A guide to dining out during the holidays
A guide to dining out during the holidays
The weather is much cooler, the days are getting shorter, and there are many fewer visitors on Hatteras and Ocracoke.
Many of the islands’ restaurants have already closed and others will be closing shortly.
However, visiting during the holidays is much more popular with tourists than it once was. Spending Thanksgiving or Christmas by the ocean when there is less hustle and bustle is appealing to many.
So if you are planninga a visit to the islands this holiday season, we have some information for you if you don’t want to be fixing all of your meals yourself while you are on vacation.
The Island Free Press sent emails to the islands’ restaurants, asking about their plans for the holidays.
We heard back from some of them and share that information with you.
AVON
Gidget’s Pizza and Pasta. Food Lion Plaza Shopping Center. 252-995-3109. Serving pizza, pasta, calzones, subs, and paninis. In November, Gidget’s will be closed Thanksgiving Day but open 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday otherwise. In December, the restaurant is open Tuesday – Thursday 11-8, Friday and Saturday 11-9. Closed for Christmas Dec. 24-26 and closed Jan. 1.
Bros Sandwich Shack: Food Lion Plaza. 252-995-9595. Serving burgers, sandwiches, daily specials. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
BUXTON
Café Pamlico at The Inn on Pamlico Sound. 252-995-4500. Highway 12 in southern Buxton. Cafe Pamlico is open for dinner Thursday through Monday at 5 p.m. through Dec. 31. Closed Christmas Day. Reservations are accepted for dining from 5 until 8 p.m. and are highly recommended.
The restaurant will be open for Thanksgiving dinner, with reservations accepted from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. The Thanksgiving menu can be found on the Facebook page. The cost is $40 for adults and $20 for children. You can also request your Thanksgiving dinner “to go.” The restaurant staff will be pleased to prepare your order for pickup.
Café Pamlico will also be open on New Year’s Eve for a six-course, prix fixe dinner with drinks to match each course. Please call for cost and reservations.
Conner’s Supermarket. Highway 12. Although this is not a restaurant, we’ve included it here because you can purchase a ready-to-heat-and-eat Thanksgiving dinner with the trimmings. For $49.95, you will get a dinner that will feed eight to 10 persons. It includes a 10-12 pound fully cooked roast turkey, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry relish. You can pick up the dinner at the store on Wednesday or before noon on Thursday. Call or visit Conner’s at 252-995-5711 to place an order. Or you can e-mail conners@embarqmail.com.
If you just want the turkey, you can get it from Crazy Johnny’s. A fresh, hot, and ready-to-eat 16-pound turkey is $50. Limited number available. Call 252-996-0711 or e-mail crazyjohnnysbbq@gmail.com.
FRISCO
Capt’n Rolo’s. Highway 12. 252-995-3663. The restaurant will be open through the end of December, except closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve and Day. Lunch served from Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 until 8 or 8:30 p.m. Dinner only on Saturday.
HATTERAS
Dinky’s. Highway 12 at Village Marina. 252-995-2020. Open for dinner at 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday through Nov. 29. This includes Thanksgiving Day when the restaurant will open at 4 p.m. and regular menu will be available, as well as a Thanksgiving dinner that will include a choice of turkey, roast pork, or ham with mashed potatoes, yams, collards, green bean casserole, gravy, homemade stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Sonny’s . Highway 12 across from the docks. 252-986-2922. The restaurant is open through Thanksgiving weekend, but not Thanksgiving day. Breakfast, daily 6 until 11 a.m. Lunch, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dinner, Thursday – Saturday 5-9 p.m.
Hatteras Sol Deli & Cafe. Stowe on 12 shops. 252-986-1414. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. through the holidays. Offering ready-to-bake Thanksgiving sides. Menu for sides is available on the website, www.hatterassol.com. Order ahead for pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
OCRACOKE
Dajio Open through Thanksgiving weekend. Serving Thanksgiving dinner buffet from noon to 4 p.m. Last seating at 3:30 p.m. $23/adults; $13/children 12 and under. Reservations required. Closing Nov. 30.
Topless Oyster. Open all year. In addition to Sundays, serving brunch Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting Nov. 22. Serving Thanksgiving dinner and desserts made from scratch all day Thanksgiving Day, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. plus regular menu. Thanksgiving take-out available.
Gaffer’s. Open 365 days. Serving traditional Thanksgiving Dinner starting at noon. $21.99. Take-out available. Open Christmas. New Year’s Eve party.
Graceful Bakery. Offering a variety of breads and pies with unrefined flours and sugars for Thanksgiving: Braided Challah Bread, Artisan Sourdough Bread, Pumpkin Bread, Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie. Please order by Tuesday, Nov. 25. Orders will be ready for pick up on Wednesday, Nov. 26. For details and pricing call Lauren Strohl at 614.419.9681
Thai Moon. Spencer’s Market. Thanksgiving week open Tuesday and Wednesday; closed Thursday; Open Friday to Sunday.
S’MacNally’s: Open weather permitting to end of November.
Ocracoke Pizza: Open all winter, Thursday to Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
Eduardo’s: Open all winter, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. every day.
(Editor’s note to restaurants: If your dining establishment is not listed here and you want to be, please send the information to editor@islandfreepress.org.)
