In the months that followed, the NuWray Hotel housed rescue workers, displaced residents, and FEMA agents. They eventually partnered with World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that provides food relief. Together they fed 250-300 people a day for more than a month after the storm.
A Theatrical Innkeeper
The topic of food reminded me of the hotel restaurant opening in May 2025. Amanda said, “People always talk about the NuWray being the oldest continuously operating hotel in North Carolina, which is true. But I think it could be argued that it’s one of the oldest restaurants in the state too. They served food from the very beginning.”
Built in 1833, the NuWray became famous for serving bounty: smothered lettuce, apple butter, grits, biscuits, chicken, and smoked ham. This fare came to be known as the NuWray’s “southernboard.” Guests dined shoulder to shoulder at long family-style tables set with china and flowers.
