Where to Find Fantastic Wine Around the OBX

By Honest Cooking
Oct. 14, 2021

Use this as your coastal guide to wine-focused exploring on the Outer Banks, from local wineries and vineyards to restaurants and markets where a chardonnay can shape the day.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are known first for sweeping beaches, historic landmarks, and fresh seafood, but the wine scene across OBX restaurants, bars, and hotels has been gaining serious momentum. Across the three main islands that make up much of the OBX, travelers can find everything from relaxed wine bars to refined gourmet dining rooms and plenty of worthwhile stops in between. For anyone wondering where to aim their wine plans during the Fall and Holiday season, here are several favorite places to start.

TRIO Restaurant & Market

TRIO Restaurant & Market in Kitty Hawk stands out as a major OBX destination for wine, with more than 100 wines by the glass. Part restaurant, part wine bar, and part retail market, TRIO brings a cosmopolitan feel that distinguishes it from many local dining options.

Its wine program is broad and lively, ranging from big California Cabernets to natural wines from Spain, Mexico and Macedonia. Guests who would rather not sort through the full list can lean on the staff for direction or choose a pre-planned flight built around a specific region, grape, or style.

Food is a natural part of the experience here as well. TRIO is especially strong with cheese-boards and charcuterie, using a rotating lineup selected by the restaurant’s cheesemonger to match with whatever is in your glass. For something more substantial, the menu also includes comforting dishes and paninis.

Tommy’s Natural Foods Market & Wine Shop

Tommy’s Natural Foods Market & Wine Shop in Duck describes itself with the slogan A small-town grocery with a global conscience, and the shop’s mix of local focus and wide-ranging selection backs that up. As a source for local and North Carolina groceries, along with the largest selection of wines and craft beers in Duck, Tommy’s Natural Foods Market is a strong stop for both bottles and the foods that belong beside them.

Visitors can look through the well-known grass-fed beef section, choose fresh local seafood, and add cheese or charcuterie to round out the meal.

On the wine side, Tommy’s carries familiar traditional producers and labels while also leaning into the organic movement. The shelves include options for shoppers interested in sustainable and natural alternatives. It is a place to explore local North Carolina sips or reach for wines from elsewhere in the country and around the world, making it an easy stop for Friday night dinner bottles and the steak to go with them.

The Blue Point

The Blue Point in Duck sits about a minute’s walk from Tommy’s Natural Food & Wine Store, making it a convenient choice for anyone who prefers not to cook. The Blue Point has long been part of the OBX fine-dining landscape, drawing in food-focused guests with inventive cooking.

Global flavors are paired with classic Southern Hospitality, and the distinctive décor adds warmth to the already welcoming atmosphere. The wine list, curated by sommelier Simon Kaufman, is a standout on the OBX. Among the roughly 25 wines available by the glass, diners can reliably find something suited to their meal.

The by-the-bottle list goes even wider, with choices for many preferences and budgets. The Blue Point also hosts wine dinners and other wine-centered events. After dinner, the backBAR offers a more energetic setting for cocktails and conversation while the sun drops over the Currituck Sound.

Aqua Restaurant

Aqua Restaurant in Duck offers a waterfront setting, deck views of beautiful sunsets, and health-forward food from Executive Chef Corey Bryant, all matched with a wine list designed to keep guests returning. Aqua serves 20+ by-the-glass wines, and the larger list includes some of the best local NC wines along with a strong selection of sparklers.

The list also reaches well beyond North Carolina, with choices from California and Oregon to Australia, Italy, Germany, and France. It covers familiar and surprising bottles, large and small producers, and classic as well as less expected styles.

The food is equally energetic. Aqua’s menu is eclectic, colorful, and vibrant, with options such as babaganoush, bangin’ shrimp, and the catch of the day served with grilled corn, butter beans, crowder peas, confit tomatoes, grilled baby artichoke, chanterelle mushrooms, smoked pork belly, and Swiss chard.

Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar

Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar in Kitty Hawk may put martinis in the name, and the martini bar is absolutely a reason to visit. The mixologists keep new drinks shaken, stirred, and poured for guests looking for a cocktail-forward experience.

Still, Ocean Boulevard offers far more than martinis. The food menu is packed with tempting choices, from appetizers such as fried chicken liver and pepper-seared rare tuna sashimi to larger plates like grilled heritage breed pork chops served saltimbocca style. The restaurant gives many kinds of diners something to enjoy.

The wine list is also one of the most extensive on the OBX, with a deep collection of classic and more playful selections from around the world. Guests who want to explore further can look to the reserve- and unique bottles list, which gives wine lovers another reason to return.

Café Pamlico

The Inn on Pamlico Sound is a beautiful place to stay for a few days or longer while visiting the Outer Banks. Set on the waterfront in Buxton, this boutique hotel works well for a weekend escape, destination wedding, or Holiday celebration, and Café Pamlico is one of its defining features.

Café Pamlico offers casual fine-dining that brings North Carolina comfort food into a more polished setting. The wine list leans toward California and supports the kitchen’s ambitions with style. After dinner, guests can take a bottle of wine back to their room at the inn.

The Paper Canoe

The Paper Canoe in Duck is another inviting waterfront dining choice on the OBX. The restaurant serves lively locally caught seafood, creative wood-fired pizzas, and more than 10 craft beers on tap in a cozy, comfortable setting.

For wine-focused diners, The Paper Canoe holds up well. Its wines are chosen to match the kitchen’s food, and the pricing stays more than reasonable.

The Colington Café

The Colington Café, located in a beautiful Victorian villa in Kill Devil Hills beside the Wright Brothers National Memorial, is one of the best dining destinations on the OBX. The menu draws from French inspiration while also moving toward Southern flavors.

Local seafood appears throughout the appetizers and entrées, alongside a filet section centered on tender grilled meats served with classic French accompaniments such as béarnaise and dijon-black-peppercorn sauce.

French wines are well represented, but The Colington Café also offers a wide range of grapes, terroirs, and styles. The by-the-glass selections are more than reasonably priced and include a pleasing set of California and French favorites. Its reputation as a key dining stop in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is well earned.

Sanctuary Vineyards

To close the roundup, an actual vineyard belongs in the mix. In Currituck County, at the northernmost tip of the OBX and just over the bridge on the mainland, travelers will find Sanctuary Vineyards.

The Wright family has been part of the local community for seven generations, and for the last two decades they have been making wine on 30 acres of coastal sands planted with European vines. Cool ocean breezes and sandy soils help shape wines across several grape varieties and styles, giving visitors a strong chance of finding a favorite in the portfolio.

The winery offers both complimentary and paid tastings. Anyone interested in understanding local OBX terroir should make Sanctuary Vineyards part of an Outer Banks exploration.

For additional beverage-focused OBX trip planning, explore the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau’s Beer, Wine and Spirits Trail.

About Honest Cooking

Honest Cooking is an award winning food, wine and travel magazine that showcases mouthwatering content from some of the most exciting creators in the world. Its coverage ranges from destination ideas and recipes to wine guides, with articles meant to educate, entertain, and inspire millions of readers.