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We've compiled the best of the best in The North Carolina Coast - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Flavorful house drinks like the spicy Inca Mocha and the pistachio-and-cinnamon Lebanese Blonde set this bustling coffee shop apart from competitors. Pair your latte with a spinach ricotta croissant and stick around to appreciate the local art and crafts on display and for sale.
What was once a beloved local eatery in a strip mall grew into impressive new-build stand-alone digs in 2023 with a wraparound porch, a spacious backyard with hammocks and cornhole, and inside, surfboards and taxidermied marlin sharing airspace under the vaulted ceiling. The lively scene at a wraparound bar and live musicians playing beside the oyster-shell-adorned fireplace set the scene for generously portioned fresh seafood and Southern comfort food. First-timers feel at home and regulars keep returning for perfect flounder filets, mahi tacos, and the Truckstop, a pan-fried pork loin with potatoes and gravy.
French cuisine meets coastal Carolina at this charming bistro—refurbished by new owners in 2022—that melds fine dining with a casual lack of pretension. An excellent wine list—mostly France and California—pairs well with entrées like crab cakes served with pickled red onions and remoulade (among the North Carolina coast's best) and a confit duck quarter with mushroom risotto and microgreens. Don't overlook the cinnamon maple beignets for dessert.
The Outer Banks' first farm-to-table restaurant, this upscale foodie haven marries Southern roots with contemporary flair and Currituck Sound views. During its three decades of existence, the Blue Point has maintained a sustainably sourced menu with seafood, beef, and other dishes prepared to highlight their texture and flavor. Try the seared Outer Banks scallops with quinoa and turnips or the fish of the day. Next to the restaurant, the Back Bar (no reservation needed) offers a short menu, creative craft cocktails, and waterfront sitting areas.
Overlooking Pamlico Sound, this upscale bistro focuses squarely on locally sourced seafood, vegetables from the accompanying inn's garden, and friendly service by local staff. Among the favorites are shrimp and grits, grilled catch of the day, tuna ceviche, and crab cakes. There's a dedicated vegan menu, live music at least two nights a week, and a popular Sunday brunch.
Chef Ashley Moser's open kitchen at this magnificent, brick-walled, fine-dining hall (it's arguably the best restaurant in a 100-mile radius) generates intensely pleasant flavors, from smoked deviled eggs adorned with a fried oyster to the local striped bass over succotash and mushroom puree. The wine list is excellent, but don't overlook cocktails like a margarita that's crowned with sea-salt foam.
The small plates and seafood that emerge from the open kitchen at this bold and bright waterfront eatery are a lot more creative than the name, although it is fitting—sunsets from the dining room or the outdoor tables along the deck are truly stunning.
Chef Sunny Gerhart helms one of the state's best oyster bars (St. Roch, in Raleigh), but for his signature restaurant melding Spanish and Italian cuisine, he chose an old brick former dry cleaning building in Wilmington, now outfitted with leather booths, gold-top bars, and upscale psychedelia. Its 2023 opening elevated the city's dining scene, raising the bar with an open-fire grill that roasts nduja (spreadable pork sausage)-stuffed dates, charred Brussels sprouts with pancetta and pecorino, and filets of vermilion snapper with sofrito (a sauce made from sweet peppers, onions, and garlic). The menu is broken into four parts: tapas, salads, pasta (all house-made), and heartier protein dishes. You'll be too full for dessert, but order the budino (Italian-style pudding) topped with toasted marshmallow cream anyway.
Open since 1984, there is often a long line at the rear of this downtown Manteo institution serving gourmet classics like BLTs, Reubens, tuna melts, and pimento cheese sandwiches. Enjoy your snacks up front in the friendly, honey-blond wood bar or on the waterfront deck around back. Poor Richard's After Hours bar serves pub food in the evening, and live music rocks the house on some weekends.
On a prominent Market Street corner, chef Dean Neff's celebrated seafood-and-cocktail lounge lures diners in with wide windows, sparkling white tile, smooth wood chairs, and gold flourishes. The open kitchen fully delivers, from the selection of local raw oysters to the impossibly buttery swordfish schnitzel, served with lemon jam and a mustard emulsion. A comfortable bar and small dining room's throwback style invites leisurely meals lubricated by addictive concoctions that rotate with the seasons. The bar doubles as one of the city's best coffee shops in the morning and fills in on weekends for a brunch menu highlighted by fish and grits and a smoked cobia Benedict.
