top of page
2025 FAVORITES
Congratulations to these local businesses for collecting the top 3 most community votes during the 5th Annual Carteret Curated People's Choice Awards!
TASTE
favorite local place to get breakfast:
1. THE BANKS GRILL • @thebanksgrill.mhc
2. COX FAMILY RESTAURANT • @coxfamilyrestaurant
3. THE BITE AT THE BOX • @thebite.ab
favorite local family eatery:
1. COX FAMILY RESTAURANT • @coxfamilyrestaurant
2. AMOS MOSQUITOS • @amosmosquitos
3. BLACKBEARD'S GRILL • FB: Blackbeard's Grill
favorite local pet-friendly establishment:
1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. BEACH BOWLS • @beachbowlsnc
3. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
favorite local restaurant with a view:
1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
3. 34 NORTH RESTAURANT • @34degreesnorthrestaurant
favorite local frozen dessert shop:
1. SIMPLY NATURAL CREAMERY • @simplynaturalcreamery
2. BEAUFORT CREAMERY • @beaufortcreamery
3. SCOOPIN' YUMMIES • @scoopinyummiesatlantic
favorite local food truck:
1. CAPTAIN'S KITCHEN • @captainskitchen_nc
2. DANK BURRITO • @dank.burrito
3. THE GARDEN OF EATEN • FB: Garden of Eaten Food Truck
favorite local place to grab a beer:
1. THE TACKLE BOX • @tackleboxtavern
2. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
3. PROMISE LAND MARKET • @promiselandmarket
favorite local coffee shop:
1. REED'S COFFEE, ART & FRAMING • @reedscoffeeandframing
2. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails
3. HISTORIC GROUNDS COFFEE SHOP • @coffeehistoricgrounds
favorite local bakery:
1. SUGARLOAF ISLAND BAKERY • @sugarloafislandbakery
2. HAPPYCAKES CUPCAKERY • @happycakescupcakery
3. BEAUFORT BAKING CO. • @beaufortbaking
favorite local place to get a cocktail:
1. ARENDELL ROOM • @arendellroombar
2. THE GREEN ROOM • @thegreenroom.blacksheep
3. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails
favorite local wine shop:
1. MF CHAPPELL WINE MERCHANT • @mfchappell
2. PROMISE LAND MARKET • @promiselandmarket
3. CRU WINE BAR • @crubarbeaufort
favorite local seafood market:
1. BLUE OCEAN MARKET • @blueoceanmarketnc
2. SALTY CATCH SEAFOOD COMPANY • @saltycathcseafoodco
3. ROSE SEAFOOD MARKET • FB: Rose Seafood Market
EXPERIENCE
favorite local caterer:
1. SEASIDE SENSATIONS • @seasidesensations
2. LIVE OAK EATS • @liveoakeats
3. GAFFER'S • @gaffersemeraldislenc
favorite local event venue:
1. CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN • @carolinahomeandgardennc
2. THE BEAUFORT HOTEL • @beaufort_hotel_nc
3. 127 MIDDLE LANE • @127middlelane
favorite local event planner:
1. GROW SOCIAL • @growsocialnc
2. STAIRCASE EVENT MANAGMENT • @staircase_event_managment
3. KNOT A SECOND THOUGHT • @knotasecondthought
favorite local florist:
1. SANDY'S FLOWER SHOPPE • @sandysflowershoppe
2. GROW SOCIAL • @growsocialnc
3. FLOWERS & DESIGNS BY ERNEST • @flowersanddesignsbyernest
favorite local photographer:
1. SARAH K. PHOTOGRAPHY • @sarahkphotognc
2. PROMISE LAND PHOTOGRAPHY • @promiselandphotographync
3. MEL O'BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY • @meloberryphotography
