| Route 66 | Cities | Beaches |
|
|
Buxton is the heart of the island. Buxton Beach and Lighthouse Beach have been the best beaches on the Atlantic for a century. Buxton is where the famous lighthouse has been for two centuries. The Navy base, then the Coast Guard base, were located here. This is where fishermen turn off for The Point, the greatest surf fishing spot in the country. Surfers come to Buxton to ride at The Iron Jetty and Lighthouse Beach. Hatteras Elementary and High School are in Buxton. So is the National Seashore Headquarters. When islanders hold a public hearing or meeting they do so at the Community Center in Buxton. The island's only bookstore is in Buxton, It's a great little town, and it has eight restaurants worth a stop. The Buxton restaurant tradition harkens back to The Cape Point, run by a branch of the Midgett family in the 1950s and 1960s. Located where Shipwreck Grill is now, across Route 12 from Dillon's Motel, for 15 years it was the only restaurant in Buxton. Before all the rental houses, back when fishermen and families stayed in motels, Cape Point served three meals a day 10 months of the year. It introduced thousands of mainlanders to Fish & Eggs and Fish & Grits. A hurricane destroyed the Cape Point Restaurant in 1969. |
 |
 |
Diamond Shoals is across from the Swell Motel. The 1800s milk based chowder is the best on the island, but the Tomato Basil Crab Bisque is even better. They run a fresh seafood supply outlet from one end of the building, so their fish is always fresh. Whatever they list as their fish of the day, order it. The Broiled Crab Cakes and Crab Stuffed Grouper are oustanding. Tuna Medallions, grilled yellowfin topped with crabmeat and melted basil mustard butter, is an award winner, as is the Wine Broiled Flounder Stuffed With Crabmeat. There's a separate kids menu. The wine list features excellent Whites to go with their seafood. Their famous Clam Strips are the best on the island. Leave room for dessert, as they're homemade every day and outstanding. The Hatteras restaurant business is very competitive and Diamond Shoals remains the best, or one of the top two or three, depending on your taste. You can go to one of the high end restaurants and pay twice as much for the ambience but the actual food will not be better. They're one of six full ABC permit bars on the island, and in 2011 they added the island's first Sushi Bar. |
The Sushi Bar has become a huge hit and is a little different from ones you may frequent back home. Diamond Shoals rolls feature Yellowfin Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Flounder and Eel. Yes, all sushi bars include seafood, but they don't have access to fresh seafood caught within a few miles of the restaurant. Many of these rolls are very creative. And unique. And delicious. For instance, there's the Diamond Shoals Roll : Crab meat, avocado, tuna and cucumber. Or the Shipwreck Roll : Crabmeat, green beans, cucumber and bell pepper with spicy mayo. The Surfer Roll contains Salmon, green onion, avocado, and a spicy sauce. The Shucker Roll has Fried Oysters, cream cheese, red onion, romaine lettuce and spicy mayo. In all, there are 21 rolls. You can also order Edamame (steamed soybean pods), Poke (yellowfin tuna, sesame oil, avocado, scallions, ginger, and ponzu, which is a Japanese citrus based sauce), and Seaweed Salad. Back home, this might well be your favorite sushi bar. Out here, there's nothing on the island to compare to it. |
 |
 |
Pamlico Inn is on your right along Route 12 heading from Buxton toward Frisco. It sits on a high ridge in the trees, facing the Sound. The breakfasts are three course gourmet, and during the day home baked breads are provided, but the big attraction here is dinner. You can eat indoors or out on the patio. They serve seafood, organic beef or chicken, soups, appetizers and desserts. The Inn is a very popular bed and breakfast, but this restaurant is building a great following. Such a following that you need to make reservations two days ahead during July and August. The menu is pricey enough to make this a Special Occasion restaurant, but if you're celebrating an anniversary, birthday or other event, this is the place to come. |
