Restaurants
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Bad Bean Baja Grill & Cantina
- 3105 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 5, Seagate North Shopping Center
- Kill Devil Hills
Although Bad Bean Baja Grill and Cantina offers some Mexican favorites, it’s far from your typical Mexican restaurant. Techniques and flavors from all across Latin America, California and the Baja Peninsula are utilized to create a unique dining experience. The fresh-made salsas and guacamole are perfect with the house-made corn tortilla chips. And they’ve added in some extras at this location, too — daily lunch specials year round, full-service wait staff and a full-service bar featuring one of the best Ultimate Margaritas on the beach. They’ve taken the fish taco idea and expanded it to the Nth degree, using only fresh local fish, shrimp and even softshell crab in season. Their Carne Asada is a must have as well. Every Saturday night, the bar stays open late with beer specials and late night menu. They were double winners in the 2012 Taste of the Beach for Judges’ Choice Award and Chef’s Choice Award in Nags Head. In 2011, they won the Chef’s Choice Award at the March of Dimes Signautre Chef’s Auction in Kitty Hawk. Take-out is available and large parties welcome.
Basnight’s Lone Cedar
- 7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
- Nags Head
- (252) 441-5405
- map
This Outer Banks landmark is where you’ll find many a local eating every night, so you know the food must be really good. This restaurant is, in fact, at the top of the list of many locals’ favorite spots. The service is genuinely friendly, and the portions are more than generous. You’ll enjoy the vast views of the sound and dining on their outdoor deck overlooking the osprey nest. Basnight’s serves brunch Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner seven nights a week beginning at 4:30 p.m. (During the off-season, the days they serve dinner vary, so call ahead.) They feature only local, fresh North Carolina seafood that comes in whole and is cleaned in their kitchen, along with vegetarian dishes, pasta and steaks. Their dedication to freshness includes their own herb garden. They also serve local produce and pork as well as free-farmed chicken. And you will marvel at their incredible wine cellar (well, it’s a room, really) featuring thousands of bottles of wine. This accompanies a roomy bar area where you can enjoy the full menu. They also have karaoke or live music in the bar area on Friday and Saturday nights. Each year, they close December 31 and re-open right before Valentine’s Day. Basnight’s also offers on and off-premise catering for any size or type of event.
Black Pelican Oceanfront Cafe
- 3848 Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 4
- Kitty Hawk
- (252) 261-3171
- map
The Black Pelican is located at The Beach Road, directly across from the ocean. They have a deck bar with great ocean views and, of course, lots of fresh seafood on the menu. Choose from steamed seafood, steaks, dishes with exotic Pan-Asian flavors, or pizza from their wood-fired brick oven that locals love. Each night they offer an eclectic list of chef’s specials, and they have a kids’ menu with lots of choices for the little ones. Save room for one of their home-baked desserts; you’ll see what we mean when you pass the display case on your way in. The Black Pelican serves lunch and dinner every day plus a late-night menu that is served at the bar and in the restaurant until 11 p.m. This is a lively place where you can find a fun bar scene. They are open all year.
Brewing Station
- 600 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 8.5
- Kill Devil Hills
- (252) 449-BREW
- map
Featuring the talents of national and international award-winning Brewmaster Scott Meyer, the Brewing Station has an ever-changing list of house-made beers and sodas that serve as the cornerstone of the Brewing Station’s innovative style. Chef Phongkrit “Pok” Choeichom — who won the 2009 Taste of the Beach Chefs Award and the 2011 and 2012 Taste of the Beach People’s Choice Award — has created an Outer Banks–inspired fusion menu using regionally available products from local fish and produce to North Carolina meats. Pastry chef Tina Mackenzie bakes the house bread and has created a tempting dessert menu. Friendly and casual but with a metropolitan flair, the Brewing Station has a full bar, dining on two levels and the biggest outdoor area on the Outer Banks featuring a pirate ship playground for the kids, picnic table seating, outdoor entertainment during the summer season and the 92-foot wind turbine that powers part of the brewing operation. Half-liter bottle conditioned beer and two-liter growlers are sold to go at the bar. The Brewing Station accommodates large parties and is open year round for both lunch and dinner. Lest we forget, they are also highly regarded as a go-to place to see regional and national music acts across a wide variety of genres.
