GET YOUR FREE 2024 PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE

Each year, we host a two-week long initiative where folks in the community get to vote for their favorite local small businesses in a variety of categories. THE BEST PART? Every business that receives a vote gets featured in our annual People’s Choice Guide — a digital and printed resource that locals and visitors can refer to throughout the year.

FAVORITES

Congratulations to these local businesses for collecting the top 3 most community votes during the 4th Annual Carteret Curated People's Choice Awards!

TASTE

favorite local place to get breakfast:

1. THE BANKS GRILL • @thebanksgrill.mhc
2. BEAUFORT GROCERY • @beaufortgrocery
3. THE BITE AT THE BOX • @thebite.ab

favorite local family eatery:

1. COX FAMILY RESTAURANT • @coxfamilyrestaurant
2. AMOS MOSQUITOS • @amosmosquitos
3. FISH HUT GRILL • @fishhutgrill

favorite local pet-friendly establishment:

1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. IDLE HOUR BIERGARTEN • @idlehourab
3. THE BACKSTREET PUB • FB: The Backstreet Pub

favorite local restaurant with a view:

1. YELLOWFIN PUB • @yellowfinpub_mhc
2. FRONT STREET GRILL • FB: Front Street Grill at Stillwater
3. MOONRAKERS • @moonrakersbeaufort

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. TWO CRAZY DONUTS • @twocrazydonuts

favorite local place to grab a beer:

1. SHORTWAY BREWING CO. • @shortwaybrewing
2. JACK'S ON THE WATERFRONT • @jackswaterfrontbar_mhc
3. FISHTOWNE BREW HOUSE • @fishtownebrewhouse

favorite local coffee shop:

1. REED'S COFFEE, ART & FRAMING • @reedscoffeeandframing
2. HISTORIC GROUNDS COFFEE SHOP • @coffeehistoricgrounds
3. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails

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. MUG SHOT • @mug.shot.caffeine.cocktails

favorite local seafood market:

1. BLUE OCEAN MARKET • @blueoceanmarketnc
2. MISS GINA'S FRESH SHRIMP • FB: Miss Gina's Fresh Shrimp
3. SALTY CATCH SEAFOOD COMPANY • @saltycathcseafoodco

EXPERIENCE

favorite local caterer:

1. SEASIDE SENSATIONS • @seasidesensations
2. BEAUFORT GROCERY • @beaufortgrocery
3. OUTER BANKS BOIL COMPANY • @obxboilco_emeraldisle

favorite local event venue:

1. CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN • @carolinahomeandgardennc
2. 127 MIDDLE LANE • @127middlelane
3. THE COTTAGE • @thecottagenc

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. BEAUFORT IN BLOOM • @beaufortinbloom
3. FLOWERS & DESIGNS BY ERNEST • @flowersanddesignsbyernest

favorite local photographer:

1. PROMISE LAND PHOTOGRAPHY • @promiselandphotographync
2. MEL O'BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY • @meloberryphotography
3. SARAH K. PHOTOGRAPHY • @sarahkphotognc

favorite local makeup artist:

1. KACYN WILLIS • @faceiifacebykacyn
2. BEAUTY BY KRISTEN • @beautybykristenb
3. ELIZABETH WILLIS • @makeupbyelizabethwillis

favorite local band/musician:

1. 4EVERALL • @4everall.band
2. TODD BARNES • @toddcbarnes
3. THE GREEN ROOM • @thegreen_r

favorite local hair salon:

1. THE HAIR GALLERY • @thehairgallerymhc
2. WILD ARROW COLLECTIVE • @wildarrow.collective
3. BELLA HAIR STUDIO • @bella_hair_studio

favorite local bed & breakfast:

1. ANN STREET INN • @annstreetinn
2. INN ON TURNER • @innonturner
3. MERMAID COTTAGE • @carrcottages

favorite local videographer:

1. TRIWORK STUDIOS • @triworkstudios
2. BY ASH FITZ • @byashfitz
3. WHEN TWO BECOME FILMS • @whentwobecomeonefilms
3. VICTOR CANO FILMS • @victorcanofilms

favorite local hotel:

1. BEAUFORT HOTEL • @beaufort_hotel_nc
2. BASK HOTEL • @baskhotel
3. HOTEL ALICE • @hotelalicenc

favorite local nail salon:

1. LE NAILS • FB: Le Nails
2. BLUE OCEAN SPA & NAILS • @blueoceanspa_moreheadcity
3. COASTAL NAIL LOUNGE • FB: Coastal Nail Lounge

favorite local dance studio:

1. JUSTICE ELITE DANCE CO. • @justiceelitedance
2. THE CAROLINA SRUT • FB: The Carolina Strut Performing Arts Centre
3. DANCE ARTS STUDIO • @danceartsstudio_mhc

favorite local transportation service:

1. DIAMOND BUS COMPANY • @diamondbuscompany
2. A DIAMOND LIMOUSINE • FB: A Diamond Limousine LLC
3. CARTERET COUNTY CONCIERGE • @carteretcountyconcierge

favorite local yoga/pilates studio:

1. DOWNTOWN BARRE • @dbarremhc
2. THE VIEW AT SUGARLOAF • @theview_atsugarloaf
3. SOUND SIDE PILATES • @soundsidepilates

favorite local place to get pampered:

