A Dangerous Assignment: Favorite Places to Eat on the Northern Outer Banks
Sometimes, as a writer, we have to take on a dangerous assignment. This may be one of those times.
There is perhaps nothing as subjective as our sense of taste. Nonetheless, what follows is a list of some favorite places to get a bite to eat on the northern Outer Banks.
In the offseason, November through March (this being the Outer Banks), it’s a good idea to make sure restaurants are open. A lot of them close for a couple of weeks, or even a month, during the slower time of year.
We’ve broken the list out into four categories: Italian (and one Greek), Oriental, Casual and Pub food, and Special Night Out.
Remember, this is a subjective list, and with so many restaurants to choose from, we have not been able to get to all of them.
Italian and One Greek
3701 Croatan Highway
Kitty Hawk
252-261-2669
Sicilian is in the name of Josephine’s and Sicilian is what it is. This is the real deal…heaping dishes of lasagna with a rich, savory bolognese sauce, baked with sausage and ground beef.
The menu changes weekly, but the lasagna and Josephine’s Combo always seems to be available. The combo is a gut-busting combination of sausage, meatballs, and a meaty pasta sauce.
Seating? Expect to rub elbows with someone…it’s tight, but worth it and there’s nothing like good food and glass or two of wine to bring people together. Editor’s Note: Josephine’s is located right next door to Vinny’s Pizza Joint, which has long been a favorite for many of us at Carolina Designs.
Max’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
1712 N Croatan Hwy
Kill Devil Hills
252-261-3113
Located in the Dare Center where the Food Lion is located, Max’s seems like an improbable place for really good Italian dinner. But don’t let the location, in a strip center, or the booths lined up along the wall fool you.
Owner Grant Sharp is a classically trained chef who happens to love working with Italian dishes.
Check out the linguine with clam sauce. It’s not something that is on every menu, and it’s wonderful. The ravioli of the day changes daily, of course, but it’s always interesting and very tasty.
Oh…and the pizza is very good and the calzones amazing.
The Waterfront Shops
207 Queen Elizabeth Ave
Manteo
252-423-3322
Sometimes there’s a wait to get a seat at Olives. Be patient—it’s worth the wait.
This is real Greek cooking. The rosemary bread is so good, it’s tempting to make that a meal in itself. But then the spanakopita might be missed. Or the pastitsio—sort of a Greek lasagna.
There are also gyros and some very interesting Greek influenced pizza. And of course baklava for desert.
Weather permitting, there is outside seating in the Waterfront Shops courtyard. If that’s not available, though, indoors it’s light and airy with a wonderful view of the Manteo waterfront.
Oriental
3919 N Croatan Highway
Kitty Hawk
252-261-1946
There’s nothing really surprising about the dishes Sanya prepares. They are very much traditional Chinese food. There is also a full Japanese hibachi menu as well.
What really seems to set Sanya apart, though, is the quality of ingredients and attention to detail is just a bit better than other places.
There is also a very nice sushi bar and a well laid out dining area. Adding to what sets Sanya apart is full bar service with a very good selection of liquors.
710 South Virginia Dare Trail
8 1/2 Mile Post – Beach Road
Kill Devil Hills
252-441-1180
For almost 40 years the Thai Room has been an Outer Banks favorite. Sure…they have some Chinese dishes, and by reputation, they’re quite good.
But the Thai dishes are why patrons keep coming back and for good reason. The family that founded the restaurant was a husband and wife team native to Thailand and their recipes have been handed down.
The Pad Thai is amazing. The stir fried basil and panang curry rate an amazing as well.
There’s a small dining room that is popular for good reason. The service is friendly and excellent.
Be careful with the hot request. Things can get very spicy very quickly.
2424 S Croatan Hwy
Nags Head
252-715-3983
Opened in 2017 by the next generation of Thai chefs who learned their craft at the Thai Room, Single Fin is a little more upscale with a wider ranging menu than that first Outer Banks Thai restaurant.
The menu is the most diverse of any Oriental restaurant on the Outer Banks and everything is very well-prepared.
But where Single Fin really shines is the selection and quality of their sushi.
There is full bar service with a nice wine list. The servers are professional and knowledgeable.
Pub Food and Casual
3730 N. Croatan Highway
252-261-1008
In a way Barefoot Bernie’s qualifies as a neighborhood bar—there is a cast of regulars that go there. But that doesn’t take into account the large dining room and the 10 or so tables spread around the bar area.
Featuring an extensive menu—with some nice kids items included, after trying quite a number of what’s available on the menu, the conclusion is, there has never been a bad meal. Never.
The service is always very good; the bar is well-stocked with a good selection of beers on tap.
And the pan pizzas are quite tasty.
In short…it’s everything a pub food/casual restaurant should be.
600 S. Croatan Hwy
Kill Devil Hills, NC
252-449-2739
They brew their own beer, it’s one of the best places on the beach for live music, and—perhaps most importantly—think pub food with a flair.
Sure, there are burgers…and they are excellent…and a soup of the day…which is quite good. But what sets the menu apart are the entrees—the shrimp and grits or beef tenderloin and shishito (mushroom) bites. It’s just not your typical pub food at all.
