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Home >
Restaurants > Where to eat > Topsail
Island/Hampstead/Burgaw
Topsail Island
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The southern coastal region presents an abundance of great
places to eat. A complete listing of the region's restaurants and
eateries could fill an entire book. This chapter offers a sampling of
what's available in each area. If your favorite restaurant isn't listed
here, it may be because it's among the many fine restaurants that are
impossible to miss because of reputation or location. We've made a
special effort to include the more out-of-the-way places that shouldn't
be missed, along with some obvious favorites. Please keep in mind that
restaurants may frequently change menu items, hours of operation or
close after this book goes to press. Call ahead to verify information
that is important to you.
The Atlantis Restaurant
$$-$$$
2000 New River Inlet Rd., North Topsail Beach
(910) 328-2002 |
On the ground floor of the St. Regis Resort,
guests enter a glass elevator and ride straight to the seventh floor. Up
top, floor-to-ceiling windows offer a fantastic, one-of-a-kind view of
Topsail Island's northern strand. There are several creative appetizers and
entrees on the menu as well as seafood, steaks and pasta. A children's menu
is also available. The Atlantis can easily accommodate large groups and is
an ideal location for special events. The restaurant has full ABC permits,
and reservations are recommended. The Atlantis is open every day for dinner
during the summer season.
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The
Beach Shop and Grill
$-$$
701 S. Anderson, Topsail Beach
(910) 328-6501
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Sit at the counter or slide into a booth and
enjoy a cooling fresh-squeezed orangeade. Popular for breakfast and lunch,
The Beach Shop and Grill serves burgers, hot dogs, salads and club
sandwiches in a casual dining room complete with folding card tables and
chairs. Dinner is served only during the summer and entrees range from $15
to $30. Beer and wine are available, and you can eat in or take-out.
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Bella Luna
Restaurant
$$$
790 New River Inlet Rd., N. Topsail Beach
(910) 328-0504
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An upscale oceanfront bistro, Bella Luna
serves authentic Italian cuisine. Special menu items include a
prosciutto-and-sage–wrapped grouper with shrimp and a veal
saltimboca featuring delicate layers of veal, prosciutto and fontina
cheese finished with a sage Madeira sauce. Bella Luna also serves a
variety of pastas, chicken dishes and steaks. Enjoy a tropical
cocktail at their cabana bar or choose a fine bottle of Italian wine
with dinner. Lunch and dinner are served. The restaurant is located
at Villa Capriani Resort, one mile north of the high-rise bridge.
Bella Luna is family friendly and offers a children's menu.
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Crab Pot
$-$$
508 Roland Ave., Surf City
(910) 328-5001 |
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Southern low-country and Caribbean cuisine are
what you'll find at the Crab Pot. Specialties of the house include spicy
seafood gumbo, jerk chicken, ribs smothered in sauce, oysters on the half
shell and Key lime pie. The screened-in dining room and bar offers great
old-time Topsail fun. Food can be packaged to go, and a children's menu is
available. The Crab Pot has a full bar, shaker cans and Beach music. Shag
lessons are offered on summer evenings. The Crab Pot is closed from
Thanksgiving until March.
Crabby Mike's
$-$$
121 S. Topsail Drive, Surf City
(910) 328-4331
Bright blue walls, splashes of lime green and lots of beach-themed art
create a cool island vibe inside Crabby Mike’s. Their lunch menu features
homemade soups and chowders, Angus burgers, grilled turkey burgers and
Crabby BLTs. Fresh local steamed shrimp and crab legs are always a popular
choice for dinner, as are their homemade crab cakes. In addition to the full
menu, Crabby Mike’s offers a chalkboard full of seasonal specials. Beer and
wine are available at the Tiki Bar. Crabby Mike’s is open for lunch and
dinner Tuesday through Sunday during the summer. Give them a call for their
off-season hours.
Daddy Mac’s Beach Grille
$$$
108 N. Shore Dr., Surf City
(910) 328-5577
This oceanfront restaurant is a favorite with locals.
The restaurant’s ocean views and covered deck, warm wood tones and terra
cotta color scheme create an instantly inviting atmosphere. Daddy Mac’s
serves steaming bowls of Cajun jambalaya, tender Caribbean crab cakes, fresh
grilled seafood, tasty ribs, pasta and steaks. Daddy Mac’s menu features
appetizers, soups, salads and sandwiches, and daily specials are offered.
