Roanoke Island and the surrounding Outer Banks pack in plenty of excellent places to eat for its size. We compiled a list of the best Outer Banks restaurants to eat breakfast, enjoy a date night with your special someone, and relax with the entire family after a day at the beach! Make sure you’re hungry and get ready to dig into some delicious cuisine.
For more activities, attractions, and hidden gems in the Outer Banks, request access to our complimentary Manteo Vacation Guide! It’s just what you need to plan your vacation!
Dine at the Top Restaurants in OBX
The Best Manteo Restaurants
Front Porch Cafe
With multiple locations around the Outer Banks, the Front Porch Cafe is one of the best places to grab a quick breakfast before hitting the beach. Their menu is full of gourmet coffees, tasty cinnamon buns, muffins, scones, croissant sandwiches, oatmeal, and more! You can even stop by later in the day to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer on the porch!
Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop
Sandwiches, burgers, and wraps are the highlights on the menu at Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Manteo to grab lunch. It sits in the heart of town, so you can easily walk to it if you’re staying in one of our historic cottages.
Garden Deli & Pizzeria
Who doesn’t love a savory, cheesy pizza after a day at the beach? Pick up your favorite pie from Garden Deli & Pizzeria and bring it back to your Pirate’s Cove rental to enjoy with the family. They also serve up salads, sandwiches, and burgers.
Lost Colony Tavern (Formerly the Lost Colony Brewery and Café)
If you want to grab a burger and a beer, this is your spot. The Lost Colony Tavern, one of the Outer Banks’ best restaurants, brings back the sensibility of a colonial tavern while also offering a food and drink menu that is 100 percent 21st-century fantastic. Sitting in the heart of downtown Manteo and offering a selection of over a half-dozen beers brewed in-house, as well as a selection of beers brewed all over the world. Yes, you can enjoy the perfect pour of Guinness, and their beer cocktails are uniquely delicious. You can even find steaks, crabcakes, and scallops on the menu!
1587 Restaurant
1587 Restaurant & Lounge, another of our top restaurants on OBX, is a fantastic place to take your special someone for a romantic date night. Tucked away in a building with views of the Manteo Harbor and Roanoke Island Festival Park, this Outer Banks eatery serves up delicious seafood and steaks in addition to their extensive wine list.
Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar
If you’re staying in Pirate’s Cove Resort, the Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar is THE place to take your special someone on a romantic date night. This Outer Banks restaurant overlooks the Pirate’s Cove Marina and is within walking distance from our condos and homes in the gated community. Grab a pre-dinner drink at Mimi’s Tiki Hut before enjoying a fantastic selection of seafood!
Stripers Bar & Grill
Fantastic waterfront views and great food are staples at Stripers Bar & Grill. It’s the perfect casual date night spot, especially if you are staying in one of our Shallowbag Bay condo rental properties.
Darrell’s Restaurant
We have often felt that if you have longevity as a restaurant, the food must be delicious, and Darrell’s Restaurant in Manteo is exactly what we are talking about. Not just a family restaurant that has fed generations of families for over 50 years, it has earned its title of being one of the Outer Banks’ best restaurants, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner 6 days a week (closed on Sundays). This is the place where hushpuppies are fought over, and wait staff will recognize you as a regular if you visit more than once.
Our Favorite Kill Devil Hills Restaurants
Outer Banks Brewing Station
We’ve mentioned the Outer Banks Brewing Station before, enthralled with the fact that it isn’t just one of our favorite Outer Banks Restaurants, it is also the first wind powered brewpub in the United States! If you want to grab a locally made craft beer and some tasty grub, then you will love the Outer Banks Brewing Station. This Outer Banks restaurant in Kill Devil Hills also serves as an entertainment hub, where walls of TVs and live music provide a great atmosphere for watching a big game or enjoying a concert.
Ten 0 Six
Grab some breakfast at Ten 0 Six on the way to Kill Devil Hills Beach. You’ll find breakfast burritos, French toast, pancakes, waffles, and more at this small eatery that’s only a block from the sand. Casual, relaxing, and filled with the scent of homemade goodness, you won’t be surprised that we think this wonderful eatery is one of the Outer Banks’ best restaurants.
Miller’s Seafood and Steakhouse
Miller’s Seafood & Steakhouse offers a casual setting with an array of fantastic offerings for the entire family. Choose from a selection of steaks, locally sourced seafood, and sushi at this aquatic-themed restaurant.
