Topsail NC
 

I an going to Topsail Nc for the first time in 3 weeks. I had just read from a Fodorite of 2 great restaurants on the island. Can you give the names to me GeorgeW? We will be going with another couple for 6 days, any other recommendations would be great!

Hi -

We have a place at North Topsail. In no particular order, these are the places we always return to:

Riverview Cafe
119 Hall Point Road
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
(910) 327-2011

Fresh seafood, good pies, local patrons, --a drive from Topsail and a little hard to find, but fun if you feel like a seeing a local fishing area.


New York Corner Deli
206 A North Topsail Drive
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-2808

Great meats and salads. Meals are deli style sandwiches, etc. Good quality and can buy for takeout.

II Beauchaines
211 South Topsail Dr.
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-1888

Just opened at a new place. Used to be one of the nicer places to go, expect it will be good. Better menu choices than the usual beach fare.

Long Island Pizza
610 New River Drive
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-3156

Our second favorite place for pizza on the island. Bright and airy.

Max's Pizza
602-A Roland Ave.
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-2158

We always make at least one trip to Max's. Our family is a big fan of their pizza; usually with a side salad. Other Italian food on the menu, but we're such a fan of the pizza, we haven't been tempted to try anything else.

Mollie's Restaurant
131 Oak Drive
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-0505

Our favorite place for breakfast, nice home-like place. If you don't feel like driving to Snead's Ferry (Riverview) for seafood, this place has good food and reasonable prices.

All of these restaurants are casual. It's a pretty easy drive to Wilmington if you are looking for an infinite variety in choices.

If you haven't been to Wilmington, it's worth making a day trip, the horse drawn carriage rides through the historic district are very nice.

Visit Karen Beasley's Turtle Hospital in Topsail, if it's open for visitors.

Hope you enjoy the area.

Latitude 34 and Beauchaine's II are the two best restaurants on Topsail Island. Latitude 34 was remodeling last fall so it is anyone's guess whether it will be open in April. Beauchaine's II is in downtown Surf City and Latitude 34 is in Topsail Beach, south of the downtown and on the Sound.

Have been going to Topsail since I was a baby, since my Mother is from there. Can't believe the growth of Topsail! Was there last Spring and ate breakfast at Mollie's. Can't beat the location! Had a family reunion a few years back and rented two houses on the beach...so much fun..even though it was cold! You may find that some places are still closed for the season. There are some fun restaurants in Snead's Ferry too.
Have fun!!

Been going every year since I was 6 or 7! You'll have a wonderful time. With the beach house, we don't eat out too much, but I still have to have to go to the Crab Pot just before the bridge in Surf City for lunch a couple of times - their soft shell crab sandwiches would be part of my last meal - and I still like going to the Breezeway for homestyle fried seafood platters. I don't know much about the restaurants in North Topsail - when I first started going there, it was nothing but a deserted windswept beach!

Speaking of Snead's Ferry, when we were in Topsail last August we visited a new place called Dr. Root Beer where you can see advertising signs from every brand of root beer ever produced. They serve some good casual food-cafeteria style. I hope the place is still there this summer because we want to let the owner know something. My son loves root beer, so we got a few friends together and had a blind root beer taste testing. It was fairly nauseating to sample a dozen root beers in one sitting. But we all agreed on the best one - Dr. Root Beer's personally brewed and bottled drink.

The demise of Palotti's/Pirate's Den was a sad day for all who love Topsail. Old Joe Palotti died and the condo complex where his restaurant had rented space tossed Joe's kids out shortly after he died. Joe's daughter indicated to me that she and her brother wanted to relocate but they have yet to do so to my knowledge.

Sad. I use to love Pirates Den, the mini gulf at the south part of the islan, Scotch Bonnet Beach...etc...
I do miss the old Topsail of the 60's!

Yes, and remember Barnacle Bill's. And Soundside is now gone.

I loved Barnacle Bill's - home of the amazing exploding ketchup bottles...

Fun to hear about other Topsail friends above.

We miss Soundside as well as Pirate's Den. This fall had a good meal by the north bridge at Tom Dooley's.

For Topshelf - another fun place to visit if you feel like a drive is Swansboro. We like the White Oak River Bistro, but there are lots of shops and restaurants to choose from. I think you can still drive through Camp LeJeune to take a short cut to get there.