Brine and Bottle
- 7531 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Caribbean Professional Center
- Nags Head
- (252) 715-1818
- map
The Brine and Bottle stands out on the Outer Banks restaurant scene for its resolute commitment to utilizing seasonal, fresh, local ingredients. It’s owned and operated by two North Carolina natives, Chef Andrew Donovan and Sommelier Ashley Whitfield, who work with fishermen and farmers in Dare and nearby Currituck and Martin counties to source local ingredients. Indoors in the cozy dining room or outdoors on the spacious waterfront deck overlooking the Roanoke Sound, enjoy carefully selected wines and craft beers as well as seasonal Southern fare, including the customer favorite shrimp and grits with fried N.C. grit cakes. Donovan, who won the 2011 Taste of the Beach Chefs Choice Award, changes the dinner menu nightly, depending on what’s fresh. Take home such goodies as Maldon sea salt, house blend coffee, grits, wine and beer, pimento cheese and pickles, which are canned in house (think dill beans, pickled okra and more). The Brine and Bottle’s selection of wines and beers changes frequently, and there are always a few North Carolina selections available. During the summer season, the restaurant is open for dinner nightly and for lunch Monday through Saturday. Call for off-season hours. Catering services are available, both onsite and offsite.
Cafe Lachine
- 5000 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, Unit N1, MP 14
- Nags Head
- (252) 715-2550
- map
Need a meal that’s fresh and quick but way healthier than fast food? Cafe Lachine is a small Nags Head eatery that serves freshly prepared, delicious fare for breakfast, lunch and early dinner. Everything is served for take out, but there are a few bar-stool seats in the window and a few bistro tables outside where you can enjoy your meal. The menu includes sandwiches on homemade bread, soups, salads and baked goods, including breakfast pastries, cookies, cupcakes and custom cakes. Breakfast features muffins, scones and pastries, plus egg and meat sandwiches and wraps. Lunch and dinner sandwiches include wraps, a Cuban press, a crab cake sandwich, egg and chicken salad and more, and the side dishes are creative (think three-bean salad, tabbouleh and sweet potato fries along with more traditional offerings). Cafe Lachine is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and they deliver lunch in Nags Head from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ask about the picnics to go and the box lunch specials. This is a great place to pick up dessert, and they need only 24 hours notice for a specialty cake.
Catering is one of Cafe Lachine’s specialties. The owners, husband and wife team Johanna and Justin Lachine, are cooking school graduates, and they have a great deal of experience in catering events of all sizes. Whether you need a party platter, an outdoor barbecue, a wedding buffet or sit-down dinner, they can fulfill your wishes. Check out their catering menus online.
Carolina Seafood
- 2042 N. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 6.5
- Kill Devil Hills
Carolina Seafood is a buffet-style restaurant with lots of fresh local seafood, prime rib, hushpuppies, soft shell crabs, conch fritters, veggies and more. The buffet has a big salad bar and lots of dessert selections. Carolina Seafood has a full bar, take out and children’s menus. In season, they open at 3:30 p.m., and early birds can get soft shell crabs on the buffet and a one pound whole Maine lobster for $4.99 until 4:30 p.m. Take-out meals and crabs by the bushel are available. Before or after dinner, the kids can play on their playground, and the adults can play corn hole. Call for off-season hours.
Dirty Dick’s Crab House
- 2407 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10.5
- Nags Head
- (252) 449-CRAB
- coupon
Dirty Dick’s is a fun-loving restaurant that serves up seriously good food. The menu pays homage to New Orleans and Louisiana cuisine with dishes such as seafood gumbo and Po Boys, but it also offers a vast array of classic seafood favorites, including the biggest variety of crab preparations we’ve ever seen. Steaks, chicken, pork, burgers, ribs, salads, unusual sides and appetizers and sandwiches round out the offerings. Check out their popular T-shirts and other merchandise. There is also a location in Avon.
