I'm gonna give y'all the tea.

There's an establishment in Morganton that's got tongues wagging and mouths watering over their smoking meats and deep fried delicacies.

And if you eat too much, you can just go outside and work it off on the pickleball court.

And get this, the name of the establishment is the same as the name of the owner, Bones Jones.

[upbeat music] - I worked in a lot of meat packing places, learning how to be a butcher and learning how to do old world butchery the correct way.

The guys started calling me Bones, and that's kind of how I ended up with the nickname.

- [Narrator] Tyler Bones Jones is the man, and this is his self-titled restaurant.

- We are at Bones Jones.

[laughs] - [Narrator] To begin with, Bones Jones Burgers and Butchery isn't your typical restaurant, because Bones Jones isn't your average restaurateur.

In addition to being a butcher, he's a first generation farmer, which is pretty amazing.

- It is.

I think a lot of farmers, I think they say the average farmer's like 58 years old.

It's a very multi-generational occupation.

You usually take over a farm.

A lot of people, there's not that many first generation farmers out there.

- [Narrator] For Bones, it was hogs that he chose to raise from his 126 acre farm.

- I don't really know what came over me, to be honest with you, and I think like any farmer would tell you, I don't know what I was thinking.

[laughs] - [Narrator] Folks around here are awfully glad he brought his love and knowledge of all things fresh and delicious to the Burke County town of Morganton.

- We go here quite a bit.

It's really good.

- I have a passion for good food.

I grew up with a southern fried grandmother.

Had a lot of education from that standpoint, I guess.

- [Narrator] But with the word butchery in the name, you know succulent meats are on the menu.

- Friday, Saturday nights, we'd start some smoke prime rib and ribs at five o'clock, and then we run a nightly special during the week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays, just whatever we come up with.

We try to be creative.

But mainly, we do ribeyes six days a week.

Sirloins, chicken sandwiches, hot dipped chicken sandwiches, all kinds of gourmet craft burgers.

- [Narrator] Like the Bones Burger.

- [Tyler] Which is a local burger with pepperjack, bacon, jalapenos, barbecue sauce, and onion rings on top.

- [Narrator] Poultry takes center stage on Wednesday with smoked and flash fried wings doused in your choice of several sauces.

- Usually I get them dry, but I'll do, like, barbecue sauce, too.

- I actually like the habanero and the jerk.

They're really good.

- [Narrator] His appetizers are just as well received.

- [Tyler] It's like fried Brussels sprouts, onion rings, fried pickles.

- [Narrator] And everyone's favorite... - The cheese curds are wonderful.

- The most popular item for appetizers is the fried cheese curds, the local fried cheese curds.

- People tell us, and I agree, that they're the best that I've ever had, and I've been to Wisconsin.

- [Narrator] You'll notice Bones says the word local a lot.

30 to 40% of everything they prepare is purchased locally, which for him is what it's all about.

- You know, there's nothing better than being able to market food that's raised in your community, right?

- [Narrator] Something else that makes Bones Jones stand out in the restaurant world are the pickleball courts right outside.

- We had old tennis courts in the back of the restaurant from when this place used to be a dry county.

And in order to serve alcohol in a dry county, you had to be a sports club, so they put tennis courts in the back.

I don't think they ever used 'em, but they had 'em there.

- So, out of two tennis courts, you can make eight pickleball courts.

- [Narrator] Fortunately for these pickleball players, Burke County is no longer dry.

- We get people that'll come here and they'll time it out, 'cause the restaurant opens at 11.

So they'll say, "Okay, let's go play at nine.

We'll play for a couple hours, and then we'll come in and grab a bite and a beer or a libation or iced tea," whatever they want, but it's kind of a destination, which makes it, you know, a little bit more unique than most courts that you just go and play and go home.

- [Narrator] A distinctive destination for delicious foods, beverages, and pickleball, it can only be... - [All] Bones Jones!

- Bones Jones Burgers and Butchery is at 3221 North Carolina Highway 126 in Morganton, and they're open for lunch and dinner, beginning at 11:00 AM, Tuesday through Sunday.

For more information, give them a call at 828-391-1210, or go online to bonesjones.com.