Hammered in Blowing Rock
Sledgehammer Charlie’s makes things chili, Blowing Rock Highlands trims the Fats

By Jason Reagan

This week, the Eat Beat heads south of Boone to Blowing Rock, where the tangy taste of victory gets hammered into a local recipe and the fats of the land get trimmed into a new day of dining downtown.

Although not technically a new restaurant — having opened in late 2007 — Sledgehammer Charlie’s Smokehouse and Grill is at least one of the newest eateries to smash its way on to the miracle mile of restaurants along Blowing Rock’s bypass of U.S. 321.

Formerly of Lenoir, Charlie’s takes its place with Canyons of the Blue Ridge, Outback, Twigs, Woodland’s Barbecue and Icabod’s as the new kid on the block and offers an array of barbecue, burgers, ribs and rotisserie chicken along with “Rosco’s Burritos.”

But the real scoop for owner Chase Luddeke is Charlie’s newest crown as Chili Challenge champion in the restaurant division at the recent Blowing Rock Winterfest in January.

“My family has been in the restaurant business in the High Country since we opened the Mellow Mushroom in Boone in 1997,” Luddeke said. “We have now branched out into an entirely new and original concept that we hope will find a great home here in the mountains.”

In addition to hot chili (not to mention “fried baloney” sandwiches), Charlie’s occasionally offers the hot licks of live local bluegrass. To find out more, call (828) 295-9092.

When Tijuana Fats closed recently in downtown BR, diners thought their options for outdoor eating had diminished. Local chef Michael Vetro Jr. had other ideas and reopened the Main Street venue a few weeks ago as Highlands of Blowing Rock.

In addition to the outdoor patio, which made Fats so popular, Highlands offers an eclectic American menu that includes grilled specialties like steak and egg, barbecue-glazed salmon, roasted petite hen and a Portobello melt.

Starters include “Cowboy Tears,” — breaded and fried cream-cheese stuffed jalapenos served over cole slaw and drizzled with barbecue sauce, as well as Buffalo wings and white chicken chili.

For more information, call (828) 295-9683.

••• Sledgehammer Charlie’s is located at 8146 Valley Blvd., Blowing Rock (U.S. 321). Highlands is located at 1182 Main St. in downtown Blowing Rock.

Beat It

Got restaurant news? E-mail news editor Frank Ruggiero at frank@mountaintimes.com, snail mail Mountain Times Publications, Attn: Frank Ruggiero, 474 Industrial Park Drive, Boone, N.C. 28607, or call (828) 264-NEWS and ask for Frank.