Dunes Restaurant
- 7018 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Bypass, MP 16.5
- Nags Head
Dunes Restaurant is a Nags Head tradition that’s been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner for nearly 30 years. They have an award-winning breakfast menu that includes a hearty breakfast and fresh fruit bar daily in season. At both lunch and dinner, there are plentiful salads, sandwiches and, of course, fresh-cooked, local seafood. If you like Southern fried chicken, this is one of their specialties, along with Angus beef steaks, prime rib and pastas. While you wait for a table, or even if you just come in because you love the atmosphere, their “R” Bar is a comfortable spot where you can grab a mixed drink or enjoy wine, beer and lighter fare. Dunes has an excellent children’s menu.
Fatboyz Ice Cream & Grill
- 7208 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16.5
- Nags Head
- (252) 441-6514
- map
This popular take-out food and ice cream stand serves up an array of ice cream concoctions — shakes, sundaes, cones — as well as hand-pattied burgers, fresh grilled tuna, hand-cut fries, Hebrew National hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, onion rings, fresh-squeezed orange/lime/lemonades and more. Try their no-filler, all-killer jumbo crabcake! The ice cream is absolutely delectable, and you must try Stacie’s delicious ice cream cakes for special occasions. Fatboyz is located across the street from Jennette’s Pier, and you can eat on-site at a handful of tables on the side deck. Though the line is often long at this very popular spot, don’t despair; it moves very quickly.
Food Dudes Kitchen
- 1216 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 9, Seashore Shops
- Kill Devil Hills
Food Dudes is a place that really is all about the food. With years of experience working in the best local kitchens, the Food Dudes are big on preparing the best food from the best seasonal ingredients. While the regular menu is simple enough to showcase the unique flavors of their food, their daily specials board really showcases their talents and the variety of options you’ll have to choose from. They feature vegetarian dishes, local seafood and organic and local produce from Currituck County farms whenever possible. You can dine in and enjoy beer and wine with your meal or get take-out. Food Dudes is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and offers a nice Sunday brunch and taco night on Thursdays. The owner says “drop in and dine any time at milepost nine.”
Front Porch Cafe
- 2515 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10
- Nags Head
- (252) 480-6616
- map
A community coffeehouse with deliciously fresh-roasted coffee, the Nags Head Front Porch features generous amounts of seating and parking and a lounge/art space to relax and enjoy your coffee and the hand-painted mural by local artist Dawn Gray. They have live music on the new stage area, which doubles as a kids story time space during the summer. Front Porch is known for offering the best artisan-roasted coffee on the beach. They serve an array of specialty coffee drinks, teas and chai. Fresh pastries like croissants, muffins, cinnamon buns and turnovers are baked on site. A wide variety of whole bean coffees are for sale. This is a great place to hang out — it’s open year round with free wireless Internet access, extended summer evening hours and a community bulletin board with local news and events. The Front Porch has two other locations, one in Kill Devil Hills at MP 6 and the other on the main highway in Manteo.
Goombays Grille & Raw Bar
- 1608 N. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 7
- Kill Devil Hills
Goombays is a casual restaurant with an island feel. The food is fresh and creative with a Caribbean spin on Outer Banks seafood favorites. Try the Rasta Pasta, fresh seafood tacos, Tuna Reuben, Jazzy Coconut Chicken, Tuna Oscar, daily specials or a selection from the full steamed or raw seafood bar. Goombays is family friendly with a colorful dining room and a special menu for kids. The full bar includes lots of imported and microbrewed beers. Goombays serves lunch and dinner every day.
Great Cakes! Bakery
- 3723 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5
- Kitty Hawk
Great Cakes! makes wonderful wedding cakes, decorated special occasion cakes and is also a storefront bakery for pastry, cupcakes, pies, cookies and muffins. You have to try their signature cake, Key Lime Bliss. It’s moist, light and delicious! As a perfect pairing for your sweet tooth, they have fresh roasted gourmet coffees, lattes, cappuccinos and a Hershey’s Ice Cream Bar.
