10 Johnston County restaurants everyone needs to try

People ask us all the time where we eat when we're not at the deli.

Honest answer? Usually standing over the prep table at 3pm eating whatever didn't make it onto a roll.

But on our days off, we eat local. Johnston County has gotten seriously good at food, and a lot of it is being made by families just like ours, working way too many hours because they love it.

So here's our list. Ten spots across Clayton, Smithfield and Selma that we'd send our own family to.

Yes, we put ourselves first. It's our blog. You'd do the same.

The quick list

1. Sak's Deli (Clayton) for Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies
2. Fiori Italian Restaurant & Bar (Clayton) for a real sit-down Italian dinner
3. Manning's Restaurant (downtown Clayton) for Southern food and rooftop seating
4. Mezcalito Clayton for margaritas and the loudest birthday you've ever seen
5. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Clayton and Smithfield) for hibachi night
6. Sushi Iwa (Clayton) for sushi and BOGO rolls
7. Origin Thai Bar & Cuisine (Smithfield) for Thai food that tastes like somebody's grandmother made it
8. White Swan BBQ (Smithfield) for Eastern NC barbecue
9. Hahvahd Yahd Cafe (Selma) for a Boston cafe in the middle of North Carolina
10. Curry Corner Indian Cuisine (downtown Smithfield) for Indian food worth the drive

The 10 restaurants

1. Sak's Deli (Clayton)

The answer: If you want a real Philly cheesesteak in Johnston County, this is the spot. We're a family-owned Philly-style deli and grill in Clayton.

Our rolls come from Liscio's Bakery, a family-owned bakery outside Philadelphia. It all starts with the bread. Everything after that is just us refusing to cut corners.

Matt runs the place. Mattie and Grace run Matt. That's the org chart.

• Where: 876 Gulley Dr, Clayton, NC 27520
• Order this: The Philly cheesesteak. Then argue with us about whether it's a hoagie or a sub.
• Best for: Lunch, family dinner, game day, and catering for anything from an office meeting to a graduation party
• Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 9am to 3pm, closed Monday

Order ahead online and skip the line. And if you see the food truck, flag it down. That's what it's there for.

2. Fiori Italian Restaurant & Bar (Clayton)

The answer: Fiori is the sit-down Italian dinner Clayton was missing. It's in Flowers Plantation and run by the Marin family, who came down from Long Island in 2019.

Owner Orlando Marin noticed you basically had to drive to Raleigh for a quality Italian dinner. So he fixed it. The menu mixes classic Italian with more modern dishes.

• Where: 48 Flowers Crossroads Way, Clayton, NC 27527
• Order this: Ask your server what the kitchen is proud of tonight. Then get dessert anyway.
• Best for: Date night, anniversaries, the dinner where you actually want to sit down

3. Manning's Restaurant (downtown Clayton)

The answer: Manning's is downtown Clayton's go-to for Southern food with a modern twist, and it has some of the best outdoor seating in town.

Grab a table upstairs when the weather's nice. They've got a full bar and local craft beer on tap, including Deep River, which is brewed right here in Johnston County.

• Where: 406 E Main St, Clayton, NC 27520
• Order this: Something Southern, with a local beer next to it
• Best for: Date night, rooftop drinks, showing out-of-town family that Clayton has a downtown

4. Mezcalito Clayton

The answer: Mezcalito is the Mexican restaurant you pick when it's somebody's birthday and you want them mildly embarrassed.

There's music, clapping, and the occasional drum when a birthday comes out. The margaritas get talked about a lot. So does the King Burrito, which is roughly the size of a newborn.

• Where: 229 Briarcliff Dr, Clayton, NC 27527
• Order this: The King Burrito and a margarita. Plan your afternoon accordingly.
• Best for: Birthdays, big groups, families with kids, patio nights

5. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Clayton and Smithfield)

The answer: Kobe is Johnston County's hibachi tradition, with locations in both Clayton and Smithfield.

Full disclosure: the Clayton Kobe is basically our neighbor on Gulley Drive. We've watched a lot of happy, full families walk out of there.

Hibachi dinners come with the works: onion soup, salad, appetizer shrimp, fried rice, veggies, and fried bananas for dessert.

• Where: 820 Gulley Dr, Clayton, NC 27520 and 101 Venture Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577
• Order this: Hibachi steak and shrimp. Try to catch the shrimp in your mouth. Fail. Laugh anyway.
• Best for: Kids' birthdays, family dinners, anyone who likes dinner with a show

6. Sushi Iwa (Clayton)

The answer: Sushi Iwa is Clayton's long-running sushi spot, open since 2018, with BOGO sushi deals and a full bar.

The menu goes way past sushi too: hibachi, teriyaki, Thai curry, fried rice and noodles. So the person in your group who "doesn't do raw fish" is covered.

