My knowledge of the dining scene is strictly pre-COVID; I haven’t stepped foot in a restaurant since the onset of the various lockdowns.
What I do know is that COVID wiped out the restaurant scene down here; we’re talking hiroshima/nagasaki metaphors.
For the last two years, a firm out of Smithfield, called “Wester Auction,” has done nothing but liquidate fixed assets of bankrupt restaurants in Central North Carolina.
It’s been an utter financial levelling of that sector of the economy.
The Fearrington House is a healthy drive from Chapel Hill, and, from the point of view of Durham or Raleigh, it’s way the heck out in the middle of nowhere.
The people I know, who stage large events down in Fearrington, always rent busses [and drivers] to bring their parties back into town.
Driving from Fearrington back to Chapel Hill with a stomach full of ETOH would be dicey; driving from Fearrington back to Raleigh with a stomach full of ETOH would be a fool’s errand.
Note, though, that Fearrington does have an “Inn” where you could spend the night [if you were able to secure a reservation beforehand].
PRE-COVID PRO-TIP: The chefs at Fearrington used to lurrvvv them some garlic.
In Chapel Hill & Durham, we’ve always had wonderful luck with the Bakatsias family’s restaurants:
Our Restaurants | Giorgios Lifestyle and Hospitality Group
We’ve paid corkage at Vin Rouge [French], at Bin 45 [steakhouse] and at Kipos [Greek], and always had a grand time.
Personally, I have a big soft spot for the Greek baked desserts at Kipos [especially the cookies with the powdered sugar, but I forget what you call them in Greek]; also, if you were interested in corkage at Kipos, you might stop by Mariakakis and see what they have in stock. For instance, back in the day, Mr Mariakakis was able to sell us a very rare bottle of Sigalas Vinsanto for our trip to Kipos:
Mariakakis Fine Food & Wine Specialty foods Chapel Hill NC
Our greatest problem, however - even greater than COVID - was the Master’s decision to hang up his apron.
The Master’s Q was perfect for anything from Champagne/Riesling to Poulsard/Pinotage.
The world simply will not be whole again until we figure out a way to fill that cold gaping emptiness in our lives.
PS: Speaking of Riesling, there’s a German eatery, in Durham, called Guglhupf, which tries to keep a strong list of German & Austrian wines, and we’ve enjoyed eating there [although, as I recall, we ordered wine off the list]:
Guglhupf - Restaurant, German Cuisine Durham, NC
https://guglhupf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Guglhupf_drinks-1.pdf
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