Manteo, NC, Restaurants

Including Restaurants Near Manteo, NC

Rest assured you will eat well on Roanoke Island. For such a small island, it has a good share of restaurants.

Manteo, NC, restaurants are found in the historic waterfront area and along the main highway; Wanchese also sports several great places to eat. Except for a few fast food chains on the main highway (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts and Subway), the rest of the restaurants on Roanoke Island are independent establishments with character you won’t find anywhere else. If you don't know this area well, the island is divided into the town limits of Manteo, the town of Wanchese and then the rest of the island that doesn't fall within those two specified areas.

Local fare at Manteo, NC, restaurants revolves around what’s the freshest: seafood. If you haven’t eaten crispy fried oysters, silky she-crab soup or the spindly legs of a soft-shell crab at a Manteo, NC, restaurant, you haven’t fully tasted this island. As a major hub for trawlers and fishing vessels, Wanchese is a serious commercial seafood center. Boats from all over bring their catches straight to the Wanchese fish houses, where the seafood is prepared for market.

But seafood isn’t all there is. This is eastern North Carolina, after all, so expect to find genuine, down-home country cooking and Carolina-style barbecue as well as fresh local produce at most restaurants on Roanoke Island. Meat eaters will not be disappointed, and most restaurants can happily accommodate vegetarians and vegans. Manteo, NC, restaurants can also boast of an expanded ethnic palate with Mexican, Chinese and Peruvian fare.

Visiting Manteo, NC, Restaurants

Most Manteo, NC, restaurants do not require dinner reservations except, possibly, the upscale 1587 Restaurant. You may have to wait a few moments for a table at some places, but the wait for restaurants on Roanoke Island will definitely be shorter than at the beach. In fact, many Outer Banks locals know that the secret to an enjoyable dinner during the busy summer months is to forgo the beach and dine at a Manteo, NC, restaurant where things are a little less crazy.

Manteo establishments can serve mixed drinks as well as beer and wine. We even have our own Manteo brewery! Most local restaurants cut back their hours in the off-season, and several take a break for a month or so in the winter. If you’re considering visiting one then, be sure to call ahead first and make sure that they’re open.

Roanoke Island Restaurants by Category or Location

Manteo Restaurants | Wanchese Restaurants | Nags Head/Manteo Causeway

Basnight’s Lone Cedar

7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Nags Head
(252) 441-5405

This Outer Banks landmark restaurant at the top of many locals’ lists of favorite places. The service is genuinely friendly, and the portions are more than generous. You’ll enjoy views of Roanoke Sound on both sides of the restaurant, including nightly sunsets. They feature only local, fresh North Carolina seafood that comes in whole and is cleaned in their state-certified fish-cleaning house, located onsite. They...read more

This Outer Banks landmark restaurant at the top of many locals’ lists of favorite places....read more

Big Buck's Homemade Ice Cream

Manteo Restaurant
207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Waterfront Shops, Downtown Manteo, Manteo
(252) 423-3118
794-F Sunset Boulevard, Timbuck II, Corolla
(252) 453-3188
1180 Duck Road, Duck
(252) 715-4467
3810 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 4.5, Kitty Hawk
(252) 715-0779
891 Albacore Street, Monteray Plaza, Corolla
(252) 597-1445

For a tasty treat, head to Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream. Choose from more than 50 flavors of made-from-scratch ice cream plus sorbet and soft serve. You can get any flavor made into a shake, split, sundae or float, even a brownie sundae – yum! Big Buck’s has an espresso bar and all the espresso-based coffee drinks you need to pick up your day. Handmade...read more

For a tasty treat, head to Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream. Choose from more than...read more

Carolina Bar-B-Que Company

Manteo Restaurant
908 U.S. Highway 64, Manteo
(252) 305-8844

If you love authentic pit-cooked eastern North Carolina barbecue, this is your place. On Highway 64 close to the Dare County Government Complex, Carolina Bar-B-Que Company serves house-smoked barbecue sandwiches or plates with slaw, potato salad, house-cut fries and hushpuppies. Owner and chef Mike Weaver also offers smoked chicken, burgers, Nathan's hot dogs, fried shrimp, clam strips, flounder and Brunswick stew. Wash it down with...read more

