In 2010, the much-loved Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway closed its doors. Searches for a suitable concessionaire to take over operation of the business never panned out and the building went dark.
Opened in 1949, the restaurant had been the first place on the scenic route to serve meals, including some of the best fried chicken, country ham, and homemade biscuits around. In addition to a gathering spot for travelers and locals alike, the restaurant and nearby Bluffs Lodge were economic engines for neighboring communities in the northwest corner of North Carolina. For years, revitalization of the restaurant was one of the top requests posed to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service.
Thanks to that groundswell of dedication for its renewal there are signs of life returning to the 73-seat café that still features the black and white checkerboard floors and retro stools at the counter. The first step was the reopening of the adjacent camp store that is now a visitor information center and gift shop operated by Eastern National at the site near Sparta, North Carolina.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Community of Stewards is pushing the project forward along with support from the North Carolina General Assembly and Appalachian Regional Commission.
In 2017, the state appropriated $350,000 toward building repairs. ARC recently provided a $300,000 grant to purchase updated restaurant equipment and furniture. In the past, the significant cost of new equipment and repairs deterred potential concession applications. There is even more good news: several prospective operators recently toured the facility to learn about the logistics of setting up shop.
With a nearby campground and miles of hiking trails, the restaurant is poised to reclaim its role as a hub for the broader 6,300-acre Doughton Park Recreation Area. Thanks to individual donors, neighbor towns and counties, and many supporting organizations, Bluffs is on the road to recovery. To learn more, visit www.brpfoundation.org/doughtonpark
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