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Kill Devil Hills
Coastal Cactus $
Seagate North Shopping Center
US 158, MP 5, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6600
www.coastalcactus.com
For more than 12 years, Jim and Deby
Curcio have been serving the best the
Southwest has to offer to the Outer
Banks. Visitors from Arizona, Texas, New
Mexico, and California have raved about
the authentic regional flavor of the menu
offerings at this affordable, casual eatery
decorated in a Southwest style. The menu
has more than 60 choices of entrees,
combination plates, and a la carte items
prepared from scratch daily using fresh
vegetables and meats and hot-off-thegrill tortillas. Start your meal with nachos
piled high and covered with cheese,
jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and your
choice of beef, chicken, or beans. It's all
smothered in Coastal Cactus's own fresh
homemade salsa, which is bottled for
purchase if you want to take some home. For an entree, the signature dish is sizzlin' fajitas served still smoking in a cast-
iron skillet. You can choose from shrimp,
steak, tuna, chicken, pasta, ribs, lobster, or
vegetarian combinations. Other selections
include tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chiles
rellenos, tamales, and tequila-lime shrimp.
The tempting desserts reflect the Tex-Mex
theme. Fried ice cream, banana chimichangas, apple enchiladas a la mode, and
coconut caramel flan are just some of the
yummy offerings. From the bar, the golden margaritas
are marvelous and made from scratch, as
are several other fresh-fruit varieties.
Wine, beer, and other mixed drinks also
are available. A children's menu is available, and separate smoking and nonsmoking dining rooms are provided. A general
store on the premises has Navajo pottery,
Hopi jewelry, hot sauces, and other
unusual gift items for sale. The Coastal
Cactus is open seven days a week for dinner in season. Call for off-season hours.
Chilli Peppers $$
US 158, MP 5, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-8081
www.chilli-peppers.com
World fusion with a Southwestern twist
describes the cooking at this fun, bustling
restaurant. Owner Jim Douglas has
worked in Outer Banks eateries for years
and has brought some of the most creative cooking around to Chilli Peppers.
Adventuresome diners are wowed by the
chefs' wild concoctions. Most dishes have
some type of chile in them. If you prefer a
milder meal, they can do that too and still
tickle some untapped taste buds. The
menu here changes frequently, with daily
lunch and dinner specials sometimes stunning even the regulars. Weekly Tapas
Nights, which feature little plates of dishes
from a chosen cuisine, are held on Thursday nights in fall, winter, and spring. One
week you might taste samples of German
food, the next Italian, the next Moroccan,
and so on. This is a big hit with the locals.
Sushi nights also are popular. A full bar separate from the cozy dining room offers fresh-fruit margaritas, a
nice wine selection, and more than a dozen
varieties of bottled beer. Nonalcoholic fruit
smoothies are a treat in the early afternoon. Happy hour is held from 3:00
to 5:00 P.M.every day in the summer.
Steamed seafood and veggies are served
at the bar until closing (see our Nightlifechapter). Chilli Peppers serves lunch and
dinner seven days a week year-round. Sunday brunches, with a make-your-own
Bloody Mary bar, are worth getting out of
bed for. Also, you can take home a bottle
of Chilli's award-winning original hot sauce,
barbecue sauce, or hot salt. Chilli Peppers
is open 11:00 A.M.to 2:00 A.M. A children's
menu is available.
Front Porch Cafe $
US 158, MP 6, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 449-6616
www.frontporchcafe.net
The Front Porch Cafe sources top-quality
coffee beans from all over the world, then
roasts each batch by hand in their store.
Owners Paul Manning and Susannah Sakal
enjoy chatting with customers in their
friendly, relaxed community coffeehouse.
Freshly baked cinnamon rolls, scones, and
muffins are available every day. Customers
can also select from the wonderful varieties of teas on hand.
Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar
& Restaurant $$
NC 12, MP 6, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-5955
www.awfularthursnc.com
Located across from Avalon Pier, this
authentic raw bar and restaurant is usually
crowded throughout the year. Wooden
tables are laid out along the oblong room,
and a bar stretches the entire length of
the downstairs eatery. Upstairs, a separate
lounge offers an ocean view. A live lobster
tank and huge saltwater reef tank give
you something to watch as you dine. Awful Arthur's is a comfortably casual
place where you won't mind peeling seasoned shrimp or picking the meat from
succulent crab legs with messy fingers.
Seafood is the specialty here. You'll find
scallops, oysters, clams, mussels, homemade crab cakes, and daily entree specials. The bartenders are some of the
fastest shuckers in town. Bass Ale and
several other varieties of beer are on tap,
or order from a full line of liquor and specialty drinks. For landlubbers, several non-
seafood sandwiches are served. At night, Awful Arthur's is usually
packed. A late-night menu is available.
Awful Arthur's T-shirts are seen all over
the world and are local favorites. This
popular eatery is open seven days a week
year-round for lunch and dinner.
Carolina Seafood $$$
NC 12, MP 6 1/4, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6851
For an elaborate, all-you-can-eat seafood
buffet where "fried has died," try Carolina
Seafood. Here, you can enjoy 36 items for
less than $25 a person: salad, soups, hush
puppies, garlic crabs, crab legs, scallops,
stuffed shrimp, and several types of fish
served baked, broiled, blackened,
steamed, or sauteed. Roast beef is cut to
order, and a variety of desserts are included in the price. If you're not feeling
hungry enough to tackle the buffet, Carolina Seafood serves crabs, scallops,
shrimp, and other seafood by the basket,
too. A children's menu also is available.
This restaurant is open at 4:30 P.M.seven
nights a week from May through September. Call for off-season hours.
Jolly Roger Restaurant $$
NC 12, MP 6, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6530
Serving some of the locals' favorite breakfasts, this lively restaurant is open for three
meals a day 365 days a year. Besides the
usual eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, and
toast, Jolly Roger's bakery cooks up some
of the biggest muffins and sticky buns
you've ever seen. For lunch, choose from
sandwiches, local seafood, or daily specials. Dinner entrees include homestyle
Italian dishes, steaks, broiled and fried fish,
and a popular $10.95 prime rib special
each Friday. All the desserts are homemade, and special orders are accepted for
items to go. The food isn't fancy, but the
portions are enormous. You'll have no
excuse if you leave here hungry. Jolly
Roger also steams spiced shrimp in the
separate bar area each afternoon and is
the karaoke headquarters of the Outer
Banks seven nights a week.
Mako Mike's $$
US 158, MP 7, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 480-1919
This is the most outrageously decorated
dining establishment on the Outer Banks.
The fluorescent shark fins outside, decorated with swirls, stripes, and polka dots,
don't give even a glimpse into what you'll
see once you step inside. Some patrons
compare it to an underwater experience.
We think it's almost like visiting an octopus's garden complete with three separate levels of dining, fish mobiles dangling
overhead, painted chairs, bright colors
exploding everywhere, and murals along
the deep blue walls. The menu is impressive and varied.
Appetizers include hot crab dip and calamari. Dinner offerings are seasoned with
Mediterranean, Cajun, Asian, and other
exotic spices and include nine varieties of fresh pasta, seven wood-fired pizzas, several varieties of fresh blue-water fish, beef,
pork, vegetarian stir-fries, mixed grills,
scallops, shrimp, and dozens of other
options. This huge restaurant caters to couples,
families, and large groups. A small meeting room is available for private parties. A
separate bar serves frozen drink specials
in addition to dozens of bottles of beer
and wine. A children's menu is provided.
Dinner is served seven days a week year-
round. Call for winter hours. Mako Mike's
owner, Mike Kelly, also operates Kelly's
Restaurant and Tavern and is part owner
of Penguin Isle, both in Nags Head.