The full bar serves mixed drinks and domestic and imported beer and wine. A
children’s menu is also available. The restaurant has an elevator and is
handicapped accessible. Daddy Mac's opens nightly at 5 PM. Reservations are
not accepted.
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'EM
'R' Wings
$$
1016 Old Folkstone Rd.,
Sneads Ferry
(910) 327-2848
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Pub-style appetizers, side orders, salads and
sandwiches complement the specialty of the house — buffalo wings, served
mild, medium or hot. This is a fun and cozy place to enjoy a bite. Meal
choices of ribs or steak are also available. Bar seating is separate from
the dining room. Take-out orders are welcome. EM 'R' Wings has a full bar
and is open all year.
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Green Turtle Restaurant
$$-$
310 Fulchers Landing Rd., Sneads
Ferry
By water: New River Channel Marker 17
(910) 327-0262
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This cafe on the bay overlooks the picturesque
New River and specializes in seafood, steaks and pasta. The Green Turtle
offers creative entrees such as shrimp diablo, linguine pescatore and Cajun
oysters. Family-friendly, the Green Turtle offers a children's menu and
is open daily. The restaurant has all ABC permits, and reservations are
suggested.
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Holly
Ridge Smokehouse Restaurant
$
511-A U.S. Hwy. 17, Holly Ridge
(910) 329-1708 |
The specialty of the house is the slow-cooked
barbecue, a favorite with eastern North Carolina barbecue lovers. Open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner, this well-known restaurant offers home-cooked
food. A children's menu is available. Holly Ridge Smoke House is open year
round, but is closed Mondays.
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Home Port Restaurant &
Pub
$$
718 S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach
(910) 328-7000
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Everyone will feel right at home in the warm
and cozy dining room at Home Port Restaurant & Pub, Topsail Beach’s
newest eatery. The theme here is definitely and deliciously Italian. The
chicken, meatball or sausage parmigiana sandwiches are lunchtime
favorites, along with burgers, great subs and fresh salads. The dinner
menu includes homemade lasagna, baked ziti, chicken Marsala, shrimp
Alfredo, pasta, pizza and calzones. Home Port has all ABC permits, and
the lively pub side of the building has pool tables, a wide-screen TV
and live entertainment on Saturday nights.
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Indigo Marsh
$$$
602-B Roland Ave., Surf City
(910) 328-2580
Indigo Marsh offers uptown-style,
cutting-edge cuisine and a fabulous view of the Intracoastal Waterway. The
seasonal menu offers creatively prepared fresh fish and seafood along
with chophouse-style Angus steaks. With a good selection of spirits and
wines, everyone at your table will be pleased, and the waterfront deck is
perfect for lazy summer evenings. Indigo Marsh serves a wonderful Sunday
brunch buffet with omelets, pancakes, shrimp & grits and fresh-baked
pastries. It is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, and brunch is
served on Sunday. Reservations are recommended.
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Island
Delights
$
312 N. New River Dr., Surf
City
(910) 328-1868
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Return to the 1950s and the days of the soda
shop with a trip to Island Delights. The eatery specializes in burgers,
sandwiches and fries, as well as fountain-style ice cream, milk shakes and
sundaes. Vacationing families enjoy returning here year after year for their
evening ice cream treats. It's closed in the winter.
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Long
Island Pizza
$-$$
610 N. New River Dr., Surf
City
(910) 328-3156
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The name says all — Long Island Pizza makes
great New York–style pizza. It's hard to choose between all of their
specialties, including Margherita pizza, calzones, stromboli, eggplant
Parmigiana, manicotti or baked ziti. If tiramisu is on the menu when you're
there, be sure to order it. Beer and wine are available. You can eat in,
take-out or have your meals delivered to your door. It's closed on Sunday
and Monday and during the winter from Thanksgiving until March.
Lo-Re-Lei
$
1019 Old Folkstone Rd., Sneads Ferry
(910) 327-0900
If you are hunting for a juicy homemade hamburger and a tall cold one,
head to Lo-Re-Lei’s behind the Big Shark at Four Corners. Daily lunch
specials run $4.95 and include tax and sweet tea. Calabash-style seafood and
hand-cut steaks are on the dinner menu. Enjoy mid-week Karaoke, pool and
dart tournaments, or kick it up a notch on weekends and check out the live
bands and drink specials, including chilled Jägermeister on tap. Lo-Re-Lei
is open daily at 11 AM.
