Corolla, NC, Restaurants: American Fusion & Gourmet

Corolla's only buffet restaurant offers a smorgasbord of seafood specialties and so much more. The buffet includes all the seafood favorites like Alaskan crab legs and crab cakes, scallops, shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams and fish of every sort. Beyond the sea, there are meats, including chicken and pork ribs, and all the favorite vegetables, sides and desserts. Corolla Seafood Buffet is a new restaurant by the team behind another Corolla favorite restaurant, Agave Roja, so you know it's in the top tier when it comes to fresh, well-prepared food and customer service. Takeout is available, as is delivery for large orders. Ask about Corolla Seafood Buffet's catering services. It's open Monday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m.

Celebrating its 17th season in the Timbuck II Shopping Center in Corolla, Mike Dianna's Grill Room is owned and operated by a true Corolla local who grew up here and has lived in the area since 1984. The restaurant starts with the best raw products they can find, such USDA Prime beef, fresh and local seafood, all-natural chicken, pork and pasta. They have a live hardwood grill where they cook all of their steaks and seafood, and it's the only one of its kind on the northern part of the Outer Banks. They have a wonderful children's menu and an ever-changing specials menu, and they cater to gluten-free, dairy-free and allergy-related restrictions. The Grill Room serves brunch complete with homemade buttermilk biscuits, a house-cured lox platter, crabcake sandwiches, deviled eggs, daily omelette specials and more. Indoor and outdoor dining are available, as are curbside pickup and free delivery on the paved roads of Corolla (online ordering available). Reservations are recommended for all party sizes for both brunch and dinner and can be made online.

The sunny 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.

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.

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.