By Jason Frye
The first I heard of Kinston, North Carolina, was in the early 1990s when a friend was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and sent to a small town in vaguely coastal North Carolina instead of a big city on the shores of Lake Erie. He went from Little League pitcher in our little town to a major university, then back to a small town, where he pitched again, this time in the Major League’s minors. It suited him just fine, and after his first season in the pros, he reported back that Kinston had the small-town charm our coalfield hometown lacked, and that he’d discovered a love for whole-hog barbecue.
I’m happy to report that whole-hog barbecue is alive and well across the Coastal Plain, that Kinston is still rich with small-town charm, and a weekend there is worth the drive whether you’re hunting for a kitschy, retro road trip vibe or a boutique stay in a bank-turned-boarding house. And that doesn’t even get into the beer and the baseball.
Transplants to North Carolina (I’m one), may know Kinston from chef Vivian Howard’s cookbook, Deep Run Roots, or her PBS show, A Chef’s Life. Born-and-bred Tarheels may recall Kinston and the CSS Neuse — a Confederate ironclad that sailed all of 100 yards before getting stuck in the river — from their state history classes. Barbecue buffs know King’s Restaurant and nearby Skylight Inn, a legendary barbecue joint in Ayden. But did you know Kinston has a throwback motel, a mighty brewery, and good grub around every corner? No? Good. Pack a bag and let’s explore.
Plant yourself at Mother Earth Motor Lodge for the weekend and lean into the yesteryear stylings and the mood this place exudes. With Miami-chic bright décor and linens, mid-century furnishings and the classic motel-rooms-surround-the-pool-courtyard setup, you can’t help but feel hip when you stay there. The pool is open year-round for soaking, aided by a couple of beers from Mother Earth Brewing to make your round of mini golf a little more interesting. When you’re ready you can rent a bike and pedal to dinner. With a little planning — read: baseball home games or a downtown fair — you can park the car and rely on your own two feet or a borrowed bike for the entire weekend. With these gas prices, what’s not to like about that?
Kinston offers another prime spot to plant yourself for a few days: The O’Neil Hotel. Housed in the former Farmers & Merchants Bank, the exterior, lobby and each of the seven rooms in this boutique hotel preserve the building’s history. Exquisite plasterwork on the lobby ceiling draws the eye away from the massive vault door at one end of the room. Communal lounging areas occupy former teller stations, giving you a peek at the emergency alarm buttons. Slip into the vault for a coffee, snack or a beer from Mother Earth Brewing. (Sensing a theme here?)
Mother Earth and her owners have committed themselves to preserving and celebrating Kinston landmarks and to producing crushable quaffs like their kölsch. When you’re ready, take the little elevator to your room and settle in; the converted offices are surprisingly spacious, sumptuously appointed and full of upscale charm.
Local art hangs in both The O’Neil and Mother Earth Motor Lodge, and it’s no surprise when you consider the impact the Community Council for the Arts and the Art 105 studios have on the town. The council keeps four galleries filled with original pieces, two with items from the permanent collection, two full of rotating exhibits. Art 105, a collective of working studios where everything is for sale, has works that span the medium spectrum (as long as they start with “p”) — photography, prints, pottery, paintings — from 18 artists. Both galleries offer classes, workshops and ways to plug into the town’s art scene.
Eastern North Carolina is known for its barbecue, and you’ll get your fill at King’s Restaurant in Kinston or after a short drive north to Skylight Inn. I say, why not try both and battle it out for your personal best-barbecue championship belt (you might want to let that belt out or wear some stretchy pants if this is the plan). King’s Restaurant dishes up chopped barbecue along with ribs, fried chicken, pork chops, fried fish and banana pudding so good you’ll want to bring some back to your room. Skylight Inn’s cornbread is controversial (let’s say it’s an acquired taste), but the chopped pork is out of this world good. When you come to Kinston, bring a cooler so you can carry a few quarts of ’cue home with you.
Barbecue’s not the only game in town. Chef Vivian Howard’s restaurant, Chef and The Farmer, continues to evolve, and the current iteration is a knockout. Belly up to The Kitchen Bar for a seven-course tasting menu prepared right in front of your eyes. It’s pricey, but after the second course, you’ll forget about the cash and focus on what culinary magic chef Howard will perform next. Don’t have the time for a seven-course feast? Thursday through Sunday, Howard and her team serve a super prix-fixe menu with a French-meets-the-Carolinas flair.
Lovick’s Café is the place for breakfast. They’ve been baking biscuits and flipping flapjacks since 1941, earning a dining room filled with loyal locals and hungry visitors alike. I’m partial to the country ham or smoked sausage biscuit, and the sausage gravy and biscuits, though friends swear by a stack of hotcakes.
No trip to Kinston is complete without a stop by Mother Earth Brewing. Their solar-powered taproom makes for a cool hangout spot. They pour from 24 taps, giving you a taste of an array of beers and ciders from Czech-style pilsners to New England IPAs (with catchy Phish lyric names), porters, sours and a killer kölsch.
While my friend hung ’em up long ago, baseball’s still thriving in Kinston, though the locals root for the Down East Bird Dawgs nowadays. Their stadium sits on the edge of downtown, a quick walk from Mother Earth Brewery or the Motor Lodge. Settle in for a Frontier League game, then explore what else Kinston’s got in store — disc golf; a planetarium; a small-but-mighty water park; the CSS Neuse museum and a replica, the CSS Neuse II. Or you can just reconnect with a slower pace of life without sacrificing comfort or great food. Sit back and let the place charm you. EB
Jason Frye is a travel writer living in Wilmington. He’s the author of Moon North Carolina, Moon North Carolina Coast, and guidebooks to the Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, and hiking in our national parks. Follow his adventures in eastern North Carolina and beyond on Instagram @BeardedWriter.