Ocracoke Restaurants to Try During Your Outer Banks Vacation

Ocracoke is a wonderful destination in the Outer Banks. You'll definitely be hungry after a day of traveling to get there, including a ferry to reach the island. But it's also important to learn about Ocracoke restaurants because you'll likely be on the island for a few days' vacation (even a week or two), and during that time, you'll want to eat! And eat well.

We've written up some great local spots for you to try while you're there.

These are not all the restaurants in Ocracoke, nor do we live on the island; we can't keep the list updated every week or to the minute. But we do our best to keep the information as accurate as possible, including firsthand accounts, if we've eaten there or had drinks there. Let's dig in!

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Ocracoke's Dajio

Good for: late lunch and dinner

Dajio's has a more formal-feeling restaurant inside with white tablecloths and a more casual patio outside. (Remember, you're still on an island on beach time so you can leave black tie attire at home!) It's owned and operated by Judy and Doug Eifert, a couple who met in the restaurant business and fell in love with Ocracoke after their first visit. They subsequently moved to the island and opened Dajio.

We also had a great meal there and they continuously get rave reviews from others too. It's the perfect place to treat yourselves to a memorable meal at an Ocracoke restaurant you'll remember.

The prices are reasonable, with entrees ranging from $18 for a chicken or pasta dish to $30 for seafood or the market price for the steak of the day.

They also take the farm-to-table concept to heart; they pull fresh ingredients from a garden at the restaurant every day. Doug and Judy also whole-heartedly believe in supporting their local fishing economy and keeping sustainability in mind. Also, if you catch a fish in the Outer Banks and bring it to Dajio, they'll cook it for you!

Dajio very often has live music, so be sure to check their music calendar. They don't accept reservations (it's first come, first served) and takeout is available until 8:00pm on the days the restaurant is open.

Hours: 3:00pm to 9:00pm Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

Address: 305 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Flying Melon

Good for: dinner in Ocracoke

This is one of the most popular restaurants on the island if you want a nice sit-down dinner. It's been a mainstay restaurant on Ocracoke for years. Flying Melon specializes in seafood – from fish and oysters to sushi – and their menu reflects it. They also have a bar inside. Entrees are priced between $20 to $30.

Hours: Open from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Wednesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Address: 181 Back Road, Ocracoke, NC 27960

1718 Brewing and Plum Pointe Kitchen

Good for: lunch or dinner in Ocracoke, as well as beer

Every beach town should have a great brewery! And for Ocracoke, it's 1718 Brewing. They have an Ocracoke restaurant to go with it: Plum Pointe Kitchen.

If you find it on TripAdvisor or Yelp, it's a little confusing to figure out where Plum Pointe Kitchen is. If you're walking or driving there, you won't see any sign that says the restaurant's name on the road because it's inside the brewery.

1718 Brewing

1718 Brewing served the best beer in the Outer Banks that weekend, including Lost Colony on Roanoke Island in Manteo and OBX Brewing in Nags Head. They have a solid selection of types of beers, from IPAs to stouts to sours.

There is indoor and outdoor seating if the weather is nice and you want fresh, sea-salty air. 1718 Brewing often has live music and sometimes has a weekday open mic night.

1718 Brewing Hours: open daily, from 12:00pm to 10:00pm

Address: 1129 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Plum Pointe Kitchen

If you're craving food to go with those delicious beers, go to the counter inside the brewery to order food. Follow the black sign with white letters that reads, “Plum Pointe Kitchen.” They have a solid menu, including soft pretzels, tacos, nachos, a burger, sliders, Philly cheesesteak, fish, shrimp ‘n grits, etc.

They close an hour before the brewery closes.

Plum Pointe Kitchen Hours: open daily, from 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Address: 1129 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Eduardo's Taco Stand (including Burritos)

Good for: casual breakfast and lunch in Ocracoke

We walked to get coffee elsewhere in Ocracoke but weren't feeling anything the coffee place had on their breakfast menu. We did, however, pass Eduardo's on our walk to get caffeine. So, instead of getting food at the coffee place, we said to each other, “Let's get a breakfast burrito!”

