INEXPENSIVE FOODIE THINGS TO DO IN OBX
We love to eat so we loved finding Foodie things to do in OBX. We also love to find places to eat that don’t cost an arm and a leg when we’re on vacation. One of the great things to do in the Outer Banks is enjoy cheap eats. Great food with reasonable prices abound and as semi-foodies, we love the options available in OBX.
Are there other restaurants available for more refined palettes with posh atmospheres in OBX, well of course there are. However, for the purpose of this post, we’re just sharing the best spots we’ve found that allow us to just come off the beach and grab some tasty grub.
Foodie Things To Do In OBX: Our Favorite Seafood Joints
You can’t drive five miles in OBX without hitting a seafood place. Of course, budget and preference are going to play a big role in deciding on where you eat. We grew up on seafood shacks along the Carolina coast so we prefer that kind of meal when we head to the beach. If you haven’t experienced the true southern delight of a local-yocal restaurant before, you are in for a treat. Here are our personal favorites.
Landing Grill & Seafood Steam Bar at Wanchese Marina
This little waterside gem serves all three meals and has one of the best fried shrimp baskets around. The menu is reasonably priced and everything comes out hot and fresh. The cold plates are perfect for lunch and the fish basket is one of my favorite things they serve. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Tortuga’s Lie in Nags Head
This is one of the more famous restaurants in OBX and it’s easy to taste why that is. The Caribbean inspired menu is expansive with everything from local fried fish and chips with a honey jerk dip to vegetarian options. Conch fritters are my favorite appetizer and the Coco Loco Chicken is delicious. We haven’t had anything here that disappoints and this is an iconic foodie thing to do in the Outer Banks.
Fish Heads Bar and Grill in Nags Head
Sit on the oceanfront and enjoy the pier views of the waves breaking on the beach while you enjoy a tasty little nosh. I tend to get the coconut shrimp basket and Dhubs gets the fried fish basket. Of course, you can get the key lime pie for dessert. Enjoy a hard lemonade or variety of beers on tap along with some live music most evening.
Foodie Things To Do In OBX: Our Favorite Breakfast Joints
Bob’s Grill in Kill Devil Hills
I love Eggs Benedict but I really love Crab Cake Benedict from Bob’s. The eggs are fried instead of poached which isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but it suits me just fine. It’s a local spot that serves breakfast and brunch. They have just about anything a southerner could want on a breakfast menu except for liver mush but we’ll let that one slide because the rest of the menu is pretty spot on.
Art’s Place in Kitty Hawk
This cute little waterfront place serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we love their breakfast. The omelets are perfectly cooked and the breakfast sandwiches are perfect paired with fresh fruit or sliced tomato. French toast, sausage gravy & biscuits, or a traditional egg and meat breakfast are all available and everything is pretty darn tasty.
Shelia’s Carolina Kitchen in Waves
Try the Carolina wrap or the big rig for a nice mix of southern flavors. Most of the breakfast items here are hardy and leave you feeling “fat and happy” as my nana used to say. You can get breakfast fajitas, pancakes or French toast and none of the entrees are over $10.00.
Foodie Things To Do In OBX: Our Favorite Dessert Spots
Duck Donuts
Duck, NC is home to the original Duck Donuts store, and let me tell you, these donuts are melt-in-your-mouth-smack-your-mama good. You walk in and are immediately greeted with the sensational smell of donuts cooking. There are a ton of options and the staff is friendly and will happily help you pick out an option that suits your taste.
I always check out the menu online first because there are really good seasonal options and we order online and pick them up at the shop. Sometimes we just go in and wing it or ask the the staff what “build your own” donuts they like. All their donuts are made to order so they are warm and soft and full of yumminess!
What Are My Options at Duck Donuts?
They have glazes and toppings like peach cobbler, maple bacon, lemon with strawberry drizzle, blueberry crumble, peanut butter jelly, french toast, pina colada, s’mores and a ton of other combinations that make these the best donuts I have ever put in my mouth. It’s such a great place to stop and grab a treat or twelve.
Ducks puts everybody else’s donuts to shame and that’s just all there is to it. I like them so much I bought a t-shirt just so I could talk about how much I like them. Yes, it’s that good. They also have coffee beverages, frappes, and hot tea so you can enjoy a little caffeine with your sugar fix.
Surfin’ Spoon
Dhubs like the old school ice cream sandwich and I like the Macan’ Pistash’ ice cream sandwich. There are quite a few interesting flavors always available and some great seasonal options as well. This is a local dessert spot sporting some the best southern hospitality and the most charming atmosphere you can imagine. Cute, tasty and kind…what more can you ask for in a sweet treats shop?
Northern Lights Bakery in Corolla
Lemon curd cake, pastries, pies, sweet bars and cinnamon rolls are all on the menu and there’s not a single thing we’ve tried that was subpar. The aroma wafting from the front door will lure you into the shop. This place gets great reviews from locals and travelers alike for good reason.
The Foodie Things To Do In OBX Wrap Up
We know there are hundreds of great eateries in OBX and we can’t wait to try them all! We encourage you to do the same and let us know what your favorites are. If you are looking for adventurous things to do and pair with your good eats in the Outer Banks, be sure to check out our Unique Things To Do in OBX post.