If you love authentic pit-cooked eastern North Carolina barbecue, this is your place. On Highway...read more

Darrell’s Restaurant

Manteo Restaurant
521 S. U.S. Highway 64, Manteo
(252) 473-5366

Darrell’s is a family-style seafood restaurant that’s a locals' favorite and has been operated by the Daniels family for more than five decades. It dates back to 1960 when Darrell Daniels started the Polar Bear Drive-In. When the second generation came on board in 1972, the family changed the focus to a seafood restaurant and renamed it Darrell's Seafood Restaurant. Now the third generation is...read more

Darrell’s is a family-style seafood restaurant that’s a locals' favorite and has been operated by...read more

Garden Deli & Pizzeria

Manteo Restaurant
512 S. U.S. Highway 64, Manteo
(252) 473-6888

This friendly neighborhood takeout restaurant is a Roanoke Island favorite for delicious New York-style, hand-tossed pizzas that are loaded with toppings. They also serve appetizers, wings, cheese steaks, salads  deli sandwiches, paninis, burgers, salads and delicious desserts like Hershey Bar cake and cheesecake. Garden is open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. Call ahead or order online for take-out. Or have your order delivered...read more

This friendly neighborhood takeout restaurant is a Roanoke Island favorite for delicious New York-style, hand-tossed...read more

Lost Colony Tavern

Manteo Restaurant
208 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo
(252) 423-3033

For locally brewed beers and perfectly accompanying British pub-style cuisine, head to Lost Colony Tavern in downtown Manteo. The tavern offers a wide range of dishes for all tastes, ranging from British favorites like Welsh Rarebit, Fish & Chips, Scotch Eggs, Bangers & Mash and Cottage Pie to burgers, salads crab cakes and shrimp and grits. The Full Moon Crab Dip from this restaurant's predecessor is,...read more

For locally brewed beers and perfectly accompanying British pub-style cuisine, head to Lost Colony Tavern...read more

NouVines

Manteo Restaurant
105 Budleigh Street, Manteo
(252) 339-1634

Downtown Manteo finally has a wine bar! It's a cozy, comfortable place with the slightly urban feel of a remodeled historic downtown building, in this case the restored Fearing building on Budleigh Street, just across from the old courthouse. It's a nice place for a date, pre-event drinks and bites, a lingering lunch with a friend or even late-night fun (yes, in Manteo being open...read more

Downtown Manteo finally has a wine bar! It's a cozy, comfortable place with the slightly...read more

Outland Seafood

7463 U.S. Highway 64/264, Manns Harbor
(252) 473-2860

A locals' favorite for fresh seafood, Outland Seafood is perfectly situated for picking up fresh, local seafood on your way to the Outer Banks from the west. Located in Manns Harbor, very close to the foot of Virginia Dare Bridge, stop here to pick up crabs, fish, shrimp and shellfish. Depending on the season (because this is fresh-caught seafood), you might find blue crabs, soft-shell crabs...read more

A locals' favorite for fresh seafood, Outland Seafood is perfectly situated for picking up fresh,...read more

Roanoke Island Market

Manteo Restaurant
207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo
(252) 473-1914

Acai bowls and fresh-pressed juice in Manteo? Yes, it's true! Roanoke Island Market is the place for coffee, juice, smoothies, toasts, salads, paninis, acai bowls and fresh-baked goods and bread in downtown Manteo. If you're familiar with the tasty, healthy offerings at Freshfit Cafe in Nags Head, you'll be glad to know that this is a sister restaurant from the same owners. Roanoke Island Market...read more

Acai bowls and fresh-pressed juice in Manteo? Yes, it's true! Roanoke Island Market is the...read more

The Landing Grill

Wanchese Restaurant
4447 Mill Landing Road, Wanchese
(252) 473-3247

Serving quick eats and Southern favorites, The Landing Grill is in Wanchese and conveniently located on Mill Landing Road (also known as N.C. Highway 345) on the harbor side. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Landing menu items include biscuits and breakfast foods, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, tasty sandwiches and subs, homemade chicken salad and a variety of other salad plates, wings and more....read more

Serving quick eats and Southern favorites, The Landing Grill is in Wanchese and conveniently located...read more