For a small coastal town, Emerald Isle has multiple sit-down dining options for dinner. During the past two years, all of these establishments have had to confront and adapt to COVID19 pandemic challenges. Some have coped better than others. This year provided yet another challenge---finding and keeping staff. Many restaurants were forced to cut back on the hours they were open. And, when they were opened, people often overwhelmed the establishments to the detriment of staff and customers alike. All that being said, let’s take a quick tour of many of the restaurants in Emerald Isle. The town is home to two Mexican restaurants. Plaza Mexico, located at 140 Fairview Drive hits the spot for Mexican cuisine. The menu is very extensive but the dining room is small and if you don't get there early you will be waiting to get in. The food is properly cooked and the wait staff is very attentive. Portion size is generous. El Zarape at 8802 Reed Road is a very clean establishment noted for its prompt table service. It too has an extensive menu. Once seated, homemade guacamole and chips are brought to your table. My favorite meal is menuda, a soup made with tripe. The serving is enough for two to share and quite delicious. Other favorites include burritos, steak fajitas and chicken quesadillas. Prices are reasonable given the portion sizes.
In the category of prices being reasonable for portion size, I come to Michaelangelo’sPizza and Subs located in Emerald Plantation. Michelangelo’s offers up a NY style thin crust pizza with a decent chew that holds up to the toppings. My favorites are the white pie and sausage and mushroom. And that is a good thing as the cheese and toppings are generous. As is the wait time. During peak times, such as Friday and Saturday evenings during the season, a 30-minute promise time was more like 45 to 50 but they have a good system and do their best. The menu also features hot and cold subs, salads, and strombolis. Another Italian restaurant is Lazzaro’s Pizza and Subs located in Bell Cove on Coast Guard Road. I prefer thin crust, NY Style Pizza and Lazzaro’s puts out an excellent facsimile with generous cheese and toppings that hold up very well on the thin crust. A third Italian themed restaurant is Circle Pizza located adjacent to my Flip Flops Donut shop on Emerald Drive. One of the few restaurants that has a delivery service, the joint is as well known for its burger as it is for its pizza.
Moving on to restaurants that feature southern, Down East seafood cuisine, there is The Trading Post which replaced my favorite breakfast place, Mike’s, a few years back. The Trading Post, on Emerald Drive is noted for its southern entrees like fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, and shrimp-n-grits. One of the few restaurants to serve breakfast….sometimes. Another dining option impacted by COVID 19 and staff shortages. The place has an outdoor area that is great for kids and is dog friendly. Snapperz, another seafood joint, located at the corner of Emerald Drive and Bogue Inlet Drive replaced another favorite restaurant, Jordans, a few years back. The decor hasn’t changed much but the restaurant does not serve the whole fried flounder nor the pound of peel and eat shrimp my family enjoyed when Donald ran the place. In response to COVID 19 the restaurant eliminated the parking area out front and replaced it with sand, tables, and umbrellas for some innovative outdoor seating. Parking is in the back, now. I’ve enjoyed the flounder filet, the seafood nachos and the swordfish. Gaffer’s is the latest seafood themed restaurant here in Emerald Isle. Relocated from Ocracoke,it replaced another restaurant I frequented, Jackie’s American Grill in Bell Cove Plaza off Coast Guard Road. Unlike Jackie’s, Gaffer’s is primarily a seafood restaurant noted for its fish tacos, salmon and tuna. The Fish Hut Grill located on Mangrove Road in the K&V Plaza replaced my favorite breakfast spot, the Emerald Grill a couple of years ago. At the Fish Hut Grill, you go in and order your food. You find a table, indoors or out and a server delivers your meal. While you wait, you grab some drinks. When you’re ready to leave you go up to the pay station and let them know what you had for drinks. They have a ticket with your food. Yellowfin tuna, grouper and flounder are three reasons this establishment is packed when it is open.
Drive south on Bogue Inlet Road and you run into Surf’s Up Bar & Grill. Located at the Bogue Inlet Pier, this building has housed multiple restaurants over the years ... most of which were mediocre at best. Here, you’ll wait but, hey, you can hear and see and smell the ocean only a hundred feet away. The staff who were working were pleasant, polite and on top of things. I’ve had the grouper basket with tater tots and the shrimp basket with fries. My main complaint is having to eat with plastic flatware and eat off plastic plates. Something about the septic, I’m told.
Family-owned RuckerJohns opened its Emerald Isle location in 1988 and has been serving up delicious plates since. The restaurant is located in the back of the Emerald Plantation shopping center and the diverse menu has everything from flatbreads to burgers to seafood dishes. They are noted for their tuna and shrimp and grits. Their side salad comes highly recommended and includes bacon and a croissant with drizzled honey. Wahu often is the catch of the day.
Moving into the high end of the spectrum, literally, Caribsea is a very unique restaurant on the third floor of the Transportation Impact office building located on Emerald Drive. There are many good things about Caribsea including the location, the view, the staff, and the bartender. The atmosphere is laid back and casual and conducive to dinner conversation. Sit in the Torpedo Lounge on the rooftop and listen to live music while you eat. Fish of the day often is Mahi-mahi. Scallops and shrimp scampi come highly recommended. Dining out here is on the very expensive side. Also very expensive is dining at KAthryn’s Bistro and MArtini Bar. Let me just preface this by saying this is my favorite restaurant in Emerald Isle. The Bartenders are expedient and knowledgeable, the waitstaff was prompt and attentive...I always insist on having Michael for my server and the food...OMG...the food. Let me recommend the medium rare steak with the amazing demi-glaze or the soft shell crabs. All of the martinis I’ve ordered have been sensational with just the right ratio of alcohol and vermouth. If you’re looking for a high-quality place to eat, do yourself a favor a head over here. You will have to wait as Kathryn’s does not take reservations. Who cares when you can drink martinis while waiting?! To learn more about eating out in Emerald Isle go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com.
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