High Cotton BBQ
- 5230 N. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 1
- Kitty Hawk
High Cotton is owned and operated by a native North Carolina family that was born and raised in the heart of barbecue country. They serve authentic, eastern North Carolina–style pork barbecue. The pork is smoked for hours over hickory, hand-chopped and then seasoned with a light, vinegar-based sauce that doesn’t overpower the natural flavor of the smoked meat. The Southern fried chicken is crisp and delicious. The smoked chicken is so tender it falls right off the bone, and the Texas-style beef brisket is smoked, sliced and served with a tangy sauce. The St. Louis cut ribs are the local’s favorite for good reason. Portions here are generous. They serve traditional side dishes like cole slaw, baked beans and fresh vegetables plus hush puppies and French fries. The sauces are homemade and available for purchase. They have a children’s menu. This is a great place to feed a crowd, and they have a speedy to-go counter for take-out. Check out their convenient to-go packages and bring home your own pig-pickin’. The restaurant also offers catering. High Cotton serves lunch and dinner every day in season and closes for a short time in the winter.
Hurricane Mo’s Beachside Bar and Grill
- 120 E. Kitty Hawk Road, just off the Beach Road, MP 4
- Kitty Hawk
Hurricane Mo’s is just steps from the ocean and has an intimate, beachy atmosphere. On the menu you’ll find fresh seafood, steaks, chicken, pasta and sandwiches. Daily specials are offered at lunch and dinner. Kids will be happy with the selections on their children’s menu. They have a full bar and happy hour specials from 3 to 5 p.m., including 10-cent shrimp, 25-cent wings and $1 tacos. Hurricane Mo’s is open year round for lunch and dinner, and you can get take-out if you prefer. They offer free WiFi for customers to use. Check them out if you’re looking for fun.
Jolly Roger Restaurant
- 1836 N. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 6.75
- Kill Devil Hills
The Jolly Roger has been an Outer Banks fixture for years. You can’t miss the pirate out front, and you shouldn’t miss the big breakfasts that are served here until 2 p.m. They have some of the biggest biscuits on the beach, and their rye toast is incredible. They also serve lunch and dinner, with a big menu of seafood, pastas, steaks and Italian specialties. There are always specials featured at the bar such as 20 cent shrimp or 79 cent ribs. The Jolly Roger is open every day, all year round, with entertainment nightly; call for details or go to www.outerbanksthisweek.com. WiFi is available throughout the restaurant.
Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant and Tavern
- 2316 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10.5
- Nags Head
- (252) 441-4116
- map
Kelly’s is an Outer Banks favorite serving beef, chicken, pasta, vegetarian dishes and, of course, seafood, including raw bar selections. You will enjoy their signature sweet potato biscuits, featured in Gourmet Magazine and savored by the thousands. Kelly’s offers three different menus, including one for children and lighter fare in the tavern. They will seat you for dinner until 10 p.m., so you won’t have to sacrifice having a good meal just because it’s late. You’ll want to save room for their delicious homemade desserts created by two-time Taste of the Beach Best Dessert award-winner Pastry Chef Becky Miller. The separate, full-service bar presents nightly entertainment. You can reserve space for a private party in any of their rooms, including the tavern, or you can hire Kelly’s for top-notch catering with or without wait staff. Kelly’s is open for dinner and entertainment year round, and the tavern is one of the top hot spots of the Outer Banks, attracting some of big names in the music industry. If you want to see and be seen, put this one on your list.
Kill Devil Grill
- 2008 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 9.5
- Kill Devil Hills
- (252) 449-8181
- map
Kill Devil Grill may look like a diner, but step inside and you’ll be treated to a gourmet meal that is miles ahead of typical diner fare. It starts with a great menu of dishes that are all made from scratch. Choose from creative daily specials, fresh fish and other seafood, steaks, ribs, sandwiches and killer salads. The chicken wings have become legendary: They’re marinated for two days, smoked, roasted, finished on the grill and tossed in a homemade wing sauce. The Grill has a kids’ menu and outstanding homemade desserts. There are a few menu items you’d expect to find in a diner, like blue-plate specials, root beer floats and apple crisp that’s served warm with vanilla ice cream. Kill Devil Grill has a full bar and is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. They are only closed for a short time in the winter.
