CityView Magazine

44 October 2022 GOOD EATS Worth the drive From a hot new food hall off I-95, to a country-style seafood buffet, to the latest eatery from a five-time James Beard semifinalist chef, the pickings are plentiful — and closer than you may think BY JANET GIBSON F all road trips are the best. Open your windows or let down the top to feel autumn's first invigorating nip. Turn up the radio and perform your own version of "Carpool Karaoke." And, perhaps best of all, savor the promise of good eats just around the bend. Food hall excitement We arrive on opening day — Friday, Aug. 26 — of the Old North State Food Hall to discover hungry people from up and down the Eastern Seaboard. A quick scan of the parking lot reveals license plates from Maine to Florida and maybe a Selma firefighter or two. is means the food hall has already achieved the intended: lure motorists traveling north or south on Interstate 95 to take Exit 97 in Johnston County, plus attract the local folks, too. Billed as "the nation's first roadside food hall," the 15,000-square-foot attraction is housed in the former JR Cigars outlet building. With 10 dining experiences under one roof, it's an ideal destination if Johnny is craving a big burger and Mom wants curry. Here's the rundown: Barley and Burger Smashed; Luna (Neapolitan) Pizza; Curry in a Hurry; Aroma de Cuba; e Mac House; Fuku, a fried chicken joint from chef David Chang; My Cielo Taqueria; Cock a Doodle Old North Food Hall attracts motorists traveling Interstate 95 through Selma. Photo by Janet Gibson. Right, Neapolitan pizza from Luna. Right bottom, the brick oven gets a workout. Contributed photos

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