Goombays Grille & Raw Bar $$
NC 12, MP 7, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6001
www.goombays.com
This island-style eatery is light and bright
inside with lots of artwork, an outrageous
fish tank, and a wall-size tropical mural in
the dining room. The ambience is upbeat
and casual, with wooden tables and chairs
and a bare tile floor. The horseshoe-
shaped bar, which is separate from the
eating area, is a great place to try some of
the delicious appetizers or drink specials
that Goombays makes. We especially recommend the spicy crab balls and sweet
coconut shrimp. Some of the drink offerings, both alcoholic and children's cocktails, come with zany toys to take home. For lunch or dinner, try a fresh pasta
entree, including everybody's favorite
Rasta Pasta, locally caught seafood, a juicy
burger topped as you wish, the Southwestern sampling, or one of the half-dozen
daily specials, such as pork, barbecued
shrimp, and steak stir-fry. Everything here is reasonably priced and flavorful. A raw
bar is open until 1:00 A.M., serving steamed
shrimp, oysters, vegetables, and other
favorites. Key lime pie is always a smart
choice for dessert. In season, Goombays
has live music every Wednesday. Goombays is open for lunch and dinner seven
days a week in summer. Call for off-season
hours. Goombays closes for December and
January.
The Good Life Gourmet $$
The Dare Center, US 158, MP 7 1/2
Kill Devil Hills
(252) 480-2855
www.goodlifegourmet.com
Aptly named, The Good Life offers house-
made breads and pastries, sandwiches,
soups, salads, and some incredibly decadent desserts. One great sandwich is
the warm Cubana torta, a potato brioche
roll filled with roast pork, country ham,
jalapeno jack cheese, guacamole, and
black beans. Vegetarian options include a
black bean and three-cheese burrito with
grilled vegetables, tomato salsa, and sour
cream, or the brie salad sandwich, with
sliced apples and grape vinaigrette on
whole wheat. Another great sandwich is
the hot roast beef with bacon barbecue
on potato brioche. Salads include a mixed
green salad with granny smith apple slices
and Brie cheese served with raspberry
vinaigrette dressing, green salads and
pasta salads. For dinner, try the Italian sausage
meatballs with cheese tortellini and fresh
marinara or the Good Life Gourmet
famous meat loaf. Not only can you get a good cup of
coffee, you can opt for espresso or cappuccino, as well as beer or wine. Wine is
available by the glass, and there's a nice
selection of retail bottled wine, too. While
you're in the shop, tear yourself away from
the pastry and dessert display and check
out the selection of artisan cheeses, olives,
and sauces. Gift baskets are available here,
too. Menu items are available for dining in
or for takeout. The Good Life opens at 8:00 A.M. each morning.
Port O' Call Restaurant
& Gaslight Saloon $$$
NC 12, MP 8 1/2, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-7484
This antiques-adorned restaurant offers
fresh seafood cuisine with entrees including an array of seafood, veal, chicken,
pasta, and beef. Blackboard specials
change nightly. Each dinner comes with
fresh-baked bread, starch of the day, and
salad. The soups and chowders are hot
and succulent, and all the desserts are luscious. A children's menu is also offered. Frank Gajar opened the restaurant in
1974, decorating it with a collection of Victorian furnishings. The dining room is warm
and romantic, with flickering gaslights and
brass accents. Special early bird dinners are
served from 4:30 to 6:00 P.M. Live entertainment is offered in a large, separate
saloon (see our Nightlife chapter). A full
bar is available, and the gift shop/art
gallery carries unusual, eclectic items. Port
O' Call is open from mid-March through
December. A children's menu is available.
