Download the 2024 People's Choice Guide!

Keep scrolling to see the Top 3 favorites in each category.

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.

Be sure to follow along at @carteret.curated on Instagram!

A celebration of local small businesses.

Carteret Curated is an Instagram account dedicated to shining a light on local small businesses! Every year we host the People's Choice Awards, inviting our community to vote for their favorite businesses. The result? A comprehensive guide celebrating each of the nominated local small businesses that make our area so special.

2024 Carteret Curated People's Choice Awards

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 ten 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