1. COMPLEXION MED SPA • @complexionmedspa_
2. TRANQUILITY • @tranquilitync
3. BLESSED BODY DAY SPA • @blessedbodydayspa

favorite local rainy day activity:

1. NC AQUARIUM AT PKS • @ncaquariumpks
2. MAC DADDY'S • @mymacdaddys
3. WINE & DESIGN • @wndmoreheadcitync

favorite local place to workout:

1. PERFORMANCE ZONE • @sc_performancezone
2. SPORTS CENTER • @sportscentermorehead
3. IRON TIDE CROSSFIT • @irontidecrossfit

favorite local annual event:

1. NC SEAFOOD FESTIVAL • @ncseafoodfest
2. BIG ROCK BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT • @bigrocktournament
3. CHOWDER & CHEER • @downtownmhc

favorite local fishing charter:

1. CAPT. STACY FISHING CENTER • @captstacy
2. REELAX FISHING CHARTERS • @reelaxcharters
3. NOAH'S ARK FISHING CHARTERS • @noahsarkcharters

favorite local outdoor adventure activity:

1. ELLIOTT COUES NATURE TRAIL • @ncstateparks
2. GRACE ADVENTURE PARK • @graceadventurepark
3. ENCOUNTER SCUBA • @encounterscuba

SHOP

favorite local place to get a gift:

1. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc
2. Z & Z DESIGNS • @z.zdesigns
3. DORSEA • @shopdorsea

favorite local women's clothing shop:

1. TASSELS • @tasselsladiesboutique
2. SALTY MERMAIDS BOUTIQUE • FB: Salty Mermaids Boutique
3. THE POSH PELICAN • @shopdorsea

favorite local men's clothing shop:

1. ATLANTIC BEACH SURF SHOP • @absurfshop
2. JAKE'S & CO. • @jakesonarendell
3. ISLAND PROPER OUTFITTERS • @islandproperoutfitters

favorite local kids clothing shop:

1. BUCKLES & BOWS • @bucklesandbowsnc
2. GIGI & CO. • @gigandcomhc
3. DEE GEE'S GIFTS & BOOKS • @deegeesnc

favorite local tackle/outdoor shop:

1. EJW OUTDOORS • @ejwoutdoors
2. CHASIN' TAILS OUTDOORS • @chasintailsoutdoors
3. REEL OUTDOORS • @thereeloutdoors_

favorite local home decor shop:

1. MCQUEEN'S INTERIORS • @mcqueensint
2. BEAUFORT LINEN CO. • @beaufort_linen_company
3. BACKSHORE LIVING • @backshoreliving

favorite local art gallery:

1. SALT GALLERY • @salt_gallery_morehead
2. BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS • @blusailgolitzstudios
3. SALTY GIRL DESIGNS • @saltygirldesigns

favorite local artist:

1. BROOKE LUPTON • @saltygirldesigns
2. GRACE BELL • @gracebellart
3. HEATHER SINK • @cravingartstudio

favorite local handmade product:

1. COPE & CO. • @copeandcocollection
2. MAST DESIGNS • @mast_designs
3. CRAB POT TREES • @crabpottrees

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 barbecue:

1. SOCIAL Q SMOKEHOUSE • @socialqsmokehouse
2. SHEPARD BARBECUE • @shepardbarbecue
3. SMITHFIELD'S • @scnbnc

favorite local cheeseburger:

1. EL'S DRIVE-IN • FB: El's Drive-In
2. MOREHEAD BURGER CO. • FB: Morehead Burger Co
3. ROYAL JAMES CAFE • FB: Royal James Cafe

favorite local date night spot:

1. FULL CIRCLE CAFE • @full_circle_mhc
2. PARROTT'S ON 11TH • @pon11th
3. BLUE MOON BISTRO • @bluemoonbstro

favorite local oyster company:

1. CAROLINA GOLD OYSTERS • @carolinaoysterco
2. NATIVE OYSTER CO. • @native_oyster_co
3. BEKAH'S BAY OYSTERS • @bekahsbayoysters

favorite local new business (opened in 2023):

1. COASTAL CURRENT BOUTIQUE • @shopcoastalcurrent
2. OUTER BANKS BOIL CO. • @obxboilco_emeraldisle
3. KIDZ AT PLAY FAMILY CAFE • @kidzatplayfamilycafe

favorite local day camp:

1. CAMP ALBEMARLE • @campalbemarle
2. WINE & DESIGN • @wndmoreheadcitync
3. ENCOUNTER SCUBA • @encounterscuba

favorite local place to watch sports:

1. IOANNI'S GRILL • FB: Ioanni's Grill
2. TIGHT LINES PUB • @tightlinespub
3. SHARK'S DEN • @sharksdensportsbar

favorite local park:

1. SHEVANS PARK • 1501 Evans Street, MHC
2. SWINSON PARK • 173 Swinson Park Road, MHC
3. ATLANTIC BEACH TOWN PARK • 915 W Fort Macon Road, AB

favorite local trivia spot:

1. PROMISE LAND MARKET • @promiselandmarket
2. THE WATERING HOLE • @thewateringholenc
3. CRYSTAL COAST BREWING • @crystalcoastbrewing

favorite local place to get a plant:

1. THE FRIENDLY MARKET • @friendlymarketnc
2. CAROLINA HOME & GARDEN • @carolinahomeandgardennc
3. REDFEARN'S NURSERY • @redfearnsnursery