There are many great restaurants in Wrightsville Beach where you can enjoy a delicious meal for dinner.
You can get a large variety of dishes at the town’s restaurants, including great seafood dishes, pasta dishes, tacos, hot dogs, burgers, and much more. Many of these places make their dishes with locally-sourced, fresh ingredients, and some places have a seasonal menu. In addition to that, at some of the town’s restaurants, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the water, such as a view of the Atlantic Ocean or the Banks Channel.
If you’re looking for a great place to go for dinner in Wrightsville Beach, I got you covered!
Best Restaurants in Wrightsville Beach
Zeke’s
Zeke’s is a restaurant with four locations in total, of which one is located in Wrightsville Beach, situated on the Causeway.
The restaurant’s menu features a variety of dishes, including poke bowls, acai bowls, pitas, and much more.
A great dish to get at Zeke’s is the “Sweet & Spicy”, which is a poke bowl that is made with raw tuna, sesame oil, shoyu, sesame seeds, cucumber, and a variety of other ingredients. It is served with sushi rice.
The “Tofu Poké”, which comes with a choice of blackened or cold tofu, and is made in several styles, is a great dish as well.
If you want to get an acai bowl, a great option to get is the “Haole Bowl”, which comes with banana, granola, kiwi, coconut, and pineapple.
In addition to choosing any of the signature dishes on the menu, you can choose to build your own acai bowl, by choosing a base and 3 toppings you like, such as blueberry, mango, coconut, almond, or pineapple.
One of the best pitas to get is the “Fajita Pita”, which is made with lettuce, onion, tomato, cumin-seasoned chicken, sour cream, cheddar jack cheese, and a fajita sauce.
Address: 534 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
King Neptune Restaurant
King Neptune is a restaurant that was established in 1947, making it the oldest restaurant in New Hanover County. The restaurant serves dinner from Tuesday through Saturday.
At this place, you can get delicious and creative, fresh seafood dishes made with local ingredients, as well as other dishes.
One of the best entrees is the “Flounder Piccata”, which is an orecchiette pasta dish made with flounder, broccolini, fried capers, a lemon butter sauce, roasted red pepper, and parmesan.
Another great dish on the dinner menu is the “Swordfish”, which is served with mango coconut chutney, garlic broccolini, and a coconut rice cake.
One of the best non-seafood options is the “Lamb Rack”, which is a herb-crusted half rack, with cauliflower puree, fig demi glace, and a butternut and Brussels sprout hash.
The menu also includes delicious salads, such as the “Avocado Salad”, which is made with carrot, tomato, miso dressing, soy glaze, wonton, and cucumber.
Address: 11 N Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Poe’s Tavern
Poe’s Tavern is a gastropub that has several locations in three different states, of which one is located in North Carolina’s Wrightsville Beach.
At Poe’s Tavern, you can get sandwiches, hamburgers, fish tacos, and various other dishes.
A great burger to get is the “Beef Amontillado”, which is made with pico de Gallo, chipotle sour cream, jalapeno Jack cheese, and guacamole.
Another good one is the “Beef Tell-Tale Heart”, which comes with applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, and fried egg.
The gastropub’s menu also features different kinds of quesadillas, one of which is the “Chicken Quesadilla”, which is a quesadilla that is made with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, grilled marinated chicken, chipotle sour cream, and pico de Gallo.
If you want to have tacos for dinner, the “Mahi Taco” is a great option. These are two citrus-marinated Mahi-Mahi tacos with chipotle sour cream, pico de Gallo, and shredded cabbage.
Poe’s Tavern’s menu also features various vegetarian options, such as “Veggie Sleeper”, which is a burger that is made with a black bean patty, blue cheese, Buffalo fried shrimp, and roasted garlic.
Address: 212 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
South Beach Grill
South Beach Grill is a southern-inspired restaurant in Wrightsville Beach where you can get delicious food made with locally sourced ingredients from both the land and the sea. You can enjoy the food you are having here with a beautiful view of the Banks Channel.
The restaurant has a rotating menu that features a selection of small plates and entrees, which is listed on a chalkboard in the restaurant.
An example of a dish that was on the menu at the restaurant is the “Low Country Chicken”, which is made with Terra Vita Farms arugula and toasted pecan pesto, smoked leg quarter, peas, glazed baby carrots, grilled corn ribs, and cotija cheese.
South Beach Grill’s menu also features delicious desserts.
Address: 100 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Bluewater Waterfront Grill
At Bluewater Waterfront Grill, you can enjoy delicious seasonal seafood dishes made with fresh and local ingredients. In addition to great food, you can enjoy amazing panoramic views while dining here, and, during the summer season, you can enjoy live music on Sundays at this restaurant.
