For hungry residents, it's a good thing Parkside Café happens to serve three square meals a day. Sure, Selma's plethora of chain eateries is just a few miles away, but many folks here would rather eat with their neighbors.

Parkside boasts one of the most extensive Southern food menus in Johnston County. The dining room opens at 6:30 a.m. with a full breakfast of omelets, pancakes, biscuits and the like.

That wraps up around 11 a.m. when the staff brings out dry-erase boards full of lunch specials. They also stock the salad bar full of lettuce and other fixings. Diners can choose from grill items like hamburgers and Southern favorites like meatloaf and fried chicken. Also on the menu are sandwiches and seafood. Those offerings continue until Parkside shuts down around 8:30 p.m.

Local favorites: Many of the dishes on the menu have been around Johnston County longer than the restaurant's seven-year history. "We employ local people who have cooked in the area for their whole lives, and that's how most of the dishes have originated," said assistant manager Scott Roll.

Some of the dishes might not be familiar to outsiders, like the baked back bone offered as a special last week.

Popular nights: Parkside gets some of its biggest crowds on Thursday nights, when country-style steak is on the menu, and on Saturday nights when ribeye steaks are the special.

The location: 2176-A U.S. 70-A in Pine Level, next to Sam Godwin Park. That's how the restaurant got its name, though don't expect to watch children play while you eat - the windows face the other direction.

Catering too: Parkside caters events all over Johnston County. Since U.S. 70-A is off the beaten path for most Johnstonians, the catering business often helps attract new customers, Roll said.

Herald reporter Colin Campbell stopped by last week: I tried the meatloaf and found it to be very juicy - it looks like Parkside adds a few ingredients to the standard meatloaf recipe, though I'm not skilled enough to figure out what. Parkside had more vegetable sides than most diners I've been to, with more than a dozen to choose from when I had lunch there. The complimentary hushpuppies make for a nice appetizer, and the pitchers of sweet tea on every table makes it easy to keep one's glass full.

Contact: theparksidecafe.com or 919-965-4100

What's your favorite dish at a local restaurant? It can be an appetizer, entree, side or dessert - whatever makes you come back for more. Send the name of the dish and the restaurant to ccampbell@newsobserver.com and include what makes it special. We'll spotlight your favorites in upcoming issues of the paper.