Duck Restaurants including Southern Shores
For such small towns, Duck and Southern Shores have a good number of restaurants and some pretty sophisticated dining options.
Whether you want delivered pizza or upscale cuisine matched with a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, you’ll find what you’re looking for. Most Duck restaurants, like so many on the Outer Banks, stick to American fare, with an emphasis on seafood. That doesn’t mean there aren’t creative chefs here; you’ll find some very innovative preparations of seafood, meats, fresh produce and traditional ingredients. Southern Shores restaurants include several well-known chains (ever heard of a little place called Star Bucks?), a great pizza place and a wonderful gourmet foods market/cafe.
Duck restaurants can boast of three of the top food and wine destinations on the Outer Banks. You can sip coffee in a front porch rocker, have a romantic dinner with a sound view, savor wine under a canopy of live oaks, eat al fresco while listening to jazz, catch sports on a bar TV, grab a slice of pizza, lick an ice cream while feeding ducks or take the whole family out for a seafood dinner.
In the summer, when there are way more people than there are Duck restaurant seats, you may want to eat out early or late or make a reservation (where possible). The least crowded nights at Duck and Southern Shores restaurants are, surprisingly, Friday and Saturday nights. That’s because of scheduled arrivals and departures at the vacation rental companies. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are typically the busiest nights in the summer, local restaurateurs say. In the off-season, Duck dining is much more relaxed and accessible. Some restaurants close in the dead of winter, but there is always something open. Several Duck and Southern Shores restaurants are now staying open year round. Both towns have full ABC permits, so you can order beer, wine or liquor at restaurants that have those options.
We’ve arranged the Duck restaurants in alphabetical order. When they are located in a collection of shops, we give the shopping center’s name for the address; if it’s a stand-alone establishment, the address is given as Duck Road, which is the same as N.C. Highway 12. All the Southern Shores restaurants are in The Marketplace or Southern Shores Crossing, on the northern side of N.C. Highway 158, near the intersection where you turn north to head to Duck. We present them under their own section after the Duck, NC, establishments. Call the individual restaurants for information that is important to you, such as reservation policies, large group accommodations, pricing, payment options and hours of operation.
Aqua S Restaurant
- 1174 Duck Road
- Duck
- (252) 261-9700
Aqua S Restaurant reinvents regional ingredients in the village of Duck. With lunch favorites such as crab cakes, Amish Chicken, hand-rolled pasta and a damn good burger, this is a must-stop restaurant while you’re out and about in Duck. With a fabulous waterfront view, sunsets, live music and a commitment to great food, Aqua S’s sassy bar, waterside patios and tasteful interior make it a perfect lunch or dinner choice. Families are welcome, and the little people have their own menu. Sommelier Lynette Sumner romances the adults with a well-stocked wine list and cellar, while Chef Kenny Sloane and his culinary team work magic with local organic ingredients. Did I mention a spa upstairs? It really is heaven here.
Bagels to Beef Café by Tommy’s Market
- The Marketplace
- Southern Shores
- (252) 255-2888
The owners of Tommy’s Market in Duck run this restaurant in Southern Shores where you can dine in or take it to go. The bagels are fantastic and made from scratch on the premises, and there are more than a dozen cream cheese flavors. Hot coffee, cappuccino and lattes are the perfect accompaniment. For lunch, choose from salads or made-to-order deli-style sandwiches and subs with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses. Like Tommy’s Gourmet Market in Duck, this location offers lots of specialty food products, including the best selection of chocolates we’ve seen on the Outer Banks plus imported microbrews and wines and much more. And they also make incredible cakes for all occasions—weddings, birthday, anniverseries. WiFi service is available at this café, and there’s plenty of comfortable seating for hanging out.
