Village Table & Tavern | A New Restaurant in Duck, NC
A Triumph of Good Taste
In a triumph of good taste, Village Table and Tavern has finally opened in Duck. Located adjacent to Nor’Banks Sailing and Watersports just north of Duck Village, the restaurant is the entire upper deck of what was once the Nor’Banks building.
Nor’Banks is still there—they’re not going anywhere. In fact, the new building includes restrooms and shower facilities for boaters.
The concept of a restaurant on the property had its roots in the idea that combining a restaurant with a day on the water could make the whole experience better.
Opened by the same team that brought Trio Wine, Beer & Cheese to Kitty Hawk, the owners are hoping to bring casual waterfront dining to a new level.
According to John Minnich, property owner Jon Britt was well into the planning process for the building when he approached the Trio team in February. John is an owner of Trio, along with his wife, Jennifer, and Kenny and Melissa Hyman.
The timing was right. The Trio team was actively looking for new opportunities, and Village Table fit into their vision.
Trio has evolved into a wine and beer bar with food service, but it did not begin life that way, and neither the Minnichs nor Hyman had ever opened a full-service restaurant before. However, in taking on the project they felt they could create something that would offer an in-between space among the restaurants that were already opened in the area.
“Duck has a good number of fine dining restaurants and very casual eateries,“ John Minnich explained. “We want to provide a dining option that finds the middle ground. An everyday kind of option, with first-rate food, libations, and hospitality.”
It took a while to get to this point, but the wait seems to have been worth it.
The setting itself is spectacular. Offering a panoramic view of Currituck Sound from anywhere in the seating area, the interior is spacious and restful. There is outdoor seating on the deck, and on a pleasant summer evening, that is the place to be.
In the winter—plans call for the restaurant to be open year round—there is a fireplace with a very nice seating area around it.
If that sounds fancy…maybe a little bit, but it’s much more toward the casual side of dining. Village Table is no hoity-toity upscale restaurant. Nor is it a quick stop sandwich shop. By design, it occupies the space right in between.
The menu is consistent with that with most entrees cost $10-$20.
We haven’t had a chance to sample everything on the menu— but looking over the menu their catchphrase, ‘“Casual food doesn’t have to be ordinary, and inspired food doesn’t have to be fussy,” may be holding true.
What we have tried has been marvelous. The wahoo on their opening weekend—which was the fish of the day—was cooked to perfection. Also, the seafood potpie was quite good.
But there’s more.
Since the same people who brought Trio Wine, Beer & Cheese are the team that has designed the restaurant, there is an excellent wine list and some great hard to find beers on tap.
There is also a full bar service.
John Minnich really enjoys scotch, bourbons and American whiskeys, which results in a very well-stocked bar with some liquors that are not often seen.
There is also an outdoor bar on the ground floor. Opening plans call for drinks only, although that may change over time. There is also room for outdoor events and tentative plans are already being made for some fall happenings.
Right now Village Table is open for lunch and dinner. Long-range plans call for breakfast to be added.