KINSTON

if you think your birthstone should be a coffee bean, then a visit to Middle Grounds Coffeehouse is the perfect way to start any day. This little coffee shop located on the square in downtown Kinston sources the highest quality coffee beans from all around the world. The menu includes seasonal blends, each with their own roast profile. Order up an old favorite like a cappuccino, latte, or mocha. Or put a little pep into your morning with a Sugar Daddy Frappuccino, freshly brewed with hazelnut or caramel. You’ll be perked up and inspired in no time.

The Community Council for the Arts is where imagination comes home in Kinston. Nestled in the heart of downtown, this organization has been around for more than 50 years. The council provides funding for local artists and workshops to teach you how to paint or sculpt or throw a pot. They even have an arts store so you can take a little imagination home with you. Pop over to their 30,000 sq. ft. renovated space and browse through creations by local and regional artists. Pick up a new silk scarf to match your eyes. Browse through garden sculptures that will put your gnomes to shame. Try on a custom bead necklace of hand-blown glass that will be the "where did you get that" buzz around the office.

They say art is not what you see, but what you make others see. With that in mind, you’re about to see a lot. Located in the heart of downtown Kinston, Art 105 is a 22,000 sq. ft. gallery showcasing some of our best local talent. Eighteen local artists have working studios here. One-of-a-kind paintings, pottery, colorful ceramic fish to hang on your sea blue walls --you will find it all. Bring your curiosity. Bring your wallet. Bring a car with enough space to carry everything home.

Ready for a masterpiece made of premium cold cuts? Queen Street Deli is the next stop on your culinary adventure. This local deli has been voted one of the top delis in the state. It specializes in artisanal crafted sandwiches. Try the Iron Clad Panini --Roast Beef, Pastrami, Provolone, Swiss Cheese, Mayo, Bistro Sauce, Onions, Banana Peppers on Rye Bread. Order up the Fire Station --Turkey, Ham, Swiss Cheese, Dijonaise, Avocado & Sprouts on Multigrain Bread. Or build your own edible art and pair it with the latest craft brew. We’ll save you a seat and a slice of red velvet cake.

Peace, love, and beer. It’s a phrase the folks at Mother Earth Brewery in Kinston live by. On your visit you can expect to taste their next great artisanal creation--an Alpenglow Hazy IPA, a Belgian-style Weeping Willow Wit, or a Long Weekend India Pale Ale. But what you might not expect, is that behind that flavor is a beer made using only sustainable practices. Because Kinston isn’t just where the folks at Mother Earth brew. It’s where they live.

Only at Jay's do burgers and sushi come together in perfect harmony. Enjoy an out-of-country experience locally, right here in Kinston. Jay’s restaurants offer an innovative menu that combines classic Japanese cuisine with a modern American twist.

This is the spot for a breakfast plate piled high with eggs your way, bacon, toast, and a steamy, creamy puddle of grits. Locals have been breakfasting on the affordable quick bites of Lovick’s Cafe since 1941. This Southern diner is only open for breakfast and lunch, meaning you may have to come back to sample the famous Dough burger for lunch. For now, order up a biscuit sandwich with country ham and set yourself up for a stellar day.

After breakfast, hop back on Art River Walk. It takes you by the river and through Kinston’s Arts and Cultural District, a 12-block residential area where long-term artists-in-residence live side-by-side. View the map and look for blue yard signs that signal open invites to artists’ studios, housed in colorful, renovated mill houses in this river-side neighborhood. Kinston is a big draw for artists of all mediums, including potters, painters, photographers, and sculptors. Don’t miss the Arts and Cultural District’s public art installations.

In Kinston, imagination has a door --seven actually. Just behind Lovick’s Cafe, in what has become the Arts District, you’ll find seven tobacco barn facades called Flue. They are built on a lot that once was Brooks Tobacco Warehouse. Each piece stands 28 feet tall and 16 feet wide casting shadows over an empty field. The sculptures were erected here by world-renowned artist Thomas Sayre --using the dirt found on the site. The project is a way to pay respect to Kinston’s tobacco heritage while looking forward to its arts-based future.

You might not be able to make everyone happy, but pizza can. So when you’re feeling hungry on your visit to Kinston, pull up to Sugar Hill Pizzeria. This little restaurant is a Kinston tradition and it only takes one visit to know why. This place is slicing up New York-style pies, salads, and legit submarines. Some would say it’s the best pizza in Kinston. They could be right or it could be the Cheerwine talking. You decide.

Southern ladies take pride in their appearance. They like to be noticed. Beautiful earrings, bold necklaces, a blouse the perfect color to make your eyes stand out. These are the kinds of clothing you will find at Just Add Salt. This local Kinston store is the perfect stop to spice up your wardrobe. You'll walk out with items that'll make you feel like a tall drink of ice tea.

How do I like my eggs? In a cake, please. Brown’s Sweet Treats has been a staple in Kinston for more than two decades. That more than 20 year of flour, sugar and icing piped into happiness, and cupcakes, and birthday cakes and wedding cakes and I’ve eaten too much cake now my clothes don’t fit. So if you are looking for something sweet to eat, or just a reason to buy a new wardrobe, head on over and make your day a little sweeter.

Chef & the Farmer, Howard’s local restaurant made famous by the series, opened in 2006 and has gone through many changes. Its newest incarnation is known as The Kitchen Bar. Always the culinary innovator, Chef Howard has crafted another unique dining experience for lovers of upscale Southern food and her fans. It includes a seven course meal, made by the chef herself, and shared with only 16 guests, one weekend a month. At $300 per ticket, it’s not cheap. But it’s also not an experience you are going to get anywhere else. It’s only in Kinston.