About ten Southern dishes land on your table here, and the platters keep getting refilled. Golden fried chicken leads the parade.
Baked ham, catfish, and chicken pot pie follow close behind.
Then come the sides. Warm biscuits, slow-cooked green beans, pickled beets, cream corn, and cooked apples all share the table.
I like how the whole meal is built for passing bowls and swapping stories.
The setting matters too. This restored Victorian inn in the North Carolina mountains dates back to 1884.
It recently reopened after a five-year renovation, and the dining room is filled with period antiques and classic linens.
I can’t imagine a better way to spend a slow afternoon in the hills. Big bowls, old wallpaper, and a vinegar pie waiting at the end.
Who could say no to that?
Your Plate Will Never Look Empty For Long
Refills are the whole point at the Jarrett House Main Dining Room. The family-style meal brings about ten traditional dishes to your table for sharing.
When a bowl runs low, more shows up. That simple promise turns lunch or dinner into a slow, happy event instead of a quick bite.
Golden fried chicken is the star of the show. It shares the spotlight with baked ham, chicken pot pie, and catfish, so picky eaters have options.
The idea is to gather and talk while the food keeps flowing. Nobody has to guard the last drumstick, because another platter is on the way.
This style of eating fits big groups especially well. Families, friends, and road-trip crews can pass bowls around like a holiday table in the North Carolina mountains.
One tip helps a lot here. Pace yourself during the first round, because the second round is coming whether you planned for it or not.
Casual clothes are fine, so there’s no need to dress up. Stretchy waistbands are not required, but nobody will judge you for choosing them.
Honestly, this might be the friendliest way to eat fried chicken anywhere.
The Side Dishes Deserve Their Own Fan Club
Pickled beets, cream corn, and cooked apples sound like Grandma’s Sunday spread. At this inn, they’re a regular part of the family-style lineup.
Potatoes and slow-cooked green beans round out the table. Creamy coleslaw adds a cool crunch next to all that hot fried chicken.
Every side brings a different job to the meal. The beets add tang, the apples add sweetness, and the corn adds comfort.
That mix keeps your taste buds from getting bored. A forkful of chicken followed by beets and apples feels like a little flavor tour.
Sides also make the meal friendly for different appetites. Someone who eats lightly can still build a full plate from the bowls.
Here’s a smart move for first-timers. Take a small scoop of everything on the first pass, then go back for your favorites.
Since the bowls get refilled, there’s no pressure to decide quickly. You can test, compare, and crown a winner by the end.
My guess is the beets will surprise a few skeptics. Old-fashioned Southern sides have a funny habit of winning people over at a shared table.
Warm Biscuits Arrive Before You Even Get Settled
Biscuits come with the meal here. That’s a strong opening move for any Southern kitchen.
They show up warm and ready to pair with everything else on the table. You can use one to scoop up gravy or just enjoy it plain.
A good biscuit is a sneaky part of family-style dining. It fills the gap between platters and keeps conversation going while the next bowl arrives.
Breakfast takes the biscuit game even further. The morning menu offers biscuits with sausage gravy, which is about as Southern as a meal can get.
Kids usually love biscuits right away. They’re simple, familiar, and easy to hold, which helps when little ones get restless.
A practical tip is worth sharing. Don’t fill up on bread before the fried chicken lands, no matter how tempting the basket looks.
Of course, that advice is easy to give and hard to follow. Warm biscuits test willpower like few other foods can.
If you leave with crumbs on your shirt, consider it proof of a good visit. Every great country meal should end with a few of those.
Mornings Here Start With Grits And Country Ham
Breakfast runs daily from 7 to 11 in the morning. That gives early birds and slow risers a fair shot at the good stuff.
The menu sticks to Southern favorites. Scrambled eggs, grits, bacon, sausage, and country ham fill the morning lineup.
Biscuits with sausage gravy show up too. Baked apples add a sweet finish that feels like dessert sneaking into breakfast.
This is a smart plan for a busy travel day. A hearty meal here can fuel hours of exploring the North Carolina mountains.
