12 Best Restaurants in The North Carolina Coast, North Carolina

When a large milk shake 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 mahimahi (dolphinfish) on a bun, served in a boat (basket), with fries or slaw, sauce, and hush puppies.

Hours vary seasonally, so call ahead on the day you plan to visit.

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.

Despite a modern rebuild after a fire, this classic seafood house directly on the water (there's an osprey nest mere feet from the dining-room window) feels old-school, thanks to nautical decor and the laid-back atmosphere. North Carolina produce and seafood star here, including OBX-style clear clam chowder and whole fried flounder. Soft-shell crabs come from an on-site shedding facility, and an extensive herb garden provides fresh seasoning.

A combination of fresh seafood, local beers, and live music make this a Front Street staple, especially for lunch. Housed in a 1900s grocery building, Clawson's is stuffed with memorabilia dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Beaufort. Hearty food such as ribs, steaks, pasta, and seafood are part of the attraction, and ask about blue-plate lunch specials. The pub highlights a selection of North Carolina microbrews and schedules regular Friday Night Flights tastings.

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.

There's a line out the door during summer for this bakery's "Apple Uglies," fried amalgams of doughnut dough and apples. There's also a full menu of breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches to enjoy on the patio out front. 

Craft beer rules at this wind turbine--powered brewery and British Isles--style pub. Upscale pub fare complements the beer—opt for seared local tuna atop a garden salad or noodle bowl, or go for a bratwurst sausage plate. Cooper 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.

Family owned since 1946, this restaurant, housed in a replica of an early-19th-century Outer Banks Lifesaving Station, feels like dining in a nautical museum: classic clapboard construction, pine paneling, and walls of maritime artifacts. The traditional crab cakes are popular, and the 14-layer chocolate cake is a long-standing favorite.

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.