Manteo, NC, Restaurants

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 Belgian chocolate and fudge are made fresh daily, and they also accept custom orders for wedding favors, baby showers and other events. And don't forget the ice cream cake! They have a flavor for every occasion.

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 working here. Seafood is still the specialty, and locals know that Darrell’s does seafood right. The fried oysters, served with the traditional fixings of coleslaw, French fries and hush puppies, are widely touted as the best anywhere. The blackened tuna over black beans and rice is both healthy and delicious. Land food, children’s fare and light dishes are also available. Darrell's also has a wood-fired grill for barbecue. Helpings are heaping, and the desserts are delicious, if you have room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday. 

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 until 10 p.m. is considered late). The wine list features several reds, whites, roses, a sparkling option and wine cocktails, and wine flights are available if you want to sample a few. The beverage list also includes beers, including several from Lost Colony Brewery around the corner, and nonalcoholic options. Expertly built cheese and charcuterie boards are the perfect accompaniment to your drink selections. NouVines opens at 11:30 daily and closes at 10 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they close at 6 p.m. Ask about events like tastings from specific wineries. Their retail section offers wine by the bottle, jams, chocolates, teas, wine bags, t-shirts and gift items.