Good Eats in the Sandhills

By Lee Pace

The concept of the food truck dates back more than a century to the days of the rustic Wild West with the chuck wagon dishing up meat stews and beans to weary cowhands. Today the industry has evolved to technologically advanced kitchens manned by highly decorated chefs churning out lobster rolls, Korean tacos and gourmet ice pops in mobile kitchens from New York to Los Angeles.

The dining scene in the Sandhills has been recently enhanced by Maniac Grill, the name borrowed from the “Maniac Hill” moniker bestowed on the Pinehurst practice range in the early 1900s. The name on the side of the truck is accented with the slogan “Crazy good food,” and for now the Maniac Grill will make its home at Pinehurst No. 10 with appearances around the resort and town on other occasions.

The headliner? A brisket sandwich with freshly smoked beef topped with gruyere cheese and caramelized onions, served on a crispy baguette loaf. And for dessert, peach ice cream ensconced in fresh sugar cookies. Because No. 10 is essentially a walking-only course, Pinehurst Chef Thierry Debailleul designed the menu for items to be carried and eaten in one hand.

“I wanted to have a food truck forever,” says Pinehurst owner Bob Dedman Jr. “Now we have one, and it’s phenomenal.”

Of course, Maniac Grill is just a drop in the deep culinary bucket of the Sandhills. Here’s a quick nine of can’t-miss dining venues for your next golf trip:

The pork chop at the Pine Crest Inn — A staple on the menu for decades has been this 22-ounce piece of pork slow-roasted and served with mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables and natural pan gravy. “At the ’99 U.S. Open, we had 1,600 pork chops go through that kitchen. That’s a lot of pork,” says Marie Hartsell, a long-time cook at the Pine Crest.

A barbecue plate at the Pinehurst Brewing Company — Pinehurst Resort in 2018 completed the renovation of an historic steam plant dating to 1895 into one of the town’s most popular restaurants and brew pubs. The smokehouse serves pulled pork, beef brisket, ribs and chicken. The Blackberry Habanero sauce on the side and a dish of tangy collard greens are the perfect accents.

Blueberry pancakes at The Track Restaurant — It’s off the beaten path and sits modestly in a white cinder-block building, but locals and insiders know The Track is one the best breakfast spots in town. This mom & pop eatery is located within the Pinehurst Harness Track and churns out pancakes and omelets in profusion during the busy spring and fall golf seasons.

A deli sandwich at The Villager Deli in Pinehurst — It’s literally in the center of town, on the ground floor of the Pinehurst Department Store building that James Tufts erected in 1895. Since 1982, the Villager has served as a lively spot to relive golf scores and wolf down hearty sandwiches where the turkey, roast beef or ham is piled nearly an inch thick.

The bolognese at Villaggio Ristorante & Bar in the Magnolia Inn — This historic 10-room inn has operated since 1896 and in 2021 was brought into the Pinehurst Resort fold. The cozy restaurant prides itself on pasta made fresh daily in the kitchen, and one of the best items is the tagliatelle tossed in a rich sauce of slowly braised ground veal, beef and pork.

The crab scramble at Ironwood Café — Halfway between Pinehurst and Southern Pines on Midland Road is the Ironwood, one of the most popular and consistent Sandhills restaurants. Dining on the patio during shoulder seasons is the perfect venue for Sunday brunch, and one of the signature dishes is lump crab meat tossed with grilled corn, red pepper, cream cheese and Ironwood potatoes.

The bacon jam burger at Chapman’s Food & Spirits — Over the last decade, Chapman’s has established itself in downtown Southern Pines as one of the area’s top casual dining enclaves. All of its burgers are made of a blend of ground chuck, short rib and beef brisket, and one of the most popular versions is served with bacon jam and cheddar cheese.

The shepherd’s pie at the Sly Fox Pub — You can’t have a proper golf destination without an authentic British gastropub, and the Sly Fox in downtown Southern Pines fits the bill. One of the signature dishes is the traditional casserole of ground lamb simmered in herbs and red wine, topped with mashed potatoes, with one of the pub’s wide selections of craft brews to wash it down.

And for dessert after any meal in the Sandhills, an ice cream cone from the Ice Cream Parlor Restaurant in Southern Pines — It’s a throwback for sure, this 1976 nook at the corner of Broad Street and New Hampshire Avenue. Attendants will hand-dip your two scoops of butter pecan or pistachio or squeeze you a fresh orangeade. Outside are benches where you can take a seat, lick and sip and look for Beaver Cleaver to walk by.

Lee Pace is a freelance golf writer who has written about Sandhills area golf for four decades and is the author of club histories about Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Forest Creek.