Located at 2201 Ash St, Goldsboro, NC 27530, United States, Lantern Inn stands as a welcoming destination for those seeking a comfortable and authentic dining experience. Our establishment is built on the foundation of providing a warm atmosphere where guests can relax, connect with friends and family, and enjoy a thoughtfully prepared meal. We believe that the essence of a great restaurant lies in the balance between quality ingredients, consistent preparation, and a genuine commitment to hospitality. Whether you are a local resident of Goldsboro or just passing through North Carolina, our doors are open to provide you with a memorable culinary visit.
At Lantern Inn, we focus on the fundamentals of good cooking. Our kitchen team prioritizes fresh, high-quality components to ensure that every dish served meets our standards of excellence. We understand that dining out is not just about the food on the plate, but also about the environment in which it is served. That is why we have cultivated a space that feels both inviting and professional, making it an ideal choice for casual lunches, intimate dinners, or small group gatherings. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring that every guest feels valued from the moment they arrive until the conclusion of their meal.
What Sets Us Apart
Commitment to Quality: We prioritize the use of fresh ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to ensure that every plate reflects our dedication to flavor and consistency.
Welcoming Atmosphere: Our interior is designed to offer a comfortable and relaxed setting, perfect for any occasion, whether you are celebrating a milestone or simply enjoying a quiet evening out.
Community Focus: Being situated in the heart of Goldsboro, we take pride in serving our local community and providing a reliable gathering place for neighbors and visitors alike.
Attentive Service: Our team is trained to provide friendly and efficient service, ensuring that your dining experience is seamless and enjoyable from start to finish.
The philosophy behind Lantern Inn is simple: we strive to create a space where the quality of our food is matched only by the warmth of our welcome. We recognize that the culinary landscape is constantly evolving, yet we remain steadfast in our belief that classic, well-executed dishes never go out of style. By maintaining a focus on these core values, we aim to be a staple in the Goldsboro dining scene for years to come. We invite you to join us at 2201 Ash St to experience firsthand the care and attention we pour into every aspect of our restaurant.
We understand that our guests have many choices when it comes to dining in North Carolina, and we are honored that you consider us for your meals. Our team continuously works to refine our processes and improve our service, always keeping the feedback of our patrons in mind. We believe that a restaurant is a living entity that grows through its interactions with the community, and we are grateful for the support we have received since opening our doors. We look forward to welcoming you to Lantern Inn and sharing our passion for good food and hospitality with you.
If you are planning a visit, we encourage you to take your time and enjoy the ambiance we have created. We are proud to be part of the vibrant Goldsboro community and look forward to serving you soon. Whether you are looking for a place to unwind after a long day or a venue for a special conversation, Lantern Inn provides the perfect backdrop. Thank you for choosing to dine with us and for being a part of our ongoing story.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom
Wheelchair accessible seating
Assistive hearing loop
Service options
Outdoor seating
Curbside pickup
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in
Highlights
Fast service
Great coffee
Great tea selection
Serves local specialty
Popular for
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining
Offerings
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegetarian options
Dining options
Breakfast
Brunch
Lunch
Dessert
Seating
Table service
Amenities
Restroom
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Quiet
Crowd
Family-friendly
Groups
LGBTQ+ friendly
Tourists
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs
Kids' menu
Parking
Free parking lot
Free street parking
Usually plenty of parking
Menus
Photos
Reviews Lantern Inn
over9000 ryan's
30-05-2026
Good food at a fair price, service was quick and tentative. However, I wish the restraunt would play some ambiance music. The location, however, has a nice view of the park. More
Joyce Pridgen
30-05-2026
Great local spot for a delicious meal and wonderful service.
Meal type
B…
More
Miracle Smith
30-05-2026
Always an amazing experience and the best breakfast in town!
Meal type
B…
More
Joyce Pridgen
30-05-2026
Great local spot for a delicious meal and wonderful service.
