Po' Folks in Mount Airy, North Carolina Is Worth a Stop for Lunch

Po' Folks Restaurant in Mount Airy, North Carolina is one of those country diners that stays afloat catering to locals. But its a good place for out-of-towners to grab a bite of country cooking and get a glimpse of the people who make up the Mount Airy community.

The menu is basic North Carolina country-living fare. The special was fried catfish when my uncle and I visited. The breading was seasoned spicy but the spiciness paired well with the fried okra and creamy mash potatoes that I got to pick out from a side menu that included, among other things, pinto beans. My uncle had the hamburger steak "special" and the pinto beans, both of which he said were okay.

I thought the best thing on my plate (on May 1, 2009) were the mashed potatoes which were not stiff but were not running away from my plate.

As for the ambiance, Po' Folks Restaurant is located in the heart of tobacco country and so it's not surprising that there is not a "smoking section," but rather you can smoke in the entire restaurant, which has a dining room of about 10 or 12 tables. All told the place looked like it would seat about 25 patrons comfortably. Note: There were two ceiling fans running constantly during our meal, and the place really didn't seem smokey.

Po' Folks is undoubtedly a spot where locals dwell, but I was an out-of-towner and the woman who waited on us was friendly and prompt with the food and drink refills.

I think my uncle and I got out of there for about $11 total, not including a couple of bucks for a tip.

Looking above the doorway to the kitchen I saw a sign that read: "A little hard work never killed anybody, but why risk it?"

Po' Folks is a pretty laid back place with laid back prices. Worth stopping.

Few things to know:

1) Po' Folks takes cash and standard major plastics, but not checks.

2) There was, what appeared to be a state health department health rating hanging near the cash register that had a grade of "A" and a score of 97.5. That was on May 1, 2009.

3) Parking at Po' Folks is limited around lunchtime and you may have to park around behind the building.

Po' Folks Restaurant is located just outside Mount Airy, N.C. along Highway 89.