The Outer Banks, or OBX to those in the know, are a thin ribbon of sand islands, dramatically bowing into the Atlantic and then doubling back to North Carolina's mainland, stretching roughly a hundred miles from the North Carolina-Virginia border down to Cape Hatteras southwestward to Ocracoke Island. The Outer Banks are remote and can take an eternity to drive to, but your patience is rewarded with a series of quirky beach villages, the finest sand and sun the United States has to offer, and some of the freshest fish you could ever hope to eat. Here's why they're one of America's finest gems:
Corolla
Grab a cup of coffee and a hot, customized donut at Duck Donuts near the Currituck Club. After you've shredded the waves, hook up with a brew or two at North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar or settle into a table at Mike Dianna’s Grill Room, both in the Timbuck II shopping center.
Duck
Duck is a fairly upscale, pedestrian-friendly wide spot in the road. Take in the afternoon concert at the quaint town park then stroll across Hwy 12 to the comfy and rustic Roadside Bar & Grill for killer shrimp and grits. The extensive cocktail menu caters to every taste and there's often live music. Dress up a little and enjoy the ultimate in Southern cuisine and hospitality at The Blue Point, just up the road in the Waterfront Shops. The place opened in 1989 and set the bar for great food, spirits, and service in the area. Before dinner, enjoy a drink at its YardBar and soak in the sunset over Currituck Sound.
Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hill/Nags Head
The cluster of towns to the south, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hill, and Nags Head are the population center of the Outer Banks and offer the greatest diversity of dining options. For breakfast, families flock to Stack'em High, the original pancake house on the Outer Banks, with locations in Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills.
In Nags Head, at least one morning has to start at Biscuits N' Porn. Officially Stop Quik, this gas station/convenience store/breakfast and lunch counter churns out stuffed, calorie-laden biscuits that will show that hangover who's boss. Step in line with the anglers and tradesmen and grab a hefty cheese biscuit and ask for egg, cheese, and either ham, sausage, or chicken and a side of gravy. The "porn" part comes from the magazine rack, right up front for the world to see.
If fish tacos and pad Thai ring your bell, let Mama Kwan's Tiki Bar & Grill in Kill Devil Hill set the plate. A good starter is the Thai Money Bags. Trust us.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better wine and beer selection than at Trio in Kitty Hawk. If an English pub, an Italian bistro, and a cheese and wine shop had a baby, this would be it. With 24 bottles available in self-service tasting machines, and 24 beers on tap, lunch here can go on into the night. If you are there on the right night, you can catch our favorite man with a horn, Dr. John Sanchez and his group, Chez Says. They'll conjure the ghost of Miles Davis right at the top of the stairs.Â
In Nags Head, there are two piers where you can eat and drink out on the water. At the Nags Head Pier, Captain Andy's Oceanfront Bar & Grill is a major stress-relief system. Knock one back with the sea breeze in your face and the ocean crashing just below. Further south, you can likewise get a similar prescription filled at Fish Heads Bar and Grill on the Outer Banks Pier.
Hatteras Island
In Rodanthe, Lisa's Pizzeria is a longtime favorite for dining in or getting takeout, with an extensive menu. Twenty-one miles down Hwy 12 in Avon a stop in at Bros Sandwich Shack is a must. Beef here is ground in-house. Ask for a slice of ghost pepper cheese on that burger. Also in Avon, Ketch 55 is a cut above, with interesting combinations like the tune poke with bacon. There's a good range of beers on tap including several local brews.
At the tip end is the Hatteras Village itself, where the Harrison family brings in a local catch and prepares it for you at the Harbor House Seafood Market. Hatteras Harbor Deli at the Hatteras Harbor Marina doles out a hearty breakfast and lunch and gets high marks for both its grilled shrimp burger and The Captain sandwich, grilled, sliced ribeye steak on a kaiser bun with horseradish.
Ocracoke Island
From Hatteras, an hour-long ferry takes you to Ocracoke Island, and 13 miles of open sea and soundscapes. Being here is the definition of getting away from it all. At the tip end is Ocracoke village, a place so remote, some of the locals speak a dialect, the Ocracoke Brogue, that calls back to the earliest coastal settlers.
If you're up early, Ocracoke Coffee Company is the place to be for coffee and fresh-baked pastries. Or for a heartier start to the day, make your way in for breakfast at Pony Island Restaurant.
Stroll around town and have a look at Ocracoke Light, constructed in 1823, it's the oldest operating light station in North Carolina. Walk or bike over to Silver Lake Harbor and slide into a chair at SmacNally's Waterfront Bar & Grill smack dab in the Anchorage Marina. Fresh local seafood rocks, but like most places, there are non-seafood dishes to choose from. After beaching it or boating it, head to the Back Porch Restaurant and Wine Bar on the Back Rd for a cocktail and an upscale dinner. Start it off with an order of the crab beignets. From the ferry docks, you can book passage by ferry to either Swan Quarter or Cedar Island to strike back to the mainland and that bothersome reality.
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