Overnight guests and the general public are both welcome. So you don’t need a room key to enjoy a country breakfast.
Country ham deserves a quick note. It’s salty and bold, so pairing it with a biscuit balances things nicely.
Grits are another must-try if you’re new to them. Think of them as a warm, comforting base that plays well with everything.
Arriving earlier in the window gives you a relaxed pace. Then you can linger over coffee instead of rushing out the door.
Lunch Lets You Pick Your Own Adventure
Not everyone wants a full feast at noon. Lunch at the Jarrett House Main Dining Room solves that with two choices.
The plated meat-and-three gives you one main and three sides. It’s tidy, filling, and perfect for a lighter midday stop.
Feeling bold instead? The full family-style spread is offered at lunch too, with bowls refilled as you go.
Lunch runs from 11 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. That wide window works well for travelers cruising through the mountains.
Dinner is a different story, since the last seating is at 8 in the evening. Plan ahead so you don’t miss the chance.
The meat-and-three is a classic Southern format. Diners around the region have loved it for generations because it’s simple and satisfying.
Groups can mix and match their approach. One person might go plated while the rest of the table digs into the family-style bowls.
Either way, fried chicken is likely calling your name. It’s hard to visit a place this famous for it and order anything else first.
Antiques And Linens Make Dinner Feel Like Time Travel
Classic linens cover the tables in this restored dining room. Period antiques fill the space with early 20th-century charm.
The building itself is a Victorian inn constructed around 1884. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which adds weight to every meal.
A five-year renovation brought the inn back to life. It reopened in summer 2026, and the dining room shows off that careful restoration.
Eating fried chicken in a space like this feels a little fancy. Yet casual clothes still fit right in, so relax.
Look around between bites. Old furnishings and decor give you plenty to admire while waiting for the next platter.
History buffs will enjoy this part most. The room connects modern diners with more than a century of mountain hospitality.
Photos come out nicely in a setting like this. Snap one of the table before everyone digs in, because it won’t stay pretty long.
It’s a rare mix of comfort food and old-world style. Few dining rooms in North Carolina pull off both so naturally.
A Mountain Hotel Story Older Than Your Grandparents
William Allen Dills, the founder of Dillsboro, built this inn around 1884. He named it the Mount Beulah Hotel after his youngest daughter, Beulah.
In 1894, he sold it to R. Frank Jarrett and his sons.
They renamed it the Jarrett Springs Hotel after a nearby sulfur spring.
After Frank Jarrett died in 1949, the hotel was sold to W. W.
Faw, who gave it the name it still carries today: The Jarrett House.
A major transformation came in 1975, when James and Barbara Jean Hartbarger acquired the property. The original wooden Victorian porch was replaced with a cast-iron, New Orleans-style porch.
National recognition followed in 1984. That year, the inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Chris Ellsworth purchased the property at auction in January 2021 and led the extensive renovation that brought the historic inn back to life.
Knowing this history makes the meal feel even more special. Your fried chicken comes with a side of stories stretching back generations.
Share these facts at the table for bonus points. Nothing livens up a meal quite like a little trivia about the people who shaped this historic inn.
Plan Your Trip Around This Mountain Town Table
Finding the place is easy. The Jarrett House sits at 518 Haywood Road, Dillsboro, NC 28779, in the heart of this small mountain town.
Dillsboro is in western North Carolina, surrounded by the hills of the Smoky Mountain region. The drive alone is a treat on a clear day.
Keep in mind that the inn operates seasonally. Check ahead before making the trip so you aren’t greeted by a closed door.
Timing matters for meals too. Breakfast runs 7 to 11, lunch runs 11 to 4, and dinner’s last seating is at 8.
Large groups should think ahead. Family-style service works beautifully for a crowd, and a bit of planning keeps things smooth.
Free self-parking takes away one travel headache. That leaves more energy for the really important decision of chicken versus catfish.
Pair your meal with a stroll around town. The inn’s central spot makes it a natural starting point for a mountain day.
Go hungry, go curious, and leave room for pie. The Jarrett House Main Dining Room rewards anyone who sits down and lets the platters roll in.
