Native Fine Diner in Greenville has earned a recommended designation in the second edition of the the Michelin Guide American South.
Chef and owner Luke Owens received the award on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee, he said via an email. It is one of six restaurants in North Carolina newly designated with the recommended status and among 58 from the state recognized in the guide.
Owens said restaurants with the recommended designation are critiqued with visits by official Michelin Inspectors and against the same Michelin Star criteria:
Quality of ingredientsMastery of flavor and cooking techniquesThe chef’s personality shining through the cuisineValue for moneyConsistency across the menu and between visits
Located downtown at 907 Dickinson Ave., Native Fine Diner reimagines classic diner fare through a contemporary, ingredient-driven lens, celebrating the farmers, fisherpeople, traditions and culinary heritage that define the region, according to Visit Greenville, N.C.
For Owens, the work is deeply personal. Having grown up in eastern North Carolina, he draws inspiration from the resourcefulness of the communities that shaped him and the abundance of ingredients that make the region distinctive.
Owens is passionate about bringing greater attention to the region’s culinary identity and demonstrating how a region’s food traditions can evolve without losing their connection to place.
“I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t have to leave eastern North Carolina to tell its story,” Owens said. “Native is our way of showing where we’re from, not by simply recreating the food that we grew up with, but by carrying those ingredients, traditions, and memories forward.
“This is not just a huge win for my wonderful family and my absolutely stellar staff, but a huge win for Greenville: The recognition that good food grows and thrives here. I can’t wait to celebrate with you!”
Native is located inside the restored former Carolina Grill Diner, a more than 100-year-old landmark in Greenville’s Historic Dickinson Avenue Arts District.
Dishes at Native Fine Dining in Greenville are meant to demonstrate how a region’s food traditions can evolve without losing their connection to place, chef Luke Owens said.
Matt Ray Photography
Dining and Cooking