Ward’s Dairy Bar & Grill

This was my favorite place to eat in Saluda!
I first saw it while we were grocery shopping at Thompson’s but they were already closed for the day. I made it a point to tell my hubs I’d like to come back. I then got it confused with the other café in town :(
Finally we made it back once I figured out it was beside the grocery and NOT the general store!
Ward’s has great fresh brewed tea which is always important to me. Simple, good country cooking. I had grits and liver mush (a favorite NC offering and something they don’t even sell in FL.!)
I was surprised at the great price! We both had full breakfasts and were out with good tip for under $ 20!
The service was great and all the staff nice.
I also learned what a «rattler/​rattlerette» were when I visited the facilities!
We will definitely return the next visit!

This is a great place with friendly service in Saluda. If you are looking for good food for a good price, look no further. We got 3 hand patted cheeseburgers and drinks for about $ 18. It’s attached to a great little store with local jams and jellies.

Really good food and very reasonably priced! Perfect place for an easy low key lunch after looking at the neighboring galleries and stores!

Me and my buddies stopped on the way back from a golf trip. Well worth the few extra minutes. Classic charm. Great friendly service. Really good beef sausage burger. Definitely add the mushrooms and onions.

Okay, full disclosure. Ward’s Grill is next to Thompson’s Store. No relation. But that won’t stop me from a four-​star review. In business since the late 1950’s, this place is exactly what you would expect from that era. Friendly staff, good food, casual atmosphere, and great coffee. Open for breakfast and lunch. The hard part is picking something from the menu. Everything looked good. If you are driving along I-​26 and are hungry, get off at Exit 59 and treat yourself. Saluda is one of the nicest small towns you will ever find; chock full of friendly people. This is a must! Hi Melissa…

I don’t get the positive reviews. If you’re into greasy, fatty, nasty food with crappy service then this place is for you! I had no choice but to eat here since I wasn’t driving. I had a simple grilled cheese with tomato and it wasn’t even grilled… If you’re into diners, this is your place. If you have a more refined pallet, head down to the Purple onion (the place was packed and the menu looked amazing). Saluda, however, is such a cool town. The Grocery Store was cool.

Nice little place to eat.

Best breakfast. Best hamburger. Great hotdog. Its where all the locals congregate, you can frequently find me there too.

Nice little place in a small town creates a very pleasant atmosphere to get a decent breakfast.

Old Charm! Even past what I would consider a regular Breakfast time (almost early Lunch) this place was packed with the friendliest group of people you could expect and way more than you deserve (hopefully you are not as concerned with what you deserve) and enjoy the Southern Hospitality which may be more prominent in a small mountain town like Saluda!
This was the only place on Main that was crowded, so we had to check it out and of course we stood out like we do even in some parts of Charlotte! The difference here is you are recognized as being a visitor AND the locals seem to be especially friendly and helpful!

Well there’s nothing special about this place which is what makes it kinda special. it’s a good olé fashioned small town diner like you would imagine in Mayberry. But, it’s even better cause it’s in Saluda which is a great little town.
Had the ham and bacon club. It was good… the best part was the fresh tomatoes. Came with some chips. Again, nothing fancy. But, for some quick grill food, this was pretty good.