Highest-rated cheap eats in Rocky Mount by diners

Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.

Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.

Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.

Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Rocky Mount area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Tokyo Express

1 / 15

#15. Tokyo Express

- Rating: 2.9/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2816 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

Bojangles

2 / 15

#14. Bojangles

- Rating: 3.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 908 English Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

Gardner's Barbecue 301 Flagship Store

3 / 15

#13. Gardner's Barbecue 301 Flagship Store

- Rating: 3.1/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1331 North Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

Gardner's Barbecue Westridge Shopping Center Restaurant

4 / 15

#12. Gardner's Barbecue Westridge Shopping Center Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3651 Sunset Ave. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Southern, American
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza Inn

5 / 15

#11. Pizza Inn

- Rating: 3.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1473 Hunter Hill Road Hunter Hill Shopping Center Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

Ramo's Pizza & Grill

6 / 15

#10. Ramo's Pizza & Grill

- Rating: 3.7/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8211 West Mount Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Zaxbys

7 / 15

#9. Zaxbys

- Rating: 3.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1410 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Fast food, Chicken Wings, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

8 / 15

#8. Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 3.9/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1169 Eastern Ave. Nashville, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Chicken Shop, American
- Read more on Yelp

Which Wich

9 / 15

#7. Which Wich

- Rating: 4.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 138 North Old Carriage Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

10 / 15

#6. Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

- Rating: 4.1/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 670 N. Wesleyan Blvd. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Chicken Shop, American
- Read more on Yelp

Brian's Cheesesteaks

11 / 15

#5. Brian's Cheesesteaks

- Rating: 4.2/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1129 Jeffreys Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

New Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

12 / 15

#4. New Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 141 Nashville Commons Drive Nashville, North Carolina
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Smiths Restaurant

13 / 15

#3. Smiths Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3649 North Halifax Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

Chew N Chat Cafe

14 / 15

#2. Chew N Chat Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1005 West Mount Drive Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Oak Level Cafe

15 / 15

#1. Oak Level Cafe

- Rating: 5.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2506 Oak Level Road Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.

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