Roanoke Island Restaurants
You’ll eat well on Roanoke Island. For such a small island, it has a good share of restaurants.
Manteo’s restaurants are found in the historic waterfront area and along the main highway; Wanchese also sports several great places to eat. Except for a few fast food chains on the main highway (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway), Roanoke Island’s restaurants are independent establishments with character you won’t find anywhere else.
Local fare revolves around what’s the freshest: seafood. If you haven’t eaten crispy fried oysters, silky she-crab soup or the spindly legs of a soft-shell crab, you haven’t fully tasted Roanoke Island. As a major hub for trawlers and fishing vessels, Wanchese is a serious commercial seafood center.
Boats from all over bring their catches straight to the Wanchese fish houses, where the seafood is prepared for market. But seafood isn’t all there is. This is eastern North Carolina, after all, so expect to find genuine, down-home country cooking and Carolina-style barbecue as well as fresh local produce at most Roanoke Island restaurants. Meat eaters will not be disappointed, and more and more restaurants are accommodating vegetarians.
Most Manteo restaurants do not require dinner reservations except, possibly, the upscale 1587. You may have to wait a few moments for a table at some restaurants, but the wait will definitely be shorter than at the beach restaurants. In fact, many Outer Banks locals know that the secret to an enjoyable dinner during the busy summer months is to forgo the beach and dine at a Roanoke Island restaurant where things are a little less crazy.
One thing to note about dining on Roanoke Island: There is no liquor by the drink, which means restaurants can serve beer and wine but no liquor. The exception is Hurricane Mo’s at Pirate’s Cove. The hours given below are in-season hours. Most local restaurants cut back their hours in the off-season, so be sure to call ahead.
1587 Restaurant
- 405 Queen Elizabeth Street, The Tranquil House Inn
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1587
1587 is by far the most elegant restaurant on Roanoke Island. It exudes cosmopolitan class, with soft lighting, a copper-topped bar, polished wood, subtle lighting and a view of the harbor. Dining here is an intimate experience, with servers that make you feel as if you’re their only customer. Food presentation is a priority, and all dishes are works of art. Taste is important, too, and you’ll be wowed by dishes with lengthy descriptions of the style of preparation and unique combinations of ingredients. Fresh local seafood and produce, prime meats, fowl, game and vegetarian offerings are featured, and the desserts are outstanding. The wine list is recognized by Wine Spectator. It’s open every night for dinner. Reservations are recommended.
Adrianna’s Restaurant
- 207 Queen Elizabeth Street, The Waterfront Shops
- Manteo
- (252) 473-4800
If you want to see the water while you dine, this is the place to do it. Shallowbag Bay and Roanoke Sound are visible from every seat in the house, but Adrianna’s offers more than just good looks. This new semi-fine dining restaurant brings Johnson and Wales-trained Chef Justin Lachine to Manteo, offering creative dishes of what might be described as high-end but unpretentious. Everything is prepared in-house, using the best ingredients, from the Kobe and Brandt beef to organic and all-natural produce and house-grown herbs to as much locally harvested seafood as possible. Adrianna’s is open for lunch and dinner and has a very special children’s menu. They serve beer and wine. Seating is available in the bar area as well as out in the courtyard, which is dog-friendly. Adrianna’s is well set up for in-house events like weddings and parties for up to 160 people. The restaurant is one component of Beach Ball Events, which offers complete wedding packages of florals, catering, music, wedding planners, ministers and more. The restaurant must close periodically to accommodate these wedding events, so call ahead or check the calendar on their website to make sure they are open the day you are planning to come.
Basnight’s Lone Cedar
- 7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
- (252) 441-5405
This Outer Banks landmark is where you’ll find many a local eating every night, so you know the food must be really good. This is also North Carolina’s favorite senator’s stomping ground. Senator Pro Tem Marc Basnight is known to greet customers at this family restaurant, and daughters Vicki and Caroline and manager Ron are also there to make sure your dining experience is exactly what you expected. This restaurant is at the top of the list of many locals’ favorite spots. The service is genuinely friendly, and the portions are more than generous. You’ll enjoy the vast views of the sound. Basnight’s serves lunch Thursday through Sunday and dinner daily during the season with a more limited schedule in the off-season. They feature local, fresh seafood—cleaned here—vegetarian dishes, pasta and steaks. The dedication to freshness includes their own herb garden. They also serve local produce and pork as well as free-farmed chicken. And you will marvel at their incredible wine cooler (well, it’s a room, really) featuring hundreds of bottles of wine. This accompanies a roomy bar area that allows smoking where you can also order from the full menu. Live entertainment is a welcomed addition to the fun in this space. They close December 31 and reopen for Valentine’s Day with seasonal hours. Basnight’s also offers off-premise catering.