Goombays Grille and Raw Bar
Get a taste of the Outer Banks at Goombays Grille and Raw Bar. This Kill Devil Hills restaurant features a bright and vibrant island theme that complements its menu full of coastal favorites like alligator bites, jalapeno crab balls, coconut shrimp, and a raw bar. They also serve up great tropical drinks.
The Colington Cafe
If you’re searching for something a little more upscale, The Colington Cafe offers the perfect retreat away from the main strip of the Outer Banks. This beautiful beach house sits in a wooded area between the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Roanoke Sound. A delicious selection of chicken, steak, seafood, and pasta highlight the menu at this date night restaurant known to be one of the best Outer Banks restaurants.
The Kill Devil Grill
The Kill Devil Grill serves up classic American fare inside of a 1950s-themed restaurant. Pull up a stool at the diner bar or sit in one of the booths. Wherever you sit, you’re in for a tasty meal at this great local hub.
Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar
Oysters, oysters, and more oysters—that’s the specialty at Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar. It sits across the street from the Avalon Pier and has a fantastic lounge area with live music and views of the ocean. The menu is also full of burgers, sandwiches, other local seafood offerings, and desserts.
The Most Delicious Nags Head Restaurants
Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant
Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant near Nags Head is one of our favorite places to savor local seafood with a view. And although this list is a long one and there are probably more restaurants on here than you will be able to dine at during your stay, it really is one of the OBX top restaurants and we hope you find the time to pencil this one into your schedule. They serve up dishes filled with flavor from lobster rolls to fresh scallops. The sound front location makes this an ideal spot to watch the sunset with your favorite drink.
Fish Head’s Bar & Grill
Fish Heads Bar & Grill is also on the top of our list of best places to eat near Nags Head. This hotspot sits at the base of the Outer Banks Fishing Pier and provides breathtaking views of the Atlantic. It’s a fantastic place to enjoy happy hour or take the entire family out to dinner.
Nags Head Pizza Company
This local pizza joint sits along the Virginia Dare Trail causeway between Nags Head and Roanoke Island, making it a great place to stop on your way to and from the beach. Nags Head Pizza Company crafts delicious gourmet pies that will have you coming back for more. They also deliver!
Blue Moon Beach Grill
You’ll find the Blue Moon Beach Grill near Jockey’s Ridge State Park. This small restaurant serves up great seafood and Southern comfort food with a fun, nautical theme.
Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe
If you want to enjoy waterfront dining near Nags Head without driving along the main stretch in the Outer Banks, Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe is the place to go. Here you’ll find fresh local seafood with a view that’s only a few minutes from Manteo.
Tortugas Lie
Caribbean-infused fare is the name of the game at this restaurant near Nags Head. Tortugas Lie is a popular favorite with locals and also serves up sushi, burgers, and more!
Tale of the Whale
Tale of the Whale is one of the best upscale restaurants in the Outer Banks. This waterfront eatery offers a fantastic waterfront dining experience with sweeping views, sizzling steaks, and a great wine list.
Jimmy’s Seafood Buffet
If beach views and an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet sounds intriguing, we urge you to check out the menu of Jimmy’s Seafood Buffet! Their seafood is harvested from the waters that surround us, but it is the Caribbean flair in which they prepare it that will make you forget all about those other seafood restaurants.
Duck Donuts
This popular national donut chain started right down the road from us in Duck, and it serves up delicious, made-to-order delights that you can customize. Duck Donuts is a great place to stop for a morning donut before hitting the sand or a dozen to take back to your vacation rental after a day in the sun. Also offering locations in Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, and Avon, you can rest happy each night knowing you aren’t far from your new favorite donuts!
Showing Kitty Hawk Some Love
Black Pelican
Although the Black Pelican wasn’t around when the Wright Brothers took their first flight, we bet they would have dined there if it had been. The building the restaurant is located in was built in 1874 and originally used as a United States Lifesaving Station, and today it saves hungry people from wasting away. The menu stars both runners and swimmers, and its Frogmore Clambake is a Kitty Hawk tradition that will bring you joy.
The Pony and the Boat
Offering both a pony and a boat as part of its décor, this wonderful restaurant located in the heart of Kitty Hawk offers a menu of elevated comfort foods, including a mouth-watering chicken pot pie that will have you coming back for seconds.
Stay Near the Best Outer Banks Restaurants
Few rental companies offer a larger selection of homes and condos in the Manteo than Pirate’s Cove. We have properties at multiple locations around Roanoke Island that accommodate a variety of party sizes. From our waterfront condos in Shallowbag Bay to our gated resort community, you’ll find the perfect rental for you and your family.
Start planning your Outer Banks getaway today by booking one of our properties. Trust us; you’ll never want to leave!
