Outer Banks Bars

This Outer Banks landmark restaurant at the top of many locals’ lists of favorite places. The service is genuinely friendly, and the portions are more than generous. You’ll enjoy views of Roanoke Sound on both sides of the restaurant, including nightly sunsets. They feature only local, fresh North Carolina seafood that comes in whole and is cleaned in their state-certified fish-cleaning house, located onsite. They also serve local produce, all-natural chicken, vegetarian dishes, pasta and USDA Angus steaks. Their dedication to freshness includes their own herb and vegetable garden as well as their own crab shedders. Their wine room features thousands of bottles of wine and accompanies a roomy bar area where you can order from a bar menu, a tapas menu or the full restaurant menu. Their special occasion buffets – Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day – are hugely popular, and they also offer on- and off-premise catering for any size or type of event. In season, Lone Cedar Cafe serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays), Sunday brunch and lunch at the food truck in the parking lot Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you want a quick and delicious lunch, the Lone Cedar Cafe food truck is your ticket for local seafood sandwiches, fish boats and more (the daily menu is posted on Facebook). Lone Cedar Cafe closes between New Year's and Valentine's Day every year. Call for off-season hours. 

You can't eat and drink any closer to the ocean than this. Fishheads at Outer Banks Pier offers a restaurant and bar with seating on the deck in the sun or moon or under a roof with open-air curtains. They serve fish tacos, steamed shrimp, fresh hamburgers, crab cakes, tuna bites, fries and more. And they also have some breakfast sandwiches for the early birds and anglers. Wine and an extensive craft beer menu are available, including a great selection of draft beers and sake cocktails. They also have shrimp happy hour and live music.

Award-winning Lost Colony Brewery is one of the most popular local breweries. They brew British and Irish style ales using imported grains, hops and yeast with water that is an exact match to the British Isles, and the results are beyond delicious. Their brewing operations are in Stumpy Point, about a half-hour away on the mainland, but you can enjoy their cold draft beers at their Waterfront Beer Garden in Nags Head. With a view of Roanoke Sound you can sip favorites like Kitty Hawk Blonde, Pamlico Pale Ale, Nags Head IPA, Hatteras Irish Red, Nut Brown Ale, Holy Hand Grenade and more, including seasonal offerings. Or try them all with a couple of rounds of flights. The setting could not be better. You can sit indoors at the bar and chat up the friendly bartender or sit outdoors on the large, pet-friendly patio and watch the water, boats, ospreys and pelicans. The Beer Garden does not serve food, but you are welcome to bring your own. FreshFit Cafe and Waterfront Pizza in the same shopping center make that very easy, and there are other restaurants nearby on the causeway. Lost Colony Waterfront Beer Garden is open from 1 to 9 p.m. daily, and be sure to pick up a t-shirt while you're there. By the way, you can also enjoy Lost Colony Brewery beers at Lost Colony Tavern in downtown Manteo, and be sure to look for canned selections at local stores and bottle shops. 

For more than 20 years, Mulligan’s has served Southern coastal cuisine with incredible views, thanks to its scenic location between Jockey’s Ridge and Historic Cottage Row. Long known for having some of the best burgers on the beach, their masterful chefs recently have been placing a brighter spotlight on local seafood prepared in an authentic Outer Banks style, all with fresh, local ingredients. Dig into a tasty seafood platter, broiled or fried, some good old-fashioned shrimp and grits or the local catch of the day. They also have a steamed and raw bar serving up local bounty including shrimp, clams and Wanchese sea scallops. You can still order their award-winning burgers, along with other landlubber selections, and kids have their own menu. Their two dining rooms can accommodate a range of group sizes, and the upstairs space has its own bar. In the warmer months, you may opt to eat outside on their covered tiki bar with an ocean view or in the designated doggy dining area. The bar downstairs is a popular local hangout with a big-screen TV for catching up on sports. They have live music year-round. Mulligan’s also offers catering from Corolla to Hatteras as buffet, plated or drop-off. The restaurant is open 365 days a year for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.