The writer was welcomed with fresh-baked rolls straight from the oven, prepared by co-owner Justin Canada, upon entering the restaurant. Fellow co-owner Jerry Canada (Justin’s father) insisted that I sample the family recipe myself, topped with strawberry jam “to give my taste buds an extra smile.”
The flavor stood out immediately. The bread had a distinct, clean taste that required a brief moment of adjustment—its natural ingredients noticeably different from those used in most rolls I had tried before. Jerry proudly shared that the rolls are made solely with fresh, natural ingredients.
“We’ve had this recipe for over 150 years. My grandpa remembers his grandpa making it for him,” Justin told Exclusive Press (EP).
“I always hoped to make the bread. We only made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” he added, reflecting on the memories that shaped him—particularly the years spent learning to cook alongside his family.
“But they finally gave me the recipe five years ago. I practiced and made sliders for a Super Bowl party with my friends. I had everyone over, and they were like, ‘Where did you get those sliders from?’ I said, ‘I made them myself.’ They said, ‘No, really—where did you get them?’ And I said, ‘No, I really made them,’” Justin recalled with a bright smile.
“I called my dad and said, ‘I think we’ve got something.’ And here we are.”
At Legacy Rolls, creativity is encouraged. “You can put anything on the rolls, and it’ll be good,” Justin said.
That is certainly true, as the restaurant offers a variety of sliders, including catfish sliders, cheeseburger sliders, Impossible Burger sliders, and chicken sliders. Among them, the catfish sliders are the most popular item on the menu.
Legacy Rolls reflects both the family’s history and its vision for the future. “That’s what it’s all about. We named it Legacy Rolls because we’re trying to build a legacy. It’s something that’s never been done in our family before. I have a lot of successful family members, but there’s no family business—and that was the goal: to build something,” Justin stated.
Opening the restaurant, which was built from the ground up from the brand and logo to the interior design, required patience and resilience. While some aspects of the process came easily, others proved far more challenging, particularly finalizing the menu. Justin emphasized that the Town of Spring Lake played a supportive role in helping the duo get established.
“The biggest selling point is that we sell real food. We make everything we can from scratch,” Justin said.
Legacy Rolls’ infamous bread recipe, a family tradition spanning more than 150 years. Photo credit: Instagram / The Legacy Rolls and The Exclusive Press
Their long-term goal is steady expansion, with hopes of opening additional locations and inviting the community to grow alongside them through their natural food offerings.
The cinnamon rolls have already developed a loyal following; one customer even drove from Wilmington after discovering the business on TikTok. “You’re not going to get a better cinnamon roll for that price,” Justin added.
Legacy Rolls also serves as a community hub, hosting events such as the Spring Lake Fashion Meet-N-Greet, Bible study groups, and art shows—helping foster connection and a sense of belonging.
Reflecting on the journey since its opening, Justin described the experience as surreal. Working alongside his father has been a period of personal growth. Through the partnership, he has learned more about his father and about himself, gaining insight and maturity he believes he would not have found elsewhere.
“[Fayetteville/Spring Lake] is an interesting traveling location,” he said on the reason for establishing the restaurant in the area. “It’s definitely different, and people have made me feel at home here.”
The father-and-son business partners hope to continue building momentum in the heart of Spring Lake. Legacy Rolls is inspired by an heirloom sweet-roll recipe passed down through generations—a culinary tradition now finding new life, one roll, one customer, and one community event at a time.