Kill Devil’s Frozen Custard
- 1002 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 8.5
- Kill Devil Hills
The specialty here is authentic frozen custard: a thick, delicious concoction of fresh cream, milk, egg yolk, sugar and imported vanilla. They make it fresh hourly, and whether you call it ice cream or frozen custard, we just like to call it delicious. Their frozen custard is offered in cups, cones or homemade waffle cones. They also create awesome sundaes and shakes, or you can create your own concoctions with one of their blended hurricanes. On the menu are better burgers, Coney Island dogs, N.C. barbecue sandwiches, wraps and veggie burgers. The specialty beach fries are hand cut every day from select Idaho potatoes. Now in their 10th season, Kill Devil’s is a locals’ favorite and is open for lunch and dinner from April to December.
Mako Mike’s
- 1630 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 7
- Kill Devil Hills
- (252) 480-1919
- map
The menu at Mako Mike’s is filled with fresh seafood, with choices ranging from mako shark to crab legs. The menu also includes excellent crab cakes, pasta dishes and steaks. The chef creates lots of specials every night, and a kids’ menu makes the tykes happy. When it comes to dessert, there are many delicious choices. Catch one of the early bird specials; they’re offered daily. Large parties can be accommodated easily, and they have private dining rooms for special events. Mako Mike’s is part of the Kellys Hospitality Group, is open for dinner year round and has a full bar.
Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant
- 6916 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 16
- Nags Head
- (252) 441-6151
- map
One of the few soundfront restaurants on the beach, Miller’s serves lunch and dinner daily, which allows you ample time to enjoy the view. They can handle families and large parties and have a varied menu with local seafood, steaks, chicken and creative salads and pastas. The kitchen prepares unique specials every day. They really do have one of the best sunset views, and you can have fun watching windsurfers and kiteboarders during the day or enjoying music and a cocktail in the evening. The pier and gazebo over the sound are a big hit.
Mulligan’s Raw Bar and Grille
- 4005 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 13
- Nags Head
Mulligan’s Raw Bar & Grille has a partially covered outdoor deck where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as live entertainment nightly in season. Enjoy the beautiful sunsets overlooking Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the ever-changing color spectrum of the Atlantic Ocean. They feature fresh, local seafood and produce and hand-cut steaks, and they have been voted as having the best burger on the beach for seven years running. Do not miss this local favorite.
Ocean Boulevard
- 4700 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Beach Road, MP 2.5
- Kitty Hawk
- (252) 261-2546
- map
Ocean Boulevard is a casual yet upscale restaurant, which means you can enjoy a special evening out in the comfort of your sandals. They are, after all, just steps away from the ocean. Ocean Boulevard’s culinary team serves an American bistro-style menu and has been praised in Southern Living magazine as well as The Washington Post. The menu changes seasonally but always includes lots of beautiful preparations of local seafood, regional poultry and meats, nightly chef specials and decadent desserts. They have a comprehensive wine list and a full bar with their own martini menu. Come here for live entertainment on Friday nights after dinner. Their oceanside patio is one of many unique features; it’s an enjoyable hangout during the summer and you can often catch some live music during the week. Ocean Boulevard is open nightly for dinner year round. Reservations are suggested.
Owens’ Restaurant
- 7114 S Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16.5
- Nags Head
- (252) 441-7309
- map
Owens’ is a Nags Head institution, featuring a legacy of fine dining by the sea since 1946. Diners can enjoy generous portions of fresh fish and shellfish from local watermen, whole Maine lobster, pasta, aged prime beef from Harris Ranch and outrageous house-made desserts. All entrees include a traditional crock of cheese and a garden salad with house-made dressings. Everything is seasoned with the famous hospitality of the same family for 66 years. Owens’ has an exceptional wine list, and they offer special buffets on Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day that are hugely popular. History buffs will marvel at Owens’ collections of museum-quality artifacts dedicated to the maritime history of the Outer Banks.
