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Places to eat in Hatteras/Frisco/Buxton area. The
one great thing about eating South of the Bonner Bridge is that there are
no chain eateries (that is if you don't count the DQ and the one Subway)
all the places are locally owned and very unique to the island. We have
been to most; these are our favorites: (presented in no particular order)
Eats
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Gingerbread House
Bakery in Frisco on Rt12 - (252) 995.5204. Eat in, Take
out, Delivery. 
We go to
Gingerbread a lot for pizza – so far, we agree with their sign “the
island’s best pizza”. They also have a small salad bar with fresh
ingredients and (even better) dark green leafy vegetables, not just the
usual tasteless iceberg. It’s a good value too, but they are not open on
Sundays. The baked goods are also good eats and my favorite is the
gingerbread or maybe one of their chocolate brownies. Island Secret - We have also been the lucky
recipients of the bakery’s closing time disposal program whereby they
sometimes pack up sweeties in a box and send them out the door with us –
sure they have probably reached their expiration (or close to it) but the
divers on our boat never know the difference!
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 Hatterasman Drive-In
- (252) 986-1005 - Hatteras Village Rt12 and Eagle Pass- This Icon of Hatteras eating has changed
owners a few times over the years and therefore the menu has changed as
well. This has again happened and the new owners, the Millers,
have taken it back
to the origins and once again do a great burger along with some other very
good choices. The fresh fish sandwiches (always local caught fish)
are a huge hit with us, plus
every sandwich comes with those tasty shoestring fries that are "just
right crispy". They have added ice cream treats and really
great milkshakes to the menu as well. This is a perfect place to get your quick lunch
and then get back on the beach - good $ value and good eats! |
| Harbor Deli
- Located at Hatteras Harbor Marina right in the village,
they make some great sandwiches –
you can pre-order and pick up before going out on the boat by calling
252-986-2500. The deli has just been remodeled with with new seating
and even A/C on the deck so you can enjoy the view of the harbor while
enjoying the food! |
| Frisco
Sandwich Company - This sandwich shop just opened up in
June of 2009 in the old Sooeys BBQ space, which is on Rt 12 just across
from the entrance to the NPS campground/ramp 49 and the Billy Mitchell
airstrip. The Frisco Sandwich Company opens early for some
breakfast items and serves up wraps, panini, subs and salads all made with
fresh and local ingredients. They include some tasty fresh made
potato chips with most orders. You can get ready made sammys and fresh
made side dishes from the cooler or order off the menu to eat in or to
go. We have eaten there many times since they opened and have had good
eats on each visit. Good attitude from the folks serving but I am
not sure I buy into the "Pete the Pickle" thing just yet,
perhaps I need some proof beyond the great tasting pickles that came with
our meals... Check out their
website for info and menu. |
| Billfish
Bar & Grill - The restaurant was the Teach Lair
restaurant and is brand new for the 2013 season so we will have a
review posted after eating there. It is built on the site of the old
fish house and has a great view and you can
dine overlooking the marina and the sound. It is located right at
Teaches Lair Marina. |
| Breakwater
at
Oden's Dock - The original upscale restaurant in Hatteras Village.
The menu is a bit limited but everyone will find something to enjoy and the food is consistently good with prices
that average out to around $30 per diner.
The dining room is somewhat small and the wait can be long for a table on
the weekend so I have eaten at the bar many times without having to wait -
same food, just sitting on a bar stool. You can also wait on the
outside deck that overlooks the marina while enjoying a glass of wine. |
| Dinky's
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252-986-2020 - Located right in the middle of Hatteras Village upstairs at the Village Marina,
Dinky's serves a very good dinner and always has an excellent special-of-the-day along with soup-de-jour that is often unique and delicious.
They also have some of the best crab cakes on the OBX and I know my crab
cakes. Friday night is usually prime rib night if you are a carnivore.
Nice view out over the harbor and great sunsets along with a good
selection of beer and wine to round out your meal. This newer
restaurant is very popular with the locals and is a moderate cost on par
with the Breakwater. They will grill up your personal catch for a reasonable
cost too. |
| Rusty's
Surf and Turf - 252-995-4184 - Located in Buxton,
Ocean side, at the entrance to Buxton Center they serve up dinner with a
very good selection of well prepared dishes. I have eaten here
several times and tried a variety of different items and each was
exceptionally good. The Hereford steak was cooked exactly right with
a perfect balance of seared outer and tender center to an exact medium
just as ordered. The scallop dish - Beach Bum Scallops - was
equally well executed. The scallops were cooked to perfection then
served with a sauce that was both original and extremely tasty. The
dish came with sides of perfectly cooked veggies and mashers that made
the meal complete. I have also tried several of the appetizers and
found them all really good, with the coconut Mahi fingers being my
favorite. Wait staff has been very attentive and knew the menu
well. Even the owner Rusty (yes he really exists) stopped at the
table to make sure things were OK. This restaurant is a welcome addition to the dining choices and you will not go wrong with a
dinner here. I think Rusty has raised the bar for Hatteras
dining.
