Veterans Day is coming up this Saturday, Nov. 11. Being a military town, Fayetteville is home to many active, transitioning and retired service members all of whom have made and continue to make incredible sacrifices for the good of our country. 

Transitioning back into civilian life is not an easy task, and one of the best ways we can show our thankfulness to these Veterans is to support them in their new endeavors. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of some of the restaurants and bars owned by Veterans in Fayetteville.

• Clean Juice 
  • Opened earlier this year by Military Veteran Mark Mayoras, Clean Juice offers a selection of juices, smoothies, acai bowls, wraps and sandwiches. Swing by Clean Juice’s first Fayetteville location at 2735 Freedom Pkwy Dr. and enjoy a healthy meal.
• Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ 
  • Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ found its way to Fayetteville after signing Eddie and Carol Womack into the Crave Family. Eddie is a retired Military Veteran and Crave’s respect for Vets helped solidify that it was the right choice for Eddie and his wife. Crave is located in Freedom Town Center and invites customers to enjoy anything from unique hot dogs to barbeque classics.
• Poke Bowl
  • Poke Bowl, a restaurant specializing in the Hawaiian dish of the same name, celebrated its grand opening in Fayetteville in June. Viola Angel and her husband, a retired Armyman, always wanted to open a restaurant and found franchising to be a great opportunity for them. Poke Bowl is now open from Monday to Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. 
• Bright Light Brewing Company 
  • Bright Light Brewing Company is owned by Mike Ray, Eddie Ketchum and Chris Greive. Ketchum and Greive served in the U.S. Army together and met Ray through the local brewery scene, according to a post by DistiNCtly Fayetteville spotlighting the business. This Downtown Fayetteville microbrewery aims to curate a welcoming environment with its frequent events such as trivia nights and live music. Guests can enjoy local brews as well as food from the rotating roster of food trucks that collaborate with the brewery. 
• Gaston Brewing Company 
  • Gaston Brewing is Veteran owned and operated by a local husband and wife team. They opened their first location in 2017 on Hay St. and that spot continues to be a popular dining option for residents. They opened a second location as well on Chicago Dr. in 2021. Gaston offers guests craft beer, craft food and a full service bar.
• Huske Hardware House Restaurant & Brewery
  • Fayetteville’s oldest brewery, Huske Hardware is another popular downtown spot for drinks and dining. This Veteran owned restaurant and brewery boasts a rustic look, warm atmosphere and a variety of food and beverages to satisfy a plethora of pallets.
• Mission BBQ
  • An honorable mention for its commitment to serving our military, this chain features BBQ & classic sides, as well as memorabilia honoring soldiers & first responders. Their mission, according to their website, is “Proudly serving those who serve.” Located at 1932 Skibo Rd., Mission BBQ is offering all Veterans a free sandwich this Saturday in honor of their service.
• Gusto Napoletano
  • Owned by US Navy Veteran Nadia Minniti, Gusto Napoletano is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria located at 2711 Raeford Rd. in Fayetteville.

One thing about Veterans, they’re very humble and often shy away from the praises and thanks they deserve. We are sure that we missed some of our wonderful Veteran-owned restaurants on this list. If you notice anyone we left off, please email editor@bizfayetteville.com with their information so we can help support them as well.