The Best Restaurants Near Kitty Hawk, NC
Where to eat, drink and stock up — with menus, directions and drive times from our oceanfront homes at Milepost 3¾.
Kitty Hawk sits right in the middle of the Outer Banks restaurant scene. Within five minutes of our homes on the Beach Road you’ll find oceanfront seafood, legendary fried-tuna boats, Baja tacos, Eastern North Carolina barbecue and some of the best breakfast on the beach. Drive 15 minutes and you’re at Duck’s soundfront dining rooms or the Kill Devil Hills brewpubs.
Closest restaurants to our homes
| Restaurant | Type | Distance | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Bean Baja Grill 4146 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Mexican / Baja | 0.4 mi · ~2 min | Menu · Directions |
| Black Pelican Oceanfront Cafe 3848 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Seafood / wood-fired pizza | 0.6 mi · ~1 min | Menu · Directions |
| Hurricane Mo’s Beachside Bar & Grill 120 E Kitty Hawk Rd, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Seafood / bar & grill | 0.6 mi · ~1 min | Menu · Directions |
| Shipwrecks Taphouse & Grill 4020 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | American / taphouse | 0.6 mi · ~2 min | Directions |
| La Fogata Mexican Restaurant 3924 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Mexican | 0.7 mi · ~2 min | Menu · Directions |
| Two Roads Tavern 3833 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | American / burgers & oysters | 0.9 mi · ~2 min | Menu · Directions |
| John’s Drive-In 3716 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Casual / burgers & milkshakes | 1 mi · ~2 min | Menu · Directions |
| Art’s Place 4624 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Casual / burgers & breakfast | 1 mi · ~2 min | Menu · Directions |
| Tap That OBX 4622 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Bar | 1 mi · ~2 min | Directions |
| Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream 3810 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 | Ice cream / dessert | 1 mi · ~2 min | Directions |
Restaurant map
Orange dot = our oceanfront homes. Tap any marker for details.
Breakfast & coffee
Start the day with pancakes, biscuits or a house-roasted latte.
Stack 'em High
Classic OBX breakfast stop where you order cafeteria-style and get pancakes, omelets and biscuits cooked fresh.
Henry's Restaurant
Family-run since 1989, a reliable stop for big home-style breakfasts and seafood dinners.
Shore Coffee Roasters
Bright, modern specialty roaster and cafe with espresso, nitro and baked goods.
Front Porch Cafe (Kitty Hawk)
Local coffee roaster's Kitty Hawk cafe pouring house-roasted espresso drinks with pastries and breakfast bites.
Jolly Roger Restaurant
Long-running Beach Road landmark (look for the pirate) known for huge breakfasts served into the afternoon and a lively bar.
Sweet T's Coffee Beer & Wine
Duck coffee shop by morning and craft-beer-and-wine hangout by afternoon, with a shady deck.
Seafood, tacos, BBQ & casual dinners
Fried tuna boats, fish tacos, wood-fired pizza and Eastern NC barbecue — mostly flip-flop friendly.
Bad Bean Baja Grill
Creative Baja- and Latin-inspired cantina known for its fish tacos, fresh salsas and margaritas.
Black Pelican Oceanfront Cafe
Seafood, steaks and brick-oven pizza served in a converted 1874 lifesaving station right across the Beach Road from the ocean.
Shipwrecks Taphouse & Grill
Two-story taphouse with bars on both floors, a second-floor balcony with distant ocean views, and a coastal pub menu.
La Fogata Mexican Restaurant
Family-owned Mexican restaurant with a long menu of traditional dishes that easily handles big groups.
Two Roads Tavern
Family-friendly sports tavern serving creative burgers, baked oysters and coastal plates.
John's Drive-In
Walk-up Beach Road institution famous for fried tuna and dolphin boats and thick hand-spun milkshakes eaten at picnic tables.
