-home feeling, and the waitstaff is fast-paced and friendly, always serving your dinner with a smile. The banquet room is spacious. It can accommodate as many as 200 guests for your special events, and your own personal decorations are wel- come. With nearly 50 years of experience and a huge heart for the community, Peaden's has earned a top spot as one of Fayetteville's favorite family restau- rants for whom catering is a pleasure. Best Brew House/Best Veteran Owned Business Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom 5435 Corporation Drive, Hope Mills 910-426-2537 or www.dirtbagales.com Self-proclaimed "Dirtbags" Army veterans Vernardo (aka Tito), Eric and Jerry brew "for the refined taste of the common man." In other words, they opted to ditch the rulebook and pursue homegrown craftsmanship when they started Dirtbag Ales, North Carolina's first contract brewery, in Tito's garage. Tito developed a passion for home- brewed beer and stove-top concoctions until, at last, he brewed the Kölsch, the drink that convinced Eric to invest in what is now Dirtbag Ales. Along with the Blood Orange Kölsch, Dirtbag offers a variety of unique drinks, includ- ing the Cold-Brew Mocha Porter, the W.E.I.N.E.R Mash, the seasonal Saison de Citrouille for all the pumpkin lovers out there and more. The goal: Have fun and make great beer. An experience at Dirtbag is never the same. The bar regularly hosts food trucks, live music and even a weekly out- door farmers market and monthly self-defense classes during the summer. The variety is endless, and so are the good times. The Dirtbag crew recently launched a new distillery, which has turned into a second location because North Carolina law prohibits the sale of home brewed beers and liquors being served in the same location. The Dirtbag guys soldiered on and started Dirty Whisky Craft Cocktail Bar at 5431 Corporation Drive, which serves craft cocktails that focus on in-house fusions combined with locally sourced spirits, with a common goal: Have fun while making great cocktails. Napkins at Dirt Bag Ales serves food fresh and hot. w i n e & d i n e

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