If you’re craving top-notch restaurant food prepared by a skilled chef, but you’d like a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Doyle’s restaurant is the perfect spot. Now, add a popular Tiki Bar with live music and seasonal patio dining to the mix. Welcome to Doyle’s Cedar Hill Restaurant, a Murphy, NC mainstay since 2002. Open Monday through Saturday for dinner, and weekdays for lunch, this popular eatery occasionally opens for special-occasion Sunday brunches and holiday dinners.
Perched atop a hill near the Andrews Road/Lowe’s stoplight, this local landmark is located in a spacious building that includes two dining rooms and an inviting bar. The famous Tiki Bar occupies an adjacent covered patio, with a wind-blocking plastic enclosure and toasty heaters for cooler weather. During growing season, the patio showcases hanging baskets, herbs, and vegetable plants for sale. Before the March 2, 2012 tornado paid Murphy a visit, the restaurant was nestled among several impressive cedar trees. Now, the landscape isn’t quite as shaded, but the restaurant is better than ever.
Now, let’s say you’ve arrived for lunch, served in the dining room and in the seasonal Tiki Bar. Lighter fare includes fresh trout cakes, spinach and artichoke dip, and chicken flatbread pizza. Also consider five tasty main-dish salads with optional enhancements. Or, opt for a hearty sandwich, including the grass-fed beef burger, Carolina BBQ sandwich, traditional Cuban panini, or garden veggie burger. Gluten-free bread is available upon request. Sides include a delicious creamy cole slaw and addictive sweet potato fries.
When the dinner hour arrives, Doyle’s adopts a fine-dining menu, but keeps its friendly, welcoming demeanor. Appetizers generally mirror the lunch menu, but the dinner entrees are in a class by themselves. Meat lovers will appreciate the Grilled Black Angus Ribeye and Filet Mignon. Seafood fans can choose from Shrimp Scampi, Grilled or Blackened Salmon, or Fresh Mountain Trout. Vegetarian diners gravitate to the Pasta Primavera and legendary Eggplant Parmesan. And let’s not forget the melt-in-your-mouth desserts.
Of course, it would be tough to enjoy a top-notch meal without equally good service. Skilled servers are a Doyle’s Cedar Hill Restaurant hallmark, always well-versed on the menu and willing to go the extra mile to accommodate their patrons. Also, they’ll gladly add a choice wine or cocktail for 21-and-older diners.
After your sumptuous dinner, stroll outside to the Tiki Bar, featuring a Caribbean beach bar vibe embellished with Jimmy Buffet touches. Many talented regional musicians perform here, some with dedicated fan bases who never miss a concert. The Tiki Bar is also a favorite Happy Hour destination, drawing a diverse late-afternoon crowd during the warm-weather months. Each season, Doyle’s opens the Tiki Bar on St. Patrick’s Day (aptly named St. Patio’s Day), inviting Murphy, NC residents and visitors to enjoy another season of tasty food and revelry.