Big Al’s Soda Fountain and Grill
- 716 S. U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-5570
Fifties-themed Big Al’s is extremely family friendly. Besides eating, you can hang out in the game room, select ’50s tunes on the juke box or show off on the dance floor. The menu features good old American favorites, excellent seafood and blue-plate specials and there’s an authentic soda fountain where you can order ice cream floats, milk shakes, banana splits and the like. You can dine out on the patio if you order your meal for take out, but we bet you’ll want to eat indoors and enjoy all the Coca-Cola and ’50s memorabilia. Children’s meal prices are very reasonable. Big Al’s is open for lunch and dinner every day during the season, and they usually close for awhile around the first of the year. And be sure to spend time in Big Al’s gift shop. The shop is overflowing with Coca-Cola brand collectibles, memorabilia and toys.
Darrell’s Restaurant
- 523 S. U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-5366
Darrell’s is a family-style seafood restaurant that’s been a favorite on the island for more than 40 years. Seafood is the definite specialty; the fried oysters are widely touted as the best anywhere, served with the traditional fixings of cole slaw, French fries and hush puppies. Locals know that Darrell’s does seafood right. Land food, children’s fare and light eaters’ dishes are also available. Helpings are heaping, and desserts are delicious, if you have room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served every day except Sunday.
Front Porch Cafe
- 300 U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-3160
Front Porch is warm and welcoming coffee shop with plenty of seating, making it the perfect place to meet a client, hang out with friends or surf the Internet on free WiFi. Front Porch roasts its own coffee, guaranteeing rich flavor in every cup. Enjoy a full espresso bar, with a wide variety of coffee drinks. They also have a great selection of teas, both loose and bagged. Pastries like croissants, muffins, cinnamon buns and cookies are baked fresh every day. They also sell gift items. Front Porch is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, though hours may be longer on summer evenings and shortened in the winter.
Full Moon Cafe & Grill ... Your Island Bistro
- 208 Queen Elizabeth Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-6666
This cafe is a locals’ favorite for its relaxed atmosphere, friendly service and eclectic eats. Full Moon is on the busy intersection of Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh streets, where it has a touch of city style, allowing you to sit right on the sidewalk and watch the world go by. The menu features creative, nouveau American concoctions for seafood lovers, vegetarians and meat eaters using a wide variety of fresh locally caught seafood and locally grown produce. Full Moon features grilled Angus steaks and great grilled seafood. Appetizers, soups and salads are delectable, and you can’t go wrong with any of the daily lunch and dinner specials, including wonderful pasta and quiche renditions. The wine list is extensive, with more than 70 bottles offered, and there are 12 microbrews on tap. The café is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week in-season. Call for off-season hours. Dinner reservations are accepted.
Garden Deli & Pizzeria
- 512 S. U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-6888
This friendly neighborhood restaurant, owned by Manteo Mayor Jamie Daniels and his wife, Nadine, is a Roanoke Island favorite and often busy, but service is fast and meals are quick so the wait is never long. The delicious New York-style, hand-tossed pizzas are loaded with toppings and are available to eat in or take out, and Garden delivers on Roanoke Island in the evening. People are becoming addicted to Garden’s fresh-baked sub rolls, which smell heavenly as they’re baking and taste delicious filled with cheese steak, house-made chicken or tuna salad, or deli meats and cheeses. Garden also makes paninni, burgers, salads and delicious desserts like chocolate cake and cheesecake. It’s open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. You can sit inside or out on the porch.
Hungry Pelican
- 207 Queen Elizabeth Street , The Waterfront Shops
- Manteo
- (252) 473-9441
This busy deli satisfies Manteo’s visitors and locals with piled-high deli sandwiches. Design your own sandwich, choosing from all the traditional meats including ham, turkey, roast beef, salami and more. Or opt for the homemade egg, tuna or chicken salad. The specialty of the house is Hungry Pelican, with four types of salami, bologna and cheddar cheese. Sandwiches are made to order on fresh-baked bread. Soups, fresh salads and a wide variety of delicious side dishes are available as well. You can pick up box lunches here. You won’t be able to resist the homemade desserts, and they also bake specialty cakes. Everything is made from scratch and is delicious. The deli is on the waterfront, and the indoor seating offers excellent views. Outdoor seating is available on the courtyard patio. It’s open year round.
