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    The SaltBox Cafe

    4.7 (461 reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Cafes
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    The SaltBox Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    THE SALTBOX CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The SaltBox Cafe

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    Pineapple spoon cake and coconut cake
    Carol R.

    Cutest restaurant with a screened in porch and great service. The menu is on the smaller side but has some great options. My partner went with the shrimp and grits. It comes in a tomato based sauce, which I am a big fan of and you don't see as often as the cream sauce. I had the Local Catch, which was tile and came with broccolini over polenta. It was delicious, however the portion was smaller than I expected given the price. Welp, that left me with more room for dessert. The dessert menu is almost as long as the food menu, so get ready to make some tough decisions. After much deliberation, we decided to go "lighter" and had the pineapple spoon cake and coconut cake. So good, and a great ending to the meal.

    Grilled Elk Chop
    Jordan J.

    The best quality food on the OBX. Make sure you call and reserve prior to your trip. The food is phenomenal and unique and service is friendly and personal. I can't wait to come back year after year.

    Mediterranean salad
    Meredith C.

    Food is very good here. We ordered two salads that were delicious and a semi generous portion. Service was attentive. The only thing I should point out is there is only a small amount of parking spaces.

    Herbs hanging out back

    This is the place to eat on the Outer Banks if you want a great special meal! Unlike many outer banks restaurants, they accept reservations. There is a pleasant outdoor screened in porch for walk in seating. It appears small and non-descript from the road, but the inside is comfortable and pleasantly colorfully decorated with local art. Live guitar music. It feels busy without being loud. You can easily converse. Terrific attentive waitstaff. I was impressed that our waitress recited the many desserts from memory. We had the toasted ciabatta and vegetable spring roll appetizers, tilefish (catch of the day) and pan seared crab cake. All were great. The peppery grilled melon (canteloupe) was a first for me! The Brussels sprouts were crisp and delicious. We shared the carrot cake (with poppy seeds!); more than enough for two. All the desserts are made on site. Out back you can see displayed herbs, and a picturesque water side view. We will definitely return.

    Pan Seared Crab Cake
    Athena B.

    Came here as a recommendation from our bed and breakfast, and this did not disappoint! Reservations go fast as it's a small place, but the bar and outside is open seating. We were told to go right as they open at 5pm to get a seat, and luckily we got the last 2 seats at the bar; however, by the time we left (7 or 7:30-ish), there were several empty seats at the bar and it probably wouldn't have been an issue coming later (unless that's not normal for them?). This was on a Saturday as well. Moving onto the food, we shared the jalapeno popper dip appetizer which came with homemade kettle chips and it was delicious, but it definitely could've been spicier for our palette. My boyfriend had a crabcake for the first time as the waitress highly recommended it. He has nothing to compare it to but he enjoyed it. I was between 2 items and the waitress recommended the arancini entree to me and it was also amazing. I am iffy on gorgonzola sauces because gorgonzola sometimes has a goat cheese taste to it which I don't like, but this didn't give off that nasty taste. I would 1000% eat here again on our next trip to OBX!

    Side orders of eggs, smoked bacon, toast

    Found this place on the way back from a ride in the Outer Banks, came here because of the good reviews. This place did not disappoint. However, if you don't want to sit at the bar or outside, call and make a reservation in advance. The food is outstanding. The service is very quick, and the inside has a Beach theme, which is really nice.

    That curry pumpkin soup

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    7 days ago

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    11 days ago

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Good quality reasonably priced food. Brunch on Sundays a must. Service very good. Although a bit of a drive from Corolla, worth the drive.

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    3 months ago

    Always reliable and a fantastic lunch spot. Portions are fair and delicious! Looking forward to going back for dinner.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Terrific food and service. Vegetarian friendly and a very cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend!

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    6 months ago

    Amazing food and excellent service in a very welcoming environment . The wine dinners are exceptional and not to be missed

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Had a wonderful experience and dinner here on my honeymoon. You must have the crab cakes!

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Good service but unfortunately the food was not up to the ratings on line. It was just O K not outstanding.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - The SaltBox Cafe

    Are you pet friendly?

    Hi Dave! Yes, our outdoor porch is pet friendly. It is walk-in only but open for the season. :)

    Do we need reservations for a Sunday evening?

    Good idea to do that. It does get busy. You may have to wait quite a bit otherwise.

    Kid friendly? We have 5 ranging from 15-4...?

    It is a small place so if they are well behaved it would be ok. Be sure to call ahead for reservations. There is seating inside fro maybe 30-40 people and out door seating for 20+. Out doors (its under roof) would be better for kids maybe.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Kill Devil Grill

    The Kill Devil Grill

    4.7
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Wow. I really slept on this place over the years. I have wanted to come here for quite awhile, but…read morenever have done so when visiting OBX. This year, I put that sleeping to an end. I woke up...and had a delicious time! The reviews here tell you how great this place is, and well...believe them! I thought for sure it would be over-hyped and not live up to what people write and say, but I will admit to being wrong. First, our server, Krickett, was agreed upon (by my partner and I) to be the best server we have ever had. She was friendly, outgoing, had good recommendations, and an all-around joy. Second, the food! Wow! My partner had a salad...simple enough, right? But no, she was amazed by it. And she is a vegetarian, so she has had a lot of salads over the years. This one blew her away. I had the grilled chicken sandwich. Was it life-changing? No. But it was way better than what a grilled chicken sandwich normally is. It was tender, juicy, with just the right seasoning. I would be a criminal if I didn't mention the bruschetta...get it with the burrata...it is worth it! The crispy bread with balsamic drizzle is good enough with the diced tomato mix, but the cheese gives it a new level. And, I hope you saved room for dessert, because the key lime pie was a mouth explosion.

    We were staying in Corolla and decided to venture out for a late lunch and I'm so glad we did. The…read moreKill Devil Grill was a highlight of our trip. The restaurant has two distinct dining areas: the front section is first-come first-served bar seating that offers the full menu. The back section, which would be ideal for families, holds about 30 tables, mostly booths, with the hostess stand. We chose to sit at the bar and had a great experience. We started with bruschetta topped with burrata cheese. I ordered the angel hair pasta in a white garlic butter, cream sauce with marinated chicken and grilled vegetables. My husband ordered the special hamburger with Swiss cheese bacon, spinach and mayo with a side of fries. We ended with slices of the key lime pie that didn't disappoint! The food, service, staff and environment were exceptional! We overheard the Server mention that veterans receive complementary meals on Veterans Day, which speaks volumes about how this restaurant supports those who have served. If you are in the Outer Banks- whether you're staying in Kill Devil Hills or nearby- this restaurant is worth the drive and all the hype!

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Big Kahuna Burger. My wife added the CFO (crispy fried onions to hers and it was great).
    Big Kahuna Burger. My wife added the CFO (crispy fried onions to hers and it was great).
    Grilled chicken

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    Grilled chicken

    The SaltBox Cafe - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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