Seafood Markets of the Outer Banks
The Outer Banks has some of the best commercial fishermen and women anywhere, and what they bring to the local docks gets out to the stores quickly, so fresh local seafood is always available.
This is also an area where shellfish are almost always available—oysters, shrimp, and crab. All of it is harvested in the Outer Banks waters.
We’ve limited this list of fish markets to those north of Oregon Inlet. Almost all of them are family-run businesses. Some are open year-round and some seasonally. Everything is open in the summer, but for the markets we’ve marked as seasonal, call ahead to confirm they’re open in the off-season.
Dockside N’ Duck (seasonal)
1216 Duck Road
Duck, NC 27949
(252) 261-8687
Owned by the same family that manages the produce stand out front, Dockside opened its doors in 1987. The family has a couple of commercial fishermen supplying the store. In addition to their seafood, they keep a wide array of sauces and flavorings in stock.
Carawan Seafood Company, Inc. (year-round)
5424 North Croatan Highway
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
(252) 261-2120
Founded in 1980, Carawan is about as family-owned as it gets, with connections that run deep into the commercial fishing community. Expect a good range of fresh local seafood with a knowledgeable staff. During spring and summer, there is a small but nice selection of local produce on hand.
Billy’s Seafood (seasonal)
1341 Colington Road
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 441-5978
One of the oldest seafood retailers on the Outer Banks, Billy’s Seafood was established in 1971 and is still owned by the same family. It’s a bit out of the way on Colington Road, but worth the trip. Also includes a nicely stocked convenience and grocery store.
Austin Fish Company (seasonal)
3711 South Croatan Highway
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 441-7412
Founded by Jimmy Austin back in the 1960s, Austin Seafood may be able to claim the title of oldest seafood retailer on the Outer Banks.
Austin, who passed away in 2010, had years of experience as a commercial fisherman before opening, and that pedigree shows in the product selection and staff knowledge. Still owned by the Austin family as well.
Greentail’s Seafood Market And Kitchen (year-round)
3022 South Croatan Highway Unit 34
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 715-6300
Greentail’s is located in the Pirate’s Quay shopping center in Nags Head. It was founded in 2018 and is run by two Outer Banks locals, Brandi Midgett and Bryan Whitehurst. Brandi grew up in a family of Outer Banks restaurateurs, and Bryan is a trained chef and recreational fisherman. As restaurant veterans, they combined their expertise to offer the Outer Banks community fresh, local seafood, an excellent ever-changing menu, and a laid-back atmosphere, so you can enjoy fresh catch on the spot or take it to go.
Whalebone Seafood Market (seasonal)
101 East Grey Eagle Street
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 441-8808
Whalebone is actually on the Bypass (Croatan Highway) just before Whalebone Junction. Owned by the Daniels family—one of the original fishing families—there’s a good selection of fresh seafood at all times. They also have steamed dishes to go.
Outland Seafood (year-round)
7463 US-64 #264
Manns Harbor, NC 27953
(252) 473-2860
Not quite on the Outer Banks, but close enough that it qualifies, Outland Seafood is right next to White’s Shopping Center in Manns Harbor. To clarify what is meant by a shopping center in this case, White’s is a centralized place to go shopping. It’s a gas station, a small restaurant—that’s not bad at all—groceries, souvenirs, and convenience store items. Outland Seafood is right next door, and they do a great job of keeping fresh seafood in stock year-round. It is really worth the trip, especially from Nags Head or Manteo.
O’Neal’s Sea Harvest (year-round)
618 Harbor Road
Wanchese, NC 27981
(252) 473-4535
The major fishing port of the Outer Banks is located in Wanchese, a village on the south end of Roanoke Island. O’Neal’s is about as close to dockside as you can get. The restaurant is excellent, and the seafood in the retail store is as fresh as it gets, too.
Fresh Catch Seafood (year-round)
4331 Mill Landing Road
Wanchese, NC 27981
(252) 473-7484
The most recently opened of the Outer Banks seafood stores (2016), Fresh Catch Seafood has a pretty strong pedigree, with one of the owners a member of the Daniels family. The Daniels family has been at the center of commercial fishing on the Outer Banks in all its forms for about 100 years. The other partner, and husband, has been on fishing boats since he was 14. Since he owns a couple of fishing boats, much of what is sold at Fresh Catch comes straight from the boat to the store
Bluewater Seafood Market (seasonal)
501 Old Stoney Road
Corolla, NC 27927
(252) 453-9921
Corolla’s seafood market does a great job. Located on Old Stoney Road, it’s not in the middle of the commercial areas, but it is certainly worth a visit. The local fishing roots go deep with the owners, and they take a lot of pride in carrying as much local seafood as they can find.
What to Look For…
Almost always in stock:
There’s such a wide selection of seafood and shellfish available at our local markets that it can feel overwhelming at times. To keep things simple, here are some of the most commonly seen selections. Not all of them…just some.
Yellowfin Tuna – Meaty, flavorful, and spectacular. Look for a nice consistent red color. This is the classic fish of ahi—raw tuna used in sushi. Related to bluefin tuna, but given what an 800-point bluefin tuna will fetch on the world market, the chance of seeing bluefin steaks at a fish market is somewhere between nil and never.
Flounder – Fried, broiled, or pan-seared, you can’t go wrong. A tender, flaky white fish with a slightly sweet flavor. Ask if it’s fresh. The North Carolina commercial season has been all over the map for the past few years.
Mahi-mahi – Also called dolphin, but don’t confuse it with the seagoing mammal. A darker-fleshed fish, but quite mild and perfect for the grill…or fried…or baked…or broiled.
Speckled Trout and occasionally Gray Trout (Weakfish) – Classic pan fish. Cannot go wrong frying it or throwing it in the pan with a little olive oil and seasoning.
Sometimes available:
Grouper – Slightly stronger than flounder, but by no means a strongly flavored fish. The fillets tend to be a fairly good size.
Red or Black Drum – Very similar to grouper.
Sheepshead – Admittedly intimidating in appearance—its teeth look almost human—sheepshead is a great-tasting fish with mild, white meat. A little bit flaky.
Swordfish – The fillets are moist and dense. Mild flavor, with a little bit higher fat content than many seafoods, making it a great choice for a marinated dish.
If you see it, get it:
(These are some of the more infrequently seen seafood, but if available, be sure to take some home and fix it for dinner right away.)
Cobia – Often described as having a mild, buttery flavor, which is a pretty good description of the taste. It’s a large fish, and a cobia steak on the grill is quite nice.
Wahoo – A white-fleshed fish that is dense enough to grill. Spectacular on the grill, but equally good baked, broiled, pan-fried…ok, just get it and try it if it’s available! Wahoo is also great as sashimi, the raw fish used in sushi.