Eduardo's Taco Stand is owned and operated by Chef Eduardo Chavez, and it is super casual: it's just a food truck in a grass and gravel lot with a fenced-in area, tables, and cute island umbrellas to provide some shade. Tacos and burritos range from $7 to $15 for one to three tacos or a burrito, and they have things like ceviche, quesadillas, and burrito bowls.

The photo of our burrito may not look appealing, but it was yummy. It was a little small for $10, but that's island costs for you – they have to pay for the off-season with the profits they make in the peak season! We hope to go back here in the future for lunch. During peak season, the line can get long; it's up to you to decide if it's worth the wait.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am to 8:00pm; Sunday and Monday from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

Address: 10 Lawton Lane, Ocracoke, NC 27960

SmacNally's

Good for: waterfront lunch and dinner in Ocracoke

This is one of the only restaurants in Ocracoke that is truly on the water. SmacNally's has been a staple Ocracoke restaurant since it opened in 1999 in its great location. Eat here if you are craving food with a view of the boats coming in from a day of fishing or some going out in the afternoon.

They serve typical bar food (think: fish sandwiches and burgers with curly fries or fried onion rings) and peel ‘n eat shrimp (NC shrimp is delicious). The food at SmacNally's may not knock your socks off but you'll get a great view with a meal that fills you up. We also love that they often have live music and support local fishermen.

Hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm, daily
Address: 180 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke NC 27690

Back Porch, Ocracoke Restaurant and Wine Bar

Good for: Sunday brunch (in season) and dinner

Back Porch is a nice restaurant with a bar, screened-in porch, and inside seating. They have a seafood-forward menu with local options and some seasonal specialties. Prices range from $12 for a burger and fries to $29 for a seafood platter. Their bar offers beer, wine, and cocktails.

Hours: Open Wednesday through Saturday, 5:00pm to 9:00pm. They have a seasonal Sunday brunch from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Address: 110 Back Road, Ocracoke, NC 27690

Ocracoke Oyster Company

Good for: lunch or dinner

We had been here years before when the restaurant was under different ownership and a different name. But this time, as Ocracoke Oyster Company, we have to admit we didn't really like it. It was overpriced, and the food was not good. (We ordered tacos with rice and beans on the side and a crab cake sandwich with potato salad – none had any flavor. The redeeming thing about Ocracoke Oyster Company was our great waitress.)

Reviewers on TripAdvisor seem to like it though, so maybe we just had an off day or they were trying out a new chef in the shoulder season; we're not sure. But if we try it again, we'll stick to what's in the title: oysters! (And we'd get them raw, so there's no flavoring needed from the kitchen.)

But if you want to give it a go, try it for yourself. Maybe you'll have better luck! They also have live music some nights, which would be a definite draw for us in the future, even if to get drinks and raw oysters and listen to some tunes.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00am to 9:00pm, and Sunday and Monday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm.

Address: 875 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Howard's Pub

We arrived in Ocracoke just in time for sunset, which was around 6:30pm during our October visit. This meant that many restaurants were closing for the day shortly after we arrived. Luckily, we found Howard's Pub. It was a great choice because they have a full menu until 9:00pm. It's a relaxed, casual atmosphere with good food.

The college and sports flags and license plates everywhere add to its whimsical feel. You can get anything from burgers to seafood to raw oysters, fried oysters, fried pickles and mozzarella sticks, from salads to sandwiches…they pretty much have something to suit anyone's desires.

Hours: 11:30am to 9:00pm, daily

Address: 1175 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Thai Moon

This Asian restaurant is at Spencer's Market off Irvin Garrish Highway. Their website indicates they do not accept credit cards, so you must call ahead to place your order. We haven't eaten here (yet), but we want to try it next time we visit Ocracoke.

