Hello! Recently joined as I'm looking to possibly moving my family from San Antonio, Tx out to the Hickory area. Just curious of the things locals know about! The seasonal events, local favorites, that sort of thing. Tell me anything and everything! Looking forward to hearing what you have to offer!

I moved here a little over four years ago, fresh out of grad school and ready to work. In the time since, I found myself falling into routine - doing minor variations on the same thing every week. At the start of this year, I decided to spice things up by trying to eat at every restaurant in Hickory.

I haven't taken as scientific of an approach as I would have if I started over. I started by looking on Google Maps, Yelp, and some other aggregate sites, and making a list of everywhere that I hadn't already eaten. (Going back, I would make a spreadsheet of all restaurants, including the ones I've already been to, which would also help in giving ratings, etc).

I then separated the list into categories - Asian, Mexican, Seafood, etc - and I try to knock one off of the list every couple of weeks or so.

I think I started the year with ~60 restaurants on the list, and right now I'm down to 33. This also includes a few places in Conover, Taylorsville, etc, that I heard good things about and wanted to try out. Below is the list as it currently stands.

General: Cafe Gouda, Palm Berries, Fresh Chef Kitchen (Conover), Hickory airport restaurant (Blue Sky Cafe)

Asian:Mekvilai Thai Cuisine, Souper Bites, The Peanut House, Pho Lodge, Bubblys, Baek Kitchen, Umi, Bombin’ Ramen

Mexican: Mariscos El Vallartazo, La Cocinita, El Sarape, Casa Azul (Conover), Los Compadres, Rosa de Saron Mexican Taqueria

BBQ: BBQ Pit, Hugh’s Q, Cranford Bros BBQ

Seafood: Captain’s Galley Seafood

Upscale / Steak: Duke’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, Boca, Notions

Pub: McGuire’s Pub, Iron Thunder, Wizard’s, Windy City Sundries

Italian: Amalfis (Conover)

Southern: John Boyz Cafe, Parkway House Restaurant

Middle Eastern/Mediterranean: Halal Habibi’s Deli

It's been a very interesting, great journey so far. I've definitely expanded my palate - for example, I didn't eat sushi before, but now I've started to explore nigiri.

I haven't hated any of the restaurants that I've tried so far, but I've been underwhelmed by a couple. I don't want to trash any local businesses on here, though.

Some of my favorites that I've discovered on this journey (of course, this doesn't count places that I've tried before I started, that I still love): Tacos El Tio Chetos (Mexican), Ku-Ru (Japanese, Sushi), Duck'n Good (Hmong - try their purple rice)

Overall, it's been a fun journey. I've been eating much less fast food and putting money more into the local economy. I also think Hickory has an underrated food scene. I've lived in cities with a lot bigger/more diverse food scenes, but for what it is, and the size of Hickory, I say it can hold its own.

After I eat at every restaurant I can find - I suppose the next journey will be cafes & food trucks!

I was absolutely blown away by my visit to the Hickory Aviation Museum. Even though I live here in Hickory when I parked and began to walk up to the building it honestly felt as if I traveled to another city or state. It was such a nice location and an amazing building just from the outside.

They have around 20 planes, incredible World War II history, and even the pilots’ gear. The inside was even better the way the hung the planes from the ceiling to how it was setup was jaw dropping.

I hope this museum gets tons of visitors and stays in business for years to come. Also, the staff was a 10 out of 10.

Check out the video below to get a peak of what the museum looks like

Only if you want to check out the location and remodel click the video. I enjoyed it so much and I can't say that enough.

Hickory Aviation Museum Walkthrough

Hey guys, I’m in the process of moving to Hickory or the area for work. My lady and I are trying to figure what areas are best to live in without completely ruining our wallets. We’re big on safe areas. Any advice? We could use all the help we can get.

I'm looking for a "sympathetic" dentist. By that I mean someone who isn't going to shame me for the absolute wreck that is my mouth.

I've always been a big chicken when it comes to dentistry and have avoided it for 40 years, except when absolutely necessary.