Art's Place
Tiny, locals-favorite Beach Road diner known for its burgers with hand-cut fries and a friendly bar crowd.
Barefoot Bernie's Tropical Grill & Bar
Lively, tropical-themed grill with a big crowd-pleasing menu of burgers, tacos, seafood and island-style cocktails.
The Pony & The Boat
Relaxed comfort-food kitchen popular for elevated Southern dinners and Sunday brunch.
TRiO Restaurant & Market
Upscale-casual wine, beer and cheese bar with shareable plates upstairs and a gourmet market and bottle shop below.
Rundown Cafe
Island-inspired Caribbean and Pacific Rim fare with lots of vegetarian options, plus an upstairs surf bar and big ocean-view deck.
High Cotton BBQ
Family-run spot smoking eastern North Carolina-style hickory pork BBQ with a light vinegar sauce, plus Southern sides.
Southern Shores Pizza & Deli
New York-style stone-oven pies, huge slices and stromboli.
Goombays Grille & Raw Bar
Colorful island-themed grill and raw bar pairing local seafood with Caribbean flavors and fun cocktails.
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint
Beach Road outpost of the cult burger bar, pairing Wagyu burgers with a deep craft-beer list.
Dare Devil's Pizzeria
Family-owned Beach Road pizzeria since 1987, loved for its pizzas, strombolis and wings.
Bonzer Shack
Surf-shack-style hangout serving Southern and island comfort food, with outdoor seating and a bar.
Kill Devil Grill
Retro diner-car exterior hiding a scratch kitchen known for smoked wings, fresh fish and creative nightly specials.
Country Deli
Decades-old locals' favorite for overstuffed deli sandwiches, now with a backyard beer garden.
Aqua Restaurant
Waterfront Duck restaurant serving regional, locally sourced lunch and dinner with a patio overlooking Currituck Sound.
NC Coast Grill & Bar
Waterfront spot known for chef boards, shareable plates and sunset drinks on the sound.
Red Sky Cafe
Chef-driven Duck cafe with a creative coastal menu ranging from crispy duck to fresh seafood and steaks.
Tortugas' Lie
Funky Beach Road shack with island-inspired seafood, sushi nights and a backyard sand volleyball court.
Gather (Village Beach Club)
Oceanfront restaurant at Village Beach Club serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails with sweeping ocean views.
Sam & Omie's
Old-school fishermen's diner dating to 1937, serving hearty breakfasts and casual seafood plates.
Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe
Beloved soundfront seafood house on the Nags Head-Manteo Causeway focused on local catch and sunset views.
Date night & fine dining
Special-occasion spots worth a reservation, from Beach Road bistros to soundfront Duck.
Ocean Boulevard Bistro & Martini Bar
Upscale-but-relaxed bistro steps from the ocean, known for creative American plates and an extensive martini list.
Colington Cafe
Romantic dinner spot in a Victorian house on Colington Road, best known for she-crab bisque, crab cakes and homemade desserts.
The Blue Point
One of Duck's signature special-occasion restaurants, serving refined Southern seafood with views over Currituck Sound.
Theodosia at The Sanderling
Chef Vivian Howard's restaurant at The Sanderling Resort, with a menu rooted in Southern coastal traditions.
Mike Dianna's Grill Room
Corolla steakhouse known for prime cuts, fresh seafood and a strong wine list.
Bars, breweries & taprooms
Local craft beer, cocktails and live music.
Hurricane Mo's Beachside Bar & Grill
Year-round beach-side hangout just off the Beach Road dishing up fresh seafood, steaks and cold drinks a few steps from the sand.
Tap That OBX
Laid-back Beach Road bar pouring cold beer, bourbon and tequila, with sports on TV.
Sandtrap Tavern
Neighborhood tavern near the Kitty Hawk golf course, a casual local pick for wings, burgers and drinks.
1903 Bar and Kitchen
Bar-and-kitchen serving wings, sliders and whiskey into the late evening.