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| Buxton Munch
Company - 252-995-5502 - Yes, walk back into time (the 1970's) when you step in the
Munch but enjoy the ambience, the food, and the super-friendly owners. This sandwich shop
is located in the Buxton Center on Rt 12. The Munch serves a
variety of really good lunchtime eats; however, don't go there if you need
fast food because everything is made to order and well worth the wait. Their wraps are super and
served with fresh made tortilla-strip chips and the best salsa we've tried on
Hatteras Island (Marcy - sell this by the bottle, girl).
One of my favorite sides is their beans and rice served up with some
Crème Fresh - yum! The fish comes from local
stock and is cooked in your choice of methods into salads, wraps, sandwiches or
dinner platters and is all consistently delicious. This is an excellent choice for lunch, but not open on the weekends
and only one night a week for dinner.
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 Capt.
Rolo's - Finally,
after sitting vacant for several years, the former Bubba's BBQ spot is morphed
into a restaurant that would make Bubba proud even though he would never
recognize the interior of the place now. Like most true good eats this side of Oregon
Inlet (and I'm thinking of the Buxton Munch and the Hatterasman), don't be
fooled by the building exterior. This place had a complete makeover
inside, is really nice and clean, and has a full service bar. The menu is pretty
standard for this area and we will get around to trying out the various
menu offerings; however, you can't go wrong with the
fish-of-the-day. I had the flounder basket - a nice large flounder
with tasty coleslaw and fries as well as the ubiquitous "golf-ball"
hush puppies. Rolo's has excellent, friendly service and our food
has always come out fairly quick. Capt. Rolo's is located in Frisco,
53060 Hwy 12, sound side on Rt 12. |
| Teach's
Island Bar and Grill - Located in the Village at Slash Creek
in the old Channel Bass spot, this is a new location for this
restaurant for 2013. They had been at Teach's Lair Marina, but
outgrew that space and have moved to this location. Same good
food and much easier parking with still a nice view.
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| Cafe 12 - Located in the Food Lion S/C in Avon, this small
restaurant used to have the weird name of "The Pickled Steamer".
Name was changed along with the owners about 3 years ago and they moved to
more space a few doors down. They specialize
in a variety of unique wraps and "flattops" which are sort of
like a personnel pizza, but not a pizza at all.
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Treats |
| Uncle Eddie’s
in Buxton is hands-down the best, sound side middle of Downtown
Buxton. Eddie's has superb milkshakes of all flavors and creamy
custard in primary and flavors of the day all made right on the premises. The
Hatteras Hurricane can
contain an endless variety of additives - after all "there are no
rules here". A coffee house and reading room
as well as mini-golf course round out the fun (coffee is good too!). |
| Scotch Bonnet Fudge -
Look out insulin; you are in for a sugar avalanche. Featured on Food
TV, this fudgery (?) has many Unbelievably good flavors;
strawberry, pumpkin, OMG. This is nothing like the quickie nestles fudge
you make to bring to the office holiday party. Once you try this nirvana,
you too will drift into a heightened state of well-being. Scotch Bonnet
also has a wide variety of other treats, but what's the point? Indulge. Located in the very bright
(and ugly, I mean, please!) yellow building with red trim on the sound side
Rt 12 at the Scotch
Bonnet Marina in the north end of Frisco. Stop in and get a pound
for the ride home - it won't make it there... |
| Hatteras SnowBalls
has moved from sound side in Frisco to ocean side further north, just up the
road. Their name says it all, nothing like shaved ice and sticky sweet syrup
but also has good ice-cream. |
| Robinson General Store
in Hatteras has a variety of packaged treats, Klondike and Dove bars, plus
adult beverages of the fermented variety a plenty. |
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Other
essentials |
| Orange Blossom Bakery -
The Orange Blossom is open in the mornings for breakfast pastry and has some
very good biscuit sandwiches. The house specialty is the "apple
ugly" which is worth a try for sure, and is even good the second day
(yes, we have bought day old uglies and ate every crumb). Located in Buxton on
12, sound side. |
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Sand Bar and Grill - The
emphasis here is on the Bar. Food is typical bar fare with a full
dinner menu as well, but the beer
is cold and they stay open late. Smoking used to be abundant and apparently
encouraged but changed with the new NC law on smoking. Relocated (thanks to Isabel) to a larger building
that used to be the Soundside restaurant in south Buxton. It
actually was more fun at the old location that got blown away in the
storm.
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| Dancing Turtle Coffee
House - In Hatteras Village next to Sonny's, Great Coffee and morning
snacks. |
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Groceries
There are basically three choices; Burris Red&White in Hatteras Village for essentials along with Connors
in Buxton but you will get an increased selection of groceries if you go
up to Food Lion in Avon. |
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The American Boy's Club is in Buxton in the
same center as Buxton Munch, Beer and Wine available everywhere. The
Robinson General and Food Lion both have a pretty good wine selection and
the Burris has a whole isle full of your choice of beers. |