favorite local makeup artist:
1. FACE II FACE BY KACYN WILLIS • @faceiifacebykacyn
2. KELLY CLARK AT THE HAIR GALLERY • @kelly_clark_makeup_artist
3. BEAUTY BY KRISTEN • @beautybykristenb
favorite local band/musician:
1. THE GREEN ROOM • @thegreen_r
2. 4EVERALL • @4everall.band
3. BAREFOOT WADE • @barefootwade
favorite local hair salon:
1. THE HAIR GALLERY • @thehairgallerymhc
2. THE SALON COLLECTIVE • @thesaloncollectivemhc
3. BELLA HAIR STUDIO • @bella_hair_studio
favorite local bed & breakfast:
1. 34 NORTH VACATIONS • @34northvacations
2. THE BUNK HOUSE • @bunkhouse101
3. INN ON TURNER • @innonturner
favorite local videographer:
1. TRIWORK STUDIOS • @triworkstudios
2. BY ASH FITZ • @byashfitz
3. BEE CAPTURED PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY • @bee.captured_photography
favorite local hotel:
1. BEAUFORT HOTEL • @beaufort_hotel_nc
2. BASK HOTEL • @baskhotel
3. INLET INN• @inletinn
favorite local nail salon:
1. BLUE OCEAN SPA & NAILS • @blueoceanspa_moreheadcity
2. LE NAILS • FB: Le Nails
3. COASTAL NAIL LOUNGE • FB: Coastal Nail Lounge
favorite local dance studio:
1. JUSTICE ELITE DANCE CO. • @justiceelitedance
2. DANCE ARTS STUDIO • @danceartsstudio_mhc
3. THE CAROLINA SRUT • FB: The Carolina Strut Performing Arts Centre
favorite local transportation service:
1. DIAMOND BUS COMPANY • @diamondbuscompany
2. CARTERET CAB • FB: Carteret Cab
3. A DIAMOND LIMOUSINE • FB: A Diamond Limousine LLC
favorite local yoga/pilates studio:
1. DOWNTOWN BARRE • @dbarremhc
2. BODHI YOGA & MASSAGE • @bodhi_yoga_massage
3. BEAUFORT BARRE & FITNESS • @beaufortbarreandfitness
favorite local place to get pampered:
1. COMPLEXION MED SPA • @complexionmedspa_
2. TRANQUILITY • @tranquilitync
3. PURE INDULGENCE • @pureindulgencedayspa_mhc
favorite local rainy day activity:
1. NC AQUARIUM AT PKS • @ncaquariumpks
2. MAC DADDY'S • @mymacdaddys
3. KIDZ @ PLAY CAFE • @kidsatplayfamilycafe
favorite local place to workout:
1. SPORTS CENTER • @sportscentermorehead
2. PERFORMANCE ZONE • @sc_performancezone
3. IRON TIDE CROSSFIT • @irontidecrossfit
favorite local annual event:
1. BIG ROCK BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT • @bigrocktournament
2. NC SEAFOOD FESTIVAL • @ncseafoodfest
3. CHOWDER & CHEER • @downtownmhc
favorite local fishing charter:
1. REELY LIVIN' CHARTERS • @reelylivincharters
2. CAPT. STACY FISHING CENTER • @captstacy
3. SALT AIR VENTURES • @saltairventures
favorite local outdoor adventure activity:
1. FORT MACON STATE PARK
2. GRACE ADVENTURE PARK • @graceadventurepark
3. CAPE LOOKOUT CRUISES • @lookoutcruisesnc
SHOP
favorite local place to get a gift:
1. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc
2. DORSEA • @shopdorsea
3. CLASSY CLUTTER GIFTS & DECOR • @classyclutterdecor
favorite local women's clothing shop:
1. TASSELS • @tasselsladiesboutique
2. COASTAL CURENT BOUTIQUE • @shopcoastalcurrent
3. THE POSH PELICAN • @theposhpelicanab
favorite local men's clothing shop:
1. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
2. HILTON'S • @hiltons.atlanticbeach
