Manteo’s many family-friendly restaurants have menus with items to delight both adventurous and more selective eaters in your crew. Discover a new favorite type of seafood in delicious preparations of fresh catches, or stick with tried-and-true favorites in the form of fried shrimp baskets. While seafood is definitely a key player among Manteo restaurants, families can also pick up an assortment of pizza pies from pizzerias or generously stuffed sandwiches at cafes and delis, or for a memorable dining experience, take a step back to the 1950s by grabbing a burger and milkshake at a retro diner.
Featured for Your Visit
7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Nags Head
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 also serve local produce, all-natural chicken, vegetarian dishes, pasta and USDA Angus steaks. Their dedication to freshness includes their own herb and vegetable garden as well as their own crab shedders. Their wine room features thousands of bottles of wine and accompanies a roomy bar area where you can order from a bar menu, a tapas menu or the full restaurant menu. Their special occasion buffets – Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day – are hugely popular, and they also offer on- and off-premise catering for any size or type of event. In season, Lone Cedar Cafe serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays), Sunday brunch and lunch at the food truck in the parking lot Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you want a quick and delicious lunch, the Lone Cedar Cafe food truck is your ticket for local seafood sandwiches, fish boats and more (the daily menu is posted on Facebook). Lone Cedar Cafe closes between New Year's and Valentine's Day every year. Call for off-season hours.
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
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
You know the familiar golden-arched brand with a reputation for long providing the nation with hamburgers, chicken nuggets, french fries and other fast-food classics. McDonald's has a few locations on the Outer Banks, so you're never too far from a Big Mac when the craving strikes. Their convenient placement along the highway also makes stopping by easy and takes no time out of reaching your...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
A sweet little bakery and tea shop in historic Downtown Manteo, Mia's is open Thursday through Sunday mornings. Sweet and savory breakfast treats are available in the shop, including sweet potato ham biscuits, scones, coffee cake and homemade pop tarts, and of course they serve tea and coffee. You'll also find desserts like cupcakes, cookies, cakes and pies. You can special order desserts for your...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
Part of Blue Water Grill and Raw Bar, Mimi's Tiki Hut is located directly on the docks at Pirate's Cove Marina, making it the perfect place to watch the boats return at the end of the day or to enjoy a drink and a bite after a long day of fishing. Open only in the summer months, Mimi's offers live entertainment every night of the...read more
American & Family Oriented in Wanchese, NC
The O’Neal family is known on the Outer Banks for its commitment to harvesting and selling fresh seafood straight out of the sea. At their fish-house docks, where fishermen unload fresh catches nearly every day, the O'Neal's operate a retail and wholesale seafood market and lunch restaurant. Their seafood market is a trusted source for fish, crab meat and crabs, shrimp, scallops, oysters and clams. This...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
Olde Towne Creamery is known for offering the largest selection of sweets that the whole family craves – delicious premium hand-dipped ice cream, smoothies, sundaes, milkshakes, banana splits, fudge, gourmet chocolates, true Italian ice, and gourmet desserts like cannolis, triple chocolate cheesecake, caramel apple pie and over the top brownie sundaes. For those without a sweet tooth, or arriving with an empty tummy, Olde Towne Creamery...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
Ortega'z Southwestern Grill brings some cultural spice to downtown Manteo along with a little flash of star quality. The restaurant and its owners, Marcelo and Lisa Ortega, were featured in an episode of the Food Network's popular show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. The specialty of this Southwestern-inspired restaurant is sourcing local ingredients including local catch seafood, produce and even coffee. Large portions...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
You probably know what you can get at Pizza Hut – pizza, subs, Italian entrees and a salad bar. If you're looking for a late dinner, this is one of the few places on Roanoke Island to get it. The Manteo location does not offer delivery, but the Kill Devil Hills location does.read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
Poor Richard's is the local meet-and-greet neighborhood sandwich shop by day and bar by night. It has two doors, one leading from the Manteo boardwalk and another off Queen Elizabeth Avenue. You can eat inside at a booth or table or sit outside on the patio right next to the water. You order at the counter, get your drink and your number then wait for...read more
American & Family Oriented in Manteo, NC
Serving breakfast all day long plus lunch and dinner, T.L.'s offers home-style food and attracts its fair share of regular customers. The menu features rib-sticking breakfast fare, steaks and seafood, plus there are numerous lunch and dinner specials and a salad bar. The cakes and pies are homemade. The staff and the clientele of local regulars are friendly and welcoming, in true Southern fashion. T.L.'s is...read more
American & Family Oriented in Wanchese, NC
Wanchese Tiki Bar at Safe Harbor Outer Banks is a locals' favorite for fun directly on the Wanchese docks. They serve cold draft beer and wine. Get here in late afternoon (between 4 and 5 p.m.) and you'll be able to see the charter boats coming in and unloading their catches. There's live music on the weekends in the warm seasons. Johanna's at the Wanchese...read more
