For pizza and beer in Boone, it's Lost Province

Lost Province Brewing I Downtown Boone's go-to brewpub

Lost Province in downtown Boone has the trifecta: good food, good beer, good music. And a lot of people know about it: It’s consistently on a wait on Friday and Saturday nights. But it is worth the wait, with exceptional pizza and its own beer. It's been a downtown anchor since 2014 and has since grown into something of a small local empire.

What it is: Lost Province brews its own beer on-site and cooks everything out of a wood-fired oven, which gives the food a quality you don't always expect from a brewpub. The space has a two-story covered porch — lower level for dining, upper deck with views of Howard's Knob and a dog-friendly policy. On a Friday night it fills up fast. The crowd is a genuine mix: college students, families with kids, visitors who wandered in off King Street. It's casual and loud in the best way.

What to order: There’s a varied menu that includes wings, soft pretzels, soups, salads and sandwiches. But the stars are the 12” wood-fired pizzas ($14.50-$20). On my most recent visit, I scored a seat at the bar and devoured the Mountain Mama pizza, with white sauce and a little meat. The house beer is the way to go, too. They brew their own beer, which you can find at bottle shops and at restaurants throughout Boone and Blowing Rock.

Good to know: Friday and Saturday nights get busy — a 15-minute wait is common and can run longer. Lost Province does not take reservations but can add you to a waitlist by phone, so the smart play is to call ahead, do some shopping on King Street, and head over when your table is ready. Lost Province also has two other related locations: Lost Province at Hardin Creek, on the east side of Boone; and Coyote Kitchen & Lost Province Taproom, with an extended bar program and a gluten-free and allergy-friendly focus. Live music at the downtown location starts at 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The move: Call ahead to get on the waitlist, walk through Mast General Store while you wait, then settle in for pizza and a pint with whoever's playing. It's a reliable Boone night out.