| The Sandbar is famous for its gorgeous views of the sun setting over Pamlico Sound. Diners can watch kayakers, windsurfers and kiteboarders silhouetted against the evening sky. But this is also one of the very best restaurants on this highly competitive island. Chef / owner and New York native Joe Metacarpa has fashioned a whole different vibe here than the casual beach house chic seen in other island restaurants. The Sandbar is rich in polished wood, jazz and stained glass window hangings. The food is exquisite, a matter of little things done well. The Sweet Tea, Caesars Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Cole Slaw and Carolina Style Clam Chowder show a sure hand in the kitchen. We highly recommend the Sea Scallops, Stuffed Flounder and Crab Cakes. If you're not into seafood, Metacarpa does a wonderful job with the Prime Rib, Baby Back Ribs and Chops. Portions are substantial; you're very likely to take home tomorrow's lunch. The wine list, especially the whites which you need for all the seafood, is great. Desserts change by the day, but if you can somehow save room, they're all good. Service is prompt, efficient and very professional. |  |
 |
Rusty's is an upscale seafood restaurant in the shopping complex across from Connor's Supermarket in Buxton. This is the former Buoy's. It's open only for dinner. Rusty's offers more beef and chicken dishes than the other Hatteras restaurants, but its seafood is still the heart of the menu. The salads and appetizers here tend to be rather creative. Rusty's has one of the top three wine lists on the island. Expect touches of Caribbean, Mexican, Hawaian and Polynesian. The decor features bright colors and island artwork. Owner Rusty Midgett studied his culinary skills in French and Italian restaurants in Philadelphia. One problem here is noise. The acoustics are terrible. You cannot carry on a conversation during dinner. You even have trouble hearing the waiter. Nevertheless, Rusty's is one of the island's top upscale restaurants and is well worth a stop. |
The Cockeyed Clam has replaced the Tides, Captain's Table and Beach House in the Buxton slot near the national park entrance. Why no one is able to succeed in this seemingly great location is a mystery but veteran restauranteur Chyrel Austin has created a menu and price point (Entree prices range in the high teens and 20s) capable of challenging Diamond Shoals, Sandbar, and the Ketch. She's added outdoor seating along the wrap around porch. Appetizers include Scallop Puffs, Calamari with Red Chili Sauce, Oysters with Jalapeno Sauce, and a creamy New England Style Clam Chowder. There are three good Salads : Mixed Greens, Caesar and Iceberg (with tomatoes, bacon and a buttermilk blue cheese dressing). Their signature dish is Shrimp, Scallops and Crab over Penne With a Sun Dried Tomato Sauce. But the Blackened Jumbo Sea Scallops in a Fresh Pineapple Salsa, Mahi With Green Herb Sauce, Jumbo Lump Crabcakes With Roast Corn Relish, and, for nonseafood diners, a Porterhouse Pork Chop with Southern Jezebel Sauce, are definitely worth trying. There's a Batter Fried Seafood (shrimp, scallops and/or oysters) Platter With Fries, Coleslaw and Hushpuppies, and an alternate version with Scallops, Crab Cake, Oysters and/or Shrimp). You have two options from the Steamer : Alaskan Snow Crab or Old Bay Spiced Shell On Shrimp. Beverages are Sweet Tea, House Coffee, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade or a soft drink. IF you can save room for Dessert, there are Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Key Lime Pie, Mocha Creme Crunch Cake, and New York Cheesecake Topped With Fresh Blueberry Sauce. |
 |
 |
Fatty's is on your right as you come into Buxton from the North (this photo is taken from the other direction). It's a classic beach shack, open from 6:30 am to 10 pm. Don't let the down homey appearance fool you. The kitchen here is pretty creative. The menu changes daily, relying on chalkboard Specials. The food is mostly fried, but if you like fried, it's good, and you can get items here you can't get anywhere else on the island, or anywhere at all in some cases. They make donuts fresh every morning. The Onion Rings, Hot Dogs, Fried Shrimp, Fried Chicken, Shrimp & Grits, Shepherd's Pie, Crab Cake Sandwich and Meat Loaf Sandwich are all worth ordering. They offer eccentric items, like a Fried Chicken Sandwich, Home Made Funnel Cakes, and Scallop Burger, but the loyal customers love them. Their ice cream is not homemade but it's good. There are Soups and Salads, Subs and Wraps, Waffles and Desserts. Part of Fatty's customer base are people who frequent the north end of Buxton Beach, or stay in the motels and cottages "in the bend" of north Buxton. They can cross the road to Fatty's and get right back to their surfing, tubing or whatever. The staff here is friendly and efficient, but operating in their own reality. One talks so fast no one can understand her so she has to keep repeating herself, one tells customers what they "look like they should order," as in "You look like you should order a Waffle," and one tells stories about each entree, as in "Let me tell you about this Scallop Burger....." Just bring your sense of humor and enjoy. |
