Restaurants in Burlington

North Ridge Pub's casual kitchen whips up varied dinner and brunch menus of upscale pub grub. Meat minders take the Cameron steak's 9-ounce lean cut of beef ($13.95) for a dip in a soy-and-pineapple pool before laying it out on the grill to roast, and coat tender slices of meatloaf ($8.95 half/$11.95 full) in a secret sauce whose taste can only be deciphered with the help of a decoder ring. Savory sandwiches such as the Carolina shrimp burger ($7.95) and crab-cake sandwich ($7.95) warm hands as well as stomachs.

Nothing says victory like a sticky high-five full of ketchup and chili fries, and Buck’s Sports and Spirits provides plenty of quality napkins to go with its plates of gooey deliciousness. The upscale Brookhaven sports bar offers southern-style pub fare in a welcoming environment. Start with a tower of slow-cooked pork ribs ($9.95) in a sweet barbecue glaze, or opt for an order of the crab dip and pita chips ($9.95). A hearty selection of sandwiches, such as Buck's big beefy barn burger ($8.95) or the hand-full-o'-hen ($7.95), a char-broiled chicken sandwich, will satisfy hand-held carnivorous cravings. Uncle Bucky's almost-famous meatloaf with broccoli casserole ($12.95) or the wild snapper in a bag baked in parchment paper with crab meat, clams, and napa cabbage ($15.95) each satisfy homesick taste buds while serving as a distracting subject of small talk when the debate over the hunkiest state senators takes an awkward turn. If your vitamin-D deficiency has you down in the dumps, cheer up with a decadent dessert, such as the banana-pudding cheesecake ($4.95) or deep-fried favorites like golden, melty fried Reese's cups ($4.95) or Oreos ($4.95).

Papaya-hued curtains cast a sunny glow across the expansive and airy dining quarters of Flights. Smart lunchers can fuel up on midday fare including Angus burgers cooked to order ($14), free-range pulled chicken salad wraps ($14), or black-truffle pasta bathing in a roasted-garlic madeira cream ($18). The menu melts the buttery hearts of the most discerning foodies with such dinner selections as grilled rocket shrimp with tropical salsa ($25), short ribs sided with shoe-string potatoes ($25), and blue-crab ravioli in a saffron beurre blanc ($20).

Like a pad of room-temperature butter atop a slice of fresh-baked bread, you'll melt in the loving arms of Gateway's menu of home-style comfort food. Put some pep in your morning step with a cup of coffee ($1.35) and a sweet stack of hot cakes or french toast ($4 for three), or wipe last night’s spooky dreams from your eyes with a spongy biscuit topped with country ham and egg ($2.85). Gateway Restaurant features daily lunch specials Monday–Friday, serving up no-frills favorites such as meatloaf, fried chicken, beef tips, and lasagna ($6.95), each served with your choice of two vegetable sides. Lunch delishins delight with hot dogs ($2), hamburgers ($4.75/half lb.), grilled ham-and-cheese sandwiches ($3.75), pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches ($4.95), and made-from-scratch vegetable soup and chili ($4).

Pairing 22 high-definition televisions and a bar stocked with 14 drafts and bottled craft brews, Crabtree Tavern takes its sports-bar status seriously. Executive chef Scott Phillips populates brunch through dinner menus with American pub fare such as wings, burgers, and the popular Ragin' Cajun mac 'n' cheese, which is actually really nice, once you get to know it. Fulfilling its promise of sports, the bar boasts NFL, MLB, and NCAA packages, and also airs the English Premier League and U.S. National soccer teams for fans of the hands-free sport.

Woody's @ City Market prides itself on presenting scrumptious bar food and a throng of cold brews in a sometimes rowdy, often easy-going pub. Regulars have found sweet and savory solace in Woody's signature jumbo hot wings ($8.50 for single order), blasted with your choice of sauce, from sweet to spicy barbecue to "insane" sauce, concocted by spicy scientist Victor VonSalsa. Or line your belly with eight favorably sized mini tacos topped with the usual suspects of cheese, tomato, and sour cream. Delve into Woody's Southern fried pork chop ($8.50), a juicy, 8-ounce cut that's marinated, seasoned, and triumphantly presented with sides such as tater tots or cheese fries (each $1.50 extra). Grown-ups can give hot taste buds a cold shower with one of Woody's 22 draft beers and 50 bottled brewskies, including several local brews such as the citrusy Foothills Hoppyum IPA or the Big Boss Bad Penny brown ale.