Restaurants

Sam & Omie’s

• 7228 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Beach Road, MP 16.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-7366

Originally opened by a couple of fishermen as a pre-fishing breakfast stop, Sam & Omie’s is celebrating its 75th season this year!. Stop here for a true Nags Head eating experience. The place exudes a beachy atmosphere and serves up plenty of tasty dishes morning, noon and night, including omelets, hamburgers, club sandwiches and prime rib and seafood dinners. Try the shrimp burger — it’s popular for a reason! A full bar makes this a social stop for locals and visitors alike. They are closed December through February.

Scammell’s Corner Surf Shop & Ice Cream Parlor

• 6406 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 15.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 715-1727

Scammell’s, a family-owned and -operated shop, offers 48 hand-dipped Hershey ice cream flavors in cups, cones, sundaes, banana splits, shakes or floats. It’s a surf shop, too — a new shop that feels like it’s been here forever. They have custom boards hand-shaped by Tom Neilson, plus custom board fins, and they also rent boards and do surf lessons. Not a surfer but love the waves? You’ll find boogie boards and skim boards too. Scammell’s sells clothing and swimsuits from Lucy Love, Body Glove and Synergy. You’ll find great handmade Island sandals from Hawaii, teak tables and chairs, tie-dye items, custom-designed T-shirts, Himalayan rock salt lamps and lots of gifts for your friends back home.

Seaside Gourmet To Go

• 3701 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5, Dunes Shops
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 255-5330

Seaside Gourmet To Go serves great local seafood and ethnic-inspired, healthful cuisine. Every day they have vegan, vegetarian and seafood specials in addition to their regular menu. You can call the number above to hear about the day’s specials or check their website. Whenever possible, the chef uses local and organic produce. You’ll find some of the best seafood dishes on the beach at Seaside. As the name implies, this is a take-out stop only. Seaside Gourmet To Go is open for lunch and dinner year round every day but Sunday, and they’ll also cater your event.

Ship’s Wheel Restaurant

• 2028 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 9.5
• Kill Devil Hills
• (252) 441-2906

The Ship’s Wheel at the Ebb Tide Family Motel serves breakfast until 3 p.m. daily and lunch with homemade specials daily. At breakfast they serve huge pancakes, chipped beef and eggs any way you like them and offer it all with great service.

Sonic

• 5205 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 14
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-9030

You are probably already familiar with this chain restaurant. They have fast-food standards like burgers and hot dogs, but they also have good milk shakes, fruit slushes, breakfast sandwiches and tater tots. There is not an entrance directly off The Bypass, so turn down one of the side streets nearby.

South Beach Grille

• 6806 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16
• Nags Head
• (252) 449-9313

With a truly affordable menu consisting of local seafood, lots of signature salads, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, pasta dinners, Caribbean-inspired entrees, steaks and terrific homemade desserts, South Beach Grille is a great place to eat on the beach. Deck-top dining is available, with views of both the ocean and the sound, and you can enjoy a smoothie or a specialty drink from their full bar. Like wings? Then stop in on Friday and get wings in a variety of flavors for 30 cents each and wash them down with their domestic beer special of the day. South Beach has a good kids’ selection and offers extensive gluten-free choices and lots of options for vegetarians too. Your meal is prepared fresh to order; if you have any special dietary needs please inform your server.

Southern Bean

• 3701 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5, Dunes Shops
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 261-JAVA

Southern Bean is a locally owned coffeehouse with coffee and espresso drinks, smoothies and milkshakes. They also offer fresh-squeezed juices, chai and other teas. Southern Bean has a small menu that is almost entirely vegetarian, with salads, hummus and wraps in addition to muffins, bagels and pastries. There are several options for kids, like hot chocolate, ice cream, PB&J and PB and banana sandwiches. You can sit at a counter, at one of a few tables or in the comfy chairs if you want to eat in or just sit a spell. Southern Bean is open all year round every day from early morning into the evening.

