Outer Banks Restaurants: Our Top Three Recommendations
Outer Banks restaurants have become part of our tradition, as we have at least one dinner out on every trip to the Outer Banks. The following three restaurants have met or exceeded our expectations to the point where they are now part of our regular vacation routine.
The Colington Café was first referred to us by one of the local people we met when we bought our
Duck house.
It is, for us, a must every time we go to the Outer Banks, be it in the summer or during the Christmas-New Year’s holiday.
For starters, the restaurant is located in a classic Victorian house. If you are looking for ambience, this is the place. The house adds to the whole dining experience.
The owners and people who work at the Colington create a great family atmosphere. During one of our visits, my son wanted to know where the name "Kill Devil Hills" came from. After our waitress asked a few of her co-workers, the answer that came back was, in the early 1700’s, it was said by the locals that the rum made on the island was so strong that it would kill the devil. Hence the name Kill Devil Hills. Was this really the derivation of the town name? I don’t know, but it was delivered in such a convincing manner that my son was content.
The food is outstanding with portions more than plentiful. My older daughter’s favorite meal is the seafood pasta, and gets it practically every time we go. The menu covers seafood, pasta, steak, and chicken and pork dishes (and combinations of). Make sure you leave room for dessert, because they are to die for. The menu is priced so that a family can afford to have a great meal.
Outer Banks Restaurant: Coastal Blue Waterfront Dining
Since building
our house in Salvo
in 2006, we’ve been trying to find a restaurant that would serve as our "favorite" in this area. The Colington is almost an hour drive, and so we’ve tried several places, but none quite did it for us until we came across Coastal Blue Waterfront Dining in the summer of 2008.
My daughter and her sorority sister, whose family was staying in Hatteras, wanted to bring the families together for dinner. We decided to try to meet somewhere in the middle, and took a chance with Coastal Blue. What a great find.
Coastal Blue, sitting on the sound in Avon, has beautiful sunset and sound views. The evening we went, there was a guitar player singing, which added to the experience.
The food was and reasonable price. The owner/chef who circulated around the tables, was quite willing to mix and match things. I am told that their style is “New Haute Cuisine”. I do not know what that means, but I will tell you that the food is quite good and portions quite satisfying.
The Red Sky Café is also available for dinner, but since we’ve only eaten there for lunch, we will stick with the promise of only recommending what we know.
The Red Sky Café is actually located at the end of our street in Duck. I noticed on several occasions over the past several years that the kids would say they were leaving the beach to go to lunch, and when I got back, they had disappeared. After this happened several times, I found out that they had “disappeared” to the Red Sky Café.
The Red Sky Café is a quaint little place offering excellent food in a casual atmosphere. The mood is very relaxed as you proceed through your meal. If you are looking for a relaxed and comfortable place to go between stops at the beach, go and enjoy lunch at the Red Sky Café.
Not quite what you are looking for? Try these Outer Banks Restaurant recommendations:
Outer Banks Restaurant: Coastal Blue Waterfront Dining
Outer Banks Restaurant: Red Sky Cafe