Magnolia Grille
- 408 Queen Elizabeth Street
- Manteo
- (252) 475-9787
Magnolia Grille is a full-service restaurant with delicious homemade fare and a casual, welcoming atmosphere. New to Magnolia Grille for 2009 is an expansion that includes a steam bar and draft house serving beer on tap and wine—a great addition to the Manteo Waterfront dining scene! Open year round, Magnolia Grille serves breakfast and lunch daily and dinner nightly in season (call ahead in the spring and fall). Full, hot breakfasts are served until 10 a.m. on weekdays and noon on the weekends. For lunch, try the scrumptious burgers, quesadillas, homemade soups and salads. For dinner there’s a nice selection of steaks, seafoods and specials. You can eat inside or outside at the picnic benches and enjoy the home-spun flavor of Downtown Manteo. This restaurant is located on the corner of Queen Elizabeth and Ananias Dare Street, just across from the entrance to Roanoke Island Festival Park.
Ortega’z Southwestern Grill
- 201 Sir Walter Raleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-5911
Ortega’z Grill brings some cultural spice to downtown Manteo. The specialty of this Southwestern-inspired restaurant is slow-roasted chicken, beef and pork, which are served in burritos, chimichangas, nachos and other TexMex–style dishes. Other house-made specialties include grilled Margarita shrimp with pineapple salsa, stuffed jalapenos, Southwestern-encrusted sirloin, a full rack of barbecued ribs, lamb shank, applewood-smoked pork chops, build-your-own kabobs, seafood and more. Desserts include homemade cheesecakes, flan and churros (apple-filled pastries drizzled with caramel icing). Ortega’z serves beer and wine, with a wine list dedicated to the regions where the owners grew up – Northern California and Chile – and several wines are offered by the glass. The atmosphere is colorful and casual, and the restaurant gets a little more dressed up for dinner. In warm weather you can dine outside on the patio. Ortega’z is open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday nights.
Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop
- 305 Queen Elizabeth Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-3333
Poor Richards is the local meet-and-greet neighborhood sandwich shop by day and bar by night. It has two doors, one leading from the Manteo boardwalk and another off the street. You can eat inside in a booth or table or sit outside on the patio right next to the water. You order at the counter, get your drink and your number then wait for your meal to be delivered to your table. Hot and cold sandwiches are made to order and served with chips and a pickle. You can also get burgers, hot dogs, soup, chili, salads, fries and onion rings and ice cream. For breakfast, there are egg sandwiches, toast and bagels, pancakes and bacon and sausage. Breakfast and lunch are served Monday through Saturday, and lunch is served on Sunday. In the evenings, Poor Richard’s After Hours, a pub in the front of the restaurant, is open and serves wine and beer. There’s usually live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and the pub opens at noon on Sundays.
Sugar Creek Soundfront Seafood Restaurant
- 7340 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
- (252) 441-4963
Sugar Creek has been serving the freshest seafood available to locals and visitors for years, and now they have expanded to offer even more waterfront dining. The views of Sugar Creek and the Roanoke Sound are incredible. The outdoor walkways and decks on the property are great for strolling along and viewing the resident wildlife. Before dinner, enjoy a drink from their outdoor gazebo bar. The fresh tuna, shrimp and scallops are expertly prepared at Sugar Creek and keep seafood lovers happy. Also on the menu are favorites like steaks, prime rib, chicken, ribs, pasta, salads, soups, burgers and sandwiches. They have a children’s menu. The newly expanded dining room can easily accommodate large parties and special events like rehearsal dinners or other parties. Sugar Creek serves lunch and dinner daily in season and is open from March through December. Check out The Sugar Shack, located next door, for great take-out seafood and a quick bite. See Nags Head Shopping for more information.