The Thai Room $$
Oceanside Plaza
NC 12, MP 8 1/2, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-1180
The Thai Room has been an Insiders'
favorite for years. Jimmy, the fast-talking,
fast-moving owner, lets his patrons choose
their own level of spice-from mild to gasping hot. When he asks, "Very hot?"-think
twice before you say yes. He means it. Besides the daily specials, an in-season
buffet dinner allows you to sample several
of the wonderful choices. Try the deep-
fried soft-shell crabs when they're in season; they're perfectly crunchy and beyond
description. To complete your meal, choose
from more than a dozen American-style
desserts. As for decor, the Thai Room is
unlike any other eatery on North Carolina's
barrier islands: paper lanterns, Asian portraits, and red-tasseled lamps adorn the
dining room. Family members prepare and
serve each delectable meal-and they'll be
happy to make suggestions if you're overwhelmed by all the options. The Thai Room is open for lunch and
dinner March through December. All items
are available for takeout. The restaurant
also has a full bar where you can indulge
in exotic drinks and Thai beer while you
wait for a table or take-out order.
Outer Banks Brewing Station $$
US 158, MP 8 1/2, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 449-BREW
www.obbrewing.com
Everything about the Outer Banks Brewing
Station is first class. Fine hand-crafted
brews, inspired cuisine, and noble yet subtle decor all work together to provide a
sublime culinary experience. The Brewing
Station opened in 2001 to rave reviews.
Customers who expected standard brew-
house pub fare were pleasantly surprised
to find contemporary, cutting-edge cuisine
prepared by schooled chefs. The signature
beers have gone over well. Olsch is always
on tap, and five other brews change
according to the season, the brewer's
whim, or the alignment of the stars. The owners say they believe that fine
brewing deserves to be paired with revolutionary cuisine, and they certainly have
the goods to prove it. The food is outstanding. Start with ahipoke, sashimi with
mixed greens, tossed with soy vinaigrette
and wasabi cream, or the chardonnay
mussels. The specials are always appealing, but the jerk-basted wahoo over jasmine rice with pineapple beurre blanc is
astounding. Desserts are extremely tempting; so is a glass of tawny port. The
restaurant also has an excellent wine list. The Outer Banks Brewing Station occupies a unique, church/barnlike building built
especially for this use. Two silos anchor the
building, prompting the owners to advertise their location as "between the silos in
Kill Devil Hills." Inside, cathedral ceilings
lined with tin are more than 20 feet high,
with windows that reach to the ceiling
along the front of the building. Rustic
cement and brick floors, honey-toned walls
adorned with Middle Eastern rugs, and
warm woods create a comforting atmosphere. The serpentine bar stretches into
the back of the restaurant, where a crowd
gathers for drinks until the wee hours (see
our Nightlife chapter). The Brewing Station
is a year-round restaurant. Lunch and dinner are served daily, and a kid's menu is
available.
JK's $$$
US 158, MP 9, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-9555
www.jksfoods.com
Fine-dining Insiders love JK's selection of
mesquite-grilled meats. JK's serves Western beef shipped directly from Nebraska,
lamb and veal from Summerfield Farms in
Virginia, and ribs from the Midwest. A seasoned, professional staff fits right in with
the classy, comfortable dining room and
bar. Three to four varieties of fresh fish are
offered nightly. The menu varies, according to the best meats available, but generally has a prime rib chop, porterhouse
steak, New York strip, Kansas City strip,
top sirloin, veal rib chop, and lamb loin
chops. Ribs and chicken are dry-marinated
with JK's special seasoning and are then
mesquite-grilled. JK's has a full bar and an
excellent wine list with some really good
values. Dinner is served from 5:00 P.M.
year-round; takeout is available.
Bob's Grill $
US 158, MP 9, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-0707
Bob serves big, cheap breakfasts all year
seven days a week, until 2:30 P.M.-and
that's hard to find around here. The blueberry pancakes are big enough to cover
the entire plate. Eggs are made any way
you want, and the hash browns flavored
with onions and peppers are some of the
best around. For lunch, a hamburger, tuna steak, or
one of several traditional hot and cold
sandwiches will fill you. Owner Bob
McCoy cooks much of the food himself. A
hot lunch special is available every day.
