7 Best Restaurants In The Outer Banks, North Carolina

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Travel Awaits | June 17, 2022

https://www.travelawaits.com/2773299/best-outer-banks-restaurants/

Our first trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina included four travel writers with a long weekend to gather, explore, share information, and enjoy each other’s company. We wrote, joked, laughed, and ate. Gosh, did we eat! Here are the best restaurants we had the privilege to dine at in the Outer Banks.

1. The Kill Devil Grill

Kill Devil Hills

Recommended by a Texas husband during our rained-out attempt at hang gliding, there was a brief wait for seating at this historic railcar turned diner and grill, The Kill Devil Grill. Sit at the bar stools in the renovated railcar or wait for a red vinyl seat booth and hope you’re lucky enough to get our server, Adele.

She rattled off the daily specials like the true professional she is. A sampling: the grilled mahi served over cheese grits and topped with grilled local asparagus; the fried flounder sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and housemade tartar; jumbo fries served with soft-shell crab sandwiches; a green chile pork burrito with pineapple slaw rice and avocado; and the day’s salad special, the Kitchen Sink Seazar, which is like a traditional Caesar but with tomatoes, pine nuts, grilled and chilled chicken, and penne pasta.

“You guys have any questions?”

The salmon salad had been so highly spoken of by our cohort that two of us ordered that, one ordered the fried flounder sandwich, and another the Southern fried chicken salad. Our salmon was the size of a plank dinner portion, and the salad was sprinkled with cucumbers, sweet corn, grape tomatoes, and mixed in a basil citrus vinaigrette (we both held the goat cheese). 

The Southern fried chicken kicked up more than a notch with corn, bacon, potato sticks, and a buttermilk garlic dressing that was so wonderful, I thought I’d made a mistake with my salmon choice. And then we each tried a bite of the fried flounder sandwich…

“That is freakin’ amazing.” 

“That tastes just like chicken fingers.” 

And, “I’d come back for that again.” We were still speaking about that flounder hours later. 

We were shocked to realize we might still have some room for dessert. It didn’t take much for Adele to talk us into it. She recites these as easily as she did the daily specials. 

“The apple crisp served warm with vanilla ice cream, the chocolate chip pecan pie served with whipped cream (made fresh, not overly sweet), [the] strawberry shortcake, or the best key lime pie you’ll have ever tasted.”

For the strawberry shortcake, the shortcake is a light double layer around the strawberry and preserve-like juices, topped with light whipped cream and a mint leaf. Sold! We ordered two strawberry shortcakes, one key lime pie to go (eaten that night, though), and one warm apple crisp served with that ice cream in the middle. I was just uncomfortably full when we left, already looking forward to a return visit. 

2. Trio Restaurant & Market

Kitty Hawk

Recommended by the visitors bureau, Trio is a great place to start your dining experiences along the Outer Banks. On the west side of the barrier islands, it’s a combination restaurant, liquor store, and souvenir shop (get your painted wine glasses here). If you’re hungry from your flight into the area and subsequent drive down from Norfolk, your taste buds will treasure the experience.