On the Square
American restaurant · Tarboro ·
Seasonal American bistro with an exceptional wine list
Seasonal American bistro with an exceptional wine list
"A once-risky Tarboro restaurant that the owners feared might not survive its first year but that quickly became one of the region’s celebrated dining spots; strong local support and later destination traffic from nearby cities helped it reach a point where it was difficult to get a table. The restaurant played a central role in the couple’s professional and personal lives, contributing to both their successes and the strains on their marriage, and the author’s departure from the business has been a source of speculation and personal reflection." - Matt Lardie
"At On The Square in Tarboro, co-owner Inez Ribustello says the restaurant did not have many of the challenges facing big-city eateries because it always did takeout; she describes customers buying more locally, the small retail wine shop being converted into a general-store space stocked with essentials (toilet paper, groceries), the creation of a large delivery service, and a sustained shift in business so that takeout now represents about 40 percent of sales with items like chicken wings selling out nightly when they were offered." - Matt Lardie
"I had a burger from On The Square in Tarboro — it was the first time I’d sat down and eaten out since March, and the meal almost made me cry with joy; the burger was damn good." - Erin Perkins
"This seasonal bistro with an attached wine shop has been a Tarboro community staple for 17 years, run by chef-owner Stephen and his partner Inez. The couple’s rare Advanced Sommelier credentials (they are the only married duo to pass the exam) underpin a wine program widely regarded as one of the best in the state, with an obsession for Spanish cava and eclectic bottlings such as a pét-nat rosé from Gönc (Slovenia), a Muscadet from the Loire, and fast-moving canned Ramona wine spritzers. Born from an old soda-fountain purchase by Inez’s father after the owners relocated from New York in 2002, the restaurant is known for distinct weekday draws—Wednesday sushi nights that regularly see about 100 roll orders—and a loyal mix of lunch and dinner regulars. During the COVID-19 era the business pivoted to delivery, curbside, and wine-to-go, added a popular $10 burger to meet demand, retained core menu staples like pimento cheese and fried oyster sandwiches along with soups, salads and pastas, and leaned on the tight-knit town for ongoing support." - Jenn Rice
"A Michelin-starred restaurant from earlier in the chef's career, representing the more formal, fine-dining side of her résumé compared with the relaxed approach planned for her debut solo project." - Anna Sulan Masing
