29 Best Restaurants in The North Carolina Coast, North Carolina

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.

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. If there's a long wait or you'd like more of a great experience, the same chef owns Red Sky Cafe across the street.

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.

This beautifully located restaurant offers creative takes on locally sourced seafood and other dishes; there's seating on a waterside patio for great sunset views, at the bar (live music some nights), or in the main dining area. You can also get a massage at AQUA Spa upstairs or relax with a craft cocktail at the restaurant's popular afternoon happy hour. At lunch, try the corn and crab soup and the fish or shrimp tacos. At dinner, besides the sunset, enjoy the selection of fresh fish (catches of the day vary), pasta, and steaks. There's plenty of parking.

This cozy little cottage under a stand of pines serves stellar seafood like crab cakes and fresh diver sea scallops. Other highlights include a pecan-crusted chicken breast in bourbon sauce and the seasonal veggie Dragon Bowl. Enjoy your meal indoors or on a screened porch. If you need picnic fare, the Back Porch Lunchbox, just a block away on North Carolina Highway 12, has sandwiches, snacks, and sweets to go.

Well known for its lunchtime sandwiches, salads, and gumbo, this quaint neighborhood bistro's dinner menu expands and goes upscale, with an emphasis on duck, pork, and local seafood. Seating expands from the bustling, black-and-white-checkered-floor dining room out onto the sidewalk.

This casual lunch spot, tucked away in a strip center, has been going strong for 25 years, specializing in fish and shrimp tacos, wraps, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. There's nothing fancy here, but prices are reasonable, and there may be a line at peak times.

The seafood doesn't get fresher than the fried bounty you'll find at this celebrated food truck. Expect a half-pound of shrimp on your shrimp burger, or opt for seasonal specials like a softshell crab or crab cake sandwich. 

Panamanian-inspired food is the focus of this lively chef-owned rum bar and restaurant just across the bridge from the beach. The ceviches—traditional Panamanian corvina, lobster, and tuna "cooked" in lime juice—are all wonderful, but ropa vieja (flank steak served over coconut rice) and blackened tuna are tasty, too. Outdoor seating includes a pleasant interior atrium, and tables on the patio by the road.

In the former drugstore of the pharmacist who invented Pepsi-Cola, this tile-floored, light-filled corner café is a magnet for visitors and local businesspeople wanting a quick sandwich or large salad for lunch. In the evening the Chelsea is more upscale, with entrées in the upstairs dining rooms (there's an elevator) including shrimp and grits and a candied-bacon rib eye. The bar is well stocked, as are the Pepsi products, the nonalcoholic drinks of choice in New Bern.

A combination of fresh seafood, racks of ribs, local beers, and live music make this a Front Street staple, especially for lunch. Housed in a 1900s grocery building with lots of exposed brick framing wooden booths, Clawson's is stuffed with memorabilia dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Beaufort.

This black-and-white-spotted café and ice cream parlor is popular with families. Sandwiches, "cowlossal" all-beef hot dogs, "cowsadillas," house-made caramel corn, and apple pie "à la moo" are served, too.

In the morning, pick up a bagel, a breakfast burrito, and a latte at this downtown hub that's half coffee shop and half wine bar. Grab a sandwich or wrap to go for lunch, and come back in the evening for ice cream or to enjoy one of the Crystal Coast's best wine selections by the glass or the bottle.

Sit inside the cozy dining room if you must, but the outdoor patio—lit by string lights—and the bar are where the action is at this family-friendly go-to for local seafood entrées at night and hearty po'boys for lunch. They're also one of the last spots to close as the island shuts down for winter.

When you need a break from seafood platters, head here for smoothies, grain bowls, and tasty wraps and BLTs.

The more casual sister restaurant to Cypress Hall, this laid-back but elegant tapas-oriented space keeps everything under $20, from an indulgent bucatini carbonara to smoked oysters served with hot sauces and lemon. Cozy up in the intimate dining room with dark gray walls and tile floors accented by leather and brass, and order liberally—including from the excellent cocktail menu. Stick around for live music most nights.

When a large milkshake is the only thing that will do on a hot summer day, this is the place to head for—locals say they are the best on the Outer Banks, or even on the planet. And when you just can't take one more night out at a fancy restaurant, John's will come to the rescue with the best handheld food on the Outer Banks: burgers, subs, sandwiches (including grouper), all-beef hot dogs, and sides. The Dolphin Boat is a must: pieces of mahi (dolphin fish) on a bun, served in a boat (basket), with fries or slaw, sauce, and hush puppies.

This little downtown seafood joint with sidewalk and indoor seating serves fresh coastal food in a setting full of local charm. You'll see plenty of fried seafood on the menu, but the raw bar (combination platters of oysters, clams, steamed shrimp, and crab) does not disappoint. Daily specials include deals on whole Maine lobsters, peel-and-eat Carolina shrimp, and beach-friendly cocktails.

There's a lot to love at this gorgeous three-story destination restaurant, from the blackened grouper that emerges from the open kitchen's wood-fired grill, to the sunset views, enjoyed with a signature mai tai on the appropriately named Sky Deck. The spiced pompano fish sandwich is a winner for lunch.  Order liberally from the small plates—amidst all the seafood of coastal North Carolina, this is the spot for next-level crab dip and calamari.

Look for a roadside aquamarine horse painted with starfish and coral to find this long-established, welcoming spot to get local seafood, pasta, or a wrap. Daily specials range from prime rib to tacos and grillers, a cross between a pizza and a quesadilla that's topped with tuna, crab, chicken, or veggies. The bistro has a full bar and a good selection of local beers to wash it all down with, and they stay open year-round for lunch and dinner (seasonally for breakfast).

At Crystal Pier, this casual fine-dining destination lets you indulge in entrées like crab-stuffed salmon or a platter of Calabash seafood while sitting directly over the sand and watching surfers catch waves just steps away. Dishes are thoughtful—they're not solely relying on the view. Sunday brunch is particularly popular.

Craft beer rules at this wind turbine–powered brewery and British Isles–style pub. Opt for seared local tuna atop a garden salad or noodle bowl, or go for a bratwurst sausage plate. Copper accents, lots of wood, and fun, retro touches (a Superman doll denotes the men's room; Wonder Woman, the ladies' room) characterize this huge white building, modeled after a turn-of-the-19th-century lifesaving station. Regularly scheduled live music adds to the festive atmosphere.

New Bern's only waterfront restaurant doesn't rely on geography to impress—the craft cocktails, seared scallops, and entrées like salmon and local littleneck clams over angel-hair pasta simply taste even better when you're seated directly over the water.

Named after two fishermen, father and son, this no-nonsense shack opened in 1937 and is one of the Outer Banks' oldest restaurants. Fishing photos hang between mounted catches on the walls, and classic country music twangs in the background. Locals flock here, especially for breakfast or a lunch of Hatteras-style clear clam chowder and fried seafood.

The culinary creations here may be free of animal products, but they're certainly not lacking in flavor, from the addictive lentil burger patty melt to a kimchi tempeh Reuben that hits all the right notes.