Outer Banks Restaurants

Stripers has a great waterfront location at Shallowbag Bay Marina, and they offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water views. You can eat on the screened-in deck, on the outdoor patio, in the first-floor bar or in the second-floor restaurant. The views get better the higher you go. Stripers menu includes fresh local seafood, steaks, sandwiches, burgers, salads, pastas and appetizers. The seafood is guaranteed fresh, as the owner has good connections with local fishermen. Some favorites on the menu include lobster bisque, oyster stew, crab dip, crab cakes, cheese-steak egg rolls and sliders. Small and large portion sizes are available. Stripers offers a happy hour with half-price steamed shrimp and crab legs daily, and they have a full liquor license and offer beer, wine and mixed drinks. It's open every day for lunch and dinner, with no break between the two. On Sundays, they offer brunch. In the summer months, they offer live music on certain days. Take-out and catering are available. To find Stripers, turn off Highway 64 in Manteo behind McDonald's.

Sundogs is a great family-friendly restaurant for lunch and dinner in Corolla. The grill offers an array of appetizers along with steamed seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers and full entrees such as New Orleans-inspired shrimp and grits created by Chef Bryan Maher and a host of new menu items from new team chefs Matthew Purdue and Agustus Dawson – think Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese with Pork Belly and Pulled Pork Kimchi Tacos. A host of daily specials ensures that the chefs can be as creative as they want to be (specials are posted on social media). Be sure to check out the raw bar featuring a variety of oysters and other seafood. Sundogs has a kids' menu and a midday appetizer menu from 3 to 5 p.m. every day. When dinner ends, nightlife begins. Sundogs is open until 2 a.m. every night during summer with several nights of live music and karaoke. This is also the place for all your sports-viewing adventures, especially Sunday football, thanks to their large projection TV and 12 other TVs. After 10 p.m. Sundogs is open for ages 21 and older only.

Located at the heart of Colington Island (just a few miles down Colington Road), The Saltbox Café is a charming cottage-style restaurant with a menu that focuses on local seafood, fresh meats and vegetables, plus delicious house-made desserts that can be custom created. You can dine inside or on their large outdoor porch, which overlooks beautiful Colington Creek. The porch can even be rented in season for special occasions such as small wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and birthday parties, and their chefs are happy to work with you if you’d like to create a personalized menu for your event. The Saltbox Café is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, and they have a wonderful brunch on Sundays. Owned by a husband and wife team of well-trained, experienced and award-winning chefs, this is one of the Outer Banks tucked-away secrets and is popular with the locals.

Whalehead Brewery in Corolla stands out as not only a woman- and veteran-owned brewery, but also as a place to enjoy great full-flavored beers and amazing brick-oven pizzas with people who love the Northern Outer Banks. Owner Christin Crowley founded the brewery after 22 years in the Navy. During her career she traveled around tasting the beers of the world, and after retirement she decided to make her own beers in her favorite vacation town of Corolla. Her popular 5-barrel brewhouse, open since 2023, includes a self-pour tap wall, a welcoming industrial-style taproom and a beautiful mosaic tile pizza oven. In addition to brick-oven pizzas, the restaurant serves delicious shareables, soups, salads and more. This is a fun gathering spot in Corolla, with bingo, trivia and live music weekly and frequent community fundraisers and special events.