Lakeside Restaurant 531 Smallwood Avenue, Highlands, NC 28741

"We were in Highlands to celebrate our anniversary and the excellent reviews led us to Lakeside Restaurant… it did not disappoint!!! Definitely call ahead to make reservations and you’ll be greeted by the kindest/friendly person, Kelly! She and owner Laura took care of us and even helped us with some special accommodations! The food was excellent but the service was over the top! It’s a charming, quaint restaurant that sits on a lake, which also has outdoor seating when weather is permitting. Merrill was our friendly server and she was perfectly attentive and helpful with recommendations. We started off with the calamari appetizer and it was fresh, tender and perfectly fried. My wife had the wedge salad, which was large and perfectly balanced with blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, radish and peppered bacon! They brought some fresh, baked bread and whipped butter that was a great to start to an amazing main course. My wife loves crab cakes these were perfectly cooked and loaded with crabmeat with a tasty remoulade blanc served with a creamy, cheesy Gruyère Mac & cheese, and a fresh corn relish to balance out the meal. I hard a difficult time selecting from the menu, but I opted for the stuffed NC trout… if you love fresh, local trout with crisp skin stuffed with crabmeat and wrapped in peppered bacon then you’ll be pleased with this wonderful dish! The fish was baked perfectly, so the skin was crispy along with bacon, but the fish was moist and balanced with the savory crabmeat stuffing. It was a large-sized serving, but I ate every bit of the fish! The side of rice pilaf was fluffy and balanced perfectly with the fresh trout along with fresh, sautéed broccoli. Although we were stuffed from the delicious meal, we opted to order dessert to go… We were glad we did, because the blueberry bread pudding with the rum sauce was excellent! Merrill was thoughtful enough to write a congratulatory note, instructions, and a candle! For great food and amazing service, then come to Lakeside! It was definitely our memorable dining experience and by far the best meal in Highlands!"

"Every once and awhile you go to a restaurant where you already know the food is outstanding but the service , THE SERVICE, is outrageous! This is Lakeside. Nothing is overlooked. 5 stars all the way! I had the stuffed rainbow trout and my husband had the pork chop. Both excellent. We started with the tuna tortillas and ended with the ice cream tort. Absolutely fabulous."

"The lobster was amazing. Scallops hugenormous. Great service. A little loud, but it was busy."

"Please read this as 20 stars since all four of us want to give 5 stars! Buckle up bc we have endlessly great things to say: - the food is clearly as fresh as you can get and is of the upmost quality - the chef is a genius. The combo of flavors on this menu is unlike anything you will find, it’s total brilliance - bless this kitchen and staff for navigating our dairy and gluten allergies. Everyone was knowledgeable, nonjudgmental, and accommodating. Please know this makes the world of a difference for those of us who must awkwardly navigate allergies in public spaces! Safety is conditional and you guys made this a safe place for us to eat and that is invaluable :) - speaking of invaluable, the manager was just an utter gem of a person. She was hilarious, genuine, and attentive. She’s the kind of person you hope wins the lottery because good things should happen to people like her! - the ambiance of this place is what we imagine the Lost Kitchen to be like. This is the Lost Kitchen of the South! Aka, they have cultivated a place that has its own precious balance of charm, peace, and beauty I wish I took more pictures that I could share! No pictures were edited. *We also ate outside (don’t want to share those pics since other folks were in them. You’ll need to go see for yourself!)"

"What a cool little place! Nice atmosphere and great staff. Read the reviews and said the cast iron scallops were a must and trust me they are! If you are headed to highlands, this has to be on your stop list!"