The restaurant serves brunch, lunch, and dinner.
One of the best appetizers on the dinner menu is the “Crispy Calamari”, which comes with mixed peppers, Cajun remoulade, and a homemade cocktail sauce.
The “Shrimp Scampi Linguine” is one of the best seafood dishes. It is made with roasted tomato, shrimp, Asiago cheese, fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon.
The “Kung Pao Tacos”, which are made with a choice of cauliflower or tempura-fried shrimp, cilantro slaw, kung pao sauce, and mango salsa, and served with seasoned fries, are delicious too.
You can also get the “Bluewater Cheeseburger”, which comes with a brioche bun, onion, lettuce, cheddar, tomato, pickle, and homemade Louie sauce. It is served with seasoned fries, and you can add applewood-smoked bacon.
Address: 4 Marina St, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Oceanic
Oceanic is one of the best restaurants in Wrightsville Beach which is located at Crystal Pier. It is the only restaurant in the town that is situated on the Atlantic Ocean, which means that while you enjoy the restaurant’s delicious, coastal-inspired dishes, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the ocean at the same time. Because of the amazing view, having dinner here is also one of the best things to do in Wrightsville Beach.
The restaurant makes its dishes with locally sourced seafood whenever possible, and also uses other local ingredients.
The “Crab-stuffed Salmon”, is one of the best dishes on Oceanic’s menu. It is made with sustainably-sourced salmon, seasonal vegetables, a beurre blanc sauce, and quinoa rice.
You can also get the “Island Shrimp Tacos’, which are made with mango salsa, crispy shrimp, fresh cilantro, crema, cabbage, and tortilla chips.
The “Carolina Grit Cake”, which is made with wild mushrooms, garlic, spinach, shallots, sweet potato purée, and truffle crème fraîche, is another great option for dinner.
Besides great entrees, the restaurant also serves various high-quality salads and appetizers. For example, you can get the “Crystal Pier Salad”, which is made with egg, cheddar, spring mix, tomatoes, applewood-smoked bacon, ranch, and almonds.
Address: 703 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Flying Machine Oyster Bar
Flying Machine Oyster Bar is a restaurant that is part of the Flying Machine Brewing Company, which is one of the best breweries in Wilmington.
At the oyster bar, you can choose from a rotating raw oyster selection, or you can have one of the restaurant’s other dishes.
For example, Flying Machine Oyster Bar serves four types of handhelds. Each handheld is served with a choice of pasta salad, sweet potato fries, house BBQ chips, French fries, or potato salad.
One of the best handhelds to get is the “Varsity Bleus Burger”, which is made with grilled onion, two Smashburger patties, blue cheese aioli, sauteed mushroom, and a brioche bun.
You can also get one of the best restaurant’s plates. For example, you can get the “Blue Crab Pasta”, which is made with charred lemon, white wine, parmesan, capers, and sun-dried red pesto, or you can get the “Seaside Scallops”, which is a dish that is made with fried green tomatoes, cold water scallops, sauteed fennel, a cajun cream sauce, parsley, and arugula.
In addition to great food, you can have a beer from Flying Machine, which produces beers made with old techniques and contemporary styles.
Address: 530 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Trolly Stop Hot Dogs
Trolly Stop Hot Dogs is a hot dog restaurant that was established in 1976. You can choose from a variety of high-quality hot dogs at this place, including beef, vegetarian, turkey, sausage dogs, and other options.
Each hot dog is topped with fresh ingredients, and you choose any of the suggested styles or build your own one by choosing 3 ingredients you like.
One of the styles to get is the “Wrightsville’, which is made with secret sauce, diced tomatoes, onions, and deli mustard.
Another great style is the “Surfer”, which includes deli mustard, onions, Chicago sauce, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
You can also get the “Mexican”-styled hot dog, which is a smoked sausage dog that is made with onion, deli mustard, jalapeno peppers, melted real cheese, bacon, and salsa.
Address: 94 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
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Wrightsville Beach Restaurants Tips
Keep in mind that some of the restaurants that I mentioned in this article are very popular, such as Bluewater Waterfront Grill, which means that you might have to wait before having dinner, so I recommend going to these restaurants during a less busy time if you want to avoid having to wait.
Alternatively, you could make a reservation if you want to have dinner in Wrightsville Beach, which is possible at some of the restaurants on this list.
Restaurants in Wrightsville Beach Map
I hope I helped you decide where to get food. As you see, there are incredible restaurants in Wrightsville Beach!