Grids of Flavor: Checkerboard Salads Land in Chapel Hill

In Chapel Hill, where tradition and creativity intersect as naturally as Franklin Street and the college green, food trends often arrive with a twist.

 

This summer, the national obsession with checkerboard salads—neatly cubed patterns of watermelon and feta—has found its Southern stage.

 

And like much in Chapel Hill, the dish is equal parts charming and clever.

 

At first glance, the salad looks like something you’d spot in an art studio instead of a kitchen.

 

Cubes of ruby-red watermelon alternate with white blocks of salty feta in a perfect grid, scattered with mint leaves like brushstrokes.

 

Locals are discovering the appeal lies not only in its taste—a balance of refreshing sweet and tangy salt—but also in its design.

 

“It’s a dish you can’t help but photograph before you eat,” says Emily Torres, who recently debuted her version at Carrboro Farmers’ Market, where she layers in golden beets from local growers to give it a Carolina twist.

 

Restaurants around town are adopting the grid, too.

 

Mediterranean Deli now offers a summer board that swaps in cantaloupe for a brighter palette, while Talullas adds a drizzle of pomegranate molasses for a nod to its Turkish roots.

 

Even UNC’s dining halls have toyed with a “student-friendly” take, serving bite-sized versions in compostable cups during orientation week.

 

Beyond the visuals, checkerboard salads fit Chapel Hill’s ethos of community and sustainability.

 

Using local produce from Orange County farms—melons, herbs, artisanal cheeses—makes each platter a miniature map of the region’s bounty.

 

The salad also complements the city’s wellness culture, offering a lighter alternative to heavier Southern staples.

 

As Chapel Hill transitions from humid days to crisp football evenings, the checkerboard salad feels right at home: playful, refreshing, and rooted in the details.

 

In a place that thrives on reinvention while honoring tradition, it’s no wonder a dish of squares has become the talk of the town.