Dining on Hatteras Island means that you can expect restaurants with originality, personality, fresh ingredients and even some secret family recipes.
The best thing about dining on Cape Hatteras is that you won’t be eating at a lot of chain restaurants where you know what sort of experience you’re going to get. Dining in Hatteras restaurants is an adventure. They reflect the laid-back personality of the island lifestyle in a variety of ways, but you can rest assured that the owners, chefs and staff are quite serious and very professional about the fare they serve and the experience they offer.
Most Cape Hatteras restaurants put a major focus on the bounty of the sea. Local menus tout Hatteras Island specialties as Gulf Stream fish (yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahi-mahi), inshore fish (trout, flounder and drum), succulent crab meat, oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and more. Restaurants will let you know what’s in season, and therefore the freshest, when you’re on the island. If it’s soft-shell crabs, don’t miss a chance to taste these delicacies! Fried seafood is no longer the staple of local menus, but you can get it if you want it. Most Hatteras restaurants feature more healthy preparations, like steaming, grilling, sautéing, blackening or broiling.
Find Every Hatteras Restaurant Here
If you’re not a seafood lover, don’t worry. Even the seafood-centric Hatteras restaurants offer a wealth of other options like beef, pasta, chicken, pork and vegetarian entrees. Hatteras restaurants aren’t seafood shacks either (though they do it so well!). You’ll find down-home North Carolina barbecue joints, Italian restaurants, plus pizza places, delis, ice cream shops and bakeries.
Meals are priced fairly on Hatteras Island, and dress is very casual. Most Hatteras eateries close for some portion of the winter, though there is always something open, even in the dead of winter, to serve the growing population of locals. If you’re dining out from November through March, it’s best to call ahead to make sure your restaurant of choice is open. We have listed the Hatteras Island restaurants alphabetically within their respective villages, from north to south, starting in Rodanthe and ending in Hatteras Village.
Hatteras Restaurants by Location or Category
Rodanthe, Waves & Salvo | Avon | Buxton & Frisco | Hatteras Village
The Mad Crabber is Hatteras Island’s original crab house; they’ve been specializing in crab legs and steamed seafood for more than 25 years. They also offer...read more
Hatteras Island’s happy spot is The Wreck Tiki Bar, located on the docks at Hatteras Landing next to the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry. The Wreck serves casual...read more
Uglie Mugs offers quite the combination of enticements — coffee, baked goods, Internet access, locally made photography, jewelry, t-shirts, mugs and beads...read more
When you think of the standard hot dogs and burger spots, modifiers that spring to mind don't usually include terms eco friendly or environmentally...read more
In need of a cool treat? The Village Conery has what you need – ice cream cones (choose from cake, sugar and waffle cones), milk shakes, floats, hurricanes...read more
Watermen’s Bar & Grill is a waterfront restaurant located in the big red building directly behind the REAL Flagship Store in Waves. They serve lunch and...read more
When hunger calls, head to Waves Market & Deli, a grocery and delicatessen in the Tri-Villages. This is a great place to grab breakfast and coffee and...read more