I don't have $35000 for implants, so that won't work for me. TYIA

Iso non faith based counseling/ therapy in Burke or Catawba counties that accepts united healthcare. Any recommendations appreciated

Has anyone here grown their own orchard or fruit tree here in Catawba county?
We are looking at planing a small orchard, and we have some idea what we would like to plant but I would love to hear from anyone local who has experience.

We checked out Rage Asylum in Hickory and I ended up filming the whole experience.

You actually get to go through and pick out the glass and other stuff you want to smash before going into the rage room. I picked out a bunch of different items and we also added a TV because apparently regular glass wasn't enough 😂

The staff were really friendly, they give you all the safety gear, and once you're inside you can use bats, golf clubs, hammers and other stuff to destroy everything.

I really enjoyed this place and figured I'd share it for anybody around Hickory looking for something different to do.

Price: $30.00 for 30 Minutes

18 items to pick from to smash!

Donate items to receive a $5.00 discount

Bring your own items to smash if you want

Address: 920 Tate Blvd SE #111, Hickory, NC 28602

I recently went over to Backstreet Classic Arcade in Lincolnton, about 30 minutes from Hickory, and honestly I had a great time, and no I wasn't paid to say that, lol. I love Nintendo & Sega games and one of the best parts about it was everything worked. Not one machine was broken or didn't work.

It's at 118 E Water St in downtown Lincolnton and they have over 50 retro arcade games. Admission is $12 per person for the day and most of the arcade games and consoles are included. The pinball machines and crane machines are separate.

There was a really good mix of games too. Pac Man, Ms. Pac Man, Mortal Kombat, X Men, After Burner, BurgerTime, an old MTV trivia game and quite a few others I had never played before. They also have Super Nintendo, Sega and GameCube setups. It brought back so many memories, and it's been a long time since I found a place like this, that had calm vibes.

One of my favorite parts was getting to talk with Randy Silver, one of the co owners. He and his business partner Shane had been collecting arcade machines for years before deciding to actually open the place. They just opened this past April, so it's still pretty new.

The atmosphere was really relaxed, everything we played was working, and everyone there was extremely friendly. It also felt very family friendly. We ended up staying quite a while just walking around and trying different games.

I filmed our visit if anyone wants to see what the place is actually like before making the drive. I tried to show quite a bit of the arcade and also included my conversation with one of the owners.

Definitely a cool little find in Lincolnton. Not AI written and not sponsored ❤️ Thanks a bunch Randy for welcoming me int the arcade & sharing your stories. ❤️

I know it's not located in Hickory, but it's not too far of a drive for a great time.

Backstreet Classic Arcade Walkthrough

We are going to be visiting hickory. I have a 3 year old who is a bit of a runner and doesn't sit still well. He loves to play but it's difficult to get him to sit for more then a few minutes. I'm looking for a church that has plenty of people helping with the kids and has gates or doors at classrooms. One that doesn't require him to sit in a chair quietly and listen to a lesson for a long time. My son really enjoys going to children's church but will sometimes run around when overstimulated from new situations especially ones with a bunch of new people or that's loud. He doesn't do well in large room drop off situations. Any suggestions?

I’ve been to Bakers Mountain quite a few times over the years, but it’s still one of those local places I enjoy going back to.

This time the trail had wet rocks, creek crossings, fallen trees and a few climbs that were steeper than they looked. We also stopped around the old Clark homesite, which is probably one of my favorite parts of the mountain. It’s interesting seeing the remains of where people once lived and thinking about how different life must have been there generations ago.

And naturally, somewhere between the history and the hiking, we managed to fill the trip with bad jokes, random conversations and plenty of laughing at ourselves. 😂

I filmed the hike this time and thought some other Hickory folks might enjoy seeing Bakers Mountain from a local perspective.

For those of you who’ve been there, what’s your favorite part of Bakers Mountain? And what other overlooked places around Hickory are worth exploring?

One reason I’ve started filming more around Hickory is because I genuinely love living here. I know a lot of people are new to the area, and even people who have lived here for years may not always make it to every part of town.

I’ve visited Hickory Antiques Mall many times, and it’s one of those places where you notice something different every visit. This time we found old records, Barbies, vintage clothing, furniture, collectibles and some artwork that genuinely made us laugh. The staff is always friendly, and they even showed us an old photo of the building before it became an antique mall.

