Five Outside – September Picks

The Wooden Nickel Pub

HILLSBOROUGH

Nothing says summer like a cold beer on a patio. At Wooden Nickel Pub, that means lots of local drafts—Bond Brothers, Trophy and Burial Beer Co. are just some of the featured breweries—accompanied by classic pub food in a friendly, neighborhood spot. Aside from beer, The Wooden Nickel is best known for jumbo wings, which come with your choice of 10 sauces ranging from “frickin’ nickel hot” to sweet Thai chili to a sauce made from the featured brewery of the month. Daily food features—think chorizo nachos, seared crab cakes and sesame crusted pork loin, to name just a few—make for a more elevated dining experience. thewnp.com

Pizzeria Faulisi

CARY

Pizzeria Faulisi combines milled flour from Boulted Bread with Caputo flour from Italy to create a unique pizza dough that’s charred, yet slightly crisped perfection in a wood burning oven. Popular pies include the classic Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil, the Salumi with hot soppressata, tomato, mozzarella and asiago, and Nonna’s Lasagna Pie, a white pizza topped with mozzarella, sausage, ricotta and pickled onion. The popular pizzeria also sources local vegetables for its antipasti dishes and “foodie specials.” Save room for cheesecake, tiramisu or a cannoli for dessert to round out the traditional Italian experience. pizzeriafaulisi.com

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen

CHAPEL HILL

As the name suggests, it’s more than worth it to wake up at sunrise for the heavenly biscuits at this Chapel Hill mainstay. The popular breakfast and lunch spot was founded in Louisburg, North Carolina in 1978 and the biscuits are based on owner David Allen’s grandmother’s recipe. Chapel Hill’s drive-through-only location offers quintessential buttery, flaky biscuits, straight up or filled with classic ingredients including sausage, eggs, bacon, cheese, fried chicken, country ham and pimento cheese. Order a few of the famous cinnamon rolls to take home, too. sunrisebiscuits.com

Carrburritos

CARRBORO

A funky joint with some dang good burritos, Carrburritos goes above and beyond to satisfy any and all Mexican food cravings—but burritos are the specialty. Choose from eight protein fillings—including pollo asado, chorizo, carnitas, marinated vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes—for burritos, tacos, tostadas, nachos or quesadillas. You’ll want to drench housemade salsas over everything—the frutas salsa, made with fresh fruit, is great for those who want to add a little sweetness to their meal, while the habanero is reserved for spice fiends only. carrburritos.com/carrboro

Chicken Bee

DURHAM

If you’re not familiar with Korean fried chicken, Chicken Bee is an ideal place to try it out. Chicken Bee’s wings are fried up extra crispy, then coated in a special gochujang sauce. The result is a bright red fried chicken wing that tastes spicy, yet sweet, and delivers a satisfying crunch in every bite. You can also order your fried chicken wings slathered in a soy garlic or spicy garlic sauce, or left plain. If fried chicken isn’t your thing, Chicken Bee also offers bibimbap, bulgogi, ramen and more. chickenbee.com