Weather permitting, there is an extensive seating area in the backyard—where, late spring into early fall there is live music.
Sundays the Brewing Station opens a little earlier for brunch.
Sam and Omie’s Restaurant
7228 S Virginia Dare Trail
Nags Head
252-441-7366
With a history dating back 85 years or so, Sam and Omie’s is about as local as it gets. From its beginning when Sambo Tillet was running it, it was all about good basic food without a lot of frills.
That is still what Sam and Omie’s is all about.
Lots of seafood dishes, some burgers and sandwiches.
This is also the place to go for a good old fashioned breakfast—pancakes, sausage, eggs bacon. Just the basics but done right.
An Evening Out
Timbuck II Shopping Center,
Corolla
252-453-4336
Of course Mike Dianna’s Grill Room has burgers and handheld sandwiches. The restaurant also has a good selection of salads.
But for anyone looking for an outstanding steak, this is the place. For over 20 years steak dinners have been its specialty. A little pricey? Yes, but it is filet mignon, after all.
We don’t, however, want to denigrate the seafood dishes that are also outstanding.
And bringing all of that together is an excellent wine list.
Finally, for a little fancier breakfast, Mike Dianna’s serves breakfast in the morning.
1564 Duck Road
Duck
252-715-2220
It’s a real toss up whether the food or view of Currituck Sound is more spectacular at the Paper Canoe. Of course the view wouldn’t mean anything if the food wasn’t fantastic. Luckily for both, it is.
Owner Jean-Marc Berruet’s father was a classically trained chef—and an outstanding one, and Jean-Marc was able to get his recipes and recreate them. Since that time he has expanded the menu adding his own very creative touch to the dishes he prepares.
It’s tough to come up with any one recommendation, but the Confit Duck Spring Rolls sure are worth checking out.
The ambiance is Outer Banks casual—dress nicely but don’t go overboard.
1184 Duck Rd.
Duck, NC 27949
252-248-3211
Located along the boardwalk in Duck, NC Coast Grill & Bar is one of two great restaurants featuring the creative flair of Chef Wes Stepp. The other, Red Sky Cafe, is next to our Carolina Designs offices.
You can’t go wrong in either place, but NC Coast is open year round, so it gets the nod.
The setting couldn’t be much better with beautiful view across Currituck Sound. The food, though, is the reason to go.
The cuisine and presentation is innovative, tasty and tasteful. For something different and perfect to share, try the “Go-Gho” Cauliflower.
3712 N. Croatan Hwy
Kitty Hawk
252-715-2991
When longtime Outer Banks restauranteur Tommy Karole opened the Pony and Boat a few years ago, he know what he wanted—a casual dining experience with upscale food.
And he hit a homer run.
Great steaks and seafood at all times, of course, but one of the things that really sets the Pony and Boat apart is how willing the chef and staff are to adjust the menu to seasonal changes.
Still, the shrimp and grits are amazing and the filet mignon superb. And something surprisingly fantastic to try—the homemade cornbread.
1469 Colington Road
Kill Devil Hill
252-255-5594
Situated on the road to Colington, the Saltbox Cafe sits in a rustic looking old house with a screened porch—which does get used when weather permits.
The menu is an eclectic combination of everything from New Orleans to the Orient—all of it remarkably well-prepared and tasty. Hard to pick out a favorite, but Catch of the Day never disappoints and the grilled pork tenderloin takes the dish to new levels.
Save room for desert. It changes daily as a true desert chef puts her daily touch to it.
Open for brunch and lunch as well as dinner.
Honorable mention
The restaurant choices on the Outer Banks are so varied and as we mentioned, taste is completely subjective, so it’s entirely reasonable to think we missed something.. Here are a few more places that we and our friends have enjoyed. It’s entirely possible, anyone of these should have been part of the list.
Pizza
The Market Place
5591 N. Croatan Highway
Southern Shores
252-261-8388
Longtime Outer Banks pizza restaurant with some Italian dishes served in a small dining area. Quite good.
710 S. Croatan Highway
Kill Devil Hills
252-449-8888
Very good pizza with a wide selection of pizza by the slice. Their garlic knots are really good. Outdoor seating in the spring and summer only.
512 Hwy 64/264
Manteo
252-473-6888
Friendly service. Very good pizza and some tasty sandwiches as well.
Casual
4624 N Virginia Dare Trail
Kitty Hawk
252-261-3233
One of the oldest restaurants on the Outer Banks, Art’s Place, on the Beach Road has some of the best burgers around. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Live music too.
521 Hwy 64/264
Manteo
252-473-5366
An Outer Banks staple for over 50 years. Good food and generous portions. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Pub Food
Something for everyone. Open kitchen fixing food in front of the inside bar. Some outside seating.
Upscale
JK’s Restaurant
1106 S. Croatan Highway
Kill Devil Hills
252-441-9555
May be the best steakhouse on the Outer Banks. Great wine list.
Winebar
Trio Restaurant and Market
3708 N. Croatan Hwy.
Kitty Hawk
252-261-0277
Probably the most complete wine selection on the Outer Banks…and a lot of hard to find beers ales on tap as well. Which makes sense, since there is a wine and beer market right there. The food is excellent as well.