| The Orange Blossom Cafe started as a bakery and in 1992 opened the breakfast and lunch gourmet bistro. They originally planned to base their reputation on their coffees. They make it European style, using either an espresso machine or a French press. They do not believe in filtering of any kind, thinking that it filters out the oils which produce the flavors. The result is the finest coffee on the island, and the crowds each morning suggest lots of people have become addicted to it. The Orange Blossom became sort of an island version of Starbucks. But the coffee was upstaged by a kitchen accident. A travelling baker showed the owners how to take leftover donut dough, mix in apple slices, and produce a fritter. When they tried it on their own, it came out looking like the ugliest thing they had ever seen, nothing at all like a classic fritter. The Apple Ugly was born. They experimented and found out they could bake it as well as fry it. Over several decades, the Apple Ugly has become as much a symbol of Hatteras as fishing poles, surfboards and the lighthouse. Thousands of annual visitors consider a visit to the Orange Blossom as essential as the daily trek to the beach. Just remember there are lots of other items available, at the bakery and in the cafe. |  |
 |
Angelo's is a traditional pizza outlet with calzones, subs, spaghetti, lasagna and other sidelines. It's tasty and servings are large enough to fill you up. This is primarily a carryout restaurant, but there's a game room so it's a good place to come and eat with kids. Just down the road from the Lighthouse Beach entrance and across from the miniature golf course. |
| Buxton Munch is a storefront lunch stop in the shopping mall diagonally across from Connor's Grocery. It offers mostly Wraps but is locally famous for its Fish Tacos (grilled, blackened or fried fish, shrimp or flounder, plus spring greens, diced tomatoes, black beans, steamed rice, onions and cheese). But their Crabby Patty Wrap also has a loyal following. Buxton Munch offers six Seafood Wraps, six Chicken Wraps, three Vegetarian Wraps, eight Spicy Wraps, seven Quesadillas, and six of what they call Premium Wraps. The Premiums include Prime Rib, Gyro, Club, Southern California, Turkey Bacon Cheddar, and Chicken Fritter. If neither Wraps nor Fish Tacos suit you, Munch also offers four Toasted Subs, six Burgers and seven classic Sandwiches. The Crab Cake Sandwich is particularly good and their third most popular item. These are hearty lunches, but if you're starving, there are sides of Shrimp, Oysters, Jalapeno Poppers, Cheese Stix, Fried Pickles, Fresh Fruit, Mac & Cheese, Onion Rings and Chicken Tenders. Or you could order a basket of Chips & Salsa. One of their creations that doesn't get advertised much but is one of the best sandwiches on the island is the Yellowfin Tuna Melt, a Yellowfin slice on a New York roll with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Don't let the modest storefront mislead you. This is a very good eatery. Over the noon hour the wait can be 30 minutes. |  |
 |
Lalo's Tacos is a bizarre little lunch takeout shop located inside another shop, Giovanni's, in the shopping center across from Connor's Grocery. However, Lalo serves delicious and very authentic Mexican food, even if some of it initially sounds sketchy. The menu begins with seven kinds of Tacos : Beef Brisket, Tripe, Cow Tongue, Chorizo, Pork and combinations of these. There are seven kinds of Huaraches, and six Mexican Sandwiches. Sandwiches include cheese, onions, tomatoes, avocado, egg, peppers, beans and then your choice of various combinations of steak, ham, pork, sausage, pork skins and pineapple. There are also very good Fish or Shrimp Tacos. Locals and surfers stop by Lalo's for tacos or sandwiches to take with them to the beach.
|
|
|||
|