Outer Banks Restaurants

High Cotton BBQ is owned and operated by a native North Carolina family that was born and raised in the heart of BBQ country. They serve authentic, eastern North Carolina-style pork BBQ. The pork is smoked for hours over hickory, hand-chopped and then seasoned with a light, vinegar-based sauce that doesn't overpower the natural flavor of the smoked meat. The Southern fried chicken is crisp and delicious. The smoked chicken is so tender it falls right off the bone, and the Texas-style beef brisket is smoked, sliced and served with a tangy sauce. The St. Louis cut ribs are the local's favorite for good reason. Portions here are generous. They serve traditional side dishes like cole slaw, baked beans and fresh vegetables plus hush puppies and French fries. The sauces are homemade and available for purchase. They have a children's menu. This is a great place to feed a crowd, and they have a speedy to-go counter for take-out. Check out their convenient to-go packages and bring home your own pig-pickin'. The restaurant also offers catering. High Cotton serves lunch and dinner every day in season and closes for a short time in the winter. Plus, after a meal at High Cotton BBQ, you can step into their retail shop to pick up some of their own homemade BBQ sauces, fresh-roasted peanuts and fun t-shirts. They also carry Southern-style goodies like Moon Pies if you want to send a taste of Southern charm to that poor person who couldn’t come on vacation with you!

For a tasty treat, head to Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream. Choose from more than 50 flavors of made-from-scratch ice cream plus sorbet and soft serve. You can get any flavor made into a shake, split, sundae or float, even a brownie sundae – yum! Big Buck’s has an espresso bar and all the espresso-based coffee drinks you need to pick up your day. Handmade Belgian chocolate and fudge are made fresh daily, and they also accept custom orders for wedding favors, baby showers and other events. And don't forget the ice cream cake! They have a flavor for every occasion.

Bad Bean Baja Grill creates a distinctive dining experience. Utilizing techniques and flavors found all across Latin America, California and the Baja Peninsula, the award-winning chefs present a creative fusion of familiar cantina favorites. One of the favorite dishes is the fish tacos topped with salsa fresca, crisp jicama slaw and cilantro chimichurri. The slow-cooked beef brisket and pork barbacoa also make for delicious tacos as well as burritos, wraps and quesadillas. Bad Bean always uses fresh, local seafood, and their chips, salsas, guacamole and queso dips are all made in-house. Be sure to check out the nightly dinner specials, and on Fridays stop by for fresh fish ceviche. Along with the full restaurant menu, the bar serves some of the best fresh fruit margaritas and mojitos on the beach. Plus they have an ever-changing selection of craft and draft beers. This cool Outer Banks restaurant is open year-round for lunch and dinner. Take-out, including party packs for groups, is available.