You can't leave town without trying Bob's
No. 1 seller-Philly steak and cheese. Dinners feature the biggest cuts of prime rib
on the Outer Banks, Cajun beer batter-dipped shrimp, and fresh mahimahi
caught just offshore. The salads are also
good. Save room for the hot fudge
brownie dessert. Bob's casual atmosphere has a regular-
folk appeal that makes everyone comfortable. Even McCoy's well-known gruff
motto, "Eat and get the hell out," has
obviously not offended any locals, since
the parking lot is packed with loyal customers more days than not. Service is fast
and friendly, beer and wine are available,
and everything can be ordered for takeout. Bob's is closed from 2:30 to 5:00 P.M.
daily, but it's open for three meals a day
every day all year.
The Pit Surf Shop, Bar and Grill $
US 158, MP 9, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 480-3128
www.pitsurf.com
The Pit is the favorite counterculture
hangout of the beach. It's the prime
apres-surf spot, where the food is good
and cheap, the staff has personality, and
board-sport videos are always shown.
The hallmarks of Pit dining are economy
and portion size; the West Coast-style
wraps are big and filling. Beans, meats,
cheese, veggies, and even mashed potatoes are blended into a variety of creative wraps. The Pit makes a mean
quesadilla, hot sandwiches, salads in a
fresh tortilla bowl, appetizers, fries, rings,
wings, and more. Nothing costs more
than $8.00. Drinks run the gamut from
alcohol to up-to-the-minute So-Be flavors
and everything in between. Food is
served continuously from 11:30 A.M. until 9:00 P.M., and delivery is offered on weekdays in the off-season. People always
hang around The Pit, killing time and
meeting friends. See our Nightlife and
Water Sports chapters for more about
The Pit.
Dirty Dicks Crab House $$
US 158, MP 9, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 480-3425
www.dirtydickscrabs.com
The litany of crab choices at Dirty Dicks
Crab House reminds us of Bubba's roster
of shrimp in Forrest Gump. There are
snow crab legs, soft-shell crab sandwiches, spiced crabs, crab cakes, and
steamed crabs, plus steamed shrimp,
clams, clam chowder, gumbo, jambalaya,
and Cajun creole. The popular Dick Burger
is a crab and shrimp patty with Cajun
sauce. There are sandwich platter specials
and offerings for the kids. You can purchase Dicks special spice and famous
Dirty Dicks T-shirts. Crustaceans are
cooked to order for takeout. This location
of Dirty Dicks is a sit-down restaurant. A
Dirty Dicks on the Beach Road offers
takeout only. Dirty Dicks has a third Outer
Banks location-a sit-down crab house
restaurant-on North Carolina Highway 12
in Avon, by the Avon Pier. All locations are
open seasonally; call for hours.
Dare Devil's Authentic Pizzeria $
NC 12, MP 9, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6330, (252) 441-2353
This pizza parlor has been in business for
more than a decade and is known for its
superb stromboli and hand-tossed pizzas.
Chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, nachos,
Greek salads, and pizza bread also are
available here, as are subs and salads.
Dare Devil's has four types of beer on tap
served in frosty glass mugs. The interior is
low-key, with laminated tables and a long
bar where you can eat. A big-screen TV in
the corner usually is tuned to whatever
hot sporting event happens to be going
on. You can also order any item for takeout. Dare Devil's is open seven days a
week for lunch and dinner from March
through November.
Mama Kwan's Grill and Tiki Bar $$
US 158, MP 9 1/2, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-7889
www.mamakwans.com
Mama Kwan's is a favorite surf-style hangout in Kill Devil Hills, a haven of good food
sandwiched between McDonald's and
Pizza Hut on French Fry Alley in the
cedar-shake building. The atmosphere is
laid-back and fun, with classic and current
surf videos and occasional Elvis movies
playing on TVs. Children are welcomed
with a special menu and toys to keep
them entertained. Mama's features local seafood, land
food, and veggies with touches from
some of the world's best surf spots.