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Reservation
Reservations not required
Group size
Suitable for all group sizes
Kid-friendliness
Have taken the grandkids there since they were babies
Miracle Smith
30-05-2026
Always an amazing experience and the best breakfast in town!
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Moderate noise
Wait time
10-30 min
Charles Hicks
30-05-2026
I've been to this restaurant several time and the service was great. Today (Sunday 30, 2024) after waiting 20 or more for service at my table. Today was the worst experience with a waitress. After the waitress brought me water, I said to … More
Marie Gavin
30-05-2026
I love Lantern Inn. Great food, lovely staff, great atmosphere. Very reasonable prices. I call my breakfast in before I leave home for work and it is ready when I stop to pick it up. Never have to wait. More
Matt H
30-05-2026
Great food, consistently every day...even at 7am..and always great coffee
Order type…
More
Dave D
30-05-2026
I was here for breakfast one time with my family, and in my limited opinion, this restaurant has AMAZING food, AMAZING service, and a busy but comfortable atmosphere. The parking can be tricky when they are busy, but it is worth the … More
Rosemary Durham
30-05-2026
Great tasting meals, very reasonable. We were a group of 15 ,with no reservation, and they happily adjusted tables so we could all sit together.
Excellent service. Our waitress was so pleasant and accomadatingvto the many different requests. More
Crystal W
30-05-2026
Nice home style local eats. Great food, good location, friendly staff! I like my eggs a certain way, they got it and made sure my eggs were prepared as I requested. Food is prepared fresh and served quickly. Waitress Alexis was extra nice, … More
Ashton Creech
30-05-2026
It was my first time here on a Sunday. We came in around 1 pm Sunday afternoon. They were very busy but had room for sitting. We sat and were immediately helped. The server was kind of dry, but she got us our drinks and took our order … More
kmanning
30-05-2026
I have come here many times the last couple of months with my grandparents. It is one of their favorite places. Today’s visit was sadly not great. The waitress snapped at us for sitting at an empty table and told us several times that she … More
Reed Middemas
30-05-2026
Very cozy! Food was delicious and service super fast and friendly!
Meal type…
More
Tricia Waldschmidt
30-05-2026
Sheila was wonderful! She was personable and prompt with service! We will definitely be there again and again... More
Matt H
30-05-2026
Great food, consistently every day...even at 7am..and always great coffee
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Gravy, Western Omelet Grits and Smoked Sausage, Pork Chops and Eggs and Toast, 2 Egg Breakfast Potatoes
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free parking lot, Free street parking
Parking
There is about 15 spots in front and back, with a few extra parking on side street.. it gets packed at the busy hours.
Kid-friendliness
A well mannered place, kids are welcome
Reed Middemas
30-05-2026
Very cozy! Food was delicious and service super fast and friendly!
Meal type
Breakfast
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Sam Smith
30-05-2026
We landed on the Lantern Inn as our late Saturday breakfast (noon) option since the chain we had planned to stop by was full with a wait.
The restaurant was decently busy but we were welcomed to seat ourselves when we … More
james bundy
30-05-2026
Great local restaurant for breakfast!
The service is always with a smile even at 6am. I have tried everything on the menu but I personally like the 2 egg hobo plate. Whatever you order it's sure to be delicious! I recently carried my mom here for breakfast but she wanted the hamburger steak and they were happy to make it for her! They aim to please no matter what you like! Great group of people here!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lumber Jack Breakfast Plate
Group size
3-4 people
Tee Thizzle
30-05-2026
First time visiting this establishment and they did not disappoint. As a self proclaimed picky eater I was a bit skeptical as I am when I visiting most places. I ordered a variety of items which were all really good to the point where I can't wait to return! I was very happy to alternate options to pork. The atmosphere was kind of an older crowd which I don't mind lol also the service was great!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
1 2 Pound Cheeseburger, Pancakes
Dietary restrictions
Offered turkey sausage and bacon for non pork eaters!
