Crook's Corner

Brunch, Best Restaurants: A little piece of Charleston in Chapel Hill is a good way to describe Crook's. It offers New South cuisine, but the feature dish is none other than the ever-popular Lowcountry shrimp and grits. You can expect upscale dining in a sophisticated yet casual and bustling atmosphere. Do try and eat outside if the weather permits, as Crook's terrace (a serene escape from the...

The outdoor patio is a prime dining area year-round. It is covered and heated for those winter nights.

Shrimp and grits, Hoppin’ John, Frogmore stew and more of the region's traditional repertoire were offered here before anybody cooked up the term “Southern Regional” cuisine. Crook’s chef Bill Smith has a unique way with Southern dishes following the tradition of the late founding chef Bill Neal. Just try his famous cheese pork or sautéed chicken livers with bourbon sauce, or green Tabasco...

In business since 1982, this small restaurant has always been an exemplar of Southern chic. The menu, which changes nightly, highlights local produce and regional specialties such as green-pepper chicken with hopping John (black-eyed peas), crab gumbo, buttermilk pie, and honeysuckle sorbet. A wall of bamboo and a waterfall fountain make the patio a delightful alfresco experience (it's heated...

Behind the rather quirky facade of Crook's Corner lurks one of Chapel Hill's superb restaurants. The seasonal menu may include such delights as shrimp and grits with mushrooms, bacon, and scallions; green Tabasco chicken; or barbecued St. Louis ribs. Among the side dishes are such down-home delicacies as fresh collard greens and hoppin' John (black-eyed peas and rice with scallions, tomato, and...

Long before most folks had even heard of New Southern cuisine, Crook's Corner was introducing patrons to shrimp and grits and other updates of the region's traditional repertoire. Bill Smith, who inherited the kitchen from the restaurant's late, legendary founder, Bill Neal, keeps the inventive spirit alive with dishes such as green Tabasco-marinated roast chicken and grilled filet mignon with...

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