We get a lot of viewer suggestions here on "North Carolina Weekend."

More than we could possibly handle, but one enthusiastic foodie was so impressed with this family owned, farm to table restaurant in Valdese, we decided to send Teresa Litschke to check it out.

[funky music] - It was started by the families.

The Mercer and the Wall families.

They connected their neighbors and friends.

- [Teresa] Daniel Wall and his family have raised cattle for decades.

- We don't use any antibiotics.

We don't give 'em any steroids.

We do everything all natural the best we can.

We grass fed, grain finish.

So they're always on grass.

- [Teresa] It's a tradition handed down from his father, Trossie.

- It's better.

It's, I think, more tender, more flavorful.

- [Teresa] Longtime friend Kristina Mercer agreed with the Wall's philosophy of raising cattle.

- We believe that happy, healthy animals produce the best meat.

- [Teresa] And started buying their beef for her family.

- And it being fresh, straight from the farm, it's hard to find.

- [Teresa] Kristina's father, Ed, certainly appreciated the freshness.

- Oh, I remember.

I was raised on a farm and at Thanksgiving Day was always the day we butchered the pigs.

- [Teresa] Together the two families started a business resulting in Highlands Butchery.

A butcher shop that processes their pasture raised beef, pork, and lamb.

- For beef we have everything from the beef tongue all the way to the ox tail.

So, you can get lots of things in between as well.

- You name it, we do it.

Roasts, steaks, ribs.

Ossobuco.

- [Teresa] Highlands Butchery also includes a farm to table restaurant.

- You know the butcher shop, you can't go wrong.

- It's easy, it's farm fresh.

It's brought directly from the farm.

It's as fresh as it can be.

It's never frozen.

We literally walk right down the hallway and get it fresh.

- [Teresa] Most often that means ground beef.

- I got the hamburger and fries.

- One of the big draws that we have is our burgers.

Everyone loves farm fresh burgers.

- It's very good.

- They're always fresh, they're good.

Yup.

- You can get a variety of different toppings on all of those.

We try to do a featured burger of the week.

- Burger and homemade barbecue and an onion ring in one spot, in one bite, you can't go wrong.

- We do boneless pork chops, bone-in pork chops.

All the ribs and the pork backs.

Of course, we do use those for the restaurant.

We smoke 'em out back on our big commercial smoker.

- Besides that we have our chorizo chili which is another favorite.

And then our Sunday brunch is something that the area absolutely loves.

And then weekly specials as well, depending on what extra cuts and stuff that we have.

- [Teresa] It's not difficult to guess what those cuts are.

- Oh gosh, steak.

- A lot of people are loving the rib eyes and the filet mignons.

- I like the prime rib.

- [Teresa] Many of the recipes used at Highlands Butchery also came from the Wall family.

- My mom, my wife, myself, my dad.

It's my dad's chili recipe.

The slaw recipe is mine.

So a lot of 'em are homemade recipes.

And we make all that in house.

- [Teresa] And for those who prefer not to eat meat.

- We do a portobello mushroom.

And then we have our salads.

We try to be accommodating of our vegetarian friends but we are a butcher shop.

- [Teresa] That's true.

And one reason they added a bourbon bar.

Since they say meat pairs perfectly with bourbon.

- It does.

Everything goes well with bourbon, I think.

But I'm a bourbon sipper.

- [Teresa] And they offer some of the best.

- So we have about 75, 80 different types of bourbon.

- Old Rip Van Winkle 10-year.

William Larue Weller.

Elmer T. Lee.

The list goes on and on.

- [Teresa] For the Walls and Mercers, it's about offering things they are passionate about in hopes those who visit Highlands Butchery will feel the same way.

- It is!

I think that's what you have to do in business to be successful.

If you don't love it, it's not gonna work.

- Once you taste it, that's when you truly understand the difference in how fresh it is.

And it's the quality and the time that we put in to make it, what we consider the best.

[funky music] - [Deborah] Check out Highlands Butchery at 205 Roderet Street North in Valdese.

They're open Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 to 9:00 and on Sunday for brunch.

To plan your seat at the table, head to HighlandsFamilyFarm.com or call 828-368-0385.