After weeks of voting and hundreds of responses in The Fayetteville Observer’s recent reader poll, the results are in for Cumberland County’s No. 1 locally owned restaurant or food truck.
At 62.76%, or 450 of the 717 total votes, readers chose Kusinera Filipino Cuisine at 3047 Legion Road in Fayetteville as the top locally owned restaurant in the county. The No. 2 spot was taken by Dad Bod Dishes/Dad Bod Dive Bar with 9.90%, or 71 votes,, and in third place was Boba & Bites Co. at 9.21%, or 66 votes.
We started with a survey that led to an initial poll featuring 75 local restaurants. From there, the list was narrowed down to the top 10 before voters selected the final three. Notably, all three finalists opened within the last two years, showcasing both the growth and diversity of Fayetteville’s food scene.
Second-place winner, Dad Bod Dishes, is known for serving up barbecue and Southern classic comfort foods. Boba & Bites Co. offers a variety of boba teas, specialty egg rolls and lumpia.
What’s on the menu at Kusinera?
Kusinera Filipino Cuisine opened its doors in September. Owner Esperanza “Nanette” Thomas, a longtime realtor, said told The Fayetteville Observer in September that she turned her passion for cooking into a restaurant serving traditional dishes inspired by her upbringing on the Filipino island of Luzon.
Kusinera’s menu includes lumpia, crispy spring rolls filled with pork and vegetables; pancit, a rice noodle dish with cabbage and green beans; and calderetta, a hearty beef stew in a rich red sauce. Frequently recommended on the Fayetteville Foodies Facebook page, the restaurant is known for its platter combos featuring meats like pork belly and chicken, served with sides such as rice and vegetables.
“If you love authentic Filipino food, I highly recommend Kusinera Filipino Cuisine,” one commenter wrote.
Reporter Lizmary Evans covers dining, retail, entertainment and culture for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at [email protected].
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