Ion Alexandru (miniion26)
30-05-2026
Great breakfast, good coffee. Fast service. My favorite breakfast place in Goldsboro.
Update: same great breakfast, but the Ruben sandwich was not so great. See photo below, one tiny slice of corned beef.
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 3
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot
Howard Dorsey Griffith
30-05-2026
This was my first time here. And to my surprise the place was packed with all of the regulars from near and far. They have a good reasonably priced breakfast from $6.49 on up, depending on your order. Everything was timely, the staff was courteous and the people were very friendly.
Tony Edwards
30-05-2026
The food is always good, honestly a little more expensive than other places around. The customers are always friendly and will greet you with a hello but the wait staff always seems irritated, the kitchen staff is always friendly so not sure what's going on there. I often choose other breakfast places in town for this reason. $15+ dollars total with a 4 dollar tip total 19+ seems expensive for a simple breakfast for 1 when i can eat the same exact thing elsewhere and spend half as much.
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Wait time
Up to 10 min
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Vegetarian options
I don't order vegetarian meals but they are available.
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot
Kid-friendliness
oddly enough I have never seen kids in here, not sure why.
Jeannette Lane
30-05-2026
Lunch was great...my fiance was with me for his first visit...he said it reminded him a the diners from up North...the young lady that waited our table was very good...extremely helpful More
Jackye Cushing
30-05-2026
Lovely little restaurant. Good food, great service and reasonable prices. Ask for Layla, she's my granddaughter. More
Linda Young
30-05-2026
I called order in at 12 for 2. Still wasn't ready. Had to wait like 15 minutes. Food was terrible. We got 2 seafood specials. Only 1 piece flounder and thst had bones. Shrimp was not good. Frozen hushpuppies. More
Kara Lee
30-05-2026
I’m from Wayne county and we stopped by for Breakfast while visiting. The Lantern Inn is one of the most consistent breakfast spots in Goldsboro. It is also very affordable. Now that I live in a larger city I can’t say enough about how aggravating it is to get a well cooked basic affordable breakfast amongst people who just came out to eat! The specialty coffee drinks were well made and priced just right. The wait time is short and you can be in and out in less than an hour. My only small complaint would be the Mickey Mouse pancakes were not shaped well. Otherwise, we will continue to patronize as time permits.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Andrew Clough
30-05-2026
Good food and atmosphere. Average hometown breakfast spot for a quick bite. Reasonable prices and relatively quick service. More
Daniel Boyette
30-05-2026
Excellent!! Waitress name was Lacy. She deserves a raise, excellent with older people, my 93 year old mother loved her!! She wants to return, never gets out, she loved Lacy and the atmosphere!!!
Kevin Korth
30-05-2026
I come here a few times a week for breakfast. The staff are phenomenal and the owner (who is also Goldsboro's Mayor, as well as my closest competitor for the best Airbnb Superhost in town) I'm told, DOES actually give the IRS the money he … More
Ray Brown
30-05-2026
I have eaten lunch in this building 2 or 3 times a week for over 30 years. The staff is friendly, the food is consistent and good, and fairly priced. If you like a modest meal in a place that reflects the character of the town it is in then the Lantern Inn of Goldsborob will fill your desire. More
Lynn Charlton
30-05-2026
The food was good.Iwent to get open face roast beef,but they didn't have it.I was disappointed. I got a Reuben i gravy slaw .my husband got 2 eggs hash browns country ham.we did wait about 20 min for our food.it cost 22$.not bad.7/12/23 finally got my open face roast beef.It was delicious 😋. … More
John D Lane
30-05-2026
Nice place good food reasonable prices and they make coffee or have coffee till they close ..not like B&G who are to cheap to make coffee after noon More
James Shannon
30-05-2026
First timer. Had a late breakfast of eggs and corned beef hash. Portion was smaller than expected, but adequate. Best part of the visit was the delightful young lady who waited on me. Smiles all around, and attentive but not so much as … More
Reviews Lantern Inn