Blue Point
- The Waterfront Shops
- Duck
- (252) 261-8090
The restaurateurs who opened The Blue Point in 1989 are known for the risk they took opening a contemporary restaurant in what was then the very remote village of Duck. In fact, it was the premiere cutting-edge cuisine restaurant on the Outer Banks. Their concept and their location worked, and 20 years later this is definitely one of the most popular restaurants on the Outer Banks. Recently expanded to nearly twice its original size, The Blue Point is lively, busy and fun, and it offers fantastic views of the Currituck Sound. The menus are creative — upscale Southern comfort food best describes it — and they change seasonally to reflect the fresh local and regional ingredients that are available. The dinner menu offers salads, soups, starters and entrees of seafood, beef, pork, duck and pasta. Lunch is civilized, with sandwiches, entrees and The Blue Point’s famous meat loaf. The wine list is extensive and well thought out to match the fare. Beer and a full bar are also available. Lunch and dinner are served daily year round. Reservations are accepted for dinner only.
Coastal Provisions Deli
- The Waterfront Shops
- Duck
- (252) 480-0024
Discriminating foodies know that Coastal Provisions Market in Southern Shores is a great place to get high-quality groceries and prepared meals. So it stands to reason that this sister deli on the Duck waterfront is equally satisfying. The deli serves salads, soups, sandwiches, stromboli and crab cakes along with beer and wine. There’s not much seating in house, just a few bar stools, but the deck offers outdoor seating and a killer view of the sound and sunsets. In the summer, come here for live entertainment on the deck. Coastal Provisions Deli opens at 11 a.m. and closes around sunset. It’s open year round.
Duck Donuts
- Osprey Landing
- Duck
- (252) 480-3304
Make a beeline for Duck Donuts, where you will find warm, delicious and made-to-order doughnuts. Duck Donuts makes its doughnuts fresh on site, and you have the option of each one being dipped in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or maple glaze then sprinkled with your favorite toppings. You can watch your doughnuts being made, then have the warm doughnuts boxed up to take home — if they make it home! Locally roasted premium Kill Devil Hills coffees, orange juice and other beverages are offered. All shops open at 7 a.m. and offer expanded hours during the summer. There are also locations in Kitty Hawk at MP 1 on the Beach Road and in Kill Devil Hills at MP 8.5 on the Bypass.
Fishbones Raw Bar and Restaurant
- Scarborough Lane Shopping Center
- Duck
- (252) 261-6991
A good place to gather your friends, Fishbones has a friendly, laid-back atmosphere that will have you lingering over a beer long after you’ve finished eating. Starters will get you going with favorites such as clams casino, wings, calamari, tuna bites and coconut shrimp. Then you can choose from amazing conch or clam chowders, salads, sandwiches, burgers, fried seafood baskets, seafood from the raw and steam bars, daily specials or entrees including fish, shellfish, beef, pasta and chicken. Many of the dishes here are Caribbean influenced. Fishbones is open for lunch and dinner daily. The bar area has TVs running for the people who are hanging out.
Sooey’s BBQ and Rib Shack
- Scarborough Faire
- Duck
- (252) 449-2271
Sooey’s BBQ and Rib Shack specializes in authentic eastern North Carolina pork barbecue, slow-smoked ribs, sliced beef brisket, pulled barbecue chicken and Southern fried chicken. All the favorite homemade sides are here too, including potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, corn bread, onion rings and killer hushpuppies. Appetizers, wings, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and kids’ favorites are also available. You can sit down and eat in the restaurant, but Sooey’s excels at take-out, prepared family meals and catered events; call ahead for large orders.
Sunset Grille and Raw Bar
- 1264 Duck Road
- (252) 261-3901
This restaurant comes by its name honestly. It’s on the Currituck Sound, perfectly oriented to those nightly sunset shows. To better enjoy the sinking sun, you can dine outdoors on the huge waterfront deck if you choose. Sunset Grille has a Caribbean theme: Jimmy Buffet and reggae music, tiki lights, colorful décor, island drinks and fare … you get the idea. It comes together as casual and fun and very family oriented. The lunch and dinner menus are focused on seafood, with many Key West and Caribbean-inspired dishes. Raw and steamed seafood, salads, chowders, a variety of appetizers, lunch entrees, burgers, sandwiches and dinner entrees of seafood, beef, chicken, pasta and ribs are available on the menu, along with tempting desserts. Sushi is served nightly. Sunset is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and later for the nightlife crowd. There is frequent live entertainment in season.
