Southern Pines Chili Cook-Off 2026: Chapman's Is Ready to Bring Home the Win

There's nothing quite like a Southern Pines fall day filled with friends, neighbors, local businesses, and plenty of chili!

The 2026 Southern Pines Chili Cook-Off is coming up Sunday, November 8, and it's shaping up to be another fantastic day of food, fun, friendly competition, and community giving.

Hosted outside O'Donnell's Pub at 133 East New Hampshire Avenue in downtown Southern Pines, this longtime Moore County tradition brings together local restaurants, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and backyard cooks to compete for bragging rights—and some very special awards.

Chapman's Is Ready to Bring Home BEST RESTAURANT!

Chef Pete and the entire Chapman's Food & Spirits team are stoked to be back in the competition this year, and we're coming in with one goal in mind: bring home BEST RESTAURANT!

We've been proud to support the Southern Pines Chili Cook-Off annually, and we love being part of an event that brings our local community together while supporting great causes.

Chef Pete is already hard at work getting ready, and we can't wait to put our chili up against some of the talented restaurants from across Moore County.

Will Chapman's take home the title this year?

We sure hope so!

Ready to Compete?

Competitor setup begins at 10:00 AM, with chili tasting taking place from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

One registration ticket is required per booth, regardless of how many people are on your team. Businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits will need to provide their organization's name when registering.

And this isn't a small pot of chili kind of competition!

Competitors are required to prepare approximately 12 to 15 gallons of chili to help feed the expected crowd of more than 700 chili-loving attendees.

REGISTER TODAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-sopines-chili-cook-off-competitors-tickets-1995506106482

More Than Just Chili

The Southern Pines Chili Cook-Off is about much more than finding the best chili in town.

The event raises funds for Special Forces Association Chapter 62, which supports U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers and their families, as well as the Southern Pines "Old Boys" Rugby Club.

That's one of the many reasons Chapman's is proud to support this event year after year.

We believe in supporting the people, organizations, and traditions that make Southern Pines such a special place to live, work, and play.

Bring the Flavor—and the Flair

Competitors will be battling it out for:

• Best Restaurant
• Best Non-Restaurant (Backyard Cook)
• Best Decorated Booth

And you better believe the Chapman's team will be bringing plenty of personality along with our chili!

Save the Date

Sunday, November 8, 2026
Setup: 10:00 AM
Tasting: 12:00 PM–3:00 PM
O'Donnell's Pub
133 East New Hampshire Avenue
Downtown Southern Pines

Come hungry, bring your friends, and get ready to taste some serious chili.

And if you see the Chapman's team, be sure to stop by and cheer us on!

Chef Pete and the whole Chapman's crew are ready to stir the pot, serve it up, and hopefully bring home that BEST RESTAURANT title!

We'll see you at the cook-off!

Good luck to all the competitors—and may the best chili win!