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Mainsail Restaurant & Bar
$$-$$$
404
Roland Ave., (corner of N.C. Hwys.210 and 50), Surf
City
(910)
328-0010
www.bluemainsail.com |
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Mainsail Restaurant's well-balanced menu will
satiate even the most famished travelers, fishermen or golfers. Try the
grilled fish with a variety of savory sauces like spicy chipotle and creamy
dill. Or try the Maryland crab cakes, steaks, pastas and homemade desserts.
Enjoy the views from the Sunset Room while sipping a glass of wine or
enjoying a cocktail from their well-stocked bar. Reservations are
recommended, and take-out is accommodated. It's open daily, year round, for
dinner.
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Max's
Pizza
$-$$
602A Roland Ave., Surf
City
(910) 328-2158 |
This casual and friendly restaurant located just
over the swing bridge serves up pizza, spaghetti, salads, burgers and fresh
hot-oven subs, along with beer and wine. Take-out orders are welcome. It's
open year round, but it's closed on Wednesday during the off-season.
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Mollie's Restaurant
$-$$
107 N. South Shore Dr., Surf City
(910) 328-0505
www.molliesrestaurant.com |
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Start your day off with Mollie's signature Crab
Cakes Eggs Benedict or indulge your sweet tooth with Sweet Potato Pancakes.
Breakfast is served until 11 AM weekdays and noon on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you're looking for lunch, you'll be thrilled with their choices of
massive salads and sandwiches, including one of the tastiest burgers in Surf
City. In addition to the menu, numerous specials are featured each day. For
dinner Mollie's serves a wide variety of fried and broiled seafood plus
pasta, steaks and chicken dishes. For those successful fishing types,
Mollie's will even clean and cook your catch for a very reasonable fee.
Mollie's also has a nice selection of beer and wine.
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Montoro's Deli Italiano
$-$$
614 N. New River Dr., Ste. D, Surf City
(910) 328-1011
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Montoro’s Deli Italiano is all about family
tradition. Vintage family photographs adorn the walls, and the meatball and
sauce recipes have been passed down from Ray Montoro’s two great
grandmothers. They offer all of the deli standards and then some. Sandwiches
are thick and served on fresh-baked breads. Soups are hot and homemade. The
deli case is filled with overflowing platters of homemade lasagna,
meatballs, sausage, pasta salads, cured olives, and Boar's Head meats. In
addition to NY–style pizza, the dinner menu features such classics as penne
Bolognese, chicken picata, veal Sorrentino and shrimp scampi. Montoro's is
open for breakfast, lunch and dinner so “Fugedabowit” and leave the cooking
to Montoro’s.
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New York
Corner Deli
$
206 N. Topsail Dr., Surf
City
(910) 328-2808
www.newyorkcornerdeli.com |
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From da Bronx to da beach, this deli is da real
thing. New York Corner Deli serves authentic deli sandwiches piled high with
real New York City pastrami, salami and corned beef. Bite into their fresh
rye bread, bagels and homemade salads or try a slice of their New York–style
cheesecake and you will think you are in the Big Apple. The New York Deli
serves the only lox and bagel plate you will find on the island. Diners can
eat inside, outside at patio tables or call ahead for quick take-out. New
York Corner Deli hosts and caters private parties and prepares take-home
decorated deli trays and party-sized hoagies. The restaurant is open Monday
through Saturday from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Sundays from 8 AM to 5:30 PM.
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Quartermasters
Restaurant & Pub
$$$
13741 N.C. Hwy. 50, Surf City
(910) 328-3100
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Quartermasters Restaurant & Tavern serves fresh
seafood and creatively prepared American cuisine. The grilled Pork Loin
Acadia basted in a sweet molasses, whole grain mustard and garlic glaze is a
favorite, and the Causeway Crab Cakes are fresh and homemade. New York
strips and rib eyes are char-grilled to perfection, and the seafood etouffee
is loaded with shrimp, crawfish and Andouille sausage. The warm and
welcoming dining room has cozy booths and is smoke-free. The Tavern offers
daily drink specials, fine wines and spirits, imported and domestic beer and
a late-night menu. In the Tavern the wide-screen TVs are tuned to Direct
TV's sports package and there is live entertainment on Friday nights. Open
nightly at 5 PM, Quartermaster’s Restaurant & Tavern is located on the
causeway in Heritage Square. Reservations are accepted.
