The Outer Banks of North Carolina are known for their beaches and as the birthplace of aviation and, like most resort areas, not for their food. But while the area is no culinary wonderland, you can actually much eat better than in most resort areas. Katherine and I attended a lovely wedding in Duck over the long weekend and when we weren’t enjoying the festivities, we did our best to explore the town’s top dining destinations. My recommendations are below:
Red Sky Café (1197 Duck Road) They say the color red stimulates appetite and if that’s true, you’ll be starving by the time your meal arrives at Red Sky. The place is saturated in the color, which they have somehow worked into a bohemian café vibe. The one downside is unlike most restaurants in Duck, there’s no outdoor seating so you might want to wait for a rainy day to eat here. We enjoyed all of our dishes here and although there’s no indication of it from the scene, the Mexican dishes are the way to go. 
Recommended: Tuna Burrito
, Taco’s Suave
Duck Deli (1223 Duck Road) No trip to North Carolina is complete without a solid helping of pulled pork and hush puppies. Despite the name, this is the place to get it in Duck. The décor is borderline divey, exactly as you expect from Southern BBQ shops. The standards are all there and all good: hushpuppies, baked beans, pulled pork. They o pulled chicken and beef, in addition to pork, but who has time for that? I recommend the more traditional (in NC) vinegar sauce over the tomato based one.
Recommended: Pulled Pork , Hushpuppies
Paper Canoe (1564 Duck Road) Located on Currituck Sound across from the Sanderling Resort, Paper Canoe enjoys spectacular sunset views over the marshland. The cabin-like all wood interior completes the feeling you’ve escaped into the woods from (hardly bustling) downtown Duck where most restaurants are located. In terms of food, we were very impressed with the appetizers, although the entrees tended to disappoint other than the crab cakes (my scallops were underdone). 
Recommended: Coconut Curry & Butternut Squash Soup 
, Crab Dip , Crab Cakes
The Blue Point (1240 Duck Road) This seems to be the top dining destination in Duck and it came highly recommended by everyone we know. While it’s not going to blow you away with culinary creativity, it is a very good restaurant. The ambiance is sort of upscale diner meets upscale sports bar, although without any of the rowdiness those settings often evoke. It’s also located in the waterfront shops complex that has a boardwalk and offers picturesque western views over the sound. Compared to Paper Canoe, the entrees were better and the vibe a bit livelier. It’s definitely everyone’s favorite restaurant here for a reason. 
Recommended: Trout , Crabcakes
