Local, grass-fed meat takes center stage at Highlands Butchery in Valdese

Editor's Note: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced, and anonymous visit. Your experience may differ from what is presented here.

Guilty pleasure foods. For some, the go-to comfort is pizza. Those with a sweet tooth might grab a freshly baked doughnut. For me, it's a hamburger. A sloppy, juice-running-down-my-forearm hamburger.

Whenever I move to a new town, one of the first places I dine is a place known for its burgers. I remember the Congress Burger at Second Bar + Kitchen in downtown Austin, Texas. Holy cow (pun intended), the ground chuck-brisket combination with onion confit was divine.

Knowing this about me, it should surprise no one that I was downright gleeful when I learned that Highlands Family Farm planned to open a restaurant in Valdese. Highlands Butchery restaurant opened in August and its companion butcher shop was unveiled a month later. New restaurants sometimes need time to get their feet underneath them, so I waited nearly three months before putting them to the test. Besides, guilty pleasures are to be enjoyed on occasion.

That occasion for me was in November. It was a Friday and I had skipped lunch. Having had little to nothing for breakfast, too, I was famished at 4:30 p.m. A burger from Highlands Butchery was what I wanted.

The Atmosphere

My husband and I arrived shortly before 5 p.m. We were immediately greeted and led to a table. The decor is simple and features a bar to the right of the entrance. On the left is the butcher shop. The dining area has about 10 tables, most offering seating for four (some with bench seating on one side). There is one larger table and the flexibility to pull tables together for larger parties. The bar offers additional seating with 10 stools. Three TVs were visible in the dining and bar area.

When we arrived, two tables were filled by couples. By the time we left, the dining room was filling with all sizes of parties, from single diners to multigenerational families.

The Service

Lindsey was our waitress. We let her know it was our first time there and she happily went through the menu, answering every question we had. She quickly brought the beers we ordered (about a dozen beers on tap) and gave us the few minutes we requested to peruse the menu.

Throughout our experience, the level of service was superb. Lindsey gave us attention without hovering (a skill). She was helpful and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Marshall said his favorite part of the meal was “the energy in the place.” It is the kind of friendly place that makes everyone feel comfortable.

She also gave us reasons to come back, such as the Sunday brunch with housemade biscuits and Belgian waffles.

Our Order

My eyes and stomach were happy to see that the menu offered a selection of hamburgers with a variety of toppings. Being a tater-tot lover, I also zeroed in on the Loaded Tots appetizer ($8). For our burgers, Marshall ordered The Standard (HFF cheeseburger - double smash burger - with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles served on a potato roll, $13) and I ordered The Mushroom Swiss (HHF 6-ounce burger with Swiss cheese and sauteed mushroom gravy served on a potato roll, $12). Both burgers came with one side. He got the fries. I ordered the onion rings (OK, another guilty pleasure).

For those eschewing red meat, pork barbecue and grilled or fried chicken are also on the menu.

The Food

The tots arrived within about 5 to 7 minutes of ordering. The appetizer was covered with all-meat chili (featuring HFF meat) and melted cheese. The tots were hot and crispy when the dish first arrived at our table. The chili was tasty, but those who like a little more kick might find it lacking zing. When I read “melted cheese” on the menu, I pictured grated cheddar that had been melted. Instead, the melted cheese was a cheese sauce. The sauce was a step above the cheese you get with nachos at Hickory Crawdads ballgames, but overall was the average part of the dish. The ratio of tots to toppings is important, and it was perfect for my tastes. The portion was big and appropriate for two. If I had eaten lunch, we might not have finished it, but we did on this day.

The burgers came out shortly after we finished our appetizer. First impression: Promising. Marshall was the first to dive into his burger and signaled with two thumbs up. I lifted mine off the tin basket in which it was served and took a breath before taking a bite. I was waiting for a mushroom or two to fall out. That’s what usually happens when I order a mushroom Swiss burger. Not this time.

I took my first bite, tasting the familiar grass-fed beef that I prefer. The potato bun was warm and had been toasted on the griddle. Everything was what I had hoped except that it took a second bite before I tasted evidence of mushrooms. I put the burger back down, took off the top bun, took a peek, and eyed only a small amount of fungi. Hmmm. My first disappointment. The thick-cut onion rings were piping hot and above average in taste with a slight sweetness. They weren’t beer-battered or the tempura style that I enjoy most, but they were pretty good.

Of course, I also had to sample Marshall’s meal, too. His fries were extra crispy and I liked his burger better than mine. His smash patties were seasoned in a way that made the meat’s flavor shine.

Knowing we would order dessert, I stopped eating my burger and onion rings at the halfway point. I asked for a box and we ordered the cheesecake to share. Unfortunately, they were out of cheesecake. We took our second choice, the Banana Pudding ($6). The description of the dessert said, “like momma made it.” Lindsey quickly brought one out with two spoons. It was love at first bite. The layers of pudding, banana, Nilla wafers, and whipped cream were a spot-on recreation of my mom’s.

What Others Have Said

I have read mostly positive reviews online of the restaurant. A couple of posts said the prices were too high. Yes, Highlands Butchery is more than some other places. However, I think the prices are in line with what you get – which is local, grass-fed meat. I’ve also been to restaurants where the burger is cheaper but fries are an additional charge.

On our way out, we stopped by the butcher shop to see what they had. The refrigerated cases were well stocked. We made a mental list of what we would purchase next time.

We walked out to the small parking lot beside the business. As the 6 p.m. hour approached, the Highlands Butchery parking lot and restaurant were getting packed.

As soon as we opened our car doors, someone was waiting, blinker on, to take our spot.

“I’m glad we came when we did,” I told Marshall as we drove back home with my box of leftovers, a meal for another day.

Angela Kuper Copeland is the arts & entertainment editor at The Paper. She may be reached at angela@thepaper.media or 828-445-8595.