There's blackened Hawaiian chicken seasoned with Jamaican and Hawaiian spices
in a rum butter sauce with pineapple
mango salsa, pad Thai and rice noodles,
California-style fish tacos, and Outer
Banks crab cakes. Mama recommends the
Special Occasion Pasta: penne with red
peppers, shiitake mushrooms, snow peas,
and scallions in a soy cream sauce with or
without tuna. The full bar serves beer,
wine, and specialty frozen drinks in novelty glassware. Lunch and dinner are
served daily. This is a popular nighttime
hangout, and a late-night menu is served
every night in season and on weekends in
the off-season (see our Nightlife chapter).
Peppercorns $$
Ramada Plaza, NC 12, MP 9 1/2
Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-2151
With a wide, open dining room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Peppercorns has a
traditional family menu with something for
everyone. Chef Greg Sniegowski prepares many
Outer Banks favorites, including locally
caught shrimp and crab cakes. The soup
du jour is always filling and delicious.
Entrees include chicken stuffed with crab
meat, andouille sausage, and smoked
gouda cheese and jerk mahimahi served
with a mouthwatering pineapple sweet-
and-sour sauce. Vegetarian entrees are
always provided. There's a full bar and a
children's menu. Peppercorns provides
take-out food and room service for
Ramada guests. This restaurant is open
daily year-round for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. There's nightly entertainment in
season on the outdoor tiki deck and in the
lounge. Peppercorns is a popular spot for
banquets and wedding receptions.
Pigman's Bar-B-Que $
US 158, MP 9 1/2, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6803
www.pigman.com
Bill and Jen Ulmer are the owners of Pig-
man's, known for its delectable food.
Daisy Q, their potbellied pig, likes the kids
to visit her at the Pigman's on sunny
days. At this counter-service eatery, you
can get beef, pork, chicken, and barbecue. Try the low-fat creations: catfish,
turkey, and tuna barbecue. Each dinner
comes with coleslaw, hush puppies, and
baked beans and is served on disposable
plates with plastic utensils. The sweet
potato fries here are spectacular. You can
purchase all four Pigman barbecue sauces
and Pigman meat rub at the restaurant.
Catering is available. Pigman's is open for
lunch and dinner seven days a week, year-
round. Piggy Lou's Little Squealers is a
special menu for those younger than age
10 or older than age 65. A second location
in Duck (by Carolina Outdoors) is open for
carry out only.
Flying Fish Cafe $$
US 158, MP 10, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-6894
www.flyingfishcafe.net
This delightful restaurant serves an array
of American and Mediterranean dishes.
The interior is spruce green and adobe
white with purple accents, and color photographs grace the walls. Brightly colored
tablecloths adorn each table, illuminated
by sconce wall lights crafted from wine
boxes and by candles set in the center of
each table or booth. Chefs at Flying Fish make their own
pasta daily and offer an assortment of
seafood, vegetarian entrees, and a variety
of unusual grains and starches. Gourmet
pot pies, eggplant parmesan, at least four
types of fresh fish, and exceptional beef
dishes are always on the menu. All entrees
come with a starch of the day, vegetables,
and just-baked bread, including focaccia.
Appetizers include baked spinach parmesan pie with wild mushrooms and bacon,
topped with golden fried oysters, and Thai coconut shrimp bisque. At dessert time,
can you resist the Grecian Urn, a waffle
filled with ice cream and topped with
glazed fresh fruit and whipped cream?
Chocoholics will love the Chocolate Hurricane, a flourless chocolate brownie with
mousse and a liquid chocolate center,
wrapped in a white and dark chocolate
shell topped with ganache and completed
with a white chocolate flying fish jumping
out of the top. The Flying Fish Cafe has won several
Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence.
More than 40 types of wine are served
either by the bottle or by the glass. A children's menu also is available. Early-bird
dinner specials are served from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M.The Flying Fish is open for dinner
every day year-round. Reservations are
recommended.
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