• Where: 11629 US-70 Business (Clayton Blvd), Clayton, NC 27520
• Order this: The Sushi Iwa Cheese Roll, then work your way through the specialty rolls
• Best for: Lunch specials, sushi night, groups who can't agree on anything

7. Origin Thai Bar & Cuisine (Smithfield)

The answer: Origin Thai is one of the highest-rated restaurants in Smithfield, serving bold, authentic Thai food near the outlets.

Reviewers keep bringing up the larb. When people go out of their way to name one dish, you order that dish.

• Where: 519 Outlet Center Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577
• Order this: The larb
• Best for: A real meal after outlet shopping, Thai food lovers, anyone tired of the usual stops off I-95

8. White Swan BBQ (Smithfield)

The answer: White Swan is Johnston County's Eastern North Carolina barbecue landmark. It's been around for more than 87 years and family-owned by the current family since 1988.

This is vinegar country, and White Swan is a big reason why. Their pork won Best BBQ Pork at the 2017 MetroCooking DC BBQ Bash, and they'll even ship it to you anywhere in the continental U.S.

• Where: 3198 S Brightleaf Blvd, Smithfield, NC 27577 (plus more locations around the county)
• Order this: Chopped pork, fried chicken, hushpuppies, banana pudding. Don't overthink it.
• Best for: Sunday lunch, out-of-town guests, big events (they cater 50 to 1,000 people)

9. Hahvahd Yahd Cafe (Selma)

The answer: Hahvahd Yahd is a Boston-themed cafe in downtown Selma serving sandwiches, grinders, paninis, flatbreads, bagels and coffee.

It sits inside The Southern Bostonian antique market, so you can eat lunch and buy a lamp in the same trip. The menu names alone are worth the visit. The Chicken Pahm. The North End Italian. The Hot Honey Badger Flatbread.

We're a Philly deli, so we're legally required to have opinions about Boston. But a fellow Northeast transplant feeding Johnston County good sandwiches? We respect it.

• Where: 202 N Raiford St, Selma, NC 27576
• Order this: The Hot Honey Badger Flatbread
• Best for: Breakfast, lunch, coffee, and an afternoon of antiquing

10. Curry Corner Indian Cuisine (Smithfield)

The answer: Curry Corner is downtown Smithfield's Indian restaurant, and it's one of the top-rated places to eat in town.

Big portions, fair prices, and plenty of options for vegetarians and people with dietary restrictions. If Indian food isn't already in your rotation, start here.

• Where: 227 E Market St, Smithfield, NC 27577
• Order this: Ask what's popular, then add naan. Always add naan.
• Best for: A cozy dinner downtown, takeout night, feeding a group with mixed diets

Frequently asked questions

What are the best restaurants in Johnston County, NC?

Local favorites include Sak's Deli, Fiori Italian Restaurant & Bar, Manning's Restaurant, Mezcalito, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Iwa in Clayton; Origin Thai, White Swan BBQ and Curry Corner in Smithfield; and Hahvahd Yahd Cafe in Selma.

Where can I get a Philly cheesesteak in Clayton, NC?

Sak's Deli at 876 Gulley Dr in Clayton is a family-owned Philly-style deli that serves cheesesteaks on rolls from Liscio's Bakery near Philadelphia.

Where is the best barbecue in Johnston County?

White Swan BBQ in Smithfield has served Eastern North Carolina barbecue for more than 87 years and won Best BBQ Pork at the 2017 MetroCooking DC BBQ Bash.

What is a good date night restaurant in Clayton, NC?

Fiori Italian Restaurant & Bar in Flowers Plantation and Manning's Restaurant in downtown Clayton are two of the most popular date night picks.

What are good family-friendly restaurants in Clayton, NC?

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse for hibachi, Mezcalito for birthdays and big groups, and Sak's Deli for a casual family lunch or dinner.

Where should I eat near I-95 in Smithfield?

Origin Thai Bar & Cuisine is right by the outlets on Outlet Center Drive, White Swan BBQ is on South Brightleaf Boulevard, and Curry Corner is in downtown Smithfield.

Are there restaurants with outdoor seating in Clayton?

Yes. Manning's has upstairs outdoor seating in downtown Clayton, and Mezcalito has a covered patio.

That's the list

Ten spots, three towns, a whole lot of families working nights and weekends so you don't have to cook.

Now tell us who we missed. Drop your Johnston County favorite in the comments. Matt reads all of them and will absolutely take it personally if you don't say Sak's.

And when you're ready for that cheesesteak, you know where Gulley Drive is.

Addresses and details checked October 24, 2026. Hours and menus change, so it is worth a quick call to any spot before you head out.