Corolla, NC, Restaurants: American & Family-Oriented

For a tasty treat, head to Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream. Choose from more than 50 flavors of made-from-scratch ice cream plus sorbet and soft serve. You can get any flavor made into a shake, split, sundae or float, even a brownie sundae – yum! Big Buck’s has an espresso bar and all the espresso-based coffee drinks you need to pick up your day. Handmade Belgian chocolate and fudge are made fresh daily, and they also accept custom orders for wedding favors, baby showers and other events. And don't forget the ice cream cake! They have a flavor for every occasion.

For a tasty treat, head to Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream. Choose from more than 50 flavors of made-from-scratch ice cream plus sorbet and soft serve. You can get any flavor made into a shake, split, sundae or float, even a brownie sundae – yum! Big Buck’s has an espresso bar and all the espresso-based coffee drinks you need to pick up your day. Handmade Belgian chocolate and fudge are made fresh daily, and they also accept custom orders for wedding favors, baby showers and other events. And don't forget the ice cream cake! They have a flavor for every occasion.

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 king and snow 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, smoked chicken wings 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.

You don’t have to go to Philadelphia to get an authentic Philly cheesesteak. You can get one right here in Corolla at Philly Steak Subs. This casual eatery and bar is owned and operated by a family of Philadelphia transplants, so they know it’s not a Philly cheesesteak without an Amoroso roll! Keep it classic or try it with Cheez Whiz, bacon, BBQ sauce, ranch or a multitude of other toppings. If you’re not in the mood for a cheesesteak, try one of their Boar’s Head hoagies, wings, burgers, kids’ meals, or super-savory Philly cheesesteak egg rolls. Kids will love their classic bottled sodas, while the grown-ups will enjoy the full bar and 13 craft brews on tap. Philly Steak Subs is now selling beer to go! With options to order in the restaurant, online or by phone, plus curbside pickup, Philly Steak Subs is a great way to feed your family for lunch or dinner.

Pizzazz is a pizza favorite on the Outer Banks. They’ve been around since 1986 because they make consistently great pizza with generous toppings and the service is friendly. Choose from gourmet menu creations or stick with the traditional. Pizzazz also makes hot subs, salads and wings. You can eat in for lunch or dinner or have your pizza delivered. Call for off-season hours. And, if you're driving to the Outer Banks from the north, check out their location in Grandy on the Currituck mainland.

If you’re looking for delicious and traditional Southern fare on the Outer Banks, stop by Sooey’s BBQ & Rib Shack. With locations in Corolla and Nags Head, they're proud to offer their famous Carolina barbecue. They specialize in authentic Eastern North Carolina-style pulled pork barbecue, slow-smoked ribs, beef brisket and Southern fried chicken. You’ll find all your favorite homemade sides here too, including potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, onion rings, cornbread and hush puppies. Combine that with their awesome apps, burgers and kids’ menu, and you’ve got a winning combination to please a variety of cravings. You can sit down and eat in either of the locations or take your meal to go. They also offer prepared family meals, catering and event planning services. Call ahead for large orders. 

Sundogs is a great family-friendly restaurant for lunch and dinner in Corolla. The grill offers an array of appetizers along with steamed seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers and full entrees such as New Orleans-inspired shrimp and grits created by Chef Bryan Maher and a host of new menu items from new team chefs Matthew Purdue and Agustus Dawson – think Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese with Pork Belly and Pulled Pork Kimchi Tacos. A host of daily specials ensures that the chefs can be as creative as they want to be (specials are posted on social media). Be sure to check out the raw bar featuring a variety of oysters and other seafood. Sundogs has a kids' menu and a midday appetizer menu from 3 to 5 p.m. every day. When dinner ends, nightlife begins. Sundogs is open until 2 a.m. every night during summer with several nights of live music and karaoke. This is also the place for all your sports-viewing adventures, especially Sunday football, thanks to their large projection TV and 12 other TVs. After 10 p.m. Sundogs is open for ages 21 and older only.

Don’t you hate it when people say that chocolate fudge is sinful? Sometimes it’s just a necessity. The Fudgery’s creamy concoctions can satisfy any sweet tooth. Your mind will be boggled at the variety of flavors from dark chocolate to peanut butter to rocky road, even New Orleans praline. The fudge is all theatrically prepared right in front of your eyes on marble slabs and served by the thick slice. Check out their Chiller Fudge – it’s the perfect way to enjoy the treat on a hot summer day. You choose from 20 flavors of ice cream then the fudge or other sweets to add to it, and they mix it right up in front of you.