Wave Pizza Cafe
- 1190 Duck Road, Osprey Landing Shops
- Duck
- (252) 255-0375
On the soundfront at Osprey Landing Shops, The Wave Pizza Café is a family-run operation offering 28 years of culinary experience. Made-to-order pizzas with only the freshest ingredients are the specialty here, but there are also sandwiches, pizza knots, salads and fresh-baked desserts made from quality ingredients. The Wave is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and you can enjoy your meal either inside or out on the waterfront deck. Time your visit for sundown and you’ll get a free sunset show with your meal. Call to ask about the schedule for live music on the deck. Take out and delivery are available.
Baldie’s Burgers
- Duck Road, next to Kitty Hawk Kites
- Duck
- (252) 261-2660
Baldie’s is a walk-up window establishment that has become a locals’ favorite for its quick, delicious meals. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Baldie’s can satisfy all day long. For breakfast they offer egg and meat-based sandwiches on biscuits, English muffins, burritos or Texas toast plus hash browns and corned beef hash. For lunch and dinner there are hamburgers, hot dogs and cheese steaks plus onion rings and French fries. Hand-scooped ice cream is available in a great selection of flavors. Baldie’s offers outdoor seating at picnic tables. It’s open year round.
Beach Day Café
- Scarborough Lane
- Duck
- (252) 255-CAFE (2233)
Beach Day Café offers all the treats you need for enjoying your days at the beach. In the morning, stop in for your favorite coffee and espresso-based drinks, and don’t forget the Danish and baked goods to go with it. For lunch, Beach Day Café offers take-out sandwiches and deli favorites, all packed up and ready for a picnic. Come back later in the day to shop at Scarborough Lane and get an Italian ice, ice cream or frozen drink at Beach Day Café. There is no seating in this restaurant, but there is plenty of seating under the covered deck at Scarborough Lane, and some areas have a view of the sound.
Coastal Cravings
- 1209 Duck Road
- Duck
- (252) 480-0032
Coastal Cravings is the winning combination of two Duck dynamos—Coastal Provisions Market and Cravings Coffee Shop. Located next to the BP gas station in the village, this restaurant serves quick-service but high-quality breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it has the only drive-through window in town if you want to pick up coffee or meals to go. Breakfast features Cravings coffee and espresso-based drinks in addition to hearty breakfast sandwiches that range from a traditional bacon, egg and cheese to a Lobster Benedict Roll with lobster meat, ham, egg and Hollandaise. The lunch and dinner menus are the same, featuring Coastal Provisions’ famous crab cakes, fresh local seafood, steamed shrimp, fish and chips, beer and wine. The restaurant has about 40 indoor seats and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.) daily in season and for breakfast and lunch in the off season (call for hours).
Cosmo’s Pizzeria
- The Marketplace
- Southern Shores
- (252) 261-8388
Cosmo’s offers great Italian-style food that’s worth seeking out. We think the crust is dandy—perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and with just a hint of sweetness. Choose from any of their fabulous pizza concoctions or create your own. Cosmo’s also offers salads, pasta dishes, subs, beer and wine. You can eat in or take it out.