Spanky’s Grille

• 4105 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 3.5
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 261-1917

Spanky’s Grille is a casual, family-friendly restaurant with an interesting decor complete with monkeys. It also happens to be very affordable. The locals love the hand-formed burgers, homemade crab cakes, fresh hamburger steaks, grilled chicken, chili-cheese fries and foot-long hot dogs. Ask about the Viking Burger challenge. Spanky’s is open for lunch year round and Wednesday through Saturday nights in the summer season.

Stack ‘em High

• 1225 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 9
• Kill Devil Hills
• (252) 441-7064

Stack ‘em High is a great breakfast stop filled with everything you could ever want for breakfast. In this family-friendly restaurant, celebrating its 31st year in business, you’ll go through a line to select your own beverage, fresh fruit, cereal or muffins and a complete line of breakfast items that are then prepared fresh the minute you order. Choose from delicious breakfasts like pancakes — short or high stack — with fresh fruit, pecans or plain. They also have waffles, omelets (try the crab meat and cheddar or the shaved ham), bacon, sausage and more. For those looking for lunch, they also have a light sandwich selection like BLTs, hot ham & cheese and even PB&Js for the little ones. Find a seat in the dining room, and they’ll bring your breakfast to you piping hot. Stack ‘em High is family owned and operated. They serve breakfast every day all-year round. There is a second Stack ‘em High located in Kitty Hawk.

Stack ‘em High

• 3801 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 261-8221

In business for more than 30 years, Stack ‘em High is a great breakfast stop filled with everything you could ever want for breakfast. In this family-friendly restaurant, you’ll go through a line to select your own beverage, fresh fruit, cereal or muffins and a complete line of breakfast items that are then prepared fresh the minute you order. Choose from delicious breakfasts like pancakes — short or high stack — with fresh fruit, pecans or plain. They also have waffles, omelets (try the crab meat and cheddar or the shaved ham), bacon, sausage and more. For those looking for lunch, they also have a light sandwich selection like BLTs, hot ham & cheese and even PB&Js for the little ones. Find a seat in the dining room, and they’ll bring your breakfast to you piping hot. Stack ‘em High is family owned and operated. They serve breakfast every day all-year round. There is a second Stack ‘em High located in Kill Devil Hills.

Stone Oven Pizza

• 7531 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Caribbean Corners
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-7775

Stone Oven is a convenient stop off the causeway and features great pizza, calzones, sub sandwiches, a variety of appetizers including chicken wings and mozzarella sticks, plus salads, sodas and beer. They’ve got a beautiful soundfront location, and you can eat on the deck while overlooking the water. You can also take it to go. They offer free delivery all day within Nags Head and Pirate’s Cove (in the less busy times of year, they’ll deliver to Manteo and farther up the beach; just call and ask). Stone Oven is open year round.

Sugar Creek Soundfront Seafood Restaurant

• 7340 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-4963

Offering a primo location right on the water, Sugar Creek has been serving the freshest seafood available to locals and visitors for years. The views of Sugar Creek and the Roanoke Sound are incredible. The outdoor walkways and decks on the property are great for strolling along and viewing the resident wildlife. Before dinner, enjoy a drink from their outdoor gazebo bar. Folks can also enjoy the newly expanded covered decks for awsome outside dining and specacular views of the Roanoke Sound. The fresh, local tuna, shrimp and scallops are expertly prepared at Sugar Creek and keep seafood lovers happy. Also on the menu are favorites like steaks, prime rib, chicken, ribs, pasta, salads, soups, burgers and sandwiches. Sugar Creek won the 2010 Taste of the Beach People’s Choice award for their Shrimp & Grits. They have a children’s menu. The newly expanded dining room easily accommodates large parties and special events like rehearsal dinners. Sugar Creek serves lunch and dinner daily in season and is open from March through December. Check out The Sugar Shack, located next door, for great take-out seafood and a quick bite.

