You unpacked the boxes — now here is where students at Appalachian State University (Boone, NC) actually eat, shop, bank, and hang out. Bookmark this for your first month.
Melanie's on Howard Breakfast/brunch
Beloved brunch spot since 1991; local-food pioneer just off King St downtown
Black Cat Burrito Burritos
Huge creative burritos since 1993; cheap, on King St, a downtown student staple
Coyote Kitchen Southwest-Caribbean
Boca bowls and lots of vegetarian options; longtime favorite on Howard St downtown
Come Back Shack Burgers/shakes
Local burger-and-shake joint on Blowing Rock Rd; short drive, always packed
Dan'l Boone Inn Southern family-style
Family-style fried chicken since 1959 at 130 Hardin St; parents-weekend classic
Boone Bagelry Bagels/coffee
NY-style bagels since 1994; quick, cheap breakfast walkable from campus on King St
Harris Teeter Grocery
Nearest full grocery at Shops at Shadowline, about 5 min drive from campus
Walmart Supercenter Big-box
Off Blowing Rock Rd (US-321), roughly 10 min drive; dorm supplies and groceries
Boone Drug Pharmacy
Hometown pharmacy chain since 1919; downtown King St location plus others in town
Mast General Store General store
Historic King St store for outdoor gear, clothes, and barrels of penny candy
Boone Mall Mall
Small mall on Blowing Rock Rd with Belk, TJ Maxx and basics; about 5 min drive
State Employees' Credit Union Credit union
NC SECU branch and ATMs at 1470 Blowing Rock Rd, a few minutes from campus
Truist Bank
Longtime downtown branch (formerly BB&T) near King St; ATMs around town
First Horizon Bank Bank
Full-service Boone branch with ATM; regional bank common across NC
AppFamily Medicine (UNC Health Appalachian) Clinic/urgent
Same-day sick visits; Watauga Medical Center ER is also in town for emergencies
US Post Office - Boone Post office
Main office on Blowing Rock Rd, about 5 min from campus; ship and receive packages
Watauga County Public Library Study spot
Quiet off-campus study space on Queen St downtown, walkable from King St
AppalCART Transit
Free county bus system; routes link campus, Walmart, groceries and apartments
King Street downtown
Walkable strip of shops, coffee, murals and music venues right below campus
App State football at Kidd Brewer Stadium Game day
The Rock on Saturdays; student tickets and tailgates are a core App tradition
Blue Ridge Parkway Outdoors
About 15 min away; Rough Ridge and Price Lake are classic quick student hikes
Howard's Knob Overlook
County park summit above town with the best view of campus; short drive up
Appalachian Ski Mtn Winter
Ski and snowboard slopes 15 min toward Blowing Rock; night sessions are cheap fun
Hand-checked August 2026. Hours and locations change — give places a quick look before you head out. Some links on this site earn us a commission at no cost to you.