Eastern North Carolina Cuisine

We’re all busy these days, trying to keep our families fed while we work and play long hours. Maybe we have a weekly date night or desperately need catering for an important event. Luckily, Eastern North Carolina has all types of foods whether you are craving fresh seafood, locally grown produce, or a juicy cheeseburger with salty fries. There are options to dine in, take out, or even order food and merchandise online from your favorites in the area. There is comfort food, culinary favorites like Mediterranean cuisine, charcuterie specialists, and hot coffee by the mug or dry beans in a bag. Take a trip, loosen your waistband, and take your time as you explore the many tastes of the Crystal Coast.

Baked Bottle n’ Brew in Swansboro, a beer garden on the water, is a sweet spot to sit on the porch and watch boats go by. Listen to live music while you sip their homemade brews or wines. They also offer sweets like ice cream, and they have fresh coffee, too. Sip the night away or take home a bottle of their beer or wine. Take a peek at their shop for merchandise, or maybe the beer enthusiast in you has always wanted to make your own. Their shop has equipment, grains, and hops to make beer in the comfort of your own home. Four minutes from Baked and Bottle n’ Brew you will find the Bogue House. “The Little Yellow Joint in Cedar Point” has been serving local folks since 2001. Stop in for a hearty Brunswick stew, a shrimp burger, or some crispy hot clam strips and hush puppies. You can also order one of their daily specials or sweets like pecan or sweet potato pie.

Milk Road in Jacksonville also has desserts in the form of pastries like waffles, chocolate chip muffins, and a luscious lavender blueberry whoopie pie. Run by an Afghanistan combat veteran, the coffee shop specializes in coffee and loose-leaf tea, hot and cold, and they have merchandise. They also offer specialty drinks, matcha, and more. Another coffee shop in town is the Lil’ Bean Café which serves lattes like their vanilla and caramel Carolina, the dark chocolate Coconut Joe, and the vanilla and white chocolate Swiss Mocha. They also serve other delightful drinks like smoothies, teas, and espresso, and breakfast sandwiches, eggs, sweets, paninis, and specials. They offer dining in, catering, and the convenience of online ordering.

Another local restaurant which offers the ease of online ordering is the Blazin’ Bird on Highway 24 in Swansboro. They feature Nashville style hot chicken. Pay them a visit for a date night, or order takeout to carry home with you or to the beach. Their menu has items like chicken tenders, wings, and even chicken potpie. They have sides like mashed potatoes and gravy or a local favorite, crispy fried okra, and sweets like banana pudding and ice cream floats.

Also in Swansboro is Olea which features fresh, Greek-Mediterranean cuisine like tabouleh salad, Baba ghanouj, hummus, wraps like gyros, and platters. You can even pick up their Souvlaki they prepare for you, take it home, and grill it up yourself and complement it with one of their house-made spreads and dressings. Finish it off with baklava and Turkish coffee or chai tea. Another place to enjoy a cup of Joe is Muddy’s Coffee House in Jacksonville. They roast their coffee on-site which you can purchase by the cup or by the pound! There you can purchase salads and paninis, and for the sweet tooth in your group, there are muffins, cookies, and other sweets. (Check out their gourmet cupcakes in the photo!) They also serve deli and breakfast sandwiches.

Sammies are on the menu at the Grazing Tray in Downtown Jacksonville, a charcuterie-inspired café. Platters of meats and cheeses are not all they offer; they also have breakfast, tartines, and signature sandwiches like the Bordeaux Brie and Blueberry. They have a kids’ menu which includes a pepperoni panini, peanut butter and jelly, and more. One person or many, the Grazing Tray welcomes its hungry customers with warm, open arms as they foster an environment of creativity and togetherness.

Whether you are on a first date or celebrating your twentieth wedding anniversary, you will find a place to dine in Eastern NC. From local cuisine to foods from around the world, your tastes will be satisfied. You will find options like dining in, taking your food home, online ordering, and even picking up food packages to prepare at home. With coffees, teas, beers, and wines galore, your thirst will be quenched while you bump elbows with the locals and visitors alike. ENC has all you need from breakfast to a midnight snack, so do a few extra laps on the track and save room for all the delectable dishes and drinks this area has to offer.

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