Bubba’s BBQ
- 928 U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1423
Bubba’s slow-cooked, hickory-smoked Carolina barbecue has been a favorite on Hatteras Island for decades, and now they’ve opened a location on Roanoke Island. They’re open for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday and for lunch and dinner every day. Using only the finest smoked meats — pork, beef, chicken and turkey — Bubba’s creates sandwiches and platters that come with a delicious choice of sides and homemade cornbread. Bubba’s world-famous sauce is a fine topper and is available bottled to take home. The menu also includes chili, pork spareribs, made-to-order fried chicken, grilled chicken, burgers and hot dogs, wings, fish and clams and sides. The atmosphere is casual, with seating on a screened porch that’s enclosed in winter. Barbecue and sides are available in pints or quarts for takeout. Catering is available.
Coffeehouse on Roanoke Island
- 106-A Sir Walter Raleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1295
The Coffeehouse offers expertly prepared coffee and espresso drinks, tea, chai, hot chocolate, milk shakes and fantastic smoothies. Check out the selection of loose teas. Pastries, scones, homemade cakes, muffins and other baked goods tempt you for breakfast, lunch or a snack. With cafe tables, sofas and reading material, you’ll want to stay awhile. Lots of gifts are for sale here too – coffee beans, honey, T-shirts and handmade mugs and tea pots. It’s open seven days a week in season; call for off-season hours.
Fisherman’s Wharf
- 3683 Mill Landing Road
- Wanchese
- (252) 473-6004
It doesn’t get any fresher than this. At Fisherman’s Wharf you can dine on fresh seafood right on the harbor of an authentic fishing village. The Daniels family (one of the longest-standing Outer Banks families) opened this restaurant in 1974, and after a hiatus of a few years the restaurant is back. Fisherman’s Wharf is over a fish house, with boats unloading fresh catches right downstairs. Every seat has a panoramic view of Wanchese Harbor, so you’ll see all the activity of a working waterfront while you enjoy your meal. The kitchen’s specialty is local seafood, but the menu offers a wide range of items. Everything, including dessert, is homemade. Fisherman’s Wharf serves lunch and dinner every day but Sunday. Fisherman’s Wharf has a children’s menu and does not serve alcohol. To get there, head down N.C. Highway 345 into Wanchese. Stay on 345 (don’t veer off anywhere) almost until the road ends. You’ll see the restaurant at Mill Landing, on the waterfront. You can also get there by boat, and there are docks where you can tie up while you dine.
Great Gut Deli
- 219 Thicket Lump Drive, Thicket Lump Marina
- Wanchese
- (252) 473-4500
Lunch at this deli is worth a trip to Wanchese, whether you go by car or by boat. The name comes from what the locals call the body of water that runs by here. The deli offers fine meats and cheeses for a variety of sandwiches, but the real appeal is owner Annie Davis’s homemade cooking. You can never go wrong with one of her daily specials or her fabulous shrimp, chicken or tuna salad. Sandwiches, wraps, salads and fresh soups are always on the menu, and there’s usually a special treat every day. The deli is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, but hours vary in the off season so call ahead. When you’re out enjoying a day on your boat, Thicket Lump Marina is a great place to fill up your belly and your gas tank.
Hurricane Mo’s Restaurant and Raw Bar
- 715 Pirate's Way, Pirate’s Cove Marina, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
- Manteo
- (252) 473-2266
This restaurant offers a great view of the Pirate’s Cove harbor activity and charter boats. You can dine outside on the second-level covered porch or indoors in the spacious restaurant that’s surrounded by windows. Fresh seafood, steaks, pork chops, chicken, pasta, sandwiches and children’s items are on the menu. New owners Larry and Linda Riggs, hailing from the West Coast, have brought in a new California wine selection, top-quality steaks and new menu selections. The raw bar features steamed and raw shellfish. Hurricane Mo’s offers a full bar. Lunch and dinner are served every day in season, and the lounge stays open late – grab a bite to eat from their late-night menu. It’s open year-round.
Island Guys Pizzeria
- 112 U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1226
Island Guys is a new Roanoke Island pizzeria and bar that’s enjoying a devoted local following. They’re known for their big pizzas – 15-inch small and 20-inch large. The hand-tossed, thin-crust pies are cooked in a stone oven, right on the bricks, and are made fresh to order. The menu also includes sandwiches (Philly cheese steak is the most popular), pasta dishes, salads, specials and a huge list of appetizers. They serve more than 70 beers, including domestics, imports and drafts. The bar area has arcade games and features live music on Friday and Saturday nights and karaoke on Thursday nights. Lunch and dinner and late-night bar food (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) are served every day. Take out is available, as is free delivery after 4 p.m. to Roanoke Island, Wanchese and Manns Harbor (and Pirate’s Cove in the summer months).