3. MARSH'S SURF SHOP • @marshssurfshop
favorite local kids clothing shop:
1. BUCKLES & BOWS • @bucklesandbowsnc
2. GIGI & CO. • @gigandcomhc
3. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
favorite local tackle/outdoor shop:
1. EJW OUTDOORS • @ejwoutdoors
2. CHASIN' TAILS OUTDOORS • @chasintailsoutdoors
3. SPORTSMAN'S WHOLESALE • @sportsmanswholesale
favorite local home decor shop:
1. BEAUFORT LINEN CO. • @beaufort_linen_company
1. SHORE DECOR • @shoredecor
2. BACKSHORE LIVING • @backshoreliving
3. MCQUEEN'S INTERIORS • @mcqueensint
favorite local art gallery:
1. SALT GALLERY • @salt_gallery_morehead
2. BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS • @blusailgolitzstudios
3. MATTIE KING DAVIS ART GALLERY • FB: Mattie King Davis Art Gallery
favorite local artist:
1. SALTY GIRL DESIGNS • @saltygirldesigns
2. JIMMY CRAIG WOMBLE • @jimmycraig2
3. HEATHER SINK • @cravingartstudio
3. GRACE BELL• @gracebellart
favorite local handmade product:
1. COPE & CO. • @copeandcocollection
2. MORE SOUND CRABPOT TREES • @crabpottrees
3. PRESSED & PARCHED • @pressedandparched
favorite local place to buy beach essentials:
1. MARSH'S SURF SHOP • @marshssurfshop
2. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
3. BERT'S SURF SHOP • @bertssurfshops1965
TOP 10 IN TEN
(new categories every year with the top ten published in the People's Choice Guide!)
favorite local shrimp burger:
1. EL'S DRIVE-IN • FB: El's Drive-In
2. CAPTAIN'S KITCHEN • @captainskitchen_nc
3. BIG OAK DRIVE-IN & BBQ • FB: Big Oak Drive In & BBQ
favorite local place to enjoy live music:
1. JACK'S WATERFRONT BAR • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
2. BACKSTREET PUB • FB: The Backstreet Pub
3. GAFFER'S • @gaffersemeraldislenc
favorite local margarita
1. MEZCALITO • @mezcalitonc
2. TOWER 7 BAJA MEXICAN GRILL • @tower7morehead
3. FISH HUT GRILL • @fishhutgrill
favorite local place to grab a book:
1. THE BOOK SHOP
2. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc
3. EMERALD ISLE BOOKSTORE • @emeraldislebooks
favorite local new business (opened in 2024):
1. NOONTIDE COFFEE & KITCHEN • @noontide_coffee_kitchen
2. BOATS 365 • @boats365nc
3. REED'S AT THE PORCH • @reedsattheporch
favorite local outdoor market:
1. OLDE BEAUFORT FARMERS' MARKET • @oldebeaufortfarmersmarket
2. THE MARKET AT CEDAR POINT • @themarket1046
3. THE FRIENDLY MARKET • @friendlymarketnc
favorite local place to play pool/arcade games:
1. ROYAL JAMES CAFE • FB: Royal James Cafe
2. BB'S FLASHBAX ARCADE • @bbsamusements
3. MACDADDY'S • @mymacdaddys
favorite local place to get a spray tan:
1. ON THE GLOW• @ontheglow252
2. TIDELINES LUXURY MOBILE SPRAY TANNING • @tidelines_tanning
3. CRYSTAL COAST GLOW • @crystalcoastglow
favorite local place for healthy eats:
1. BEACH BOWLS • @beachbowlsnc
2. REFECTION • @refectionfoods
3. THE FRIENDLY MARKET • @friendlymarketnc
favorite local place to get crafty:
1. WINE & DESIGN • @wndmoreheadcitync
2. BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS • @blusailgolitzstudios
3. SPINDRIFT STUDIOS • FB: Spindrift Studios
bottom of page