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Riverview
Cafe
$-$$
119 Hall Point Rd., Sneads
Ferry
(910) 327-2011
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The Riverview Cafe has been a locals' favorite
for decades. The restaurant overlooks Courthouse Bay, and diners can watch
the shrimp boats come while at the same time feasting on some of the
freshest seafood around. Plates are heaped high with fried seafood,
hushpuppies, french fries and slaw. Save room for a slice of their homemade
pie. There is a bar, separated from the dining room, that offers beer and
wine. It's open year round for lunch and dinner.
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Sears
Landing Grill & Boat Docks
$-$$
806 Roland Ave.,
Holly Ridge
(910) 329-1312
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Drive up or drop anchor at this soundside
restaurant and enjoy fresh grilled fish, soft-shell crabs, peel-and-eat
shrimp, sandwiches or the chef's famous Beach Dog. Diners can sit inside or
laze about on the waterfront porch and enjoy the view. Beer and wine are
available, and the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Sears Landing
has deep-water access with boat slips available for rent by the day, week or
month. While there you can also stock your boat with beer, soft drinks,
water and ice.
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Thai Grille
13700 N. N.C. Hwy. 50, Surf City
(910) 329-4424
www.thaigrille.com |
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Aromatic chilies, fresh lemongrass and
vibrant curries flavor the authentic Thai dishes served at Thai
Grille. Skewers of satay, handmade spring rolls, Massaman and Panang
curries are made from scratch from family recipes. Curries can be
spiced to taste and range from mild to atomic. Traditionalists will
enjoy the grilled pork loin with an Asian twist or the Bangkok NY
Strip Steak. The incredible desserts include Thai Fried Bananas,
Caramel Toffee Ice Cream and Thai Fried Donuts and Sticky Rice with
Fresh Mangoes in Coconut Milk. Thai Grille has a full bar, wine list
and a nice selection of beer on tap. It is open for lunch and dinner
Monday through Saturday and is located in the Surf City Gateway
Plaza.
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II Beauchaines
$$-$$$
211 S. Topsail Dr., Surf City
(910) 328-1888
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Shrimp and grits is a very popular dish here,
and the scallops and oysters are always a hit. The tantalizing menu also
includes flash-fried ahi tuna tempura, chicken satay, spinach and artichoke
stuffed chicken with garlic sauce, and steaks. II Beauchaines has all ABC
permits, and the upstairs dining room and bar overlook the beautiful
Intracoastal Waterway. Homemade desserts and a children's menu are
available. II Beauchaines will also cater your private party. It is open
seven days a week during the summer, and reservations are strongly
recommended. It's open Thursday through Monday during the winter months.
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Hampstead
Area |
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The
Pasta Grille
$-$$$
513 Country Club
Dr., Hampstead
(910)
270-2425
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The Pasta Grille treats diners to a variety of
interesting pasta dishes, including angel hair pasta with shrimp, penne with
chicken in pesto, and a selection of pizzas ranging from classic to Chicken
a la Rosa. The Pasta Grille also has a full bar. There are daily early bird
specials and a children's menu. The Pasta Grille has a small meeting room
and a large banquet room that holds up to 120 people. The restaurant opens
at 4 PM for dinner. Reservations are accepted, and take-out is available.
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Burgaw
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Holland's
Shelter Creek Restaurant
$$
8315 N.C. Hwy. 53 E.,
Burgaw
(910)
259-5743
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Finish off a day exploring the Pender County
countryside with a meal at Holland's. Known for its fresh seafood, Holland's
offers hearty platters with everything from frog legs and catfish to
oysters, shrimp and deviled crab platters. For those who prefer country
cooking, the restaurant offers some of the area's best barbecue and pork
chops. Dine in a rustic atmosphere with a view of the river and relax with a
cup of catfish stew or shrimp Creole. Holland's has beer and wine, seniors'
specials and a children's menu. It is open year-round for lunch and dinner. |
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To Other Area Restaurants |
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