Corolla, NC, Restaurants

Take a load off and let ClamBake OBX do some of the work of feeding your family! They'll bring the fun and excitement of an old-fashioned clam bake right to your front door, or you can choose from 14 other menus with their in-house chef services. ClamBake OBX serves areas from Corolla to Hatteras Island, and they will come to your house and do all the work so you can relax and enjoy your vacation. A clam bake includes lobster (optional), crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, red potatoes, pearl onions and smoked sausage. All of their seafood is fresh, and most of it is locally caught for the best Outer Banks flavor. They also offer several dinner entrees featuring prime choice USDA meats including pork, beef and chicken with all the trimmings. ClamBake OBX will set up everything buffet style, and all you have to do is serve your own beverages. They can serve six to 600 guests and have menus that are child friendly, and they will even clean up afterward! They specialize in cooking onsite to keep a quality control on the event. Note: They also do grocery delivery, stocking the house before you arrive, so you can walk in and start your vacation the right way.

This is a great local dine-in or take-out restaurant with a very casual family atmosphere. The menu features seafood including soft-shell and hard-shell crabs (hard shells are sold either live or cooked), Alaskan or king crab legs by the pound (when available), scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters and fresh fish, plus slow-cooked barbecue including North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked ribs and chicken. Don’t forget to ask about their steamer pots that you can take home and cook on your stove. For larger parties, they will even bring this Low Country boil to your house and cook it on site. They also offer homemade soups, Southern-style sides and plenty of desserts. Fat Crabs is open daily for lunch and dinner from April through October.

Brought to Corolla by the same people who run the popular Uncle Ike's Sandbar & Grill, Ike's Bites 'n More offers quick, delicious meals via counter service. It's in the old Burger King building next to OB Gas & Convenience, but you'd never know it was formerly a fast-food chain. Renovations, local artwork, 12 TVs, shuffleboard and arcade games make this is a hip and happening place. Burgers, seafood baskets and fries are the specialty, but these are a step up from standard fare. The burgers include a secret seasoning and sauce and have been called the best on the beach. The fries are fresh-cut daily, and the fried fish for the fish & chips is hand-breaded to order. Steamer options are also available. Drive-through service is offered for call-ahead takeout orders. Ike's Bites serves liquor, wine and beer, with at least eight beers on tap. They also serve hand-dipped ice cream and homemade ice cream sandwiches. Come for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the summer and breakfast and lunch in the off-season.

North Banks, located in the west building of TimBuck II, is casual, contemporary and high-energy. This restaurant has been a Corolla favorite for fresh seafood and memorable lunches and dinners for more than 20 years. Filet mignon and lobster are just a few of the house specialties. They also have several preparations of local fish every night and a raw bar offering up the freshest local delicacies. It’s open for lunch and dinner and has a fully stocked bar featuring specialty drinks, craft beers and an extensive wine list. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m., and dinner begins at 5 p.m. daily, seven days a week. Every year they close at the end of November then re-open for about a week in late December before re-opening for good in mid-February, the start of their new season. 

The sunny-orange atmosphere in the coffee shop is enough to wake you up, but you’ll want to try the coffee too — they have quite a variety and it’s roasted fresh in the shop to delight your senses. All the usual coffee drinks are offered, as are tea and homemade pastries and other sweets, all baked fresh. Stop in for something cold, like an iced latte, frappe, smoothie or slushy, to cool off on a summer day. Or, if you need a hot meal, they offer breakfast wraps, lunch wraps and deli sandwiches in season. They have newspapers available so you can enjoy your morning paper, sitting inside or out, and you can also take advantage of their free WiFi.