Corolla, NC, Restaurants

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 sherbet, 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. One of their locations, The Coffeehouse, is right in the middle of downtown Manteo and offers all the same great things as the other Big Buck's plus an expanded selection of fresh coffees, pastries and muffins.

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.

Mike Dianna's Grill Room is located in the Timbuck II Shopping Center in Corolla. Celebrating its 15th season on the Outer Banks, the Grill Room is owned and operated by a true Corolla local who has lived in the area since 1984 and grew up in Corolla's small town. The restaurant starts with the best raw product they can find like USDA Prime beef, fresh and local seafood, all-natural chicken and pork, pastas and wonderful children's menu too. THey have a live hardwood grill that they cook all of their steaks and seafood on and the only on of its kind on the northern part of the Outer Banks. They also cater to gluten-free, dairy-free and allergy-related restrictions. With an ever-changing specials menu, they can offer guests something different every night of the week. There is free live music and snacks on their covered deck starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They recommend reservations for all party sizes. 

Hot dogs are a crowd pleaser, and you can get them here – in an astounding variety from plain corn dogs to the Corolla Dog with fried mozzarella and chili. There's more than dogs here, though. Fries, tots, chili cheese fries, wraps, salads, sandwiches, baskets and more round out the menu to keep everybody happy. Oh My Dog serves breakfast too, with breakfast sandwiches, omelets, pancakes, platters, sides and an ultra-filling breakfast bowl or wrap called Hair of the Dog. Drinks include sodas, can and draft beer, floats and Slush Puppies. 

You don't have to go to Philadelphia to get an authentic Philly cheese steak. You can get one right here in beautiful 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 cheese steak unless it's served on an Amoroso roll. You can keep yours classic or try it with Cheez Whiz, bacon, ranch or more options. There's lots more on the menu too, including burgers, hoagies with Boar's Head meats, salads and Philly Cheese Steak Egg Rolls. The kids will love their arcade, full kids' menu and classic bottled soda, while the grown-ups will enjoy the full bar and 13 craft brews on tap.

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.

For lunch and dinner, this is a great family-friendly restaurant. The grill offers an array of appetizers along with steamed seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers and full entrees like fish tacos and jambalaya created by Chef Bryan Maher. Be sure to check out their new raw bar that features several varieties of oysters and other delicacies, plus they have daily happy hour specials including 50% off steamed shrimp and wings Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. A children’s menu is available. Looking for a little nightlife action in quiet Corolla? Sundogs is the place. They are open until 2 a.m. in the summer season and have live entertainment several nights a week. Join them for karaoke as well as live band karaoke, trivia night and live entertainment. They also have 13 brand-new flat-screen TVs and a huge projection TV for sports and a fully stocked bar where you can hang out and shoot the breeze. No one younger than 21 is allowed after 10 p.m.