For a small coastal town, Carolina Beach has a surprisingly lively food and drink scene. You’ll find everything from classic boardwalk favorites and fresh seafood to Southern comfort food and a growing craft beer scene.
Start your morning with hot, hand-glazed donuts or a hearty Southern breakfast to get ready for a day at the beach. Around lunchtime, oceanfront tiki bars and dockside grills offer fresh seafood, Calabash-style fried fish, and easygoing meals with great views of the Atlantic.
In the evening, the dining options become a bit more upscale. You can choose from steakhouses with top-quality cuts and thoughtful wine lists, Southern restaurants putting a new spin on classic dishes with local ingredients, or places serving Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Latin flavors. If you’re in the mood for something casual, there are also award-winning burger spots, taco shops, pizza places, and oyster bars all over the island.
You can enjoy a pint from a local craft brewery, sip a frozen cocktail at a beachfront bar, or treat yourself to hand-spun ice cream from a boardwalk creamery. Whether you want a quick snack on the boardwalk or a relaxed dinner by the water, Carolina Beach has something for every taste and budget, all with the easygoing charm of island life. The images below are clickable, so you can explore more details about each place we visited in Carolina Beach.
