Mike Gray

I’ve got a little bit of experience taste testing the various restaurants up and down the Outer Banks. For about 20 years my family and I have hit massive seafood buffets and little hole-in-the-wall burger joints. Some have been memorable and some…well…we’ve sworn we’d never return to even if our lives depended on it.

The town of Duck, most of our family would say, is our favorite spot in the Outer Banks. Its wide beaches, plentiful shopping, and unique restaurants make it hard to beat.

Here are my 6 greatest, tastiest, best grub, amazing food joints in Duck North Caroline….in no particular order:

Duck Deli

The restaurant sits toward the end of the main shopping area in Duck and right across the street from the waterfront shops. The BBQ options are excellent and you can’t go wrong with any other sandwich choices. Not too expensive and great for a quick lunch or a sit-down dinner find a seat at their outdoor “picnic garden”.

https://www.duckdeli.com/

Village Table and Tavern

Village Table is situated right on the sound side. I highly recommend getting a reservation later in the evening so you can enjoy the sunset over the Currituck Sound before you head in to eat. There is a big grassy area between the restaurant and the water where you can enjoy the live music and let the kids run around. The food and service are always top-notch. Get a little wild and order the Fried Pickle Chips. You won’t be disappointed. https://villagetableandtavern.com/

Coastal Cantina

At many high-end restaurants you feel like most of what you’re paying for is the ambiance and not the so-so food. Coastal Cantina has the ambiance, and unlike those fancy restaurants, the food is excellent. The restaurant sits on a walkway at the Waterfront Shops right on the water. Enjoy a soft taco, burrito, or a Pork Carnitas bowl at a picnic table while you’re cooled by the breeze coming off of the water. No matter where we are staying in the Outer Banks we always make a stop at Coastal Cantina. https://coastalcantina.com/

The Cookshak Fried Chicken

Cookshak is the newest restaurant on this list. We discovered it on our last solo OBX journey in 2020. We call it a solo trip because we went without the other two families we usually do the Outer Banks with. This is some amazing chicken. Fried just perfectly. Crispy in all the right places. We got the One Bird combo and then had some leftover for lunch the next day. It is right next to the well known Duck pizza spot Pizzaz Pizza. Cookshak doesn’t have their own seating area. You can either grab your grub from the window and go home or stay and eat it at the Pizzaz Pizza tables.

https://thecookshakfriedchicken.com/

Fishbone Raw Bar and Restaurant

This place is a Duck institution. Year after year they have the freshest seafood and an easy going laid back atmosphere. Nestled in with the Scarborough Lane Shoppes, Fishbone has a good number of seats but be prepared to wait for a table. We usually sit at the bar and order from there. Seats are easier to come by at the bar. https://www.fishbonesrawbar.com

Duck Duck Burgers

This burger joint is easy to miss. It is set back from the street behind Sweet T’s coffee at the entrance to the Schooner Ridge neighborhood. It is worth a stop though for a quick bite. Seating inside is very limited so don’t be surprised if you can’t find a seat. I’m going to be completely honest and the say that the service is kinda slow and the food is, while not at all bad, it’s just basic. The food and the service is not why it made this list. It is easy.

Sometimes when you’re at the beach you just need something simple. You just want something unpretencious. Something you don’t have to think about. Midway through the week we get to the point either at lunch or a dinner where we just want something regular to eat so we go grab a burger from Duck Duck Burger. (No website currently)

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