By Maddie Lutz | Correspondent
The Outer Banks isn’t all fried oysters and domestic beers. Many world-renowned chefs live right here on the islands and work hard day in and day out to come up with innovative and delectable dishes. While there are many incredible restaurants on the Outer Banks, a few stand out as perfect date night locations as they offer intimacy, attention to detail and innovation. Whether you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary with your significant other or a birthday with a friend, this list is for you.
Urban Kitchen
603B Currituck Clubhouse Drive, Corolla
If you’re a foodie that’s bored of basic flavors and looking to impress your date, the Urban Kitchen is your place. Simple, seasonal fare comprises the tiny menu, with each of the dishes offering big flavors. For appetizers, you may find crispy catfish, served atop napa cabbage, cucumber, peanuts, nuoc cham and comeback sauce. For an entree, expect elaborate proteins such as the pork chop with peach, chili verde and a cheddar grit cake.
Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar
4700 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk
White linen tablecloths, wine selections spanning from Oregon to South Africa, house-made desserts and an artistic menu are what you’ll find at Ocean Boulevard in Kitty Hawk. Be sure to try the award-winning rosy cheeks martini, seven-lettuce salad and chef’s fish selection, usually a local fish and always served atop a steamy vegetable risotto with saffron and bay scallops.
Colington Cafe
1029 Colington Rd, Kill Devil Hills
One of the Outer Banks’ best-kept local secrets, the Colington Cafe offers posh cuisine inside a renovated, tree-shaded Victorian house with a garden. This boutique-style cafe offers fresh fish, home-grown herbs and a jaw-dropping dessert tray. With plenty of wines to pair with your dish, a gorgeous location and sauces that will impress even the pickiest of patrons, the Colington Cafe brings the romantic atmosphere.
TRiO Restaurant and Market
3708 N. Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk
TRiO Restaurant and Market is best known for its extensive wine list and charcuterie boards. Wines from all over the world compose the majority of the restaurant’s menu, where you’ll also find wine cocktails, wine flights, beer cocktails, small plates and entrees and even a weekend brunch menu (the brioche French toast with the Tahitian peach mimosa is an unbeatable combo, by the way).
Josephine’s Sicilian Kitchen
3701 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk
Josephine’s Sicilian Kitchen is the Outer Banks’ only authentic Italian restaurant and offers pasta and meatballs with rotating and new specials daily. Their menu changes weekly, offering everything from rigatoni to tiramisu. The food makes you forget you’re in North Carolina and not the Sicilian sun.
The Blue Point
1240 Duck Road, Duck
The Blue Point offers a magnificent view of the sunset over the Currituck Sound along with straightforward dishes grounded in Southern cooking. Meals start with house-baked bread and end with house-churned ice creams and sorbets. Get to the Blue Point early to get your name on the list — it’s worth the wait.