Reviews are good though and if you're looking for a break from the usual Ocracoke restaurants' cuisine during your Outer Banks vacation, this seems to be a fabulous option. (We have loved Thai and Asian food long before our trip to Thailand, but that only strengthened it!)

Summer Hours (open each season beginning in May): 11:00am to 9:00pm, daily (call to place your order ahead of time: 252-928-5100)

Address: 589 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Zillie's Island Pantry

Good for: beer, wine, charcuterie and cheese plate ingredients

Sipping beer and wine and enjoying the weather from the patio of Zillie's made for a lovely Ocracoke afternoon. They're mostly a place to get wine and beer (not hard alcohol, which has to be purchased from government-run ABC stores in North Carolina), though they have some specialty food items. As their website states, however, they're not a restaurant.

If you are craving ingredients for a meat and cheese plate with some nuts (which we love for a good date night idea), Zillie's is a great place to stop. You can purchase those ingredients there or nosh on them while sitting on their porch enjoying a beverage. They sell cigars, too, if you want to purchase one. (We like a good cigar occasionally, like whenever we're in Fort Lauderdale.) You can get it all to stay or to go.

Hours: Open daily, Monday through Saturday, 11:00am to 8:30pm; Sunday 12:00pm to 8:00pm.

Address: 538 Back Road, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Ocracoke Coffee Company

We walked to Ocracoke Coffee Company one morning to get some caffeine and see what was on their breakfast menu. It was a nice 15-minute walk from our hotel room at The Anchorage Inn & Marina.

This establishment has been in business for over 25 years and has a lovely outdoor patio and some indoor seating. While it may be busy during the morning, the line keeps moving on a busy day, and the staff is friendly. They have coffee, tea, espresso, smoothies, and some pastries; they even have live music on some afternoons.

Hours: 7:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday, and 7:00am to 12:00pm on Sunday.

Address: 226 Back Road, Ocracoke, NC 27960

The Magic Bean Coffee Bazaar

Another coffee option on the island is The Magic Bean. This establishment is a laid back place with a hippie kind of vibe (if you ask us). They open hours before Ocracoke Coffee Company at 4:30am but close 5 hours before at 12:00pm.

The flooring is new as of 2021 so it looks a little different than our photo from a few years ago, but they still serve coffee and smoothies!

Hours: 4:30am to 12:00pm, daily.

Address: 35 School Road, Ocracoke, NC 27690

The Slushy Stand

Good for: espresso, coffee, and ice cream on Ocracoke Island

What The Slushy Stand serves is apparent in its name and icons on front of the store: ice cream (hard scooped and soft serve), slushies, espresso and coffee. Any drinks they make hot can be served over ice. (They also have bike rentals in case you want to ride around on the island!)

Hours: 7:00am to 9:00pm, daily.

Address: 473 Irving Garrish Highway, Ocracoke NC 27960

Ocracoke Variety (and Grocery) Store

This is pretty much the only place to get groceries on Ocracoke Island. If it's your first time visiting Ocracoke, we recommend you review all our tips for visiting Ocracoke. But regarding groceries, if you're renting a house, you should either come stocked in your car when you cross over the islands on the ferry or plan to shop here.

We stopped inside the Ocracoke Variety Store to see what they sell; we were so surprised by the great selection. They pretty much have anything you need, including beer and wine. (For normal prices, too! They don't jack it up simply because you're on an island.) There is a hard liquor store in the same building, in a door you enter from the porch, next to the grocery store. (All hard liquor sales are controlled by the state in North Carolina).

In addition to groceries, they have toiletry items, beach gear (including chairs), ice, and over-the-counter medication.

Hours: open daily, 7:00am to 8:00pm.

Address: 950 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, NC 27960

Heading to the Outer Banks? Also check out:

• Things to Do in the Outer Banks in October (and What It’s like in the Shoulder Season)
• Essential First Visit Guide to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks
• Our Experience Hang Gliding in the Outer Banks with Kitty Hawk Kites