Duck Deli
- Duck Road
- Duck
- (252) 261-3354
When you’re in the mood for something different, Duck Deli offers a departure from the standard Outer Banks seafood menus. Barbecue is the specialty of the house. It’s cooked on site so just follow your nose to the rich, smoky aromas. Duck Deli makes North Carolina-style pork barbecue and Kansas City-style beef and chicken barbecue with red sauce along with ribs, chicken and wings. The full range of traditional sides and salads is here, including baked beans and cole slaw. They also make a range of sandwiches, soups and salads. Seafood is not big on the menu, though you can get a crab cake and some of owner Ken Forlano’s stellar smoked fish to top off a Caesar salad. Duck Deli serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily in season. Everything is available for take-out. This spot has been a fixture in Duck for 20 years with the same owners. They do not serve beer or wine.
Duck Pizza Company
- Scarborough Lane Shopping Center
- Duck
- (252) 255-0099
Duck Pizza Company is the new name for Stone Oven Pizza in Duck. If you loved Stone Oven, don’t worry, the new owners are keeping things pretty much the same. The menu features creative pizza combinations, such as the West Coast Pie with olive oil, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, garlic and feta and the Southwest Pizza-Q with broiled chicken, barbecue sauce, cheddar, bacon, onion and pineapple. You can also create your own or choose from subs, calzones, stromboli, salads or wings. Eat in or take advantage of free delivery from the Hampton Inn in Pine Island to Southern Shores. It’s open for lunch and dinner daily in season.
Duck’s Cottage Coffee and Books
- On the Pond at The Waterfront Shops
- Duck
- (252) 261-5510
The front porch of this historic, cedar-shaked cottage is a great place for watching the world go by. Featuring freshly roasted coffees, espresso drinks (hot or iced), herbal teas and chai lattes, biscotti, pastries and a variety of East Coast newspapers, Duck’s Cottage has your morning covered. Browse through the captivating book selection (see our Shopping section) and sample a page or two while relaxing in one of Duck’s oldest buildings. Duck’s Cottage opens at 7 a.m. every day.
Elizabeth’s Café and Winery
- Scarborough Faire
- Duck
- (252) 261-6145
The proprietor of Elizabeth ’s Café, Leonard Logan, has an infectious passion for wine and food — and the combination of the two. With more than 1,600 wine offerings, Elizabeth’s focuses on pairing incomparable wines with the perfect foods for the ultimate palate pleaser. Logan’s efforts, with the help of Chef Brad Price, have been widely recognized by the dining industry. This restaurant has won a list of awards so long it’s impossible to list them all here; the most impressive may be the “Best Fine Dining Wine Restaurant in the United States” for 2003 by Santé Magazine. The staff makes an effort to be approachable and welcoming to all levels of wine enthusiasts. Elizabeth’s offers two seatings nightly for its six-course prix fixe wine dinners, or you can order a la carte items off the menu and make your own choices from the wine list. Reservations are recommended. You can also sample wine and champagne at the Wine Bar or taste wines in the Wine Gallery, where appetizers and wine are served amidst Chef Price’s original oil paintings.
Hawaiian Island Coffee and Ice Cream
- Osprey Landing
- Duck
- (252) 261-1666
At Hawaiian Island you can cool down with a snowball – shaved ice doused with flavored syrup – in one of an amazing number of flavors. Hawaiian Island also sells ice cream, homemade fudge, drinks, smoothies, coffee and espresso-based drinks. Take your treats down to Osprey Landing’s soundfront deck for a great view..
Left Bank
- 1461 Duck Road, The Sanderling Resort, Spa and Conference Center
- Duck
- (252) 261-8419
The Outer Banks’ most refined dining experience is found in The Sanderling Resort at the Left Bank restaurant. The name is a play on the French-inspired cuisine as well as on the restaurant’s location on the western side of the island, which affords a panoramic view of the Currituck Sound and sunsets. The interior of the intimate, 60-seat restaurant features an exhibition kitchen and sophisticated decor. Pairing food and wine is the highlight of the dining experience at the Left Bank. Chef de Cuisine, Christopher Gerster, pays careful attention to the interplay of seasonal flavors, matched with an artisan’s touch of creativity. Dinner, served nightly in high season and five nights a week in the off-season, features contemporary preparations of seafood, beef, lamb, lobster, foie gras, caviar and truffles. In addition to a five-course tasting menu, the Left Bank is also featuring a new a la carte menu that gives diners more ordering flexibility. Reservations are recommended.