Mallard’s Marsh Restaurant
- 1789 N.C. Highway 345
- Wanchese
- (252) 473-5000
A favorite special events location on Roanoke Island, Mallard’s Marsh now serves lunch Monday through Friday and brunch on Sunday. One of the top draws of the restaurant is its seating on the screened back porch that looks out over the marsh. Indoor seating is also available. The kitchen turns out chef-created-and-prepared meals using local seafood, natural meats and fresh produce. You’ll find a variety of gourmet wraps, salads, sandwiches and entrees. This location is perfect for holding luncheons, meetings and events. Take-out and free delivery on Roanoke Island are also available.
Mann’s Luncheonette
- 2991 N.C. Highway 345
- Wanchese
- (252) 473-3787
This restaurant, at the end of Mann’s gas station, grocery and hardware complex in Wanchese, serves breakfast and lunch. They don’t close until 4:30 p.m., so many locals pick up a take-out supper here. An enormous patty of Spencer’s sausage on a hamburger bun, grits with sausage and cheese, or pancakes are what most people get for breakfast, but there are many other offerings as well. Lunches are full meals with meats, potatoes and vegetables, and there are specials every day. Everybody knows that Wednesday is spaghetti day. Be sure to try a milkshake or fresh-squeezed orangeade or lemonade while you’re here. The Luncheonette is open every day except Sunday.
Mimi’s Tiki Hut
- Pirate's Cove Marina, U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-3906
Mimi’s Tiki Hut is an outdoor bar overlooking the marina at Pirate’s Cove. In the summer, it opens every day at noon, and there is live music on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. Full Moon Parties are held monthly with live music from 8 to 11 p.m.
Pizza Hut
- 264 U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1945
You probably know what you can get at Pizza Hut — pizza, subs, Italian specials and a salad bar. It is located right across from Ace Hardware on the corner of Sir Walter Raleigh Street.
Roanoke Island Picnic Spots
- Various locations on Roanoke Island
- Manteo
We thought you might enjoy knowing about the locals’ favorite picnic spots. You can get take-out from most the restaurants we list here, so why not grab your feast and head out for a true outdoor dining experience!
1) Manteo Waterfront Boardwalk
Manteo Historic Waterfront Area
All along the Manteo Waterfront there are benches and tables that invite an outdoor meal. You can also sit under the gazebo, out on the pier or just plop down on the edge of the boardwalk and let your feet hang out over the water. At George Washington Creef Memorial Park, next to the Maritime Museum, there are picnic tables and grills. There’s also a great playground and swings along the boardwalk.
2) Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
1410 U.S. Highway 64/264
Low-slung live oaks, perfect for climbing, tall pines and grassy expanses provide the perfect picnic setting at Fort Raleigh. There are a few picnic tables, but you can also just spread out on the grass. Have a picnic dinner here before The Lost Colony, which starts at 8:30 p.m.
3) Old Swimming Hole
Airport Road next to the North Carolina Aquarium
After a visit to the aquarium, head over here for lunch and a swim. There are picnic tables and grills, restrooms, playground equipment and a volleyball court. The soundside swimming hole has a lifeguard in the summer.
4) Roanoke Island Festival Park
Across from the Manteo Waterfront
The grounds at Festival Park welcome picnickers with picnic tables and a wide-open lawn. The best time to picnic here is just before or during a performance at the Outdoor Pavilion.
5) Freedmen’s Colony Road
At the northernmost end of the Manteo Bike Path
At this little park-like area, there are a few tables, a sandy beach by the sound and some benches surrounding an interpretive exhibit about the Freedmen’s Colony that lived here during and after the Civil War. There is parking for cars, but it’s more fun to ride a bike here, stop for lunch and a stretch on the beach, then ride back home. It’s about 3 miles from downtown Manteo.
Stone Oven Pizza
- 7575 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
- (252) 441-7775
Stone Oven is a convenient stop off the causway and features pizza, calzones, sub sandwiches, a variety of appetizers including chicken wings and mozzarella sticks, plus salads, sodas and beer. They’re open all year for eat-in at their beautiful soundfront location. You can also take it to go. They offer free delivery after 4 p.m. within Nags Head and Pirate’s Cove.