Outer Banks Brewing Station
Wind-powered brewpub with award-winning house beers, a creative coastal menu, weekend brunch and frequent live music.
Huanchaco Lounge
Cozy bottle shop and lounge where you can grab beer, wine and growlers to go or linger over a drink.
Swells'a Brewing
Striking modern brewery on the Beach Road pouring its own beers in a relaxed taproom.
Whalehead Brewery
Woman- and veteran-owned brewery pairing its own beers with brick-oven pizzas.
Ice cream & dessert
Big Buck's Homemade Ice Cream
Local chain churning small-batch ice cream in creative flavors, a go-to after-dinner stop for families.
Groceries, seafood markets & ABC store
Stock the rental — and pick up steamed shrimp for an easy night in.
Growlers To Go (Kitty Hawk)
Craft-beer bottle shop with dozens of taps for growler fills plus cans and bottles to stock the cooler.
Carawan Seafood
Family-run seafood market for local shrimp, crabmeat and fish, with steaming service and a good beer and wine selection.
Food Lion (Southern Shores)
Budget-friendly supermarket in The Marketplace shopping center near the Wright Memorial Bridge.
Dare County ABC Store (Kitty Hawk)
State-run package store for spirits; in North Carolina liquor is sold only at ABC stores, while beer and wine are at groceries.
Harris Teeter (Kitty Hawk)
Full-service supermarket at the north end of Kitty Hawk, handy for stocking the rental on arrival day.
Walmart Supercenter (Kitty Hawk)
Big-box store with groceries plus beach gear, chairs and other vacation supplies.
Publix (Kill Devil Hills)
Full-service supermarket with a deli known for its subs, an easy stop on the Bypass.
Billy's Seafood
Dockside Colington market for fresh local seafood and soft-shell crabs in season.
Kitty Hawk dining FAQ
What restaurants are within walking distance of the homes?
Black Pelican Oceanfront Cafe and Hurricane Mo's are roughly half a mile from our homes on the Beach Road, and Bad Bean Baja Grill is about 0.4 miles away on the Bypass — walkable on a nice evening, or a one-minute drive.
Where is the best breakfast near Kitty Hawk?
Locals swear by Stack 'em High (Kitty Hawk), Henry's and the Jolly Roger (Kill Devil Hills), and Sam & Omie's in Nags Head. Front Porch Cafe and Shore Coffee Roasters are the go-tos for coffee.
Where can I buy fresh local seafood to cook at the house?
Carawan Seafood in Kitty Hawk (about 2.6 miles) will even steam your shrimp and crabs. Billy's Seafood on Colington Road is another local favorite.
Where do I buy liquor on the Outer Banks?
In North Carolina, liquor is sold only at state ABC stores. The closest is the Dare County ABC store at 5440 N Croatan Hwy in Kitty Hawk. Beer and wine are available at grocery stores.
Which restaurants have water views?
Black Pelican and Rundown Cafe have ocean views; for sunsets over the sound try Aqua, NC Coast or The Blue Point in Duck, or Lone Cedar on the Nags Head causeway.
Do Outer Banks restaurants take reservations?
Many casual spots are first-come, first-served, especially in summer. Fine-dining places like Ocean Boulevard, Colington Cafe, The Blue Point and Red Sky recommend reservations. Some restaurants close or cut hours in winter, so check before you go.
Our oceanfront homes in Kitty Hawk
Three dog-friendly oceanfront homes side by side at Milepost 3¾ — book one, or all three for up to 29 guests.
Crab House
Single-level living, an extra-large oceanfront deck and a gated yard for your dog — steps from the sand.
Big Deck Beach House
A 500 sq ft oceanfront deck, gourmet three-oven kitchen, wet bar and a king suite with a jetted tub.
A Carolina Conch
Classic two-story Outer Banks cottage with wraparound ocean views, carport parking and baby gear on hand.