Sugar Shack

• 7340 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-3888

Sugar Shack is located right next to Sugar Creek Soundfront Seafood Restaurant. This is the place to pick up the freshest seafood around. Choose from steamed seafood like shrimp, lobster and king crab legs, or pick up a steamer bucket with a variety of seafood. They even serve fried seafood. In fact, the fresh fish sandwiches and boats (including Shack chips and slaw) they make here are some of the best we’ve ever eaten anywhere! Everything is cooked to order. They have increased their seating outside—the owner calls it shaded-deck dining. So you can dine inside or out, and either way you’ll have a fantastic view of the sound and super sunsets. They also stock beer. The Sugar Shack is a great way to feed a crowd at home, and they deliver within a 6-mile radius.

Sweet Frog—Premium Frozen Yogurt

• 3700 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 715-1965

Sweet Frog—Premium Frozen Yogurt has a novel concept: pick your soft-serve yogurt flavors, dispense as much as you want then top it the way you want it from the topping bar. The cashier weighs your creation and you pay by the weight. The yogurt is all natural, low fat and healthy, and you can choose toppings that are healthy too, like nuts and real fruit. Of course, they have candy toppings too. Sweet Frog is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily in the summer months; call for off-season hours. Look for the pink building in Kitty Hawk.

Taiko Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar

• 5000 S. Croatan Highway, Outer Banks Mall, The Bypass, MP 14
• Nags Head
• (252) 449-8895

Taiko serves Japanese food, with lots of healthy and flavorful options. Great sushi, miso soup, tempura, seaweed salad (try it!) and tasty plum wine…yum! They also serve traditional preparations of shrimp, beef, chicken and noodles. This food is fresh and affordable. Taiko is open for lunch and dinner year round.

Thai Room

• 710 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 8.5, Oceanside Plaza
• Kill Devil Hills
• (252) 441-1180

The Thai Room has been a local’s favorite for more than 25 years. They provide affordable, delicious Asian cuisine, serving Thai, Chinese and American food. Thai Room was voted Best Asian Restaurant in a local poll for several years in a row. You can eat in or take out. They have vegetarian selections and a children’s menu. The Thai Room is open year-round, serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and dinner on Sunday.

The Pit Surf Shop & Boardriders’ Grill

• 1209 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 9
• Kill Devil Hills
• (252) 480-3128 ext. 5

The Boardriders’ Grill (adjacent to The Pit Surf Shop) is a traveling surfer’s dream and a favorite stop for hungry local surfers and whoever is hanging with them. The cozy dining room is an authentic log cabin adorned with tons of surfboards and surf photography, but the real reason this hip spot is a must-stop is the incredible food. With a continually evolving menu, The Boardriders Grill spans the far-flung tastes the owners acquired during a lifetime of boardriding travel. From Cali-style (huge) wraps and the Mexi-Cali Burger to gourmet personal pizzas and Steve’s Chicken Sammie (yay, guacamole!), these guys have something tasty for everyone. The who’s-who of the summer scene know not to miss $1 Taco Tuesdays — the place is packed but it is worth the wait — or any of the great live music shows and DJs that keep the place grooving from sunset to the wee hours. Although The Boardriders Grill serves lunch and dinner daily, they are closed for part of the winter, so call ahead if you are visiting in the off-season.

Most nights are age 21+ only after 10 p.m., but The Pit also caters to the not-yet-21 set three nights a week with Teen Night on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights all summer. Most entertainment on the beach is strictly limited to those 21 and older, so this is a really special offer for local and visiting teens.

The Salty Cow Ice Cream Shop

• 5230 N. Croatan Highway, The Beach Road, MP 1
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 715-2556

You’ll find this sweet shop across from the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk. They offer ice cream, both hand-dipped and soft-serve, in multiple flavors. Try their coffee, hot or iced, and pick up a few retro candies for an old-fashioned treat.

