Basnights Lone Cedar Cafe

Nags Head Manteo Causeway
Nags Head NC

When I asked local bartenders and wait staff about which restaurants we should try, several restaurants came up including Sugar Creek, Owens, Red Drum, Blue Moon Grill, and Basnights Lone Cedar Cafe. The Blue Moon Grill blew us away, we also liked the Red Drum, and have not tried the others at this point. We also had the chance to try Basnight's Lone Cedar on this trip, and we enjoyed the experience. We went early, as we were told that the place would fill up quickly, despite its size. There were several things we liked about the place. First off, we did love the view of the Roanoke Sound, and the Osprey nest we had from our table. We were also entertained by a kite boarder on the sound, as well as a great sunset. Those items you cannot get just anywhere! We found the food to be very good as well. We had fried green tomatoes and seared tuna for appetizers, both were fresh and excellent. In addition, the corn bread they serve with each meal is almost worth the trip. We also liked the idea that all of the fish served is caught locally, that the herbs used are grown in their own gardens, and that all of the produce, beef and poultry is all fresh and local. Their shrimp and grits dinner was very good, spicy, and as advertised the shrimp was VERY fresh. The fresh shrimp pasta was loaded with fresh local shrimp, and very good as well. If you are a wine lover this place has a wine list of more than 2000 different wines. There was a lot to like about Basnights, and it is worth the trip. Interestingly enough, despite the positives noted, and the view in particular, we did not LOVE the place. The service we had that night was okay, not great, and the place does have kind of a cafeteria like atmosphere, partially due to its size. We will have to try it again to get a better feel, and the "criticisms" noted did not outweigh the overall quality of the food and views. This place is definitely worth a visit, but for us it did not break into the MUST GO category, based on our one visit. That could change after a follow up.