A Southern Thing—Hope Valley Diner, Bullocks, Clyde Cooper and the Silver Spoon

The restaurants I’m writing about in this post each have several things in common that make them local or regional institutions to many of us and especially those of us born in North Carolina.

Each of the restaurants has tremendous menus with that make them more food emporiums not just restaurants. They are poster sized things most with color pictures of most dishes. All of them serve barbecue but only Cooper’s and Bullock’s specialize in serving it.

They all are locally owned and family owned and were established more than 30 years ago. [Silver Spoon being the exception.]. Clyde Cooper’s was establised in 1938 — Bullocks in 1952, and Hope Valley Diner in 1998.
The food is prototypically ‘southern’ the kind our grandmother, mothers and aunts cooked especially for holidays, Sunday dinners, and family gatherings.
The culinary preservation of this down home cookery has been heralded by food personalities from Justin Wilson to Paul Prudhome, Craig Claiborne, Mildred Council and its diva is Paula Deen.

And, lastly these institutions have characteristics that define them as local and familiar — the food is always satisfying and filling. Everyone except young athletes, stevedores and truckers will have enough leftovers for a second meal. Often the walls are filled with photos of the owners with local and national celebrities.

Being family oriented places neither Cooper’s, Bullocks and the Silver Spoon serve alcoholic beverages but Hope Valley’s has an excellent one.

The final quirks—the cashiers, waiters, and kitchen staffs are friendly and welcoming. Quite often you’ll recognize them especially if you’re a longtime patron they been around for ages. How many times has your server at say, Bullocks very endearingly called you called honey, baby, sugar or sweetie?? Gotta love it right??

Hope Valley Diner https://www.hopevalleydiner.com/lunch/

A foot long hot dog eastern NC style with chili, onions, slaw and pickles. Love the tater tots, but t
they occasionally make their own shoestring potatoes.

Lunchtime fried chicken platter with roll, pinto beans and beets.

A nice corned beef Reuben with pickle and tots.

Bullocks Barbecue — http://www.bullocks-bbq.com/menu.html

Fried chicken plate for lunch at Bulluck’s

Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue

https://clydecoopersbbq.com/menus

The Silver Spoon

The Silver Spoon meets every criteria for this post excluding longevity. It occupies a space that was a former Pizza Hut and is the only locally owned full service restaurant on this this desolate stretch of North Roxboro Road not a mini mart or fast food chain franchise.

https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/f47c1d1f-bb42-4cfd-a5ba-8d134cebe4a6/downloads/Silver%20Spoon%20Menu%202021.pdf?ver=1691583548212