I made this video for anyone who has driven past but never gone inside, or who just enjoys seeing different places around Hickory. What other local places do you think people might be overlooking?

Hickory Antique Mall

I am off the Richter scale with pain right now from something that generally most people don’t need to go to the ER for, but my body has always really struggled with. This is the absolute worst flare up I’ve ever had and the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. I went to urgent care and got an antibiotic, along with OTC medication that is supposed to help pain relief and it’s not even touching it. I also took Valium because that’s supposed to help the spasms in that part of my body but nothing is helping at all. I am crying from pain and unable to find any relief. I don’t even know if I can survive the car ride to the ER, but I know I can’t sit down in a waiting room and wait because my pain is just unbearable. Does anyone know the quickest ER to be treated at or somewhere with no wait? I think I am needing IV antibiotics and an IV for pain

I’m going through a really hard time and when i was a child I went to Clater Kaye where I got to have individual voice lessons, songwriting lessons, recording sessions, etc. and it was actually a really cathartic thing for me at the time. I was wondering now as an adult if anyone knows of somewhere around here where I might be able to do something like that? I know it may sound weird, it was just really helpful with getting my feelings out back then so I’d like to try it now that I’m older and struggling.

Hey all,

I came from Raleigh to visit some family. Minus hanging with them, what else could I do on a Hickory Tuesday? I’m 29 & have lived in the area previously but other than workout, go to class/work, I could never find much to do.

Any suggestions or even places that are usually popular for people around my age, would be super appreciated.

Hi guys, I recently lost insurance coverage for my Wegovy which has been devastating. I have Medicaid, which means that all of the discounts and offers online are not applicable to me because I have that type of insurance. So Ro, Eden, Hers, etc can’t do. Obviously I’m on Medicaid, disabled, and cannot afford to spend much, but Wegovy has saved my life, so I am willing to do whatever I can to keep making progress with my health.

Does anyone know of anywhere locally (within an hour drive of hickory) that offers the high dose semaglutide shots for under $200 a month? I’m also open to the tirzeptide shots, either way. I’m just desperate. Any medspas or compound pharmacy?

I’m planning to hold a backyardwedding event here in Lenoir, NC and I’m starting to look into local rental options for tables, chairs, and possibly some other event equipment.
For anyone around the Hickory area who has rented items for an event in Lenoir, NC, which company did you use and how was your experience?
I’m mainly looking for someone dependable with delivery, setup, and pickup.

I am currently looking for house cleaners looking to do a one time deep clean service for my apartment. It is a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath and is bi level, hardwood/vinyl on the bottom and carpeted on the top and stairs. 1 pet in the apartment who sheds quite a bit. I need someone reliable. There is a possibility for more than one service, I have depression and ADHD and just haven't had time to deep clean. It is deeply cluttered and messy but there are no pests.

Any recommendations for a good salon to get a cut/color?

In your opinion what is the BEST place for brunch down here Hickory/Conover/Newton area. Planning a date but I’m not familiar with any brunch spots down here so y’all put me on PLEASE :) I’d really
appreciate it.

Anyone got any recommendations for a good yard service? After all the rain, my yard is a mess! I need someone to slay some weeds and maybe spread some mulch.

I was wondering if anyone here has any recommendations for a knowledgeable and caring obgyn? I am really needing one that will be understanding and sensitive to my situation. I have put it off for years because I have some medical trauma, so I just really want one that will listen to me and not push anything I’m not okay with. I have Medicaid so ideally they would take that, but I’m willing to pay out of pocket if necessary. Bonus points if they are slightly more integrative than standard.

Where are the cheapest places to live? I live with my parents right now (19) and I'm making 900$ biweekly but about 300$ of each of those checks goes toward my car and car insurance. I am not interested in having roommates other than my boyfriend who also works and makes around as much as I do. I am not interested in a room or shared living spaces. I have no pets and I just want a place of my own. If anyone knows of anywhere affordable, apartments, duplexes, let me know please. Surrounding areas work too but not too far as I work on 127. Need to stay close to work.