Outer Banks Restaurants

Family-owned and -operated, La Fogata Kitty Hawk Mexican Restaurant offers traditional Mexican fare in a casual setting that can accommodate large parties indoors and also offers outdoor seating. All the dishes on their extensive menu are available for dine-in or take-out, and online ordering is available. If you're feeding a crowd, order their family-style dinners of enchiladas, burritos or fajitas, or hire them to cater a taco bar. They serve beer, wine and mixed drinks (they're known for their margaritas, of course), and offer desserts and a children's menu. Open for lunch and dinner year-round, La Fogata Kitty Hawk is known for excellent service from friendly staff.

Mahi Mahi’s Island Grill features chef-prepared American cuisine and a strong emphasis on seafood. Customers can expect an affordable menu, quality ingredients and friendly service. The menu includes salads, shareable appetizers, handhelds that include burgers, sandwiches and fish tacos, fried seafood, crab cakes, pork, steak and so much more, and specials are offered daily. Beer, wine and spirits are available at the full bar. Mahi Mahi's serves dinner for dine-in and take-out. Reservations are not accepted, and large groups are welcome. On summer weekends look to Mahi Mahi's for live music in the front yard from 6 to 9 p.m. and for occasional late-night DJ parties, with the kitchen staying open late.

Mike Dianna's Grill Room is owned and operated by a true Corolla local who grew up here and has lived in the area since 1984. The restaurant starts with the best raw products they can find, such as USDA Prime beef, fresh and local seafood, all-natural chicken, pork and pasta. The restaurant has a live hardwood grill where they cook all of their steaks and seafood, and it's the only one of its kind on the northern part of the Outer Banks. They have a wonderful children's menu and an ever-changing specials menu, and they cater to gluten-free, dairy-free and allergy-related restrictions. The Grill Room serves brunch complete with homemade buttermilk biscuits, a house-cured lox platter, crabcake sandwiches, deviled eggs, daily omelette specials and more. Indoor and outdoor dining are available, as are curbside pickup and free delivery on the paved roads of Corolla (online ordering available). Reservations are recommended for all party sizes for both brunch and dinner and can be made online.

Muffins and Scones is the perfect place to start or end your day. With more than 17 varieties of fresh New York-style bagels, freshly made pastries and handcrafted coffee drinks, it’s a great place for breakfast, a light lunch or a gourmet dessert. They have a grab-and-go selection of quiches, cake slices and pies available too. If you're looking for a special occasion cake, look no further as they custom make almost any cake. Their lounge area is a comfy place to hang out at any time of day. Look for the bright purple building in Avon.

The second restaurant from the team at Duck’s Red Sky Cafe, NC Coast Grill & Bar has an open kitchen, concrete bar, upscale coastal decor and waterfront location that create a lively, hip and low-key atmosphere for gathering with family and friends over drinks, snacks, shareable plates, popular Chef Boards and meals. Owner/Chef Wes Stepp describes NC Coast’s cuisine as celebrating the flavors of the coastal South while bringing in cross-cultural and global influences. The menu features eclectic preparations of local seafood, regional produce and all-natural meats, and vegetarian and vegan options are available. Indoors you’ll find a 15-seat bar, chef’s tasting seating by the kitchen and an open and airy atmosphere with a wall of windows overlooking the sound. Outdoors you’ll find seating and bar tables right on Duck Boardwalk, along with a temperature-controlled tent, perfect for catching sunsets and live music in the warm seasons. Dockage is available for shallow-draft boats. NC Coast serves lunch and dinner and is open seven days a week.