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Beaufort/Morehead City/Atlantic Beach/Swansboro NC seafood recs?

  • m

I'll be traveling down to this area of coast for a short getaway next week. Any recommendations for restaurants that serve fresh and well-prepared seafood down there? I'm not looking for perfect ahi, salmon, monkfish or anything like that, but more of "just-off-the-boat" grouper, shrimp, crab, etc. Either fried calabash style or more intricate is fine. The key is "fresh and local."


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  1. I'm in New Bern and have had lunch is one or two spots down there.
    In Beaufort we recently had lunch at the Spouter's Inn on the deck overlooking the sound. Good sandwiches and Great views.
    Morehead City: We've never eaten here but everyone who has said it was very good italian. A Taste of Italy 4466 Arendell St.
    The Sanitary Reataurant in Morehead City is supposed to be good also.
    I know that Yana's in Swansboro is really good! Great Breakfasts!!

    1. Ive got your best and freshest place down there..in Emerald Isle.."Jordans" not much on looks but the fish of the day is the freshest and its quite cheap. The spot and croaker are great when in season..also their fried softshell crab sandwich is great...been going the for 15 years...tried them all...

      1. I would warn anyone away from the Sanitary - I'm too young to know if it was ever very good, but the meals I have had there in the last couple of years have been disappointing and extremely overpriced.

        I second the nomination for the Spouter for lunch, that's one of our favorites - and it's got lovely water views. For simple but excellent seafood, we go to the Net House on Turner Street in Beaufort. It's nothing fancy, but they always have fresh fish, well-prepared, and my parents are addicted to their chowders. It's a friendly place, too, very unpretentious.

        1 Reply
        1. re: dubedo

          The Sanitary's day, such as it was, was long, long ago. Recent reports from people dragged there have not been good.

        2. Beaufort Grocery on Queen St. in Beaufort.

          1. Beaufort Grocery is pretty expensive for what he's looking for

            Mrs. Culpepper's Crab Cafe is a tiny, very unknown place which has a pretty limited selection (fried shrimp, oysters, squid, sometimes scallops, flounder or some other fish, crab cakes, soft shell crab, great hush puppies, and some Thai food (yes, Thai)), but what they do (basic fried seafood and... Thai) they do very well. They catch the soft shells themselves, and the seafood is always as fresh as possible for the season.