The Sandbar & Grille

• 5000 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 14
• Nags Head
• 252-255-1758

New for this season, The Sandbar & Grille, located on the north end of Outer Banks Mall, serves up Southern-cooked meals. Try their fresh, local seafood, steaks and incredible creole dishes by a veteran chef. With two rooms, guests can eat in a separate dining room or hang out at the bar where cold beer and 17 specialty drinks and other cocktails are served. Serving lunch, dinner and late night fair, The Sandbar & Grille features such specialties as a half-pound Black and Blue Burger for lunch or a Southern Bourbon Chicken dish for dinner. They are open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily.

The Snowbird

• 3530 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 12
• Nags Head
• (252) 480-0000

The Snowbird boasts more than 24 flavors of soft-serve ice cream, which is a really popular feature with kids. Locals and vacationers love the burgers, sandwiches and seafood at this drive-up stop. The treats here are served to-go only, but there are a few picnic tables and seats if you want to eat here. One of the best things about this little spot is that it’s open until midnight during the summer — in case you just have to have that ice cream well after the hour you should!

Trio

• 3708 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5, Harbor Bay Shops
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 261-0277

Your can taste the world at Trio, an exciting retail and tasting destination that gathers the best of the vast worlds of wine, handcrafted beer and artisinal cheese into one lovely space. Trio offers more than 2,000 wines and beers from around the world ranging in price from $4.99 to $1,000, as well as more than 50 artisanal cheeses and a selection of cured meats. Also a tap house, Trio features 24 craft beers on tap. Wines can be sampled from wine dispensing machines using smart cards that allow you to choose the wine and amount you want to try. Taste a wide variety of wines priced from $10 to $100 per bottle starting at just $1 per taste! The cheese shop offers cheeses hand-cut to order and a menu featuring cheese plates, gourmet sandwiches, salads and small bites. Upstairs on the balcony you’ll find a tasting bar featuring award-winning wines from around North Carolina and a red velvet pool table at no charge. There is also free WiFi. Many nights there is live music featuring local acts from 7 to 10 p.m.

Tropical Smoothie Café

• 2236 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10, Plaza del Sol
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-3500

We love the fruit smoothies here, and there are many to choose from — low fat, weight gain (as if!), power, even smart smoothies! The cafe offers healthy breakfasts, salads, wraps and flat bread sandwiches. Have a sweet tooth? Try a dessert smoothie with Ghirardelli chocolate. Tropical Smoothie is open year round, and they now offer catering services.

Vilai Thai Kitchen

• 5230 N. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 1
• Kitty Hawk
• (252) 441-8424

This is a great Thai place that now has indoor seating. They are open for lunch and serve food all day through dinner. Experience their their yummy soups, pad thai, spring rolls and more. They have a few seats outside too, or you can order a take-out meal.

Viva Mexican Grill

• 2424 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-1601

If you’re a fan of build-your-own Mexican taco bars, you’ll love this new spot. You go down the line, telling them what you want — be it burrito, taco, taco salad — then specify the ingredients of your choice, including several meats and sauteed fresh veggies. It’s fast and fresh and good. The interior is punctuated with bright colors that complement the south of the border food. Best of all, a meal here is definitely in the wallet-friendly range.

Waveriders Coffee & Deli

• 6705-A S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 15.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 715-1880

The only coffee shop on the southern end of Nags Head, Waveriders is a good stop for breakfast or lunch. For breakfast, there are muffins and pastries, bagels, hearty breakfast sandwiches and health-conscious choices such as plain yogurt with fresh fruit (yay!). The lunch selections include a variety of soups and sandwiches, all made with the trusted Boar’s Head brand. Anytime of day, enjoy brewed coffee or coffee drinks with a sweet treat like a brownie or muffin. Waveriders has WiFi, of course. The shop offers bistro seating, leather chairs and couches and outdoor seating on the porch. It’s open 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (though hours may be extended in summer).