Latitude 34 was excellent but has been sold. Owners are now out of state and restaurant is to be torn down for condos. In Surf City, Daddy Mac, will re-open after a fire about 10 months ago. Should be open about the time you are there--would recommend that one over the others posted. Near Daddy Mac, the Mainsail is quite good. Indigo Blue has opened just before the bridge, near Max's Pizza. Indigo Blue is good for early bird's special, but way to pricey for the quality of food after about 6:30. Max's is good for pizza, subs, and beer. Riverview in Sneeds Ferry, mentioned by another person, is good for fried food. Ricky's is off the island over the high rise perhaps 1 mile inland. They're trying to pretend to be upscale, but haven't totally made it--not bad and worth the money. Reasonable prices and friendly folks. No good reviews from restaurant at Villa Caprina and terrible reviews from the restaurant on top of the St. Ritz on N. Topsail. Maybe go there for a cocktail and view but skip the food from what my neighbors have all said. I would skip Jacksonville if I was you, but Wilmington has a variety of restaurants and activities. Beauchaine (sp) is quite good--I've just eaten there too many times and tired of the menu. It's located in Surf City. Finally, the Crab Pot, mentioned above is good for at least one meal. Extremely casual, get half drunk, and have fun there. Food is satisfactory, but you won't really be going there for gourmet tasting. Have fun.

Latitude 34 is gone now, too. I can taste the Latitude jambalaya through my tears. Almost all my favorite eating establishments in Topsail (The Rusty Scupper, Barnacle Bill's, Soundside, Pallotti's and now Latitude 34) are dust in the wind. Even Breezeway is in serious decline (lukewarm fried food- Agh!). The new Indigo blue was a disappointment and Mainsail looks unloved with few cars parked outside its' doors- I thought it might be closed.

Couple of things I forgot to mention. At Surf City, the restaurant on the ocean, currently Cindy's, has gotten some good reviews. However, I'm not aware of the taste buds of the people who have recommended that.
Also I mentioned the restaurant on top of the St. Regis (I said St. Ritz by error). My wife stated it had not reopened after the damage to the hurricane last fall. Wasn't that good before so no great lost.
Finally, the Landing, just barely on the mainland across from Surf City is pretty good. Casual, with a good wine list, but nice water view and outside dining. Fairly popular with okay prices and okay food.
Come on down and enjoy.

I'd forgotten that we'd eaten at Cindy's last year - the service was slow, but they were swamped and shorthanded and very apologetic. The food was good - probably not stellar, since I didn't remember it, but good. I'd go back.

We ate at what replaced Cindy's the week of July 4th and service was fast and the food very hot fried seafood. However, the place was closed when we vacationed at Topsail in October and in November, a little early to be closed for the season.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Sears Landing yet. It is just off the island (just over the bridge to Highway 50). It's very much a laid back place, perhaps a better lunch destination than dinner, but the food is outstanding. They have daily seafood specials, usually broiled, with a variety of sauces and side dishes. You can even get a hamburger and great onion rings. If you have a boat, you can dock there and get your food.

Also, towards the south end of the island is one of the landmark hotels on the island, the Breezeway. It has been around for almost 50 years and has a very traditional (read "fried") approach to seafood, very fresh, and good huspuppies. Try to get there just before sunset for a view over the sound. Very nice.

Sears Landing? Off which bridge is Sears Landing? And as for Breezeway, I have eaten there for almost exactly forty years before the motel was built. The location is lovely, right on the Topsail sound. About four years ago, however, I have found the quality of food has been deteriorating. For instance, the last two or three times I've eaten at the Breezeway, my fried scallops have been served to me lukewarm as if the kitchen doesn't know how to time food preparation or even keep finished food on warmers. Maybe the cooks just don't care. I'm actually sad to say that I refuse to eat at the Breezway any longer. I like my food piping hot.

GeorgeW- Just saw some of your posts. Wanted to give you some info. Yogi Pallioti has opened another restraunt. been opened for over a year now. It is called Yogi's Off Island Grille and it is in Holly Ridge. If you were traveling from NTBeach, you would get on Hwy 17 and head towards Wilmington. Just after the stop light in Holly Ridge at the intersection of 17 and Hwy 50, Yogis will be on your left. Kind of a stucco looking white building. Also, Sears landing, as someone mentioned earlier is just off the island, after you cross over the swing bridge on 50 in surf city. It is going to be immediately on your right.
And PJAnthony, you had mentioned that Atlantis was not opened after the hurricane last fall, but I live across the street and they have been opened. They were opened infact as early as last December. However, if they have recently closed it is news to me because people have been going there and lights have been on upstairs.

