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Cafe Pamlico, Buxton, NC

Cafe Pamlico

4.8
4.8
335 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for scenic views
  • Charming
  • Romantic
Cafe Pamlico's mission is to provide a world class dining experience through exceptional food, outstanding detail oriented service, an inspired wine and cocktail program, and gracious attentive Southern hospitality. Our contemporary coastal cuisine is driven by locally sourced seafood, meats, and produce. Our menu changes frequently in accordance with the fresh ingredients our chefs discover on the island, most notably the fresh local seafood we feature. The fish we serve each evening is frequently taken from the nets of friends that very morning. We are committed to supporting local farmers and artisan food producers first, sustainable resources second, and organic third. The Cafe serves elegant gourmet dinners prepared by our world class chefs from four to seven nights each week, depending on season. Dinner reservations are highly recommended, as the restaurant is often filled to capacity by reservation. We are open to the public every morning for our famous casually elegant breakfasts, called "Best on the Outer Banks" by National Geographic Traveler. Cafe Pamlico is committed to extending gracious hospitality beyond the walls of our restaurant and into the community. We manage our organization in an ecologically sensitive and economically sustainable manner, driven by genuine concern for our environment and the jobs we create in our community, and always in accordance with the customer satisfaction policies of our business model. We invite you to learn more about Cafe Pamlico by downloading our current brochure, or by getting in touch with us. Whether dining in one of our intimate well appointed dining rooms, at our elegant copper topped bar, or al fresco on one of our soundfront decks, you will experience exceptional food and service which the Times of London described as "Fabulous" while surrounded by the natural beauty and grandeur of the Pamlico Sound and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 8:00 am–11:00 am Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri–Sun 8:00 am–1:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (252) 995-4500
  • Payment options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Neighborhood
    Buxton
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • A Very Caymus Christmas

    $150.00 per person

    Dec 16, 2024 only
    Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating 50 years of excellence in winemaking with the Wagner Family. Indulge in a five-course gourmet dinner featuring exquisite dishes paired with the iconic 50th Anniversary Caymus and Caymus Special Select. Savor the rich flavors and aromas of these limited-edition wines while enjoying live music. This is a unique opportunity to not only experience exceptional wines but also to purchase them for the holidays. Fill your stockings with half price bottles of these special vintages, making this a truly memorable gift for wine enthusiasts.

What 335 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Overall

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Food

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Ambiance

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Great for brunch

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Healthy

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Hot spot

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Romantic

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Great for scenic views

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Seafood

  • Outer Banks

    Best Overall

  • Outer Banks

    Best Food

  • Outer Banks

    Best Service

  • Outer Banks

    Best Ambiance

  • Outer Banks

    Best Value

  • Outer Banks

    Healthy

  • Outer Banks

    Neighborhood gem

  • Outer Banks

    Good for special occasions

  • Outer Banks

    Lively

  • Outer Banks

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cafe Pamlico offers a breathtaking "beautiful view," with "outstanding food" and a cozy Southern vibe. Known for its "terrific" shrimp and grits, it is a top choice for both breakfast and dinner. Service is generally "excellent," though some guests have noted occasional delays. An ideal spot for special occasions.

335 Reviews
  1. Rick

    Washington DC

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing Turkey Day experience. Great food and great service.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded today
    Rick, thank you SO much! Pls come back, bring friends and post your review to TripAdvisor and Yelp :-)

    Is this helpful?

  2. Jayme

    Raleigh

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Cody was a great server. Music was great..volume was perfect. Often music is too loud for us to have a conversation. For was great and cocktails.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded 2 days ago
    Jayme, thank you SO much! Pls come back, bring friends and post your review to TripAdvisor and Yelp :-)

    Is this helpful?

  3. christy

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were blown away by the atmosphere, food and the service. Dallas, our server, was awesome!
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on November 9, 2024
    Christy, thank you SO much! Pls come back, bring friends and post your review to TripAdvisor

    Is this helpful?

  4. Joe

    Philadelphia

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A bit noisy but the food, as always, was delicious. The appetizers are large enough you may wish to split one with your dining companion. In the maybe dozen times I have eaten there, I was never disappointed in the quality of the food and service. Highly recommended.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on November 3, 2024
    Joe, thank you SO much! Pls come back, bring friends and post your review to TripAdvisor Read less

    Is this helpful?

  5. DON

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food. There was a singer/guitar player in the outside area. Just the right volume for us inside and good music.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on November 1, 2024
    Don, thank you SO much! Pls come back, bring friends and post your review to TripAdvisor

    Is this helpful?

  6. Rick

    Washington DC

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on October 25, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, great service as always. My gf always loves it there. Killer sunsets.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on October 26, 2024
    Rick, thank you SO much! Please come back, bring friends, and post your review to the Cafe Pamlico page on TripAdvisor :-)

    Is this helpful?

  7. Christopher

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, great service, chill live music, and an incredible view
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on October 25, 2024
    Christopher, thank you SO much! Please come back, bring friends, and post your review to the Cafe Pamlico page on TripAdvisor :-)

    Is this helpful?

  8. David

    Charleston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Right on par with ANY fare, service, or ambience that we’ve experienced in the region - including Charleston SC, probably one of the most competitive restaurant markets there is. Use any superlatives you can think of, add the Pamlico Cafe & you can say you saw it written in Reviews! Don't miss it, it’s fabulous! 😘
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on October 21, 2024
    David, thank you SO much! Please come back, bring friends, and post your review to the Cafe Pamlico page on TripAdvisor :-)

    Is this helpful?

  9. Jo

    Wilmington

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Palmlico dinner was such a wonderful experience-we have driven by this place since they were open and always said we would like to go there-Being our 30th anniversary we invited our closest friends to go with us to the cafe since we were married on the beach-We were greeted at the door and quickly seated -Our waiter Dallas did an outstanding job!The food was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious ! We hope to go back soon!
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on October 8, 2024
    Jo, thank you SO much! Please come back, bring friends, and post your review to TripAdvisor.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Tim

    Wilmington

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Breakfast was great. View was wonderful. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a breakfast options in OBX.
    Cafe PamlicoResponded on October 4, 2024
    Tim, thank you SO much! Please come back, bring friends, and post your review to TripAdvisor.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Cafe Pamlico is rated 4.8 stars by 335 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Cafe Pamlico

49684 NC Highway 12, Buxton, NC 27920

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Buxton
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 8:00 am–11:00 am Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri–Sun 8:00 am–1:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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