Meridian 42
- Southern Shores Crossing
- (252) 261-0420
Meridian 42 serves coastal Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the flavors and ingredients from Barcelona to Rome, which both happen to lie along latitude line 42 north, inspiring this restaurant’s name. The dishes that come out of the open kitchen are made with the utmost care from the freshest ingredients possible. The seasonal menus offer creative preparations of soup, seafood, pasta, meats, produce and tapas, providing a new take on Old World cuisine. The bread and desserts, made daily, are standouts, and the wine list is excellent. Reservations are recommended. A screen-enclosed balcony atop the restaurant is great for spring, summer and fall dinners, and the restaurant or the balcony is an excellent environment for wedding rehearsal dinners and parties.
Pizzazz Pizza
- Loblolly Pines
- Duck
- (252) 261-8822
Pizzazz is a pizza favorite on the Outer Banks. They’ve been around since 1986 because they make consistently great pizza with generous toppings and the service is friendly. Choose from gourmet menu creations or stick with the traditional. Pizzazz also makes hot subs, salads and wings. You can eat in for lunch or dinner or have your pizza delivered anywhere from Southern Shores to Sanderling. Call for off-season hours.
Red Sky Café
- Duck Landing
- Duck
- (252) 261-8646
Red Sky is an inviting café with a creative menu of contemporary coastal cuisine. Chef Wes Stepp turns out some incredible fare from his wood-burning oven, including melt-in-your-mouth wood-fired pizzas, filet mignon, crispy duck and seafood. Beyond the wood-fired oven, the kitchen prepares seafood, pasta and chicken creations plus sandwiches, salads, soups, appetizers, house-baked bread and desserts. The daily specials are always worth trying. Top-quality, flavor-rich ingredients round out all the offerings, and the sides are usually as show-stopping as the featured dish. Red Sky is open for lunch and dinner, and it has a full bar with a nice wine list. Red Sky Café offers full meals to go, and they also have a “Chefs On Call” service in which they cook for you at your place.
Rita’s Ice
- The Marketplace
- Southern Shores
- (252) 441-4237
You may have seen the Rita’s Ice chain elsewhere in the country, but it’s new to the Outer Banks. This place sells cool, refreshing treats, such as Italian ices, cream ices, frozen custard and a variety of signature specialty frozen drinks and blend-ins.
Roadside Bar & Grill
- Duck Road
- Duck
- (252) 261-5729
In a charming 1930s cottage right along N.C. Highway 12, The Roadside is a Duck institution. You can dine al fresco, enjoying the sights in the heart of Duck, or settle into a booth or up to the bar in the cozy interior. The Roadside’s cuisine is contemporary, and many dishes have a decidedly Southern influence. For example, shrimp and grits with red-eye gravy is a staple on the starter menu. Fresh seafood, of course, is a highlight here. You can order from the steam bar, slurp up some fine clam chowder, sink your teeth into a fish sandwich or swoon over lobster stuffed with crabmeat. Lunch is casual, with soups, salads, sandwiches and a variety of starters. Dinner takes it up a notch with entrees of seafood, chicken, pasta and vegetarian options. The menu changes often and with every season. A full-service bar is available. Some nights in season you can catch a live jazz band playing outside at The Roadside.
Shun Xing
- The Marketplace
- Southern Shores
- (252) 261-5099
Shunxing is one of only a few Chinese restaurants on the Outer Banks. They offer the full range of Chinese specialties for taking out or eating in. You’ll find beef, pork, seafood and vegetarian entrees, soups, fried rice, noodles and delicious egg rolls. They are open for lunch and dinner.