One more thing GeorgeW. I too loved Joe Paliotti and his restraunt and his food. We were good friends of the family and twice weekly customers. So, keep in mind, that although Yogi cooked for his dad...the food is different at Yogis. Not bad, just different. Yogi is still there, but obviously he has hired kitchen help nad if he is not cooking, the food doesn't taste exact..the old paliotti taste. It is still tasty and the seafood is suprisingly good. But don't be dissapointed if it is not the tastes you remember. :)

I am grateful for your information. I plan to visit Yogi's when my family and I visit topsail July 4th Week. Thank you!

Hi all,

Wondered what you Topsail experts thought of St. Regis Resort? It has vacancies and looks very nice on their website.

Is it close enough to restaurants and things to do - or if not, how remote is it?

Greatly appreciate any feedback.

topping for any updated feedback about St. Regis Resort? Appreciate any comments.

Anyone with an updated opinion? Please?

True story. Many years ago I decided to ask the future mother of my children to marry me at the restaurant at the time at the St. Regis. Despite the location, it was a disappointingly sad little restaurant and, after asking the young lady to marry me, she asked that I ask her the next night at a nicer restaurant. She accepted the next night. After all those years, over sixteen, the St. Regis is still looking for a top-flight restaurant, from what I have been told. I know I'd never trust a restaurant at the St. Regis again!

LOL George, glad she finally accepted! :)

Sorry to hear the restaurant is lacking but what do you think of the accomodations? And is it close to anything, like other restaurants, shopping, amusements (putt putt)? Sounds like you have to drive to Surf City, but that's fairly close, isn't it?

Appreciate the response!

Wanderluster, we stayed in a condo at the St. Regis in 2003. We have good & bad things to say: it was a good 20-25 minute drive to the grocery store, a decent restaurant or the main part of the island. There was a small convenience store on site, very expensive and limited items. The sandwich shop was likewise expensive and limited. On the plus side, the condo we rented had beautiful views of the ocean and was lovely. Please remember each condo is decorated by its own owner. The beach was well cared for, but you needed your own chairs, umbrellas, etc. All in all, we wouldn't go back. We like to be closer to the center of action, walking distance to restaurants, etc. and everything in Topsail from St. Regis you had to drive to. Our 2 cents.

At Villa Capriani's there used to be the beloved Paliotti's (formerly the Pirate's Den at a different locale) but old Joe died about two years ago and Villa Capriani kicked Joe's kids to the curb. Allyncgrl has informed me that the remaining Paliottis have opened up a new restaurant in Holly Ridge, twenty miles away. The restaurant that replaced Paliottis is called either the Sea Turtle or the Green Turtle but was mediocre when I ate there last year.

Topsail Island has experienced a drop-off in good restaurants lately, with Soundside and Latitude 34 both selling out to developers (is this a new trend at certain beaches?). Beauchaines II in Surf City is now the best restaurant on the island, a twelve minute drive from where you are staying. I ate at Surf City's Mainsail in May and it wasn't bad- had a nice mahi mahi for supper. In Surf City, Cindy's Oceanside does a good job with typical NC fried seafood while Mollie's cooks up a good breakfast. I've been told that Daddy Mac's isn't bad and I might give them a try when I am on vacation next week. Topsail Beach really only has the old Breezeway, specializing in fried seafood, but a culinary institution that has declined over the years. I don't know about you, but I don't like my fried seafood tepid.

Topsail's restaurant business is in fresh need of new blood. A top-flight Mexican place, like the old Flying Burrito, wouldn't hurt.

Oh I am having such second thoughts about The Regis as we too like to be closer to things. However there was literally nothing available for our dates and our family really needs this getaway.

We really don't mind driving a bit as long as there is something to drive *to* -- please tell me there will be something for us to do after we drive to one of the mediocre restaurants!

GeorgeW, I've read you have a few kids yourself (3-4?) so you too would likely need something else to do when there, other than swim? Ideas MOST gratefully appreciated!!!!

Aliska - was it 20 minutes to Surf City? I've read the best shopping is there.

GeorgeW, would still love to hear about your beach activities with your wonderful family.

Thanks again all.

Also, if I might please ask one more question :)

In your expert opinion, what is the best ROUTE into N. Topsail Beach, coming from the NW (Raliegh) area?

Thanks much for your help!

Travel from Raleigh- Take 40 south to Rocky Point, just north of Wilmington. From there, I believe it is Route 210 to Route 17 at Hampstead. Take 17 northeast from Hampstead until 210 branches toward the Topsail Sound just south of Holly Ridge.

