Other than soft sand, warm water, and sunny weather, the only thing that makes a beach vacation better is a variety of top eateries that cater to your entire family, especially the kids. North Carolina’s Kure Beach, located a stone’s throw south from Wilmington, offers all of these. Enjoy beach fun and incredible eateries within an easy drive of your Kure Beach vacation rental. Check out these top kid-friendly restaurants in Kure Beach.
1. Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill
Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill puts a little of the exotic in your vacation with its Caribbean influence. The outside seating or indoor tiki theme adds a relaxed, low-key element. With fresh seafood like steamed oysters and Saku sashimi for you and fish n’ chips or pasta for the kids, everyone wins. There’s also fried shrimp, quesadillas, and burgers for those picky eaters.
2. Kure Beach Diner
On the other hand, the Kure Beach Diner embodies small town, middle America. Along with its all-American roots comes an all-American menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, salads, and favorite breakfast foods. Fuel your day with classics like a stack of pancakes, French toast, or a toasty sausage sandwich, or pick up a few burgers for the beach. The mushroom Swiss burger is a delectable treat as are the fried pickles, a Southern favorite.
3. Freddie’s Restaurant
Freddie’s Restaurant is an authentic Italian joint that serves up mad eggplant Parmigiana and chicken marsala. While there’s nothing better than breaded and fried portabella mushroom stuffed with mozzarella cheese, the kids trend more toward the spaghetti options containing plenty of noodles, marinara sauce, and cheese. If all else fails, you can always feed your picky child off the simple children’s menu, which offers create-your-own-pasta, fried cheese, and chicken fingers.
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4. Beach House Burgers
Beach House Burgers is all about good American food. It’s also all about convenience because it’s a block from the beach and a great place to stop for fun between dips in the ocean. Pick up a juicy double cheeseburger dripping with chili and coleslaw for yourself and singles for your kids. There’s also popcorn chicken, chicken fingers, and French fries, the holy trifecta of child joy.
5. Granny’s Country Kitchen
Go for some home cooking and Southern favorites at Granny’s Country Kitchen. Opt for the signature dish of fried green tomatoes, which are breaded and seasoned, or Granny’s shrimp and grits, a taste of the South and the sea in one dish. Children, on the other hand, have almost as extensive a menu as the adults, with eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, and Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast, and grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, or chicken tenders for lunch and dinner.
6. Big Daddy’s Restaurant
Big Daddy’s is another American seafood restaurant, but it doesn’t disappoint with its trident sliders featuring three types of meat–pork belly, pulled pork, and beef brisket–accompanied by three types of barbecue sauces. Go straight seafood with oysters on the half shell or Big Daddy’s crab dip. Kids also have plenty of delicious options from fried chicken tenders and shrimp to grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and mac and cheese.
7. Surf House
Surf House offers a brunch and dinner menu that includes such delicacies as buttermilk waffles with maple bacon and skillet potatoes with pulled pork. The kids can go with the traditional menu, which includes eggs and bacon, biscuits, sausage, and waffles. The dinner menu offers a mix of healthy and decadent from tomato and feta salad to the double cheeseburger. End with a scoop of the ice cream of the day for you and the kids.
8. Kate’s Pancake House
Everybody loves pancakes, and if your family can’t resist syrup and butter, then Kate’s Pancake House is for you. You can get a full stack of pancakes with bacon, sausage, and ham or sweet potato pancakes. The kids are sure to want the red velvet pancakes with cream cheese icing or the s’mores pancakes that include graham crackers, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. You can also get waffles, French toast, and omelettes.
9. Havana’s
This cute little cottage offers a great view of the downtown area with food to match. Fill up with the crispy shrimp (or catfish or oyster) platter or try out a bison burger. Go simple with a big club sandwich or grilled salmon BLT. Havana’s caters to a child’s tastes as well, with warm pasta and butter, grilled cheese, chicken fingers or fried shrimp and fries, and corn dogs.
10. Lazy Pirate Island Grill
The kids are sure to love this pirate-themed eatery. You can sit out on the deck and enjoy the breeze or enjoy the pirate decor indoors. Either way, the menu is filled with simple eats like ravioli, wings, nachos, chicken pot pie, and jambalaya. The kids have their own menu that includes cheese pizza and fish strips. If you don’t have time to take in the local flavor, call in for good food on the go.
11. Pop’s Diner
Pop’s Diner boasts colorful decor with a bright red and yellow color scheme that makes a family feel at home. The menu specializes in hamburgers, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, and fried cheese bites, all the things that kids (and adults) love. Finish off with an ice cream sundae to share.
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