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Roanoke Island Restaurants
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Vacation
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• Wanchese |
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716 S. U.S. Highway 64/264
(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 4/264
(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.
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Front Porch Cafe 300 U.S. Highway 64/264 (252) 473-3160 Front Porch Café has been a popular beach-community coffee shop for years, and now they have a location on the main highway in Manteo. 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. This location has plenty of seating, free wireless Internet access and evening hours during the summer. Front Porch opens at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. on Sunday. |
Garden Deli & Pizzeria
512 S. U.S. Highway 64/264
(252) 473-6888
This tiny restaurant is a Roanoke Island favorite, so it’s often crowded. But service is fast and meals are quick, so the wait is never long. The delicious New York-style, hand-tossed pizzas are available to eat in or take out, and Garden delivers on Roanoke Island in the evening. There are also paninni, deli sandwiches, burgers, cheese steaks, salads, chicken and tuna salad. Check out the desserts like delicious chocolate cake and cheesecakes. It’s open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. You can sit inside or out on the porch.
HurricaneMo’s Restaurant and Raw Bar
Pirate’s Cove Marina, Nags Head-Manteo Causeway
(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.
Pizza Hut
U.S. Highway 64/264
(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.
Shallowbag Bay Club
(252) 473-3222
Stripers Bar and Grille in the Shallowbag Bay Club has a great waterfront location, and they welcome boaters with plenty of transient slips. To get there by car, just turn into the Shallowbag Bay Club development off U.S. Highway 64 and head for the sound. Stripers has three floors, all with fantastic views of the Roanoke Sound. The first floor offers a steamed seafood and raw bar; you can have a seat at the bar, a table or one of the two outdoor patios. The second-floor dining room is all non-smoking, and the third floor is a private club with an outdoor deck. The menu at Stripers emphasizes fresh seafood, and you’ll also find steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, appetizers and burgers. Rockfish, locally known as the striper, is a specialty here — we definitely recommend the rockfish Reuben. The Sunday brunch menu includes eggs Benedict with lump crabmeat, Bananas Foster French toast, build-your-own omelets, award-winning soups (some of the best oyster stew and clam chowder around), salads, sandwiches and homemade desserts. They have a kid’s menu and are open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch all year round. Stripers also offers off-premise catering.
Subway
Chesley Mall, 218 U.S. Highway 64/264
(252) 473-4544
This locally owned franchise of the national chain features the quick, deli-style sandwiches with all the fixings that everybody knows. But it probably has the friendliest service of any Subway you’ve ever been in. It’s open for lunch and dinner every day.
TL's Country Kitchen
812 S. U.S. Highway 64/264
(252) 473-3489
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, TL's offers great home-style food. Breakfast is served all day long. The regular menu features home-style fare, steaks and seafood, plus there's a salad bar and numerous lunch and dinner specials. The cakes, pies and banana pudding are homemade. The staff and the clientele of local regulars are friendly and welcoming, in true Southern fashion. TL's is open every day but closes at 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Top China
Chesley Mall, 218 U.S. Highway 64/264
(252) 473-6660
Top China features Cantonese, Hunan and Szechwan style Chinese cooking in a small storefront in Chesley Mall. You can eat in at one of the few tables or get your order to go. Several chef’s selections are available as are low-fat selections and combination plates. Top China is open for lunch and dinner every day. Delivery is offered on Roanoke Island.
Virginia Dare Restaurant
Elizabethan Inn, 814 N. U.S. Highway 64/264
(252) 473-2101
The Virginia Dare is the onsite restaurant at the Elizabethan Inn, but everyone is welcome, not just inn guests. The restaurant serves a great American-style breakfast, with all eggs, meats, biscuits and pancakes you’d expect from that designation. Lunch and dinner offer a bit of a surprise. During these meals the Virginia Dare is a Mexican restaurant. Virginia Dare Restaurant is open for all three meals every day.
Manteo Historic Waterfront Area
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1587 The Tranquil House Inn, Queen Elizabeth Street (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 and a subtle 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. |
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The Coffeehouse on Roanoke Island 106-A Sir Walter Raleigh Street (252) 475-1295 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, reading material and friendly staff and locals hanging about, you’ll want to stay awhile. Lots of gifts are for sale here too – coffee beans, honey, candles, T-shirts and handmade mugs and tea pots. It’s open seven days a week in season; call for off-season hours. |
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Full Moon Cafe & Grill ... Your Island Bistro Creef’s Corner, Queen Elizabeth Street (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. 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. |
The Hungry Pelican
The Waterfront Shops, Queen Elizabeth Street
(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 The 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.
The Magnolia Grille
408 Queen Elizabeth Street
(252) 475-9877
The aromas coming out of the kitchen at The Magnolia Grill will lure you away from whatever you’re doing in downtown Manteo. Magnolia is a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, and diners who remember the original owners will be glad to know they’re back. For lunch, try the scrumptious burgers, quesadillas, homemade soups and salads. The chef prepares dinner specials every night. There’s also a nice selection of seafood on the menu. Everything is homemade and cooked to order, and the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. It’s open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday and breakfast only on Sunday. You can eat inside or outside at the picnic benches and enjoy the beauty of downtown Manteo. The Magnolia Grille is open year round.
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Ortegaz Southwestern Grill Sir Walter Raleigh Street (252) 473-5911 Ortegaz Grill brings some much-needed cultural spice to Downtown Manteo. The specialty of this Southwestern-inspired restaurant is slow-roasted chicken, beef and pork, which are served in burritos, chimchangas, nachos and other Tex-Mex–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). Ortegaz serves beer and wine, with a wine list dedicated to the regions where the owners grew up – Northern California and Chile. All wines are available 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. Ortegaz is open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday nights. |
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Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop Queen Elizabeth Street (252) 473-3333 Poor Richards is the local meet-and-greet neighborhood sandwich shop. 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. |
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Fisherman's Wharf 3683 Mill Landing Road (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 the desserts, is homemade. Fisherman’s Wharf serves lunch and dinner every day but Sunday. It 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
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, but hours vary 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.
Mann’s Luncheonette
N.C. 345, Wanchese
(252) 473-3787
Some locals call it Maggie’s, but the sign out front says Mann’s Luncheonette. 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 5 p.m., so many locals pick up their supper for take-out. An enormous patty of Spencer’s sausage on a hamburger bun or grits with sausage and cheese are what most people get for breakfast, but there are 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. It’s open every day except Sunday.
Roanoke Island’s 5 Best Picnic Spots
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 even 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 an NCSA Summer Performing Arts Festival performance at the Pavilion. Bring a blanket and a picnic supper, find your spot then sit back, have dinner and watch a wonderful performance or a movie.
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.
PO Box 308 • Manteo NC, 27954 • 252-473-1111
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