I have five children, of which the youngest is just now walking (stumbling might be a better word). The oldest will be ten in August and the sixth is expected about Labor Day. They usually find plenty to do on the beach, allowing me to read and drink beer in relative peace. However, there is a putt-putt in downtown Topsail Beach near the Jolly Roger Pier and Motel. There is a putt-putt also on 210/50 coming onto the island two miles inland from the swing bridge not far from a Food Lion. Near the tall bridge on the north end of the island, two miles inland, there at least used to be a kids' park but it might have closed.

On rainy days, we often take the kids to the North Carolina Aquarium near Fort Fisher, south of Carolina, Wrightsville and Kure Beaches. In Wilmington harbor lies the USS battleship North Carolina which may interst your kids. I have not yet taken my kids on the North Carolina but remember going on it as a kid over thirty years ago.

Thanks George, appreciate your great assistance.

Your directions are the most direct and we'll likely go that way. But what do you think of this: earlier today I mapquested the route from the NW and this is what they said:

4. Merge onto I-40 E. (65.65 miles)
5. Take the NC-24 exit- EXIT 364- toward NC-50/WARSAW. (0.27 miles)
6. Turn LEFT onto NC-24. (3.16 miles)
7. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto NC-24/NC-50/KENANSVILLE HWY/MEMORIAL ST. Continue to follow NC-24/NC-50. (7.07 miles)
8. Turn LEFT onto NC-11/NC-24/NC-50/NC-903/S MAIN ST. Continue to follow NC-11/NC-24/NC-903/S MAIN ST. (0.61 miles)
9. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto NC-24/ROUTLEDGE RD. Continue to follow NC-24 E. (36.94 miles)
10. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto US-17 S. (12.20 miles)
11. Turn LEFT onto NC-210. (8.10 miles)
12. Turn LEFT onto LOGGERHEAD CT. (0.08 miles)
13. End at North Topsail Beach, NC US

Looking at the map this appears to go *through* the Marine base; is that even possible? Don't want to mess with the Marines LOL (God bless 'em!) and wouldn't want to be forced to turn around.

Thanks very much.

Sometimes Map Quest is wrong.

Absolutely, Mapquest is frequently wrong.
But on second look, this particular route seems to be ok, actually going around the Marine base.

Obviously not as quick as I40, yet seemingly more direct.

Anyone know the condition of NC RT 24 in terms of time / speed?

I really want to stay on the positive side, but this was not a good vacation for us. It took us 20-30 minutes to get to the main part of Topsail Island, isn't Surf City across the bridge? We found no shopping of value to us on the island. Granted, we are pretty discriminating shoppers (Saks, Nordstrom, etc.) or boutique shops with handmade items. Lots of Tshirt shops, surf shops, touristy trinkets, etc. Wanderluster, are you committed to Topsail? There are SO many other places on the East Coast to recommend.

Hi Aliska,

Yes unfortunately we're committed. Checked many many NC beaches without luck, so Topsail it is, St. Regis specifically. Definitely not our first choice but thought it would be better than nothing -- maybe not?

Our kids will be fine with the touristy shopping (and a non issue to me) but are said shops all together in a *town* type atmosphere, possibly near the putt-putt GeorgeW mentioned?

Is there a theatre nearby? Or a Blockbuster? We'll take lots of board games, cards ect.

I'm now very concerned; prior to this, any vacation is usually better than a day at the office! But now I'm beginning to wonder. Is there anything positive you can add? :(

Wanderluster, don't worry about not having a good time in Topsail. You just have to go with the understanding that it's not going to involve shopping, fine dining, or lots of amusements. Topsail it a place to really relax, read a good book, and enjoy some family time. Buy some local shrimp and fresh vegetables, stock up your drink of choice, and you won't even have to drive anywhere all week. If you really must leave the beach, visit the Turtle Hospital, explore the Missile Museum, or the walk the vast dunes around the southern tip of the island. Topsail has lovely beaches. It is still an uncrowded rural area at heart. Once you get into the rhythm of the place, you'll never want to leave.

Thanks for the positive post Devonmcj, appreciate your input!

While we're used to more evening activity(Hilton Head is most recent beach resort, sometimes VA BCH) if there are even a *FEW* amusements available, we will manage.

Our *style* (not unlike many others I'm sure) is to enjoy the day at the beach, a nice dinner out followed by an *activity* like shopping, mini golf or arcade type amusements. Then the *mandatory* ice cream heading back to our place.

S0 do you think we can we occupy at least 2 evenings that way?

I think you may have to be a little flexible this year.