Visiting Chapel Hill: Parking, Food and Drinks, part 1
While I may be a little biased as a UNC student, I’d say that if you’re ever in the area, you have to stop by Chapel Hill. They don’t call it the southern part of heaven for nothing. This college town is full of charm, history, beauty and fun, making it a great place to visit, whether for a basketball game or just to walk around. If you’re thinking about visiting, read more on what you need to know about parking, food and drinks:
Parking
If you’ve ever been to Chapel Hill before, then you know how much parking can be a pain. After living here for four years, though, I think I’ve got most of it down. You can never go wrong with any of the parking garages on Rosemary Street, located just behind all of the major restaurants and bars. If you’re here on a Sunday, all parking is free too. If you’re visiting campus in the evening, there are many more places that you can park for free. A lot of campus parking opens up after 5 p.m., like the Cobb Deck and spaces located on other various campus streets. Downtown, the “Turtle Lot” is a great free place to park after 6 p.m. See this town of Chapel Hill parking map for more information.
Food
Now on to the fun part! Chapel Hill is home to so much great food, that I haven’t even eaten it all during my four years here.
The Classics
The following list of five different restaurants includes some of the best and most quintessentially Chapel Hill restaurants that you can visit.
You can never go wrong with this Chapel Hill sports bar that’s been around forever. My favorite dishes include the chipotle chicken wrap and the southwestern salad.
Top of the Hill, or ToPo as the locals call it, is one of the most quintessentially Chapel Hill places to go. Sit on the rooftop patio outside and enjoy one of the brewery’s beers along with your meal. This restaurant and bar is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon or an exciting evening. The main restaurant has a DJ and dancing late at night. There’s also a portion of the restaurant, Back Bar, which has various board games, foosball, darts and more.
This old pharmacy and soda counter is my favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill. It’s quaint, historic, cheap, and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Breakfast is served until 11 a.m. If you’re coming for dinner, come early. The restaurant is open until 6:30 p.m. during the week and closes at 3 p.m. on weekends. While you’re there, be sure to check out all the photos on the walls to see if you recognize any familiar faces of friends, celebrities, or basketball stars.
This restaurant is one of those places that locals always recommend to visitors. It’s a great atmosphere with authentic and delicious food – some of the best in Chapel Hill. I love the falafel, pita and hummus, olives and cream filled figs.
This restaurant and bar is known for its loaded cheese fries and sweet potato tots. Honestly, I never had them until this past year, and now I think about them all the time. Linda’s also has a great selection of beers on tap and is usually a nice relaxed atmosphere to get food and/or drinks with friends.
Check out part 2 of this post to learn more about food and drinks in Chapel Hill. For more information on Chapel Hill, check out my post The Quintessential Chapel Hill: 10 Must Sees for Your Visit.
Where do you park, eat and drink in Chapel Hill? What are your favorite places? Please share in the comments below!
